@Camsdad13, that is a shocking way for a company to treat a customer. You must have consumer protection laws in the US. We have the Sales of Goods Act in the U.K. which was brought in in the late 70s. Goods have to be of merchantable quality. Clearly this unit wasn’t.

Rather than speak to them you should write a letter of complaint to the chairman at head office detailing the problem with dates and events. Make sure you state your contract is with Dell, not Thrustmaster. Send it recorded delivery which means someone has to sign for it so you know it has been received.

I know it’s a pain but the small guy can and does win. Here we have a Small Claims Court for cases of a few hundred or thousand pounds. There should be an equivalent in the US. Attorneys are expensive. Do it yourself if you’re up to it.

 

2 hours ago, GCBraun said:

Could not care less about the mechanical joints. The stick works perfectly well and has been doing so for years.

Well, with the way how the joystick plastic gimbal is designed/ manufactured you are either very careful or extremely lucky; or both. But of course it's also a matter of personal preferences- a lot of simmers will go for the functionality which (especially with a throttle module) looks to be quite similar to a real thing. 

2 hours ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

@Camsdad13, that is a shocking way for a company to treat a customer. You must have consumer protection laws in the US. We have the Sales of Goods Act in the U.K. which was brought in in the late 70s. Goods have to be of merchantable quality. Clearly this unit wasn’t.

Rather than speak to them you should write a letter of complaint to the chairman at head office detailing the problem with dates and events. Make sure you state your contract is with Dell, not Thrustmaster. Send it recorded delivery which means someone has to sign for it so you know it has been received.

I know it’s a pain but the small guy can and does win. Here we have a Small Claims Court for cases of a few hundred or thousand pounds. There should be an equivalent in the US. Attorneys are expensive. Do it yourself if you’re up to it.

 

Ray, as always great advice from a great guy. 

Thank you,

Jeff

4 hours ago, GCBraun said:

I am obviously talking about the externals, which is mostly made of metal. Tried and returned the Honeycomb Yoke as well precisely because of its lower quality materials.

Could not care less about the mechanical joints. The stick works perfectly well and has been doing so for years.

I have the Hotas Warthog which have indeed external metal build and are very reliable (with the Monstertech mounting plates) ... however, flying only Airbus (ok a bit of PMDG NGuX), I ordered straight away the throttles and joystick as well as 2 desktop mounting plates... can't wait for the flaps and spoilers add-ons too !!!  At last we can get some affordable Airbus sticks and the throttles that look very good.  I just wish TM had launched an airbus stick that could mount on the Warthog base...

Edited June 19, 20205 yr by pao

As for joystick mechanical, the metal cam system on VKB gunfigher is unbeatable, and it has SGC-L left hand grip (the grip self is plastic, but I don't bother and it's more comfortable than metal one anyway), with right cam profile and spring, I feel it's extreamly close to what I feel on CAE level-D simulator

Edited June 20, 20205 yr by C2615

I also switched my Warthog base with a Virpil WarBRD and its unbelievable precise and smooth - no comparison to the sticky old plastik gimbal of the Warthog, especially when it comes to very small and precise inputs.

But while i use my Warthog Throttle with DCS, IL2, and so on - i will swich to the TM Airbus Throttle for flying civilian jets 🙂

My Saitek Throttle quadrant stays in duty for every type of plane.

I pre-ordered which may be a mistake lol but well see.  I've been dying for a proper airbus style throttle quad more than the stick but went with the combo pack anyway.  Worse case I could always return it.  This hobby of ours I tell ya...I guess I could have worse hobbies.