Kahr customer service BITES!

[deercop]

I sent my K-40 Elite 98, with Novak night sights, in for repair on 11/20/04. The grips screws stripped the frame holes out, while firing. I kept getting the runaround from Dottie. She promised the repair would be done by 11/26, then 12/8, and then 12/14. Now, they are deeming my gun unrepairable, and are sending me another one. The one they are sending is the basic stainless model, since their warranty states "the same or comparable quality model." Apparently, even though their website states differently, they have discontinued the Elite 98, and, as Dottie puts it, "The fact not standing that your gun is several years old, the K40 matte stainless with night sights sells for more than your Elite 98 sold for when you bought it." This, even though I bought my gun new, at a Kahr Dealer, in May 2004. However, if I want to upgrade to the Elite 2003, I can pay the difference in suggested retail prices, $892 vs $828. PLEASE!!!!!

Am I being unreasonable in feeling screwed?

[Missouri Mule]

Just curious...what are the actual differences from your original pistol versus the new one they are replacing it with.
I'm not that familiar with the different Kahr models.

[deercop]

The standard model is, well, standard.
The Elite 98 model has polishing and upgraded, smoother trigger.
The Elite 2003 essentially replaces the Elite 98, but adds beveled mag well.

[Psssniper]

get your gun back and have a gunsmith fix it.

[cerberus]

My next handgun will be a Sig. :)

[deercop]

cerberus,

Funny you should say that. My off-duty weapon currently is my Sig P239 .40. It is amazingly accurate and totally reliable.

[Newton]

Just curious, but what's your duty weapon. By your screen name I'm guessing you're a Natural Resources officer.



Newton

[deercop]

We're issued Beretta 96G's, with Robar NP3 finish, but mine's sitting in the back of my safe. I'm qualified and approved to carry my personal Sig P220 and my Glock 22.

[Missouri Mule]

Thanks deercop
The standard model is, well, standard.
The Elite 98 model has polishing and upgraded, smoother trigger.
The Elite 2003 essentially replaces the Elite 98, but adds beveled mag well.


I'd be "PO'd" too.

[armoredman]

$892? Get two CZ PO1s for that.....
Good luck, and thanks for the heads up on Kahr service - that bites.

[denfoote]

I dunno.
Kahr customer service done alright by me!!
I had a broken extractor on my MK9 Elite 98 and they sent me one free of charge. I had my gunsmith install it and I'm good to go!!

[deercop]

Got my gun back today - sort of. They sent a K-9 w/o night sights. Geez!!!

[SAWBONES]

Old news.
Kahr's customer service is THE worst in the gun industry, IME, and I've been through multiple go-rounds with them over defective MK9 pistols, over a period exceeding a year. I eventually gave up, and NEVER received satisfaction. They'll be courteous to you with a first inquiry or complaint. After that, they'll ignore you if you try to communicate by email, and stonewall you if you call on the phone. I know.

All I wanted was a non-defective gun, after first purchasing a sight-unseen (ordered) gun which proved to have stripped grip screws and widely spread grips (they were supposed to cover the backstrap, but they didn't meet by several mm), and over the next year they sent me three different refurbished (previously-owned but returned) guns with serial numbers earlier than the gun
I originally purchased (not new, in other words), each of which had similar flaws, or in one case an actual hole (crack) through the slide at the muzzle!

OTOH, I had a PM9 and a P9 which were fine, bought with careful examination before purchase.
Just be careful before you accept delivery, and look the pistol over carefully. Try to avoid getting a lemon, because Kahr will stick it to you. Personally, I won't buy any more Kahrs.

[Zonamo]

They'll be courteous to you with a first inquiry or complaint. After that, they'll ignore you if you try to communicate by email, and stonewall you if you call on the phone. I know.
Exactly the treatment I received. They might be good products if you get lucky enough not to get a lemon, but I won't know because I won't be buying one of their products ever again.

[orangeninja]

Sold 2 Kahrs...haven't regretted it a bit. :)

[WhoKnowsWho]

They sent a K-9 w/o night sights.

They didn't even send one of the same caliber?

Maybe they will buy back your gun, did you try to offer them that?

[deercop]

After this Charlie-Foxtrot, I give up and am just keeping the 9mm. My FFL called Kahr, and they started to catch an attitude with him, so I didn't see anything positive coming in the future. Oh well, at least 9 is cheaper than 40.

[albanian]

Man! That ain't right! I love Kahr and think they make the single best auto ever made (the K-9) but I hate to hear about that kind of service. Kahr makes great guns but every once in a while, every model is going to have a flaw, that is life. What is important is how they fix the problems when they occur.

personally, I have had nothing but good exprience with the three Kahrs I have owned and I have been surprised by the accuracy and low recoil for such a small gun. I had to used Kahr's CS for a minor problem with a mag and they sent me a new one no questions asked. there are not many companies that will do that sort of thing. I didn't even have to send the old mag back, which I got working and then I had an extra mag for free. :cool:

I know you are mad about the whole thing but it may be a blessing anyway. the kahr K-9 is a great gun and it holds one more round. It is cheaper to shoot and has much less recoil. Most people that have tried both prefer the K-9 so maybe you will too. From what I understand, all new Kahrs have the Elite trigger installed now so you should be getting a good trigger on the new gun. You should ask for your old sights back since they were Novaks and they sent you standard sights.

[Gordon]

' When the MOON hits your eye like a big pizza pie' :evil:

[deercop]

The basic stainless models do NOT come with the Elite trigger. Trying to be optimistic, the standard trigger is a little lighter than the Elite, albeit slightly longer travel.

My dealer is trying to get Kahr to send a set of night sights direct to him, so we can install them ourselves. I have a Meprolight universal sight installer that I've used to install many NS before.

The only problem with the K-9 so far is sometimes it won't completely return to battery. It seemed like it was getting better as I neared 200 rounds, so I might put a couple of hundred more through just to finish breaking it in. Or, it could be the cheap Norinco 124 gr. FMJ ammo I was using to break it in.

[denfoote]

Lesson learned.
Have Kahr send you the parts and have your own gunsmith install them!!
I guess being on the NYPD issue list means that Kahr can tell everybody else to F.O.!!! ;)

[deercop]

Well, to Kahr's credit, my dealer DID receive my night sights today, by Fedex Priority Overnight, no less. They even sent the correct ones, the Novak Trijicons. I just got through changing them out. I'm guessing Kahr must have loosened up on the tolerances for the dovetails, because I have no problem whatsoever swapping them out. (Of course, I'm using a $400 Meprolight Universal Sight Installer too.)

[halvey]

Me thinks My next handgun will be a Sig. Anyone ever notice how many threads get hijacked with "buy a Sig"?

[HankB]

I had a Kahr P9 - make that a POS9 - which had MANY problems. Kahr paid shipping both ways each time it went in, and ultimately replaced the pistol. (Though they insisted the identical replacement had to go through a dealer, which would cost me a $25 transfer fee . . . )

Of course, this took place over the course of a year, and since I didn't like being an unwitting beta tester, I never took possession of the replacement, trading the brand new P9 for a Glock 26.

The Glock isn't as neat and compact a package as the POS9 was, but it actually WORKS.

[Magnum88C]

Anyone ever notice how many threads get hijacked with "buy a Sig"?

Yes, and after buying one, I know why.

In answer to this thread, though, you got a bum deal, they at least should have been up front with you about it, and asked what you wanted to do.

[only1asterisk]

Better customer service would have been to offered you a new Elite 2003 frame, a refund of your shipping and and offer to square things with the dealer. They should never have lost customers over less than $100. If they replace frame of a pistol with one marked with the old SN there is no transfer. They log the gun in, and they log it back out. Since they sent you a new pistol, they are correct about requiring a dealer to complete the transfer.

I love the "buy a SIG suggestions"! I have seen brand new SIG's come into to the shop with the sights missing and at least one that shipped with the wrong magazines. Every company has sent out defective product. The really good ones make you forget about their mistakes by treating customers with care.

I'm happy I've never had a problem with Kahr.

David

[deercop]

Well, Dottie just emailed me. She is sending me 2 extra mags, for my inconvenience. Yes, I realize they probably have next to nothing invested in mags, but it IS a nice gesture. Even though the whole process was screwed up, I am now willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Overall, I am happy and satisfied with what I've got now, a reliable K-9 in stainless steel, w/o Elite trigger, with Novak night sights and my soon to be arriving extra mags.

[BLiTzNicK]

The grips screws stripped the frame holes out, while firing.

How does that happen?

[deercop]

I dunno. I can guess, but that's about it. I just know I didn't do it. Don't know if it was the metal, if the screws were crossthreaded at the factory, by a tech, etc., or whatever. But it did happen.

[SAWBONES]

During the time I was going around and around with Kahr, phone calls to personnel there elicited several promises of "free new mags" as compensation for the trouble of returning guns and waiting for repairs or replacements, but they NEVER sent me any. Not a single one. Kahr's customer service is just plain awful. I'll NEVER buy another Kahr gun.