Exoto, Inc review: Rip off 5

I also was ripped off by Exoto:
On Nov.1.2007 Exoto charged my American Express account with an amount of $1071.37 for a preordered Die Cast model car “1967 Ford GT40 MK-VI 1:10”, the charges to my credit card and the order was confirmed in a letter from Exoto and signed by owner Mr. Tony P. Keusseyan. In the letter Mr. Tony P. Keusseyan promises a delivery about two month from Nov.1.2007. The company never built nor delivered the promised model, in numerous times the company’s representatives and Mr. Keusseyan convinced me with different stories that the car will be delivered within 2-3 month so I should wait canceling the order.
Finally, On Aug.11.2010 (close to three years after charging my account) I canceled the order on Aug.11.2010 by calling Mr. Keusseyan. On Aug.12.2010 Mr. Keusseyan’s email indicated that about two weeks from the Aug.12.2010 he will mail the full refund check to me, since then after multiple calls to Mr. Keusseyan, his manager Mr. Jason Bittinger, his controller Mrs. Azar Iranfar, Mrs Don a customer service rep., etc and emails by Mr. Keusseyan confirming that he soon will sign and mail the refund so far no checked have received.
I sincerely believe that Mr. Keusseyan and Exoto employees lie and deceive their customers so finally they can steal customer’s money, his record on the Better Business Bureau and his multiple emails to refund me without doing so is the prove of his and Exoto’s intentions.

I truly empathize with people that have placed orders with this company. I did order one of their models in December and despite the statement that they had 12 in stock it still took two months to arrive. I had to send several messages, emails and phone calls to them to get a response, and when it did come it smacked of someone lying through his ### to cover it! They have a plethora of reasons why the shipment is running so late, everything from 'stuck in customs' to 'mistake by Chinese factory', etc...
I must say the model is of the highest quality, but I had to fix several parts that either weren't secured properly by the factory or perhaps weren't designed well, connection wise. In the process of removing the hood from the car, one of the tiny spring clamps came apart and it took several hours and a jeweler's loupe to make it right.
Another practise Exoto does with regularity is to flood my email box with daily offers and discounts on their older stock. However, what they do is tell me the model has a list price of, say, $598.00 and offer it to me for $98.50. Sounds impressive until you look at one of their catalogs from five years ago and see that the model in question listed at that time for $150.00, not $600!
I bought a Regazzoni Ferrari 312T for $50 eight years ago from a dealer and now I see that the same model lists for $698! Ridiculous!
I would highly recommend buying CMC diecasts for this type of high end model. They don't take your money until the model ships for one. The level of detail might be slightly less that some of the Exotos, but the end result is always the same - a very satisfied customer!

I think Exoto makes the most amazing model cars in 1/18 size. And their customer service and quality assurance are a complete disaster.

I'm from Hungary. I ordered an 'in stock' Ferrari 246 F1 model for cca. $850 in February 2012. Five weeks (!) later they sent me a UPS code to follow my package, but UPS said Exoto voided the code, they didn't have the parcel. Two more weeks later they gave my package to the US Postal Services (not UPS) so I had to wait 7 weeks until they sent out, and another 3 weeks to receive my model. Not bad for something that is in stock, is it?

When I received and opened the box I had to see I got a used, incomplete and damaged model. The steering was fallen apart, the seat was freely wobbling in the box and damaged, some tools and pieces was missing and the model was dusty with lots of fingertips.

I called them and asked what to do. They required photos that I sent immediately. They said I had to turn to the Post Office for compensation because they damaged my package. I refused because the box was Exoto factory closed so if anything was missing, it was lost by Exoto, not by the post or customs personnel.

Since then I received a "We are sorry" email from Tony Keusseyan (owner of Exoto) and lots of promises of replacement parts from the customer service guys but nothing happened. They completely refused to pay any refund however anybody can see it was all their fault.

Conclusion: it is quite questionable if I will ever buy more Exoto models, but if so, I will never ever order anything directly from Exoto. If I will buy any Exotos, I will buy them from model resellers. I case any problem will pop up, it will be their nightmare to solve.

I had an experience of the lack of professionalism of this company, I can not believe that is a real man who runs this company. This guy SHANE (it'sa SHAME), blatantly mind. I had a truck that was returned for any reason this post and shane told me I would have to pay for shipping back to them and other shipping back to me ! who thinks he is talking about ? a person of low intellectual ability as him? NEVER pay for return of goods back to the sender. However, I agreed to buy other items, so they would send me along enjoying the freight, according to the suggestion of shane own. What was not my surprise to receive only new items purchased? Shane questioning, told me that the freight paid by me was not enough to send the truck ! why do not you tell me before? thereafter, no longer responds to my emails. So I tried to talk to Tony who told me I would have to pay for shipping again, I agreed since he guaranteed me that he would send for PRIORITY MAIL as he had promised in all my previous purchases, and never fulfilled. Since then stopped answering my emails. Conclusion, had hijacked the truck. Beware this company is not Exoto minimum confidence !

I have the same issue as awindrider. I ordered the GT40 Mk II bundle in January 2006. Two years later they said they processed the order and charged my credit card "to guarantee and maintain the actual retail price you've agreed to pay at the time you originally placed and confirmed your purchase." - their exact words in a letter dated June 20, 2008. The promised delivery date was Q4 2008. Didn't happen. I called again in early 2009 and was told new delivery date was Q4 2009.
Three weeks ago, finally fed up with waiting, I called to ask for a refund as they promised would be granted in their 2008 letter. The guy on the phone said they don't give refunds over the phone - you have to send an email. So I sent an email, and after 2+ weeks, no response. So I sent another email this week, asking that they at least acknowledge receipt. Got an email back from Mr Tony saying they don't give refunds, but you can use the payment against another product. Well, first of all, they don't have anything I want, and secondly the prices are so inflated now that there is nothing you can get now for the original price paid. All I get back is an excuse that "Prices have inflated because young Chinese refuse to work for $40 per month for our collecting pleasure". Well that 's not the customers' fault, just poor management on their part. When I paid for the model in 2008, I was told they were moving production to the UAE because they could get much faster turnaround there. I think they have no intention of ever producing these models and just want to defraud customers out of their money.
I am continuing to try to deal with them but from all the other complaints, it sounds like if they can't deliver, they just try to ignore you and hope you will go away. Also, I pre-ordered another model in 2005 which they have still not produced. Luckily, I did not pay for that one.