When we renovated our kitchen, we bought one of our new appliances from Trail Appliances in Calgary. We have a really crappy Amana furnace that has caused us all sorts of problems for over 20 years but the Trail salesman, Jason, assured us their new generation of appliances was much better and that we'd have no problems with our tall-tub Amana dishwasher....What a scream! The dishwasher ceased washing dishes within four months. The design is such that the filter, which is meant to filter out small food particles, becomes completely blocked due to its very fine (plastic) screen and a grinder that doesn't grind finely enough for the intended filtering action to happen.
We went to Trail - went, as in went down there - asked to speak to the salesman, who passed us off to two other people (managers, he called them) who never crossed the floor to speak to us but who stood around on their phones for over an hour until we became disgusted and left.
Since then, I have fixed my own dishwasher several times but the filter now needs replacing. However, that problem is overshadowed by the fact that the door mechanism, which is where the electrical connection that allows the dishwasher to start is located, is completely broken.
Yet again, I headed to our local parts supplier for a replacement part, which I got after a three-week wait, only to discover the housing into which that part fits is also broken. The problem? Fittings that should be made of metal are plastic - fittings that are subject to pressure every time the dishwasher's door is opened.
Today, I received a link to my friend's great blog... about Trail appliances and his over $600 of spoiled food in his new fridge, purchased from Trail, which refused to help him....
So, be advised that you're totally on your own if they buy anything from Trail. They'll sell you the moon, but they will NOT help you in any way if that moon goes wrong. They do NOT honour their warranties in any useful way - they'll send you off to the product manufacturer rather than helping you - and they will literally pretend you are not there if you go in to the showroom, although someone will try to sell you something.
Scare them off by telling them you're there for a replacement. Believe me, they will scatter, warn off all other salespeople and leave you hanging for as long as it takes for you to become disgusted and leave. THAT is their customer 'service' policy. You'll get better service from a seller on www.Kijiji.com or www.craigslist.com
Caveat Emptor; buyer beware.
www.trailappliances.com AVOID.
Try Coast Wholesale instead.
Oh and buy European products instead. I'm all over the Buy American policies of the US, given that the stuff produced there is CRAP and should never, ever cross a border.
American-made appliances are representative of the poor construction and decay that characterises US society: looks ok on the outside but absolutely full of crap that will not last.
