UPDATE - Weber (the company...) rocks!!! RE: New WSM bent, need advice on if this is normal and how

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So I updated the title of the thread after a very pleasant interaction with Weber today.

To recap I received a 22.5 WSM on Thursday, went to put it together on Friday and the middle section was very bent.  I started this thread looking for thoughts on how to fix/repair but thanks to the help of you guys the advice was to call Weber or Amazon.

I decided to start with Weber versus AmazonAmazon has amazing customer service as well, but I didn't need to return the ENTIRE thing if all I needed was the middle section.  I knew Amazon would rush a new one out and I would just have to send the old one back, but again I felt like if only one piece was bad then why replace the whole thing.  I know they may send back to Weber, maybe Weber would reuse the non damages parts (maybe?) but still seemed like a waste maybe.

So anyway, I called Weber, told them that I could not get the lid on, it was as much as a 1/2 inch off.  He asked I send him a few photos and the serial number.  So I did - emailed to someone at Weber the 3-4 photos.  A few hours later I got a personal call back (not an email, not told to call back myself Monday) from the same guy. 

He is sending out a new center section Overnight mail on Monday. They are also sending out a new top grate since it rocked back and forth.  I think it was crookedness of the middle section but he wanted to be sure.

I was looking originally to repair this myself but it was a lot more than a simple bend and fit.  Weber really stepped up IMO and helped.

I can't wait to get the new part and get started.  Super pleased with Weber.  I have been a Weber fan for years already after owning a grill for 10 + years that still looks and works like it is 1 day old.

a HUGE thanks to everyone that took the time to send a response back to a newbie stranger.  I am pretty certain this is one of the best forums I have seen. 
 
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No, no, no!  Have some class here and don't involve an innocent store... crazy!  Rather than justify this route, try asking your local big box store if they'll support your purchase from Amazon ...see what they say, but be up front about it.  Maybe they'll support you and do it so you'll be a good customer of theirs, but give them an up-front chance to do it.

If it were me, I'd call Amazon ...you can even stress that you hoped to use it this coming weekend, and maybe they'll ship you a whole new unit quickly.  Otherwise, Weber ...they chose to put a great warranty on it and to take responsibility for the poor handling of others ...as Amazon does, so take advantage of it and let those that chose to support you help fix the issues.  Life happens... but you are getting a great BBQ smoker out of it, regardless.

Brian
I was just providing an option that would have him smoking as soon as possible.  I mentioned big box stores, not mom and pop stores, huge difference there.  Big box stores don't pay a dime for returning damaged products back to the manufacturer.  The manufacturer replaces them cost free, which they wound up doing anyways when he contacted them directly.  What difference would it have made if he swapped out through, say a lowes or home depot?  5-10 minutes of employ wages?  Please, don't feel bad for big corporations.  They have teams of lawyers and probably pay less taxes than you do for income.  Not to mention they put mom and pop stores out of business.
 
Nice to see there is at least one decent company left...what is equally as nice to see is you folks didn't start chest thumping about how miserable the shipping companies can be. I see this frequently on a car site I spend some time on. No matter how many times I attempt to explain to them the correct way to package things for shipment they just don't comprehend it...
 
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I was just providing an option that would have him smoking as soon as possible.  I mentioned big box stores, not mom and pop stores, huge difference there.  Big box stores don't pay a dime for returning damaged products back to the manufacturer.  The manufacturer replaces them cost free, which they wound up doing anyways when he contacted them directly.  What difference would it have made if he swapped out through, say a lowes or home depot?  5-10 minutes of employ wages?  Please, don't feel bad for big corporations.  They have teams of lawyers and probably pay less taxes than you do for income.  Not to mention they put mom and pop stores out of business.
I totally understand and it's nice of you to try to come up with a way to get him smoking and BBQ'ing as soon as possible.  As for the big box store thing, I understand your reasoning too ...but maybe when you're an old guy like me, you will also find that your life will be more peaceful, happier, if you set a high moral standard for yourself and keep it.  Life's better that way, and I think you have a right to be happy, and high standards is just a part of that.  No harm, no foul... and all the best to you.

Brian
 
Yup - Weber is really good at making sure the customer is happy, no matter where you purchased it. There have been a few other folks who had bent center sections and Weber just sent them a new one no questions asked.
 
The 10 year warranty is unheard of nowadays.  As for the bent center drum piece ...If it were truly a common problem, it seems that they'd come up with a better packaging scheme... And if they don't, it just means they are losing less money on replacements than it would cost to improve the packaging ...a calculated risk (and for us, it means a rare problem ...not the usual case).  It's all good...

Brian
 
When I opened the box the grates were not on the top (which per unboxing videos on the virtual bullet site they should be), but instead pushed down at an angle into the center drum.  My guess is they were knocked into the center section and that pushed it into an oval shape.  Still I tried bending it back and couldn't, there had to be a LOT of pressure (I think) to cause this.

Oh well, new center section comes tomorrow - just 3 days after talking to Weber originally.  I have not had a smoker for 44 years and yet I sit and wait for tomorrow like a kid waiting for Christmas to come...

Tomorrow will be a long day at work waiting. 
 
REALLY glad to hear about Weber's response ...and the warranty ...it warms my heart that you can still get quality and service like that in America nowadays!  I'm struggling through the winter (Knik, Alaska) with a Weber kettle - kind of pushing it's extremes but having fun, and will be buying an 18.5" WSM in the Spring.  I will really appreciate it by then!

NOTE that I saw the 18.5" WSM at the local Bass Pro Shop in Anchorage (new for us this year) at the SAME PRICE as what Amazon wants for it ($299) - pretty amazing for Alaska where prices are always jacked up (it's a long way to ship something and we pay for it).  Home Depot has it too, but wants around $330 for it ...kinda like buying it online and paying shipment.  Glad to see that the Bass Pro Shop had such a good deal on it.  We've got a new Cabela's store here too, and I haven't had a chance to check them out yet ...but they may be another option.  For sure, I will pick through boxes and grab the one that looks 'perfect'.  Stuff likely comes up here in pallets and is less likely to be damaged than when buying a single cooker online through a store like Amazon... 

Brian
 
Another thing. Go on Weber's web site & register your smoker. That way if you have any issues Weber will have all the info and at anytime you will be able to log anytime & see what parts are still under warranty.
 
Amazon usually has free shipping when you buy over a certain amount.

I hear you on shipping... Hawaii has the same issue!

This may sound crazy but check craigslist for weber products! I got my 22.5 WSM for $225 in barely used condition. I'm sure this happens in Alaska as well but we get a lot of people who can't cut it here and move back to the upper 48 and they won't ship a lot back with them so there are always great moving sales here!!!
 
 
X2, speaking from experience!
And this is why it's worth it to design and build so you can offer long warranties, and why good customer service counts ...guys like us go on and on about it online and that's good for biz.

Now ...If the Webers were 100% made in America, we'd be in heaven!  (They say "designed and manufactured in America" and "parts and accessories primarily sourced in America" ...but an investigative class action found that enough parts were actually foreign in origin, that they could no longer claim "Made in America" or "Made in USA".  Oh well...)

bd
 
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And this is why it's worth it to design and build so you can offer long warranties, and why good customer service counts ...guys like us go on and on about it online and that's good for biz.

Now ...If the Webers were 100% made in America, we'd be in heaven!  (They say "designed and manufactured in America" and "parts and accessories primarily sourced in America" ...but an investigative class action found that enough parts were actually foreign in origin, that they could no longer claim "Made in America" or "Made in USA".  Oh well...)

bd

THAT would explain the lousy door, the only weak link in the WSM.
 
THAT would explain the lousy door, the only weak link in the WSM.
Yeah.... I was initially not a fan of the door. I had to bend mine on my leg a bit to get it to fit better, but once I had a dozen or so smokes on it there was enough seasoning done to the inside of the smoker that it sealed just fine. I thought about buying the Cajun Bandit replacement door, but I'm a cheap bastard..... or at least that what my wife says.... lol.
 
Yeah.... I was initially not a fan of the door. I had to bend mine on my leg a bit to get it to fit better, but once I had a dozen or so smokes on it there was enough seasoning done to the inside of the smoker that it sealed just fine. I thought about buying the Cajun Bandit replacement door, but I'm a cheap bastard..... or at least that what my wife says.... lol.

I thought about the Cajun Bandit door as well, but I am going to wait a few times and see how much I may or may not actually need it.

Plus I was lucky enough the wife said yes to the 18.5" one. And then I sprung it on her I actually decided on the $100 more (although it was only $50 more with the amazon deal they had) 22.5". she rolled her eyes and said this better not get out of hand.

And then I forgot we have the same email for amazon when I ordered the $70 maverick ES-733 thermometor the next day. Oops...

While ti was only $15.00, the Weber Charcoal chimney I then bought yesterday at home depot is hidden in the trunk for now ha ha.
 
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