How many would rather repair it themselves than send it back for repair?

Unless it's an expensive part, I'll do repairs myself on warrantied items.  Any non-warranty item will never get out of my hands until it's running.

If I were a manufacturer with no scruples about this, I would count on the fact that most would rather fix an minor item themselves than go through the hassle of shipping it back. Saves on my in-house labor costs. The customer then becomes part of the manufacturing process. How about selling items in kit form? 

I'd be up for a kit of that.

Some of the pricey G scale engines come in kit form.

Ditto

Ditto...wish I could.

- Mike

I am with Brian.  I need remedial course on train repair before even attempting to take Train Repair 101 again!

Depends on the problem, I had Mario send me a replacment reverse unit for a defective one in a WBB Baldwin which took me 10 minutes to swap out. It was much cheaper to return the defective e unit than the entire locomotive. But something like a MTH Premiere would go back.

I repair most of my own locomotives, but I must confess, I prefer to send them out for repair to a qualified repair facility. Especially when they are under warranty. I happen to live very close to MTH in Columbia Maryland, so this is a no brainer. I have both Lionel and MTH products, but I find it better to drive to MTH and drop off my repair and let them have the headache.

Sometimes, not all the time mind you, but sometimes, I like doing stuff for other people versus my own stuff. I don't know why, but it feels good to help other folks out. Especially when they haven't the foggiest notion of what they are doing. Not that I am some sort of expert, but I do feel qualified to at least try.

I took a 15 year old Chessie U25 G gauge loco that was left on the bathroom shelve of the hobby store I go too and asked to buy it. I did and I repaired it to near new condition. I enjoyed it. Especially when it finally ran. Anyway, I like doing repairs, but highly recommend folks send them out. Especially when they are not familiar with the product or they have an existing warranty on the item to be repaired.

Just my 2 cents.

Pete

I won't purchase a train item that I cannot repair myself.

I always try to repair items myself, but that goes beyond just trains.  What I have found though is your time is worth something too.   So if it is a warranty item I let the manufacture fix.  If a very complex and timely issue without the right tools, I may pay to let someone else fix it.  If it is outside a skill range I let some one else do it.

Train repair is a hobby for me so I do all that work, but if it came to painting as an example I would let my buddy to it.  That is his hobby.

Time, tools, experience, and patients would drive my thoughts on doing it myself or sending it out.   G

Me too!

 I know this.... Fra-gi-lee. Dat's I-talian! I seen all on the TV moovy...now go deep...

.

You'll shoot your eye out!

I don't live that far from Concord.  So, I take any Lionel stuff (other than real simple things) right to Concord for repair.  As far as MTH, I'll try to do a bit more in the way of self-repair since I would have to ship to Maryland.  There is no MTH service facility located near me.

If it something that I am capable of doing then I would rather do it myself than ship or take it to a repair facility, even if it's under warrantee.  I have ordered replacement parts for a FasTrack O72 switch or two and repaired them myself. 

Larry  

Always DIY provided: a) I can do it without injury to myself or others, b) if I screw it up someone else can correct my mistake(s).

All good points. I used to try and buy special tools and do everything myself, but as I got older it just didn't seem worth it any more for many things and I do as you do, hire it out. Your time is also another good thing to think about. Hiring someone might take a couple hours, where doing it yourself could take much longer. Could be hours, days, maybe weeks by the time you research, find all the parts and tools, make multiple trips to different stores for supplies and then finally get the work done. Some of what I was talking about above in realizing my own limits as I get older. Or as some famous person once said, gotta know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em.

I just repaired two engines and now they work fine both had broken wires. I noticed a light out on a PRR 2-8-0 on the tender 2 of the 3 were on and I said to myself it most likely poped out of the socket, I opened it up and sure enough that was it, I pushed it back up screwed the tender back together put it on the track and fired up the juice expecting all to be well...NOT now all three were out!!! Still cannot locate the problem.

GGGRRRR.

Can not say it better.

Due to my location. I tend to try and repair my own trains. 

I did send my Legacy set back to the States for repair as there was no way this could be repaired here. 

Nick