Where's the Gaggia?

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Where's the Gaggia?

Postby phil » Wed Sep 10, 2003 2:36 pm

Or:

The ongoing saga of why Phil never seems to post about espresso these days.

I'm on my third espresso engineer. The Gaggia in question is a 2 group TD commercial machine, for those who have forgotten.

The first engineer, Scott Anderson of Drinksproblems Ltd (aka "Scottydog" on alt.coffee), sold me the machine, supposedly reconditioned, for cash. When I pointed out that only one of the groups worked properly he promised to return to fix this. He was also going to fit a water filter, something I'd asked for originally. He actually offered to pitch up on an occasion when I couldn't make it (I was in Finland at the time) but subsequently was involved in a nasty accident. Although Gaggia UK tell me he's working again (and has been for some time), he's refused to reply to all attempts to contact him since, even when I pointed out that the machine had developed a serious fault rendering it unusable.

The second engineer, James Fisher of Clifton Coffee, turned out to fix the machine when I became desperate. He'd been referred to me by Gaggia UK. The machine had developed a steadily worsening boiler leak, and eventually I was forced to stop using it. James came over, cleaned the boiler level probe :oops: and then it seemed that the leak had gone away. Shortly after he left the machine started to hiss, and the leak continued to get worse although the machine was not unusable as it had been previously. One night the kids (damn them) unplugged the machine for some reason and left it that way. I normal leave it on 24/7. The following morning I found the machine unplugged and so plugged it back in and left it to heat up. It gurgled for a few minutes, then hissed loudly. There was a nasty bang and a blue flash and that was the end of that. James refused to come back. He maintained that he was going on holiday, something I subsequently found out was a lie. He just didn't want the job, partly because he thought that Scott that should fix the machine (true, but that wasn't going to happen this side of the end of the world) and partly because I wasn't a commercial customer who was going to buy lots of coffee from him afterwards (apparently this is where he makes a lot of his money).

Finally, I called Gaggia UK for help again. They put me on to Roy Ireland. He eventually came out, after a few false starts. He took the machine away without examining it. He also admits he's not a Gaggia specialist (although James and Scott are). He didn't even know what I was talking about when I told him why the second group wasn't working properly (the TD has extra electrical heating in the group although it's a heat exchanger machine, and my LH group didn't have this fitted although it should have). He's had the machine for near enough three weeks now. He warned me that he was going on holiday for a week of that period, but promised to keep in touch regularly and to tell me everything that he needed to do to the machine as he did it. I haven't heard a word from him since.

Both James and Roy admitted that although I was going to be charged full commercial rates my repair was not a priority because I'm not a commercial customer. I suspect that Scott feels the same way, to the extent that he doesn't need to honour the (verbal) warranty he gave me.

I'm going to call Roy tomorrow, exactly 3 weeks after his last visit. He's had the opportunity to work on the machine for two of those weeks. I have to say that I feel pretty badly let down by everyone in this saga.

And there's a big hole in my kitchen where the espresso machine used to be ...... :cry:
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Postby Raf » Wed Sep 10, 2003 3:55 pm

Damn, Phil, that's a sad story. It's even worse than my Rocky-saga.

I always hate it when people do promises to sell you something and then don't live up to them. I mean, you shelled out the bucks for the purchase, the least he can do is make sure the damn machine works. And I can't imagine it taking so much time, after all it's a very common machine I assume.
This week I am eagerly anticipating the first god shots from my La Spaziale machine....

La Spaziale S1, Vibiemme Domobar (retd), Mazzer Mini Electronic, Behmor 1600 230V
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Update

Postby phil » Tue Sep 16, 2003 9:25 pm

I emailed Roy last Thursday (11/9/2003). No answer. Getting very pissed off.
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Progress!!

Postby phil » Thu Sep 25, 2003 4:25 pm

At last!

Last week, after four weeks had passed, I finally called Roy. He admitted that they'd done nothing up till then but that my machine was going on the bench "pretty much as we spoke". Hmmmmmm :roll:

I wrote Roy a letter, enclosing a wiring diagram of the machine (he hadn't believed me when I explained about the supplementary electrical heating in the group head), and also basically saying "come on guys, get on with it".

Anyway, on Monday (22/9) Roy's son Chris (another espresso engineer, who works with his father) called to ask some questions about the machine. Yesterday (Wednesday 24/9) Chris called again to say that the machine was basically fixed (he'd repaired the fault), and he was trying to find out how much it would cost to get a replacement group head so that he could get the LH group up to spec (i.e. with electrical heating as per the RH group).

Five weeks on, that's how things stand. The machine no longer leaks and is electrically sound. That's good. The LH group delivers water at 70 deg C (ish), 'cos the HX in the TD doesn't seem to be up to delivering water at the right temperature. That's bad. Hopefully I won't have to spend too much on getting the upgrade Scott was supposed to give me for free. It'll be three figures though. :cry:

What I have to remember I suppose is that a new TD 2 group (without a bean supply contract) is around two and a half grand (GBP), so another couple of hundred quid means the machine is still fairly inexpensive. That said, for what I spent initially and what I'll have to spend on repairs and the upgrade, I could have had an Isomac Millenium or Tea or just possibly an ECM Giotto (they're not discounted as much as the Isomacs, at least in the UK). Ah well. The engineers tell me that the commercial machine is the better long term investment. Well they would wouldn't they? :wink:
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Postby Raf » Fri Sep 26, 2003 9:26 am

Especially if they're going to make a lot of money on repairs, I'd say it's a pretty good long term investment. For them ;).
This week I am eagerly anticipating the first god shots from my La Spaziale machine....

La Spaziale S1, Vibiemme Domobar (retd), Mazzer Mini Electronic, Behmor 1600 230V
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I am awfully sorry to hear this saga

Postby Sunnyfield » Sat Sep 27, 2003 2:08 pm

Phil, I am really sorry to hear this. What a bloody nightmare, and the costs...

Have you thought about sending the repair bill to ScottyDOG? I wouldn't be too nice to him on alt.coffee.

Sorry mate!

Eward
La Marzocco GS/3, Elektra Nino, Feima 800N solid drum gas roaster
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Scott

Postby phil » Sat Sep 27, 2003 4:01 pm

Scott Anderson hasn't been seen posting on a.c since the accident, or at least not under his old handle.
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Postby phil » Wed Oct 22, 2003 7:50 pm

Update :

I got a call from Chris Ireland (Roy's son and business partner) about a month ago to say that the machine was repaired, but that the upgrade for the LH group would require them to source parts and they were looking into where to get them from. Today I decided that they'd damned well had long enough and phoned to see what was happening.

"Only today", I was told, they'd found out a source and price for the bits (group head, thermostat, heater) and they were ordering them up "as we spoke" (am I psychic so that I always call people at exactly the right time? :x ). The machine should be with me in 3-4 weeks. The marginally good news is that they're going to charge the parts at cost to make up for keeping the machine so long.

Anyway, I hope to be brewing espresso before Christmas!
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Postby DrZeus » Fri Oct 24, 2003 8:32 am

Good luck, Phil! So, what are you doing now for coffee?
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Postby phil » Fri Oct 24, 2003 10:44 am

Press pot most of the time, vac pot as well (eSantos baby version)

I've almost forgotten what good espresso tastes like!
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Postby DrZeus » Fri Oct 24, 2003 7:28 pm

phil wrote:I've almost forgotten what good espresso tastes like


Lucky you...I've completely forgotten. :cry:
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Postby Sunnyfield » Sun Oct 26, 2003 12:39 pm

I will tell you what they taste like:
Full bodied, aromatic, sweet-chocolaty, with a wonderful long smooth aftertaste. It tantalises your taste-buds! Don't you miss it?! :twisted:

Sorry guys! I will make up for my teasing. If you visit me I will make you lovely ristretto, as many as you like.
La Marzocco GS/3, Elektra Nino, Feima 800N solid drum gas roaster
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Postby DrZeus » Sun Oct 26, 2003 1:31 pm

Oh my god, you are SOOO mean!!
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