Not that I am defending Rec Tec, but there have been numerous accounts of grills being damaged in shipping. I have visited their facility and warehouse and they have dedicated personnel. Customer service is beyond reproach. They offered to replace it for you and gave you cash back when you said you would fix it or try to fix it. Checkout the Rec Tec forum or the Rec Tec owners group on Facebook and you will understand what I am saying. I own 2 of their smokers and have had absolutely no problems at all with them. Of course I didn't get mine shipped I am close enough to their headquarters and drove up there and picked them up.
Mike - good post. I think the impact of how freight is being (mis)handled by the carriers nowadays is not just a Rec-Tec issue. We have medical equipment arrive that the boxes look perfect....and the contents are virtually destroyed. It takes real talent to do that, I am sure. But it is not the manufacturer's fault.
Slo - Call up Rec-Tec nd explain your complete situation. Make sure they understand your health issues affecting your ability to re-pack and haul it. My gut says they will arrange for the freight company to send out an OS&D person ( Overage, Shortage and Damage ) to appraise the situation, and then follow that up with a driver in a bobtail w/lift gate to ship it back to Rec Tec. But make sure you dont wait on the call to Rec Tec or the freight company.
And - please keep us informed about this. Will be interested to know how this gets handles for you.
T
