MTC Viper Connect 3-12X32

[Cuhulain]

Hurricane, it's not a problem.

Lloyd, thanks for that, it was most helpful. As it happens, I checked the packaging with Sammie over the phone on the day that I received the scope as she had a new Connect to hand. There were a couple of things missing - silica gel, for example - but nothing significant (remember however, that I was told by Sammie that I should not expect to have high density foam supports). I addressed the packaging as a specific issue with Uttings and they remained adamant that the scope was straight from MTC. I can be a very difficult customer on the phone when the mood takes me but I do try to be calm and constructive - the Uttings support fellow was clearly stressed (particularly with calls two and three) but he dealt with me very well, given the circumstances. Really, I should have sent it straight back but as I implied in an earlier reply to Hurricane, the Connect was in short supply, I really wanted to try it out and Uttings didn't have a replacement at the time, it also seemed to function as it should.

When I highlighted the problem of the cap to Sammie over the weekend, hoping that there might be an easy fix, there seemed to be no option other than sending the scope back (Sammie's suggestion). I replied to Sammie's email on Monday of this week and asked if it would be convenient for me to drop the scope off - I followed this up with a phone call on Tuesday. While Sammie was helpful, it was clear that MTC do not encourage this kind of thing (possible issues with Health and Safety, problems of scheduling someone on their side to deal with me et cetera), so that idea was knocked on the head. I have to say that this did irritate me; I'm a customer with a problem, suggesting a straight-forward and quick accommodation on my part of an MTC suggestion and MTC declined (I know, they had their reasons, but it still bothered me). I had also decided by this time that I had had enough of the Connect and would have swapped it for a Taipan (a cheaper scope, street price-wise). That MTC could have replaced the Connect with another but couldn't supply a Taipan also bothered me, especially as this would have been a quick and easy final solution (not being a direct customer of MTC's though, it seems that there would be VAT issues).

Anyway, the proper thing to do would be to send the scope back to Uttings for a refund, but, although I have had great service from them in the past, I can't help but feel that they were wildly off-beat in even thinking of sending something out in this condition and I simply want nothing more to do with them, even if it does seem like I'm cutting off my nose to spite my face. At the end of the day, I still have a great (although unwanted) scope that happens to have a defective turret cap. Pity though, that MTC fell at the last hurdle.