J Daddy's observations do not make one feel very confident in purchasing those products new, unproven & blind. There seems to be a disregard for consumers.
I was raised on orange boxes, and the product appearance is remarkable. However I am only confident with secondary market purchases, well after the performance is proven.
As I mentioned on another thread. I have three new locomotives from the same importer with the electronics removed. The are absolutely beautiful and run like a Swiss watch all day long. They are always on my main line and run every time my RR is operated.
I wonder how successful this business model would be if it was under mandatory government recall law.