kit inventory

first kit (empennage) allowed me thirty days to inventory and replace missing items for free...does this mean each kit picked up is allowed thirty days to inventory?? Unpacking the next three kits would make putting all parts back in till the kit is started difficult...just wondering?? Dick

Yes.
You have 30 days from the date of receiving a kit (regardless of how many it was).

But Van's is pretty lenient on the 30 day rule. I checked all the big and/or expensive stuff in a fairly timely manner but not all the little stuff.

It's rare to find something missing in Vans kits.

However, if you find that a part was manufactured improperly when you try to assemble it and it is later than the 30 days, they will tell you to buy another one.

engineerorange said:

However, if you find that a part was manufactured improperly when you try to assemble it and it is later than the 30 days, they will tell you to buy another one.

Click to expand...

Not universally true.

I would say in most cases if a part can be confirmed to have a manufacturing defect, it gets replaced.

rvbuilder2002 said:

Not universally true.

I would say in most cases if a part can be confirmed to have a manufacturing defect, it gets replaced.

Click to expand...

+1
I had an RV-7 aileron skin that through photos I took, showed was mis-bent at the factory. Vans replaced it, no questions.

Same very good service from Vans

For the few parts that needed to be replaced or exchanged even after the 30 days no questions asked, it was always a pleasure working with the nice and knowledgeable people at Vans.

Where are those screws I got 10 yrs ago?

Not on a 12, but the only things I had an issue with was contents of the bags. 99% of the time it was me when I thought something was incorrect. I have never felt that Vans org was unfair in correcting an issue.

Doing an inventory on orders is a solid practice that one needs to have. Primarily, due to knowing what is there, and not wondering if it was included later. Once the heat of the battle in building gets going, the last thing one wants is to question whether the part was included, or it was misplaced. Who pays is low on the list of considerations.

Boxes, trays, inventory sheets - all should parts be in impeccable order to allow smooth building. I learned the hard way. Once you get near the end of the build it becomes extremely important as all the collected "little things" that were put off have to be wrapped up. You can not be too organized.

So just where are those screws (washers, etc) I got 10 years ago?

rvbuilder2002 said:

Not universally true.

I would say in most cases if a part can be confirmed to have a manufacturing defect, it gets replaced.

Click to expand...

I had the seat pans for an RV-7 in my 9 kit. Called Vans and they sent me the replacements the next day, no questions asked.

-Dan