[Cardinal]

GMP indicate in their signature “Superb Quality. Absolute Satisfaction.” From my recent experience with them I can only say that it is not just a slogan but appears to be a genuine commitment towards offering not only the best quality product but also the ultimate customer satisfaction experience.

I should be excused if I wax lyrical about the company, but I have recently had cause to experience the highest level of customer support and service from GMP that exceeds expectations beyond anything of my past experiences in dealing with any company, die-cast manufacturer or otherwise.

The evident strong commitment that GMP has towards its product and customers has caused me to come to a re-evaluation of my own collecting philosophy insofar the collecting experience should be one where the quality of the product should be reflected in the quality of support that a company is willing to put behind it. GMP clearly sets the highest quality benchmark in this regard, both with the quality of their product and their willingness to stand by it in those isolated cases where issues may occur.

Now you may ask, why am I saying all this? Fair question. The answer lies in the recent issue I had with the undercarriage mechanism on my new Texas Longhorn P40. As some of you may have read, the one strut was slightly misaligned when extended, giving a noticeable ‘pigeon-toed’ stance. When I applied gentle pressure to try and correct the alignment, the gear system suffered damage (for which I held myself partially responsible). In my opinion the innovative gear system was the only flaw/weak-link in what is otherwise one of the best detailed (& quality) castings in die-cast ever made .

After posting my opinion on the UK forum, I received a message from Minnahota (from GMP) to please contact him, which I duly did. I appreciated the invitation to take up contact as I was under the impression that I may be able to acquire the necessary parts and instructions to undertake repairs. This was not to be the case and beyond all my expectations, GMP offered to replace the model in its entirety and even gave me the choice as to my preference if Texas Longhorn was no longer available. (It was no longer available so they’re sending me the RAF Kittyhawk .)

Needless to say I’m still stunned at this outcome. GMP was under absolutely no obligation to take this course of action and I also did not expect it from them. They clearly are expressing a commitment to stand by the quality of their product and are prepared to go the extra mile (and far beyond), where and when they deem it necessary.

On my part, they’ve gained a lifelong supporter who’ll be prepared to pre-order and purchase their product at full retail price, confident in the knowledge that the product is of the highest possible quality and will be supported by the company in the unlikely event of an issue arising.

On reflection, this is truly what die-cast collecting should be about, namely the highest quality products backed up by a sincere commitment on the part of the manufacturer to customer satisfaction. Together with their limited production runs and measured approach to new releases, GMP has become my die-cast manufacturer of first choice. Quality in all respects is definitely superior to quantity and even if GMP aircraft are few and far between they are definitely worth the wait. Not only will I be patient and look forward to new releases (hopefully a F4U Corsair and P47 Thunderbolt), I’ll be happy to pay full price in the knowledge that these are true limited edition collectibles that will not only retain their value, but also have the backing of a company that is committed to giving the highest priority to customer satisfaction and placing the customer first.

Thank you Minnahota and GMP!

[djjeffhall]

Cardinal,
Congratulations and thanks for sharing your experiences. That's a wonderful post.

[mustangdriver]

I agree. I am a huge GMP fan. I don't mind paying a higher price if the model is good and the support is there(which it is). I also collect their cars which are also impressive.

[hworth18]

Congrats on obtaining a solution and having a positive experience!!

[STARMAN 352ND]

that is really great to see GMP go out of there way to help you out.
JP

[flyXwire]

Congrats to you, Cardo! Well done indeed!