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Lego Quality

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  • im2cre8ivim2cre8iv Member Posts: 167
    I’ve seen a number of cracked pieces. From reddish brown to black, dark green and the bluish grays, and everything else too. It’s most common with the 1x1 and 1x2 plates, bricks, tiles and slopes, but I’ve seen it in lots of other pieces. I used to try to get them replaced by LEGO CS, but then their system started automatically canceling my orders (due to qty or size, I can’t be sure), and I can’t seem to place any replacement orders any more. Even an order of 1 brick gets canceled. CS said I can just call them to get any other orders placed, but that has been prone to errors. I’ve just started BrickLinking my own replacements. Which stinks for a number of reasons (mainly hiding the issue from LEGO), but has been easier for me. The funny thing is, some of the new parts in a recent order also had cracks. So it feels like a systemic issue with their manufacturing process? Makes me quite worried TBH.
  • CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,526
    M1J0E said:

    I just recall as a kid (going back 30 years now), a 'large' set would've had 400-500 pieces & cost $40-$50.  Nowadays that same size set costs the same amount (in today's much less valuable dollars) so we would consider that a small to medium set today, with improvements in system to have much more detail & improved building techniques requiring more, albeit often smaller, pieces.  I grant they also save a little on packaging nowadays, whereas vintage sets of even a couple hundred pieces had nice plastic inner trays, & flip top boxes.  Small sets that at one time would've been boxed for 50 or less pieces are now a polybag.

    Economies of scale is a big factor. LEGO produces and sells significantly more than they used to. 
    560HeliportM1J0E
  • LyichirLyichir Member Posts: 1,009
    Fauch said:
    when building the lloyd's mech from this year, one bag had an extra 2*4 bracket. the next bag was missing this same piece.

    Same color? If so that's possibly the luckiest error I've ever heard of. Part isn't even missing, just missorted. :P
  • M1J0EM1J0E Member Posts: 644
    klinton said:
    M1J0E said:
    ^ that’s probably what I should’ve done & will remember to do for next time.  I did submit a parts order (can’t remember whether it was B&P or PaB, not sure I know or understand the difference anyways), but it got lost about the time they did the site switchover.  So for the few cents, I just threw them on a BrickLink I was doing anyways.
    PaB is the "Pick a Brick" section of [email protected], found here: https://www.lego.com/en-ca/page/static/pick-a-brick
    B&P is the replacement parts section, found here: https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/replacementparts
    Bricklink is a network of private shoppes found here: https://www.bricklink.com/v2/main.page

    Awesome thanks for that.  Now I just need to remember pick a brick is to order individual bricks, while bricks & pieces is to replace parts in sets you already have.  
  • M1J0EM1J0E Member Posts: 644
    ^^ good point I forget about just plain old economies of scale too.  Selling & distributing more everywhere has a way of making the per unit cost decrease for sure.
  • CymbelineCymbeline Member Posts: 554
    @M1J0E Bricks and Pieces can be used for any individual element that LEGO has available to sell whether you own the set or not. All you need is the element number or design number. If you don't have the number of the individual element but you know which set it appears in you can also look it up under set number. 
    klintonM1J0E
  • FauchFauch Member Posts: 2,662
    Lyichir said:
    Fauch said:
    when building the lloyd's mech from this year, one bag had an extra 2*4 bracket. the next bag was missing this same piece.

    Same color? If so that's possibly the luckiest error I've ever heard of. Part isn't even missing, just missorted. :P
    yes, the right color. I think it's the same reason why you don't get an extra of each 1x1 per bag, but only 1 extra for the whole set.
  • M1J0EM1J0E Member Posts: 644
    ^^ thanks for the tips too @Cymbeline & @klinton both.  
  • DeMontesDeMontes Member Posts: 745
    Switchfoot55 said:
    As has been previous discussed, I've recently run into a number of crumbling Reddish Brown pieces. Several clips that have just disintegrated, tiles that have snapped in half, and about 10 cheese slops that have cracked nearly through. 

    I've also had a number of LBG bricks and slopes that have cracked this year too. 

    That Reddish Brown color seems to be notorious for issues. I've contact Lego CS, so hopefully they'll continue to replace.  
    Are these from either older sets or older parts in your collection and/or BL.  LEGO have fixed all the issues with Brittle Reddish Brown and it should no longer be an issue with new sets and parts bought newly from LEGO. Obviously new parts from Bricklink may have been in storage for a while and still be from the bad batch.
    Fizyx
  • Switchfoot55Switchfoot55 Member Posts: 3,272
    I just heard back from Lego CS and, after apologizing for the broken bricks/clips, they requested I send a full list of the broken parts. Then they will flag my account to ensure any replacement brick orders do no get cancelled. 

    I'd still rather not run into broken bricks, but glad Lego seems to always do right by me when it happens. 
    M1J0ELittleLorigmonkey76SumoLego
  • KungFuKennyKungFuKenny Member Posts: 2,368
    Switchfoot55 said:
    As has been previous discussed, I've recently run into a number of crumbling Reddish Brown pieces. Several clips that have just disintegrated, tiles that have snapped in half, and about 10 cheese slops that have cracked nearly through. 

    I've also had a number of LBG bricks and slopes that have cracked this year too. 

    That Reddish Brown color seems to be notorious for issues. I've contact Lego CS, so hopefully they'll continue to replace.  
    Dark red is almost as bad - I was rebuilding #10197 (Fire Brigade) a year ago before re-selling it.  I must have had 4 or 5 broken tiles in that build and 2-3 plates as well.  Cheese slopes crack, and I’ve had the old 1x1 plate with clip break in lots of colors.  Luckily the newer one seems to put less stress on the plastic...
  • CharmiefcbCharmiefcb Member Posts: 451
    I read that and checked my fire station. Tile from the front snapped easily when I tried to remove it.
    KungFuKenny
  • MaffyDMaffyD Member Posts: 3,498
    Ship in a bottle #21313 uses about 5 of those clips:

    Recently, I needed to rebuild the ship after an overenthusiastic parent was 'taking a look' at the bottle, and when I did, all 5 of these clips were broken. It has just been sitting on a shelf until that point - not under stress, and my dad didn't tread on  them or anything.
    Lego CS replaced them without any quibbles whatsoever, but I thought the issue had been eradicated by the time this set was out?
    AstrobricksBaby_YodaKungFuKenny
  • stluxstlux Member Posts: 2,450
    @MaffyD The statement from TLG on the fix for New Dark Red/Reddish Brown/Dark Brown dates from Dec 2018.
    So with #21313 Ship in a Bottle released in Feb 2018, it's possible/likely it has the old, problematic version of this part, depending on the seal codes on your set. Do you still have the box to check those seal codes?
    AstrobricksKungFuKenny
  • MaffyDMaffyD Member Posts: 3,498
    Thanks @stlux for the date on that statement, that's relatively new isn't it? I do have the box (I always keep the boxes, especially the Ideas ones as they look even better) but it's a bit awkward to get to at the moment. I'll dig it out when I have a minute and comment back. I'm going to presume that the new pieces Lego sent will be 'post-fix' so that's the last I'll hear of it for that set!
  • panchox1panchox1 Member Posts: 722
    Just had a reddish brown plate that I got in an ebay lot snap In half while trying to remove it from other parts. Think that's something lego would replace?
  • mustang69mustang69 Member Posts: 544
    @panchox1 A few years ago I got the Fire Brigade off of craigslist and, as @KungFuKenny mentioned, I had a few of the dark red 1x1 tiles and cheese slopes break when I was rebuilding it. I put in an order on B&Ps for replacements and didnt run into any issues. I think it really comes down to if you've made a lot of replacement requests because that could raise a flag for CS.

  • Baby_YodaBaby_Yoda Member Posts: 1,295
    MaffyD said:
    Ship in a bottle #21313 uses about 5 of those clips:
    -snip-
    Recently, I needed to rebuild the ship after an overenthusiastic parent was 'taking a look' at the bottle, and when I did, all 5 of these clips were broken. It has just been sitting on a shelf until that point - not under stress, and my dad didn't tread on  them or anything.
    Lego CS replaced them without any quibbles whatsoever, but I thought the issue had been eradicated by the time this set was out?
    I have the exact same problem. I keep forgetting to do something about it...
  • LyichirLyichir Member Posts: 1,009
    mustang69 said:
    @panchox1 A few years ago I got the Fire Brigade off of craigslist and, as @KungFuKenny mentioned, I had a few of the dark red 1x1 tiles and cheese slopes break when I was rebuilding it. I put in an order on B&Ps for replacements and didnt run into any issues. I think it really comes down to if you've made a lot of replacement requests because that could raise a flag for CS.

    I might also add that now might be one of the worst times of year to put in such a request; the holidays are when Lego customer service deals with their peak demand and filing a request for a replacement now might risk them prioritizing missing or broken part requests related to new sets over your (no less legitimate) issue. If you're not in any hurry or can temporarily replace the part with another from your collection, it might not hurt to wait a month or two before putting a replacement request in.

    panchox1mustang69MaffyD
  • CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,526
    One of our HP advent calendars was missing a Hermione, but had an extra McGonagall. I waited until day 14 to report it, and got an email next day to say the parts had shipped.

    I'd put in any request as soon as possible and let them worry about timescales.
    panchox1Switchfoot55Fizyxgmonkey76brickventures
  • MaffyDMaffyD Member Posts: 3,498
    @stlux 49S7 - not sure what that means to be honest... :-)
  • stluxstlux Member Posts: 2,450
    @MaffyD The first 2 numbers indicate the week, the letter the factory, and the last number the year.

    Meaning your set was packaged during the 49th week of 2017 (04-10 December) in the Kladno factory (Czech Republic). The parts in the set will have been produced earlier than that, so prior to the fix.
    panchox1MaffyDM1J0ELittleLoriCymbelineKungFuKennyFizyx
  • MaffyDMaffyD Member Posts: 3,498
    ^ makes sense. Thanks!
  • AstrobricksAstrobricks Member Posts: 5,438
    edited December 2019
    The factory letter codes are listed near the end of this thread:
    https://forum.brickset.com/discussion/27242/21303-wall-e-seal-number-of-fixed-version
    Seems like they should be kept somewhere more obvious.
    KungFuKennypanchox1Fizyxcanon03
  • FizyxFizyx Member Posts: 1,332
    CCC said:
    One of our HP advent calendars was missing a Hermione, but had an extra McGonagall. I waited until day 14 to report it, and got an email next day to say the parts had shipped.

    I'd put in any request as soon as possible and let them worry about timescales.

    2nd on this, since the parts replacement departments are usually not as swamped now as they are compared to Jan/Feb as everyone opens up the LEGO they got as presents. 
    panchox1560HeliportKungFuKenny
  • CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,526
    Fizyx said:

    2nd on this, since the parts replacement departments are usually not as swamped now as they are compared to Jan/Feb as everyone opens up the LEGO they got as presents. 
    Exactly, any rush will be after Christmas not before. They seem to be really quite quick at the moment. B+P orders are also shipping in ~2-3 days.
    Fizyx
  • Switchfoot55Switchfoot55 Member Posts: 3,272
    Is the increased demand of CS in part why B&P shuts down early in the year?
  • LyichirLyichir Member Posts: 1,009
    Switchfoot55 said:
    Is the increased demand of CS in part why B&P shuts down early in the year?
    Yup. The peak in sales around the holidays translates to a peak in customer service transactions afterward. Since the same department is filling broken/missing parts orders as the one that would custom pack B&P orders, and correcting errors or mistakes in already purchased sets makes a bigger impact on whether or not customers come away from a purchase satisfied than allowing additional parts to be ordered on demand, they usually shut that less essential side of things down for a month or so until things have settled down.

    FizyxLittleLoriAstrobricks
  • ReesesPiecesReesesPieces Member Posts: 1,116

    https://nypost.com/2019/12/24/scientists-have-determined-this-is-the-coolest-lego-in-the-world/amp/

    It looks like they used an older figure for this (red spaceman).  Wonder if the new figures (plastic) can handle such temperatures.
    M1J0EBaby_Yoda
  • Baby_YodaBaby_Yoda Member Posts: 1,295
    Interesting experiment, but that is a strange article indeed.
    ReesesPieces
  • TheOriginalSimonBTheOriginalSimonB Member Posts: 1,771
    We used to “carbon freeze” minifigs alongside Star Wars toys back in the day, but only in the regular freezer.
    brickventures
  • ReesesPiecesReesesPieces Member Posts: 1,116
    Baby_Yoda said:
    Interesting experiment, but that is a strange article indeed.
    I feel like they were bored and decided to see what would happen to the lego that was displayed on one of their desks.
    Fizyx
  • CharmiefcbCharmiefcb Member Posts: 451
    Eating Lego heads and seeing how long it takes to go through the human body is not really something I was dying to know.
  • bricknationbricknation Member Posts: 717
    Just opened set #60228 and straight away found a handful of damaged parts.



  • CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,526
    That clear panel seems about par for the course these days. I've had some new ones that are dreadful. Ask for replacements and you get similar scratched up ones.

    CharmiefcbSwitchfoot55
  • eMJeeNLeMJeeNL Member Posts: 781
    50 shades of NDR...

    im2cre8ivLittleLoriKungFuKennybricknationBumblepantsBobflipmsandersBasty
  • daewoodaewoo Member Posts: 793
    Just adds a little character, IMHO.
    Astrobricksmsanders
  • eMJeeNLeMJeeNL Member Posts: 781
    daewoo said:
    Just adds a little character, IMHO.
    Agreed, in this case it isn’t very serious, but still... imagen it not being a roof but something that IS supposed to represent a even surface.
  • BobflipBobflip Member Posts: 712
    Yeah, sometimes you want the option to not add character!
  • lkliment2lkliment2 Member Posts: 191
    On the topic of LEGO quality and breaking, can someone please explain why SW0056 Metallic Blue Super Battle Droids are so prone to breaking? They drive ungodly prices in decent condition due to there being so few left as such.
  • CathyVTCathyVT Member Posts: 150
    DeMontes said:
    Switchfoot55 said:
    As has been previous discussed, I've recently run into a number of crumbling Reddish Brown pieces. Several clips that have just disintegrated, tiles that have snapped in half, and about 10 cheese slops that have cracked nearly through. 

    I've also had a number of LBG bricks and slopes that have cracked this year too. 

    That Reddish Brown color seems to be notorious for issues. I've contact Lego CS, so hopefully they'll continue to replace.  
    Are these from either older sets or older parts in your collection and/or BL.  LEGO have fixed all the issues with Brittle Reddish Brown and it should no longer be an issue with new sets and parts bought newly from LEGO. Obviously new parts from Bricklink may have been in storage for a while and still be from the bad batch.
    Yesterday, when taking apart an alt build of the Old Fishing Store, the edge of a brown 6x8 plate cracked off. I immediately went and requested a new one. I'd heard they fixed the problem with reddish brown, but that's from 2017 - not that old.

  • stluxstlux Member Posts: 2,450
    @CathyVT The changes to New Dark Red/Reddish Brown/Dark Brown are from 2018.
    So unfortunately (depending on seal codes - see comments further up this thread) your Old Fishing Store is likely from before this fix.
    CathyVT
  • AstrobricksAstrobricks Member Posts: 5,438
    I suppose I should really go build my Fishing Store and UCS Sandcrawler pretty soon while replacement parts are still available 🙄
    560HeliportModeltrainmandavetheoxygenmanmsandersKungFuKenny
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