Just arrived this morning:

Windmill Point, VT
Cedar Point, OH
Lightship Overfalls, DE
Biloxi, MS GLOW

Cedar Point, OH is very impressive, especially the wooden rollercoaster.

Jim

What would be even more impressive is if the roller coaster was actually made out of "wood" ! .... I guess it would be have to be toothpicks. hee hee

I just got my autoships this aftrnoon, and I agree. The other pieces, as well are also very, very nicely done. It's a great start to the Harbour Lights 2008 year!

Thanks, Jim & Roland. I'm sure your review as well as Paul's images will have a lot of people waiting for that phone call from their dealers.

Might be good to make a visit to my local HL dealer to see what has arrived. I'm not an auto-ship customer(yet).

Received Cedar Point, OH and Windmill Point, VT today and am thrilled with both pieces, especially since we've been to and photographed both. Love that roller coaster!!

Thanks Jim--packed well (as always) and that full size calendar makes me itch to start our cross-country trip.

Sandy

I do have one complaint. The point size on the tent card has been reduced to newspaper size. I don't like it at all. My eyesight is getting worse as I age--I don't want anybody helping make it even harder to see.

Sandy

This will be a good test of how long it will take my dealer to send me the latest releases. He told me he would send them out as soon as they arrived and would not be holding them to ship as a group. Time will tell...

:rolleyes: Bob :rolleyes:

Cedar Point arrived on Friday, Feb 1, piece #60. Very well done piece with all the intricate detail work on the coaster and of course my favorite part of it is naturally the lighthouse itself. My hat's off to Harbour Lights on this one.

Tom

Had a UPS surprise when I got home last night.

Windmill Point, VT - great paint work on the tower
Cedar Point, OH - wonderful detail
Lightship Overfalls, DE - my favorite

And - a bonus suprise of a calander - Thanks Jim.

Has anyone experienced any damage on the Cedar Point? When I took the H/L box out of the shipping box, I could hear/feel the lighthouse loose inside Upon opening it, I found that the styrofoam(sp?) holding the base had collapsed and let the lighthouse unrestrained within the box. There is very little support the way it is designed. There appears to be only minor damage (based on Paul's photos it looks like the back side rail on the top of the coaster has been bent slilghtly) I don't think it's worth sending back.

Upon opening my Cedar Point, the rear top rail was completely broken-off. Similar to the previous post, I found the styrofoam to have an obvious little protection for this piece. Got out the super glue and did a quick repair. Other than this mishap I'm real happy with this piece.

Received Cedar Point, Windmill Point and the Overfalls yesterday. All were in perfect condition.

Just wondered if those who have got your new pieces like Windmill Point and Cedar Point have checked the stickers on the bottoms and noticed under the HL number a line that says "#___/2,500" like on the Cedar Pt. piece. Anyone know what's the story here? Max

Didn't notice that until you asked, but my Cedar Point, OH has what is usually used on pieces that don't have flags, but are hand-numbered on a sticker on the bottom of the piece. Event pieces usually have that kind of sticker. The one on my Cedar Point does not have the underscore and appears as # /2500. Maybe HL is using one style on all pieces they produce to save money on printing.

I can't say if the Windmill Point, VT has one of these as well, as it's not readily accessible from the curio cabinet where it's displayed.

Sandy

Sandy--You're correct. I shouldn't have put the underline in, it's just an empty space:
Cedar Point # /2,500

Windmill Point # /1,500

Thanks for checking and your opinion. Any other ideas out there?

Got this tip from a customer...When removing Cedar Point from the box, be very careful about grasping the lighthouse rather than the roller coaster. The "wooden" cross supports of the coaster aren't very strong to pressure and a finger could cause an indentation.

Great tip Roland. I always try to hold them by the base of the tower, as that seems to be the strongest part.

However, that does not do much good when the lighthouse is banging around unsupported inside the box.

Sounds to me like several of the wooden roller coasters are missing a few nails and bolts....

I brought this thread to Harry's attention both about the numbering issue and the Cedar Point packing issue.. Harry said he will get back to me tomorrow about it sometime as he is under the weather with a touch of the flu..

Paul, thanks for letting Harry know about this. As soon as I found it I contacted Patty at H/L and explained it to her. She was going to pull one from stock and look at the packaging. Hopefully they can modify it to prevent any further occurances.

This light is way too unique to risk shipping damage.

Posted 02/01/2008... Twenty days later and my "latest releases" haven't arrived. The disenchantment is really settling in. Maybe it's time to give up the auto ship and purchase only what I like.

Bob

Good Wednesday Morning!

Regarding "auto-ships"; the "auto-ships" leave West Kennebunk within no more than (5) business days of our receipt from China. Usually it is within (3) buisness days.

What holds up an "auot-ship' to a Dealer? A "credit hold" and that is it!

The next "auto-ship' will leave West Kennebunk the week of March 2,2008. The only possible delay is US Customs inspections and of course if a Dealer is on "credit hold".

RE: HL 357 Cedar Point OH, Harry was informed after (3) replicas was reported broken. Please follow the advice above and lift it out of the box carefully -we cannot change the packaging.

AJC

A very Happy day today. My Windmill Point, VT came in and it is a very well done piece. Been asking for this one for the last four or five years and it finally happened. THere is a sticker on the bottom with the HL # and # /1500. I believe that was what someone wanted to know about these pieces.

Thank you Harbour Lights for another wonderful piece.

I picked this one up last weekend. I agree it's very well done. A little small is size, but still a great looking piece.

It's nice to hear you guys like your new releases. I haven't received mine yet. It soon may be "bye-bye" auto ship and a switch to only buying what I like. That would save me a bundle of money and certainly help with less stuff in the storage area. I'm fast growing tired of "lip service".

:rolleyes: Bob

Bob--Have you told your dealer about dropping autoship? This might be a wake up call for your dealer to get with it OR lose a lot of business.

Paul--any info yet on the different type of bottom stickers on these new releases?

Bob, Your situation is the opposite of mine.

You have the nice low 2 digit autoship with lousy dealer service.

I can't get the 2 digit, but my dealer calls or emails me as soon as pieces arrive. Puts them aside till I can get there to pick them up.

Max is right, warn your dealer your at the end of your rope with him. Maybe talk to HL customer service, you dropping an autoship effects them too. Can't hurt.

It's nice to see that many of you have received your auto ships in a timely manner. I still haven't received mine. Is there anyone on auto ship that hasn't received there new releases?

I received a call from my dealer on 01/15/08 assuring me that my new HL releases would be shipped out as soon as they arrive at his business. Apparently he hasn't received them or he forgot what he told me.

If anyone is interested in a 2-digit auto ship, let me know and you may be the new owner of mine if things don't change really soon.

:rolleyes: Bob

Good Monday Morning!

I want to,once again, post that "auto-ships" leave West Kennebunk no more than (5) business days from receipt!

AJC

The first set of releases began shipping from W. Kennebunk, ME on Jan 29th. Even if HL took 3 full days to get all of the autoships out, they would have finished on Jan 31st. This means that West Coast dealers would receive them no later than February 8th, but possibly as early as Feb 5th. If these dealers ship them out right away as promised (within 48 non-weekend hours), East Coast customers would receive their pieces no later than Feb 19th, but possibly as early as Feb 12th.

Jim

Bob M,

I'm currently on auto-ship and have yet to receive my pieces from the dealer. Frustrating, isn't it?

bobo

Yes, it is to say the least. I'm close to giving mine up and just buying what I like.

:rolleyes: Bob

Bob M,

If you are willing to give up your auto-ship number, would you consider giving it to me?

bobo

Bob M
23 is a pretty low number to give up.

Dealer leaves him hanging for months at a time, I don't know that I blame Bob.

I just recently gave up my dealer of 13 years and switched my number to the Bronze Lady in Orlando. Even though my old dealer did everything I wanted, it got to be too much of a hassel to keep track of what was going on and to keep them informed. What a difference a 100 miles can make. With Terry at the Bronze Lady it's like running on auto pilot. If anyone is thinking of switching dealers I will highly recommend the Bronze Lady.

Not as low as my Anchor Bay auto ship #15.

If I don't receive my new releases soon, it's bye-bye dealer. I want delivery service, not lip service.

:rolleyes: Bob

Bob M, Any chance you could switch your #23 over to another dealer?

It is my understanding that you can request a transfer of your auto ship number but the dealer who currently has it may not want to give it up. Two digits sell easier than three or four digits pieces. Let's face it, collectible businesses are not enjoying the popularity they had years ago.

:rolleyes: Bob

All the more reason to provide top notch customer service to your good customers!

Isn't that the truth!! Nice touch Dave!

Couldn't have said it better myself!

I'd say that it's time to break off the relationship, but I'd keep the valuable autoships.

IMO, the best place to switch to would be one of the top-volume HL dealers. My personal thought would be one of the big ones on Cape Cod -- there's a couple in that area with very good reputations, a stable interest in maintaining the HL line, and the advantage of being right over the Cape Cod Canal from you...meaning essentially overnight delivery at ground rates.

If I were a dealer, I'd pay the closest attention to my autoship customers. You don't screw around with what is essentially a guaranteed semi-major purchase every month or two. Your current guy doesn't seem to get that.

Unless the rules have changed, the autoship number remains with the dealer. If the dealer should close or stop carrying HLs, then the collector might be able to arrange to transfer 'his/her' number to a different dealer of their choice.

Bob should open up a direct discussion with the dealer in as friendly an atmosphere as possible, clearing stating his concerns and pointing out his long-term relationship with that dealer.

This dealer does not charge sales tax and provides free shipping. (At least they did when I was doing business there many years ago.)

Pieces go across country from Maine to the Pacific coast, then back to Bob a hundred miles or so from where they started. Probably not much can be done to directly avoid that. When HL was on the West Coast, it was a more direct route from HL to Dealer to Bob. (But someone from buying from an East Coast dealer had the same problem as Bob now faces.)

I'm not sure exactly what's behind the unhappiness if it's not just getting the pieces fast enough. There was a change of personnel at this dealer, perhaps the person now handling shipments for Bob doesn't have the same touch as the previous one.

My comments for what they are worth.

I'll give you the Readers Digest version on my history with HL dealers:

In the beginning I went to area dealers and bought from their stock. Like Geraldine (Flip Wilson) stated, "What you see is what you get!" They were 4-digit flag#'s but I didn't care. The hunt for special or retired pieces was on.

Soon thereafter, I met a dealer who had auto ships in the low 400's. Never the exact same number in most cases but always in the low 400's. Things went well with him for a few years then suddenly everybody had their latest releases and I was left hanging. I'm not talking a week. I'm talking a month plus before I got mine. What's the big deal you ask? Well like many of you, I like to be in on the discussion about how you like the new pieces but I didn't have mine so I could only sit back and wait. I stopped buying from that dealer and moved on.

My next dealer was a 2-digit auto ship in the Great Lakes area and the arrangement for that auto ship was made through another CF member. For the first time I was purchasing HL's without being able to look them over first, and if there was something wrong I would be paying shipping to return them. We had a good business relationship and things went well for a couple of years. Then I heard of a really low flag# was available through another CF member's dealer so I grabbed it. I think my former 2-digit was scooped up by another CF member but I'm not sure. Two-digits were sought after back then and they were an easy sell. This dealer did nothing wrong. I left for the lower number.

The I started dealing with my new dealer on auto ship on all LE's, Lenses, and AB Boats. Things went well at first. I got my pieces on time. I received many pleasant phone calls from one of the dealers workers about Hl's etc. It was a nice personal touch, and good customer relations. Then the person I usually dealt with was gone and my new releases came later and later. Then out of the blue, I got a call from that dealer who explained that he had some health issues of late and could not oversee the operation of his business as well as he should have. I accepted theat fact and he told me from now on my pieces would be shipped out as soon as they arrived at his store. I felt touched by the call and even wrote him a long thank you email explaining my thoughts but that mail was not delivered because the address on the HL web site was supposedly incorrect. I emailed Harbour Lights and asked for the correct address and never got a reply. As a matter of fact I didn't receive a reply to two other emails I forward to HL in January. I figure as an auto ship customer I'm a guaranteed income for both the dealer and HL. I really don't believe people are beating down the door to do this anymore.

Should I be not pleased over what has transpired lately? I think I have more than enough reasons to be unhappy with my dealer and HL itself. Will this mean a change in my collecting habits? It could, and if it does, you folks, my faithful CF membership will be the first to know.

:rolleyes: Bob

P.S. If you are wondering if I saved the unanswered emails, they are saved on my computer.

If anyone would like a tip where they can pick up a 2-digit auto ship for HL's and for AB's, send me an email and I'll be happy to provide that info to you.

I'm no longer affiliated with my dealer on the west coast as of 1700 hours date. I have cancelled my auto ships with that dealer.

Bob

Bob M,

I am so very sorry to hear your distressing news relative to your now defunct auto-ship dealer. It’s a shame to lose such a valuable auto-ship number(s). But to be honest with you, I firmly believe that I would have had the same reaction.

bobo

Bob M, Once you have a new dealer set, you can now "oow" and "aah" with the rest of us and not a month later all by yourself.