Future Support For Old Motor Quads?

[Jedidroner]

P3P and all the accessories showed up today... Got the old body and motors though. I was really hoping for the new stuff. I'm not concerned with performance as i believe the people that say the difference in the motors is negligible. I'm sure either motor performs fine.. However i do have other concerns

1. The box appears to have been dropped at some point hard enough to crush the corner in pretty bad. the quad appears to be fine but i worry the impact my have jarred something.

2. The old style casing worries me with the reports of cracks.. I realize it may have been only a percentage of the shells cracking, but i know my luck and also why chance it at all..

3. Although i know the old motors perform okay. the release put out concerning the new motors and control board say that the parts from the two are not interchangeable, and if they're not using the older style motors anymore, how long will they continue to produce the old board or warranty and replacement parts.. I plant to have this thing for a few years, so who's to say by the time the warranty runs out and it needs something, that parts will still be available..

I am considering sending it back, but even then, there's no guarantee that i won't just get another old stock model.. I'm also considering playing the odds, that it wasn't damaged from impact and that i'll be one of the many with no issues... I even considered returning it and grabbing one at best buy but then i would lose the free battery i got with it...lol

 

[TC Malker]

You have the EXACT same chance of getting stress crack with the old or new motors. There is ZERO difference between old and new motors. Just go out and fly.

 

[Jedidroner]

More concerned with the shell than the motors... I thought i had cleared that up.. I am sure either motors work, however i would much prefer the updated shell, to cut down on the chance.. My only concern with the motors is DJI not having warranty or replacement items available in the future since they are changing what is used... i would like to be sure that if I need a new motor in two years i will be able to get it from them..
The new motors are not compatible with the old control board and vice versa.. i would hate to think that if one motor fails, i wouldn't be able to replace just that one because they no longer use it ... I probably won't get a chance to use the P3 that much so i plan to have it for quite a while..

 

[John Locke]

You have the EXACT same chance of getting stress crack with the old or new motors. There is ZERO difference between old and new motors. Just go out and fly.

I don't agree with this. If you're not in a hurry I'd exchange it and demand the 323A model to insure the new one. I've got the old version myself, no cracks, works great, but I'd still want the new one if I was to order another one.

 

[Jedidroner]

I don't know that they would be able to go through the warehouse looking for the newer model. I don't think they would take the time to do that at these larger retailers. I think it would just be "luck of the draw" . If i knew a newer one would show up as a replacement. I wouldn't even question it.

I probably won't fly this thing more than three or four times before the warranty is out anyway, i stay pretty busy.. So it would be nice to have the most reliable one possible

 

[RedHotPoker]

I think once you take it up a few times and get a real feel for it, your use will increase substantially. Like any hobby, you need to put some time into it to fully enjoy that experience. If you were only going to fly it a few times a year, why even bother investing in such an advanced and reliable drone. Please Go to your nearest local hobby shop and buy yourself any inexpensive elcheapo model, that you could even fly indoors during the winter. And not have to worry about it soon going extinct on the drone market.
Watch videos too. ;-)

RedHotPoker

 

[rmfa]

You have the EXACT same chance of getting stress crack with the old or new motors. There is ZERO difference between old and new motors. Just go out and fly.

I'm getting more flight time from the new motors. There is also a thread documenting this. Its not a lot but any is good to me.

 

[Oso]

I'm in the camp of no real world difference between old/new motors, but the warranty or even replacement part availability is something I've also wondered. Replacement shells are very cheap and readily available. I'd imagine they will be for a while. The motors however I dont know. Will there be any trouble finding new old stock when the need arises?

I dont have any personal experience with the P2, but from what I read here the motors were also changed on those. Do the previous model Phantom owners know if there has been trouble finding original P2 motors?

 

[skyhighdiver]

I'm in the camp of no real world difference between old/new motors, but the warranty or even replacement part availability is something I've also wondered. Replacement shells are very cheap and readily available. I'd imagine they will be for a while. The motors however I dont know. Will there be any trouble finding new old stock when the need arises?

I dont have any personal experience with the P2, but from what I read here the motors were also changed on those. Do the previous model Phantom owners know if there has been trouble finding original P2 motors?

By the time the motors need to be replaced You will be ready to move onto the newest model anyway
Fly it like you stole it and enjoy. Its not a Corvette its a $1000 toy .
I started with the PV and have had every model since Hoping for a P4 soon

 

[Oso]

By the time the motors need to be replaced You will be ready to move onto the newest model anyway
Fly it like you stole it and enjoy. Its not a Corvette its a $1000 toy .
I started with the PV and have had every model since Hoping for a P4 soon

I get that for sure. I have always been more of a fast to get the newest one type of guy. With this however, I'm like the OP. I plan to have mine for years.

 

[Jedidroner]

This is also how the box looked when it arrived so i am concerned it may have taken a decent fall in the warehouse.. the outer box was perfect and the quad "looks" okay, but who's to say with an impact capable of crushing that corner, which is pretty stout, that something internal wasn't damaged..

The more i think about it, the more i plan to send it back based mostly on that alone... If I end up with another first run model, i will probably keep it.. I will try to request a newer model but i doubt it will get communicated from the call center to the warehouse..

 

[ChuckRogers]

I'd probably send it back just because of the box. You payed a lot for it, at least on my budget, and should get a box that isn't that damaged. Seems like it would take a lot to dent it in like that.

 

[bobmyers]

This is also how the box looked when it arrived so i am concerned it may have taken a decent fall in the warehouse.. the outer box was perfect and the quad "looks" okay, but who's to say with an impact capable of crushing that corner, which is pretty stout, that something internal wasn't damaged..

The more i think about it, the more i plan to send it back based mostly on that alone... If I end up with another first run model, i will probably keep it.. I will try to request a newer model but i doubt it will get communicated from the call center to the warehouse..

Nasty dent-- I wouldn't even open it--

 

[Jedidroner]

Yeah it definitely took a nice hit to crush it.. it's a pretty tough box right there. It's definitely going back..

 

[snerd]

I can't believe they would even ship a box looking like that! I'll be avoiding that particular vendor!!

 

[Jedidroner]

I can't believe they would even ship a box looking like that! I'll be avoiding that particular vendor!!

That's exactly what I said when I called..

 

[GooseMayne]

who did you purchase this from?

 

[Jedidroner]

I don't feel the need to share the retailer in any negative light. They're a very reputable authorized dealer, and have been great on the phone about trying to help.. Everyone can have a warehouse guy screw up once in a while and I'm sure they were/are extremely busy with Black Friday and the approaching holidays..

 

[phantom13flyer]

New motors are getting about 2.5 mins more flight time!!

 

[bobmyers]

New motors are getting about 2.5 mins more flight time!!

Might be worth it to install some new motors-- is that a fact? If so, I will be ordering some new motors.