American Alcohol Analyzers Would not return any phone calls after sale, did not honor warranty Epping New Hampshire
I purchased ten one-dollar bill operated machines from Anthony Prall of American Alcohol Analyzers in the fall of '98. The machines were difficult to calibrate and to keep in calibration. I managed to talk to someone at the compant once and Prall blamed it on a faulty circuit board. He told me to send it in and he would replace it. I sent it insured with return reciept. He refused to sign for it and eventually the package was returned to me. I left dozens of phone and e-mail messages over the following weeks. None were returned. In the meantime, more machines kept breaking, some refusing to turn on, some erring out constantly and some just plain not working. After taking a couple of circuit boards to an electronics repair shop, I was told that the boards were essentially junk and made with poor quality materials. I called one day using a fake name and left a message indicating I was interested in purchasing more machines. Of course, Prall called back within the hour. When confronted with my identity and my issues of the machines not working, he promised to resolve the issue and promised to call back that day. He never did. I even called the police in his town. A detective whom I spoke with told me they couldn't wait to speak with him. Apparantly, he sets up questionable businesses, takes the money and runs, and then sets up shop somewhere else, which they believe is currently in the bahamas. This company took me for almost 20 grand. Do not do business with them!!! I will likely never see a dime of what they owe me!
Kevin
Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Davec8783
Vancouver,Washington,
U.S.A.
Alcohol Analyzers are the RAGE!!!
#2Consumer Suggestion
Wed, September 24, 2008
American Alcohol Analyzers coin operated machines were the spring-board that launched my company Everett Analyzers into the incredibly profitable alcohol testing market. I must admit, however, that my dealings with Mr. Anthony J. Prall were not always positive. I had a contract with him for exclusive distributorship of the coin operated analyzers in 3 counties in Washington state and discovered that he had contracted the same counties to someone else while my contract was still in effect.
The American Alcohol Analyzer warranty was non existant. I removed boards from my coin operated machines and sent them to American Analyzers for repair, never received anything back.
Anthony Prall always said that the coin operated machines did not need to be caliberated which was a terrible lie; he knew in fact that the machines required a frequent calibration test using a sophisticated calibration similator. The quality of the semi-conductor sensor greatly limited the quality of the test attainable.
I was able to make a return on the coin and bill operated machines I purchased from American Alcohol Analyzers which exceeded the original purchase price. I kept the majority of the machines placed in bars and taverns with the one in downtown Seattle doing very well. Two machines in the right location, location, location, paid for all of the rest.
The market for hand held alcohol testers is growing by leaps and bounds. I was able to sell hundreds of handheld analyzers on my website and did find this business to be profitable.