Vermont Defiant Help

[axlerosewood]

I have a chance to buy a VC defiant used 4 times for $1000 out of a model home. Is this a good idea or is it going to fall to pieces. They didn't know if its a cat or non-cat. the model is 679826C. i am asumming cat by the C at the end? I've read good and bad reviews and can't make up my mind. I wanted the nc30 englander but not available in canada. Anything that is available that is good is over $2000

Thanks for your help.

 

[begreen]

It sounds promising, but that number doesn't correlate to current VC Defiants. It sounds more like a casting part number. Can you get more specific information from the seller?

 

[axlerosewood]

It was pulling teeth just to find out what model it is from them. Still not sure for sure. They are two hours away and i told them it may say on the back. that was the number they gave me. They sent a picture but all models look the same. I had them go to the vc website to verify measurments? Hopefully they can read a tape.

 

[Valhalla]

I would try a call to Vermont Castings direct, customer service department. Let's see what the new VC can do!

 

[Heat Miser]

Don't do it. Their late model versions are not very good. I sold my 2005 Defiant catalytic and was happy to be rid of it. Broken handles. Poor fitting casts and doors. Cracked refractory material. Catalyst issues. Etc. Put your money towards another brand of stove. You'll be a lot happier with the performance and won't have to deal with a stove that is likely to either not work properly or start falling apart on you after a couple years of use.

You can buy a Pacific Energy Alderlea stove for $2000. It has the cast iron look of the Defiant, but has a much more reliable track record. They also don't have all the company drama going on at Vermont Castings right now. You can get a steel plate stove with a similar BTU rating for the mid $1000 range:

(broken link removed to http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/pacsup27.htm)

 

[axlerosewood]

I think your right Mr. Miser, The literature on the stove is outstanding but the reality i may not like. This will be my sole source of heat so it better work wright.

Thanks

 

[Heat Miser]

I think your right Mr. Miser, The literature on the stove is outstanding but the reality i may not like. This will be my sole source of heat so it better work wright.

Thanks

I'll put it to you this way, I'm in a major metro area and there was only one dealer who carried Vermont Castings stoves. All the others dropped them years ago because of repeated problems. When I bought my stove I was doing so based on the past reputation of the company. I didn't know how much things had changed and I wished I had done more research rather than going on what I remembered.

There are so many other good quality stoves that there is simply no reason to buy a stove from a company with a dubious reliability record.