new to ECF + dear newbies: do not buy from V2

[sailorman]

Just curious why they did not honor their warranty?

I've had multiple batteries go out on me and they have sent me replacements no questions asked.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it is my understanding that if you don't buy a certain volume from them within a certain period of time, you're warranty is void. I'm sure this is to tether you to their cartos and they will justify it by saying that if you don't buy their cartos, then you must be using another kind that will damage your battery.

Edit:

Phyre: ...Also, V2's lifetime warranty can only be used if you have made a purchase of cartos or liquid within the past 90 days....

So, they can't even justify it with the "other carto broke your V2" excuse because you could just buy liquid. That's not a lifetime warranty, that's got SLEAZY written all over it.

To the OP: Do you have a return option? The smart thing for you to do is to return the whole mess, unopened, and get a proper PV, like a kGo or something. You won't regret it and it'll more than make up for those extra analogs you'll smoke while you wait 3 days for delivery.

 

[Rymarski]

This I can agree with. There lifetime warranty is restricted to having some type of purchase through them within a 90 day period. I have not had this happen just yet, since I am moving on to a VV pv, I think I will run into this problem.

But either or, V2 cigs is what is getting me off of smoking analogs, and this is all that really matters.

 

[trepalium]

They explained that they were out of 1 of the 2 choices of flavor/str in the starter pack. Most of the delay was caused by the fact that they will not contact the buyer if there's a problem with the order (and yet they had charged my card the day of).

In retrospect, I should have just canceled the order and started claims against them through my credit card (They shipped, but had they not by today, I would've done so). However, I didn't want to have to wait even more time to get started vaping. :/

So instead, I'll just bad-mouth their poor customer service here.

When I started out I used v2. I had this issue several times. Almost every order. You'd order something and the. 4-5 days later they'd tell you they were out of stock on what you ordered. I'm not sure what's so hard about inventory counts. There are a million of sites out there that tell you when an item is out of stock. Why not them? I think they're lack of this was more annoying than their prices.

 

[sailorman]

This I can agree with. There lifetime warranty is restricted to having some type of purchase through them within a 90 day period. I have not had this happen just yet, since I am moving on to a VV pv, I think I will run into this problem.

But either or, V2 cigs is what is getting me off of smoking analogs, and this is all that really matters.

That is true, but it's too late for you. Water under the bridge and all that. Dolomite still might have the option to get a decent PV without all those issues and, if he ever upgrades, he'll have a backup unit worth keeping.

 

[Tokumei]

To the OP: Do you have a return option? The smart thing for you to do is to return the whole mess, unopened, and get a proper PV, like a kGo or something. You won't regret it and it'll more than make up for those extra analogs you'll smoke while you wait 3 days for delivery.

I am considering this, actually, but have been hard-pressed to find a starter kit that was
-- 2-part not 3 (more parts = more me breaking stuff)
-- offered both manual and auto batteries (because I haven't had a chance to test out draw/inhale in either case)
-- had switch-out-able parts (kr808s, refillable cartos)
-- completely looked like analogs, and
-- was cheap (I mentioned I had a coupon; in the end, all the starter kits with these other features ended up the same price or more expensive [see green, volt, etc.]).

I did look at lots of other kits through non-manufacturing vendors/resellers but then was also exhausted by researching vendors even through the registered reseller list (some of which have sketchy-looking websites, and yes, I know that it's all buyer-beware, but still... a website that doesn't look like it's from the 1990s does help with a new customer). I did actually read ECF for 2 weeks before ultimately making a purchase.

And part of me knows perfectly well that by the end of the year, I'll probably be salvaging parts and/or getting a non-analog-looking kit for home use.

So I know that this whole thread makes me look like a giant newbie (true) that didn't research (false), but I think really there's a lot to be said for how resellers, manufacturers, and others develop and market starter kits to newbies (making part model numbers, battery specs, etc. more clear).

 

[Tokumei]

That is true, but it's too late for you. Water under the bridge and all that. Dolomite still might have the option to get a decent PV without all those issues and, if he ever upgrades, he'll have a backup unit worth keeping.

Psss... I'm a 'she.'

 

[Caridwen]

Any pv can be two parts, cartomizer and battery. With 510's you have the option to use 3 piece, but can be used as two piece. In fact most people do. The good thing about having an atomizer is that you can test your juice with it and not waste a cartomizer.

So I know that this whole thread makes me look like a giant newbie (true) that didn't research (false), but I think really there's a lot to be said for how resellers, manufacturers, and others develop and market starter kits to newbies (making part model numbers, battery specs, etc. more clear).

That's why "I" think it's best to stick to registered suppliers. I'm not criticizing V2, never used one, but they are not.

 

[sailorman]

That's easy. But you have to get over 2 things that newbies always do and are almost always the biggest mistakes.
The first is wanting an e-cig that looks like a cigarette. You will soon be a non-smoker. Little e-cigs have serious limitations with battery life and capability. That's probably the single biggest thing that sends people back to analogs. Battery life sucks, and there is nothing any manufacturer or fancy package can do about it.

Second thing is an automatic battery. Don't fall for it. It will take you 3 minutes before pushing a little button will be second-nature. Manual batteries are more reliable and controllable than automatics. All serious PVs have manual batteries and there is a reason for that. Autos are made to appeal to newbs who find it a strange concept to push a button, just like that stupid light on the end of some e-cigs. It's a gimmick and unless you want to vape while you perform open heart surgery, it's totally unnecessary.

Any kGo/e-Power PV is a two piece unit. You have the PV and a cartomizer, just like you have a V2 battery and a cartridge. If you want to add extra stuff, you can do it, but it's 2 pieces. Some come with a cone, but that's just a cover you screw on to streamline the appearance. These are not large units. They're about the size of a Sharpie marker pen. The batteries will last you most of a day, they provide the voltage you need for a good, satisfying vape and they're cheaper than any V2 kit.

There are several very good vendors that sell kGo and e-Power kits. The difference between the two is that the e-Power takes regular batteries, like a flashlight. The kGo has a sealed battery inside. When the battery gets old and weak, as all batteries do, you throw the kGo away or buy a new $5 battery for the e-Power. Other than that, they look and perform almost identically.

You can get an e-Power for $57 shipped, including atomizers for tasting juice, cartomizers for regular vaping, 2 14650 sized batteries, a charger and free PRIORITY shipping from crystalclearvaping.com They also give you 30ml of free e-juice. Order it today and you'll have it by Thursday. It includes everything you need to start and to hold you over for a couple weeks until you get more juice. You can get extra juice and cartomizers there and shipping will be free for that as well.

CCV has an excellent reputation. They don't have a huge selection because they only sell stuff they personally use. That's the way that site was started and that's the way they have kept it.

I don't mean to sound like a commercial, and I have no interest in CCV, but if you want to cut through all the confusion and deal with someone reputable, you can't go wrong with them. You just have to get over that "looks like a cigarette" psychological block. Companies like V2 and Blu exploit that and rip you off because of it.

BTW, feel free to PM me if you want any more detailed info or have any questions. I'll be delighted to walk you through it all, but I'm done sounding like a V2 affiliate.

 

[KeysBum]

That's easy. But you have to get over 2 things that newbies always do and are almost always the biggest mistakes.
The first is wanting an e-cig that looks like a cigarette. You will soon be a non-smoker. Little e-cigs have serious limitations with battery life and capability. That's probably the single biggest thing that sends people back to analogs. Battery life sucks, and there is nothing any manufacturer or fancy package can do about it.

Second thing is an automatic battery. Don't fall for it. It will take you 3 minutes before pushing a little button will be second-nature. Manual batteries are more reliable and controllable than automatics. All serious PVs have manual batteries and there is a reason for that. Autos are made to appeal to newbs who find it a strange concept to push a button, just like that stupid light on the end of some e-cigs. It's a gimmick and unless you want to vape while you perform open heart surgery, it's totally unnecessary.

Any kGo/e-Power PV is a two piece unit. You have the PV and a cartomizer, just like you have a V2 battery and a cartridge. If you want to add extra stuff, you can do it, but it's 2 pieces. Some come with a cone, but that's just a cover you screw on to streamline the appearance. These are not large units. They're about the size of a Sharpie marker pen. The batteries will last you most of a day, they provide the voltage you need for a good, satisfying vape and they're cheaper than any V2 kit.

There are several very good vendors that sell kGo and e-Power kits. The difference between the two is that the e-Power takes regular batteries, like a flashlight. The kGo has a sealed battery inside. When the battery gets old and weak, as all batteries do, you throw the kGo away or buy a new $5 battery for the e-Power. Other than that, they look and perform almost identically.

You can get an e-Power for $57 shipped, including atomizers for tasting juice, cartomizers for regular vaping, 2 14650 sized batteries, a charger and free PRIORITY shipping from crystalclearvaping.com They also give you 30ml of free e-juice. Order it today and you'll have it by Thursday. It includes everything you need to start and to hold you over for a couple weeks until you get more juice. You can get extra juice and cartomizers there and shipping will be free for that as well.

CCV has an excellent reputation. They don't have a huge selection because they only sell stuff they personally use. That's the way that site was started and that's the way they have kept it.

I don't mean to sound like a commercial, and I have no interest in CCV, but if you want to cut through all the confusion and deal with someone reputable, you can't go wrong with them. You just have to get over that "looks like a cigarette" psychological block. Companies like V2 and Blu exploit that and rip you off because of it.

BTW, feel free to PM me if you want any more detailed info or have any questions. I'll be delighted to walk you through it all, but I'm done sounding like a V2 affiliate.

What he said.

 

[Tokumei]

That's easy. But you have to get over 2 things that newbies always do and are almost always the biggest mistakes.
The first is wanting an e-cig that looks like a cigarette. You will soon be a non-smoker.
...

You just have to get over that "looks like a cigarette" psychological block. Companies like V2 and Blu exploit that and rip you off because of it.
..

With all due respect, many smokers would agree that part of the addiction is the physical cigarette itself and the experience of holding it, drawing from it, etc.

I guess it was only a matter of time before someone would tell me what I should want, rather than accept that I want what I want right now, which is a replacement for an analog cigarette.... Perhaps down the line I will want something else, but the important thing for me right now is to stop smoking analog cigarettes, not be a pro-vaper, vaping expert, etc.

With regard to my original problem: if anyone can come up with all of the elements I listed here in the next 2 days, I might very well return the V2, but the final product should be about what I want, not what other people think I should want.

Edit: Oh, and for under $60, all inclusive.

 

[swedishfish]

With all due respect, many smokers would agree that part of the addiction is the physical cigarette itself and the experience of holding it, drawing from it, etc.

I guess it was only a matter of time before someone would tell me what I should want, rather than accept that I want what I want right now, which is a replacement for an analog cigarette.... Perhaps down the line I will want something else, but the important thing for me right now is to stop smoking analog cigarettes, not be a pro-vaper, vaping expert, etc.

With regard to my original problem: if anyone can come up with all of the elements I listed here in the next 2 days, I might very well return the V2, but the final product should be about what I want, not what other people think I should want.

Edit: Oh, and for under $60, all inclusive.

Most of us have been there. Many long term smokers feel they don't get the analog-like experience without using low resistance cartomizers. You can't use them on mini batteries.

My Mom smoked 60 years and insisted on a automatic mini. It was a nice pv, she still uses it occasionally. But she wasn't able to get off cigarettes completely and stay off until she got a bigger battery model with LR cartomizers. And upped her nicotine content for a few weeks.

 

[Uncle Willie]

With all due respect, many smokers would agree that part of the addiction is the physical cigarette itself and the experience of holding it, drawing from it, etc.

I guess it was only a matter of time before someone would tell me what I should want, rather than accept that I want what I want right now, which is a replacement for an analog cigarette.... Perhaps down the line I will want something else, but the important thing for me right now is to stop smoking analog cigarettes, not be a pro-vaper, vaping expert, etc.

With regard to my original problem: if anyone can come up with all of the elements I listed here in the next 2 days, I might very well return the V2, but the final product should be about what I want, not what other people think I should want.

Edit: Oh, and for under $60, all inclusive.

I thought I knew what I wanted too .. and a week after I got a cig look a like, I was buying something different .. folks come to ECF for advice .. I wish I had initially taken that advice ..

 

[Freeman191]

I never heard about the v2

 

[swedishfish]

I never heard about the v2

I believe it's a KR808 mini.

 

[SuperLuckyLady]

You can get all of that here: http://bloogplanet.com/

The smaller batteries are the size of a cigarette, and even come in white! I used the bloog alone for about a year, still use them occasionally, and they got me completely off cigarettes. They probably don't say so, but the cartos are refillable, and are actually high quality. They are 808's and the prices are pretty reasonable. You can certainly spend less than $60.

Depending on how much you vape, you will need a few batteries, however, as they won't last very long. You can also buy a charging case to charge on the go.

Also, I never had a problem with returning stuff to Bloog for a refund or exchange.

Hope this helps, and wish you luck in your journey.

P.S. Thanks for the reminder - just ordered myself a new bloog battery for stealth vaping!

 

[Harplayr]

With all due respect, many smokers would agree that part of the addiction is the physical cigarette itself and the experience of holding it, drawing from it, etc.

I guess it was only a matter of time before someone would tell me what I should want, rather than accept that I want what I want right now, which is a replacement for an analog cigarette.... Perhaps down the line I will want something else, but the important thing for me right now is to stop smoking analog cigarettes, not be a pro-vaper, vaping expert, etc.

With regard to my original problem: if anyone can come up with all of the elements I listed here in the next 2 days, I might very well return the V2, but the final product should be about what I want, not what other people think I should want.

Edit: Oh, and for under $60, all inclusive.

I hear you on that!
Please don’t be angry with people here that will apply a bit of pressure to upgrade now rather than later. I’m sure they are just watching out for you and trying to save you the time and money. Bottom line is that they are well intentioned.

I’m only a couple of months into this, and can fully understand your desire for a cigarette looking / feeling / tasting device. I was that way too, and agree with you that it is more than the nicotine and quality of vape that made e-cigs the only thing that has allowed me to quit smoking. There was a lot of comfort in pulling a familiar feeling thing out of my pocket when the desire to smoke hit. I feel that the familiarity of the device enhanced my chances of quitting.

Like most newbees that have stuck with it, I soon graduated to the Kgo device. Like they say, it is a FAR superior product both in performance, versatility and bang for the buck. That being said, I still keep an “emergency Blu” (similar to what you will be getting with the V2) in my pocket and use it when the battery quits on my Kgo or I don’t want to vape something more clunky. While it is no longer my go-to vaping device, it served its purpose by getting me off analogs and performed as advertised. I don’t regret buying it.

So stick to what you’re comfortable with; and what you feel will give you the best chance of quitting, but don’t be surprised if in a month or so you will be upgrading.

Good luck on your great vaping adventure!

 

[swedishfish]

Sometimes I think people do it backwards.

Use the bigger, high voltage device with LR atty/cartos to get you off cigarettes. Once your cigarette addiction is gone, use a mini.

I use a mini when I go out, or go shopping or want to be inconspicuous. But my addiction isn't even close to what it was before I started vaping.

That's the bottom line. What's going to get you off cigs?

 

[wv2win]

I had considered both, but ultimately decided that I needed/wanted something that looked like analogs and yet had (relatively?) standard parts for future tinkering.

As for cost, with the coupon, it turned out to be just as expensive, in the end.

Granted, I haven't had a chance to try the actual product yet, it's just a shame that poor customer service has made me a ball of seething rage.

Rule of Thumb: generally, the more it looks like the real thing, the worse the performance.

But good luck, all the same.

 

[sailorman]

With all due respect, many smokers would agree that part of the addiction is the physical cigarette itself and the experience of holding it, drawing from it, etc.

I guess it was only a matter of time before someone would tell me what I should want, rather than accept that I want what I want right now, which is a replacement for an analog cigarette.... Perhaps down the line I will want something else, but the important thing for me right now is to stop smoking analog cigarettes, not be a pro-vaper, vaping expert, etc.

With regard to my original problem: if anyone can come up with all of the elements I listed here in the next 2 days, I might very well return the V2, but the final product should be about what I want, not what other people think I should want.

Edit: Oh, and for under $60, all inclusive.

Hey, sorry... It's just that I've read the same posts, over and over and over and over. I made the same mistake and wish I hadn't, but there weren't the options available then. You can read them for yourself. Probably one in ten sticks with a mini-cig for more than a few weeks or months. I lasted 3 weeks before I upgraded. More people have reported going back to analogs after a mini-cig than have reported staying with a mini-cig for more than a few months.

So, it's not a matter of telling you what you should want. It's a matter of telling you what works and knowing full well that the chances are very high that, in no time, that's what you'll want anyway. BTW, all those things like the feel, etc. can be had with a larger PV. It's not like you're holding some huge thing. But it takes about an hour or two to get comfortable with.

The poster who said most people have it backwards has a good point. You need something good to get off the analogs and something small for convenience after you're out of the danger zone and won't resort to analogs when your battery craps out.

That's what I've seen, heard and experienced myself. Every day, someone posts that they're back here after having used a mini-cig, gone back to analogs, and now they're looking for a PV that works and works well.

But you're as entitled as anyone to go through that initiation rite. Good luck with it.

Oh, and don't forget to have at least 3 or 4 batteries. You don't want to be stuck with one battery while you wait on V2 to send you a replacement.

 

[sailorman]

I never heard about the v2

It's an overpriced mini-cig that markets itself by having one newbie offer discount codes to other newbies, usually through bogus "review" sites and youtube videos. By the time the first newbie realizes what junk it is, the second newbie is selling it to a brand new newbie. And the cycle continues. It's like a virus in that way.