Breech of Warranty on BX-24??

[Torrak]

So, I have posted a few messages, complaining about my BX-24 problems. First it was the electrical on the system which was causing the clock to run 24/7, logging me at 64,000 hours, then I went to step on it and the deck cracked.

So, I call my dealer to schedule an appt. to have it fixed under warranty, but they have sold out to a larger dealer on the other side of town. No problem, I simply call down there and schedule my appt. (The owner of the original dealer is now a salesman for this dealer).

So, they are almost done repairing these problems when I get a phone call...

"Technically, the cracked deck is not a warranty issue. Kubota knew about this problem and the dealers were supposed to send out a recall. Since you bought from Dealer A, it was his responsibility to brace the deck, so it is not covered under warranty."

So now, even though I never received a recall notice, or had any clue that this would happen, there is a strong possibility that Kubota is going to deny my warranty claim, on a tractor they built with a defect in it. The best the new dealer has offered me is $386 for the part and free labor.

They actually expect me to pay to repair a defect in a tractor I bought brand new with a 2 year warranty. Anyone else ever heard of anything like this before???

 

[riptides]

"Technically, the cracked deck is not a warranty issue. Kubota knew about this problem and the dealers were supposed to send out a recall. Since you bought from Dealer A, it was his responsibility to brace the deck, so it is not covered under warranty."

Cannot help you, but I have noted on the Kubotas I have bought, some dealers follow through on notification recall notices and others do NOT.

And I find it objectionable that the warrenty for a known defect is not honored.

 

[hazmat]

That is not how it is supposed to work - call the dealer back & have them talk with regional Kubota Representative. If no resolution, call Kubota yourself.

In the meantime - look for another dealer to work with in the future.

 

[crabjoe]

Doesn't the warranty cover defects? Doesn't it also state that the warranty is good at any factory authorized dealer/repair facility? Didn't this new dealer buy the other dealer, in essense taking over their books, customer, property and what not?

It sounds like this "new" dealer is just trying to make an extra buck to cover the cost of their buyout.

I'd contact Kubota directly and log a complaint.

 

[prowley]

When one business buys another business they buy everything, including outstandng liability. Your new dealer _is_ your original dealer, and in any case regardless of what the first dealer did or did not do, it is a warrenty claim. Stand your ground, call Kubota, get it fixed, and then find another dealer.

 

[CurlyDave]

It sounds like they are trying to take you for $386.

I would go ahead and get the tractor repaired and then file a small claims action. Write down the names of everyone at the dealer you deal with and call them all as witnesses.

Frequently a business will pay a claim once they realize you are serious and that they are going to have to pay their employees for several hours sitting in court waiting for the trial to come up.

Meanwhile try to get Kubota to resolve it.

Then find another dealer.

 

[ampsucker]

agree with all above.

i think kubota expects some wiggle room from their dealers. when i complained about a few things on my bx-24, i got a little resistance from my dealer. i asked him point blank, why does it matter to you, you get reimbursed from kubota for warranty repair work, right. i was thinking it worked the same way as my toyota truck at the local dealership.

his answer was, "well, yes and no." i didn't push it any further but get the sense from his response and from reading the posts on this and other sites, that there isn't much incentive for dealers to do warranty work, and it may actually cost them money if they have to eat the labor or something like that. i think most are willing to do some of it just to get more volume moving through their stores and kubota probably offers them some type of quarterly kick back for moving x number of units, but i certainly wouldn't call the service "good" at my local dealership.

here is what was "wrong" with my bx after having it for several months:

- grease zerk on mower would not take grease. threaded in crooked from factory. they would not fix it, but did graciously send me two zerks in an envelope for me to do myself.
- front toe in wrong. had to adjust myself.
- brake pedal adjusted incorrectly. did it myself.
- front differential fluid low. dealer tried to "sell" me the fluid to top it off. i told him, i didn't suck any out, it came from the factory like that. eventually, they gave me a gallon of super udt they had in the shop leftover in a 5 gallon bucket.
- all front end loader joy stick linkages loose, even a few nuts missing. i spent about two hours one day taking it apart and fixing it so it worked right.
- hst pedal doesn't always return to neutral point. i have greased it. i think it's just a matter of tightening the spring, but keep forgetting to do it. in the book, it actually is written that if this happens, you should return it to the dealer for repair. i just don't have all day to load up the tractor, haul it 30 miles and wait for them to fix it. i would figure about 30 bucks in gas if i have to return the next day to pick it up. that type of safety issue would warrant a service call on their part, one would think.

i know it's not "right", but it seems to be the way things are. anybody work at a dealership that can clarify kubota policy in respect to warranty repairs?

amp

 

[shimp]

check out your state lemon laws

Washington Lemon Law Statutes: Title 19 Chapter 118 RCW - MOTOR VEHICLE WARRANTIES

that will get the attorney general on them

they will reconsider

 

[RonMar]

I remember reading an article IRT this same subject with automobile dealerships. I don't recall all the particulars, but the basic jist was that the dealerships usually take a loss in doing recalls as the manufacturer dosn't cover all the expenses involved.

Since this was a recall item that Kubota knows about and even has a fix for, they should take care of it 100%

 

[crabjoe]

I remember reading an article IRT this same subject with automobile dealerships. I don't recall all the particulars, but the basic jist was that the dealerships usually take a loss in doing recalls as the manufacturer dosn't cover all the expenses involved.

Since this was a recall item that Kubota knows about and even has a fix for, they should take care of it 100%

This is a bit off topic, but here goes.

From what I've been told, auto manufactures pay based on hours a given job takes. And to figure out the hours, they time the time it takes to do a job.

The catch is that the mechanics that do the job for timing are 1st rate and the OEM doesn't take into consideration problems that might arise like seized bolts.

Basically the dealers are paid based on how many hours a job should take, but some mechanics aren't as proficient as the next.

I have a few friends that are mechanics and most of them hate warranty work. I've got one friend that doesn't care, but he's quick. He works 40 real hours a weeks but based on the book, he gets paid for 60 hours on a slow week. I've seen him get paid for 90+ hours. He also looks at warranty work like this... On some he might lose hours, but on most he gains hours so he doesn't care as long as the works there.

If the tractor industry is setup the same, I'm guessing this dealer has slow mechanics. This causes him to lose hours because he's paying his mechanics hourly, but is reimbursed in book hours from the OEM.