Filter Scam Alert

   / Filter Scam Alert #1  

davesteve

New member
Joined
Nov 25, 2015
Messages
19
Location
SE Michigan
Tractor
LS XR3135H
I'll tell you my story. You choose if you want to avoid Barton tractor or not.
So I'm looking for filters for the first time and I find alternatives (cheaper) for the LS filters thru Wix, etc. But I can't find a cheaper HST Filter for whatever reason. A few places list the OEM LS filter for HST at around $40. OK, that's expensive for a filter, but it's OEM and everyone knows you pay more for "brand name" parts.

So I find this place: LSTractorParts4Less
It says right on their parts page, qoute, "All of our products are OEM products. Shipped from the Manufacturers directly." And they have a picture of the LS OEM part in the listing.
So I can't find a cheaper brand of part #40007563, so I buy the $40 OEM part from them, +$6 shipping. $46
What I get in the mail is a "Zinga" filter. I look it up and it's $8 retail. Barton probably buys them for $4.
So Barton multiplies by ten times and sells for $40. Nice profit, but a little over the top even for "dealer part prices".
Yea, they ripped me good. Partly my fault, buyer beware of unscrupulous sellers, and all that.
Lesson learned on the old bait and switch.
Oh, and for those of you who say just return it...they have a catch for that too. You can return an item , IF, they receive it less than 7 days after you bought it. By the time I got it and opened it, 4 days from order date had passed. My mistake again. I did not open the box the day I received it. I assumed they had sent me an OEM part, like they promise. DON"T ASSUME...
And, even if you can get it back that fast...15% restocking fee.
At this point I could go into a rant about evil sellers, but I can't be bothered. You can draw your own conclusions.
 
   / Filter Scam Alert #2  
I had the same thing happen to me. Tractorjoe sent me an off brand filter which they built up to be an oem kioti. Be careful of Tractorjoe's.
 
   / Filter Scam Alert #3  
If you paid by Credit Card, call your CC Co. and tell them you refuse to pay for the reasons given. If Barton calls you and wants to settle, tell them to pound salt and that they owe you $120 (3x damages) for fraud.

Be sure to get hard copies of the website page and the photo of the filter they sent.
 
   / Filter Scam Alert #5  
Agreed.. dispute the charge. Even if all you get is your original $40 back, your way ahead. Enough people start disputing and the CC company will quit doing business with them.
 
   / Filter Scam Alert #6  
This is way it's sometimes a good idea to use EBay or Amazon. They will make them make it right.
 
   / Filter Scam Alert #7  
That sucks! Places that claims a % restocking fee and/or have limited return policies I avoid at all cost if I can. Looking for Harley parts you run into that a lot.


Are you going to run that filter? If not don't get stuck...dispute the CC charge like the others have suggested.

I once got some Chinese knockoff HD filters. I freaked when I seen them but I used them up and they seemed to be just as good as any of the more expensive off brand (non HD)replacement ones.

On the upside you LS guys now know that there are $8 HST filters available right :rolleyes:
 
   / Filter Scam Alert
  • Thread Starter
#8  
That sucks! Places that claims a % restocking fee and/or have limited return policies I avoid at all cost if I can. Looking for Harley parts you run into that a lot.


Are you going to run that filter? If not don't get stuck...dispute the CC charge like the others have suggested.

I once got some Chinese knockoff HD filters. I freaked when I seen them but I used them up and they seemed to be just as good as any of the more expensive off brand (non HD)replacement ones.

On the upside you LS guys now know that there are $8 HST filters available right :rolleyes:

That's mainly why I posted it. So others know what to look for. I did use a CC, so I could challenge it, see what happens. I'll try it.
 
   / Filter Scam Alert #9  
Years ago (mid 80's), I bought my first Yanmar from a local dealer who was also a dealer in used heavy equipment and know as shady. Bought my filters from their parts counter. Always came in a Yanmar box with their part numbers, UNTIL the last ones I bought there.

Guy handed me a couple oil filters in a paper bag, Yanmar price. I paid, took them outside, and looked at the white filters in the sun light. You could still read the impression "WIX" and the number. They had clearly used lacquer thinner to try to remove the black Wix labeling.

I went down to a local auto parts store, bought two filters for about 1/3 Yanmar price, then went back to the dealer parts counter....laid all four on the counter, and told the guy "If you're gonna sell Wix filters, you need to price them at Wix prices".....he stuttered around about how they didn't do that, and I told him refund my money, or I was coming over the counter for a personal conversation. I got a refund.

Last time I dealt with them.
 
   / Filter Scam Alert #10  
I know none of us are fooled into thinking any tractor company makes their own filters. I just wish there was an easy way to determine who makes the OEM filters for which tractors. Or, at least, which filters meet the specs called out by our tractor company. I've been unable to sleuth this out and since I really don't trust aftermarket parts houses, for tractors, I still buy my filters from Kubota. I know, I'm paying a lot more for the white paint and the orange lettering.
 
 
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