Customer pays for fluid on warranty work??

[smallfarmer]

This Warranty Does NOTCover
Replacement of Wear or Maintenance
Items (unless defective) Including, But
NOT Limited To:
Clutch and brake linings
Filters (air, fuel, oil)
Light bulbs
Window glass
Lubricants & coolants (unless
used during an authorized repair)
The above is part of the warranty from the kubota site. When I had my hydraulic problem my dealer took care of topping off the system.
The reading is rather open-ended but the important words are "unless defective". A quart of fluid buys a lot of customer loyalty and barely bumps the balance sheet. Does a bean-counter run the place?

 

[skipro3]

It would surprise me if they DID cover the fluids. I've never had them covered unless I was told up front they would be. Usually other "consumables" as well, are not covered. All that cuts into the bottom line on the dealer. You may ask and even get the fluids at their cost and not the usual mark-up. One more thing, you should NOT be charged labor for the fluid replacements. That is part of the labor for the repair. If you end up just paying their cost for the fluids, no extra labor, you will be treated fair. IMO and all that.

 

[Chuck K.]

I guess I have it all wrong. I spend over 45K for a machine that is in the shop 4 days after I buy it to replace the curl hydraulic cylinder and I pay for all the fluid because they also installed the electric/hyd. switch for the grapple.

2 weeks later it is back in the shop to replace another cyliinder and I'm told I may have to pay for the fluids this time also.... Say what you will but I do not agree..

 

[Willl]

This is nothing more than the dealerships trying to push more cost onto the customer.

Period.

If you let it happen, they will think it's norm and try to stick me with it too.

 

[jruss]

The way I read Small Farmer's post on the warranty, if you read the last lines it states that "Lubricants and coolants used during an authorized repair. This to me reads that only the amount of lube lost because of changing the cylinder would be covered unless all fluid in that system was contaminated by the bad cylinder, ie.metal shavings.

 

[ultrarunner]

I guess I have it all wrong. I spend over 45K for a machine that is in the shop 4 days after I buy it to replace the curl hydraulic cylinder and I pay for all the fluid because they also installed the electric/hyd. switch for the grapple.

2 weeks later it is back in the shop to replace another cyliinder and I'm told I may have to pay for the fluids this time also.... Say what you will but I do not agree..

You might want to keep a record of the number of days your tractor is unavailable to you due to warranty work.

In my state this will do 2 things for you...

One, it is the basis of a Lemon Law claim on items for personal and not business use.

Two, each day your warranted item is out of service due to a covered repair is an additional day of coverage added to your existing warranty.

 

[kobyp]

I can't say 100% for sure (because I don't do my own warranty paperwork), but I put fluids on the list for the warranty claim..never heard of making the customer pay...

I have had to disassemble/reassemble an engine out of a zd331 last week to replace a main bearing case, filled out the warranty claim including fluids. And since there was no damage to the engine (just a few stripped threads)...there was no need for a filter replacement as per the warranty. I talked with the customer and told them that since they were getting close to the service interval, that if they'd buy the filter, then they would get a deal b/c warranty is paying for the oil.


Hope all that made sense.

 

[RickB]

I know when it comes to vehicles fluids are usually not included. At all the auto and heavy duty truck dealerships I have worked at over the years the customer had to pay for fluids on warranty work.

In my experience, this is true, unless the dealership elects to absorb the cost of the fluids required to top off the system after a repair. In some cases, fluid contamination can be tied to the covered repair and the fluid is covered. If the fluid is due for a change, or generally in a condition not fit for re-use after a warrantable repair, then warranty does not cover fluids. The thinking is the customer should change the fluid anyway regardless of the repair. Many dealers provide fluids at no charge to avoid the PR mess being discussed here.

Quite often the customer has no clue what costs the dealer recovers from the manufacturer, and what costs he absorbs. For example, anyone who has warranty work performed on-site or has pickup and delivery at no charge for warranty work is getting this travel/trucking provided by the dealer with no reimbursement from the manufacturer.

 

[Dmace]

This Warranty Does NOT Cover
Replacement of Wear or Maintenance
Items (unless defective) Including, But
NOT Limited To:
Lubricants & coolants (unless
used during an authorized repair)

This is exactly what it says on page 9 of the Warranty Info PDF on Kubota's site. To me that line says that they DO NOT cover Lubricants & Coolants UNLESS USED DURING AN AUTHORIZED REPAIR. This to me says that all fluids and coolant are covered under warranty when they are replaced while performing a warranty repair.

I would print out the Warranty Info PDF I linked above, bring it to the dealer and highlight that area. Then I would let him know that I was contacting the manufacturer and if I was right then they would pay for my aggravation and that I would be using another dealer.

This may be a good time to use that high Kubota resale and get a Kioti.

 

[RickB]

This may be a good time to use that high Kubota resale and get a Kioti.

Because Kioti warranty policies get such high praise here???????