2550 Pics of my ongoing warranty issues ...

[redlinefever]

Sorry I haven't had a chance to post these earlier. Not all of my photos turned out. Hazards of living in the boonies and a lack of batteries !

I am really aggravated with not only the ignorance and laziness of my dealer, but also with the lack of return response from Cub Cadet's "technical representative". Now that guy was way beyond rude with me, yet I was very polite to him. At least now I know why they have the disclaimer on their web site about what they will tolerate during customer calls. Funny that their employee was the rude one ....

I had to keep telling myself to use the "taco bell dog theory" - i.e. "be kind to small animals, they hate it!" For some strange reason I feel that if I had been male, I would have been treated completely different.

Anyway, I e-mailed this "tech rep" the photos I had taken as he requested. Including all the info on the whole situation and never received a response. Finally my mom called him, since the unit is registered by her and for use on her properties. Needless to say, Mrs. Prada used her 39 yrs of Corporate America to give him a terse speech in her most honorable way.

All that got was a hood ordered for the dealer, who can't seem to get it to his place. And of course the dealer still claims that I misused the unit. The guys swear that I am bonkers and this should not be a warranty item!!! You look at the pics and see for yourselves.

Still, no answer concerning the engine issue. Dealer stated "we changed the oil, so you can drive it and we'll worry about the warranty if something happens, which probably will not be covered by the warranty!" Now I am in a pickle. The only thing I can think of is to take my little tape recorder and record another NEW unit running, then my NEW unit running before I leave the dealer. And of course his response to my never ending question "what if".

So, if and when I finally get my 2550 back, I'll run her 'til she blows, knocks or locks slam up. At that point, I am sure I will have to pursue this in court. Especially since the Kohler website does NOT list this dealer as a "qualified Kohler repair center". Things that make you go hhhmmm.

Mind you, I would never run a motor in the stock car looking like this one did. That fuzzy stuff is the preliminary of alloys wearing, which will begin to produce shavings. And we all know what that does to the good ole crankshaft!

I'll check back in to see what you guys think. Meanwhile, back to the battle of doctor's offices and tests galore. My pro bull rider son has been bonked on the head one time too many, putting my focus more on him and doctors and ER room morons. Geez, you wonder why people die ... just another example of "all we want is the money ...." which seems to be their general motto in the medical profession in the last few years. Lord knows we've been in plenty of hospitals and ER rooms in the last ten years!

 

[redlinefever]

Here's the photos I took and sent to Cub Cadet. I am going to send them a certified letter with copies of these photos. That is what a lawyer advised in order to produce a "paper trail" IF we have to go to court over all of this craziness.

This is just proof that people do not have pride in their workmanship and products any more. No wonder all the foreign made stuff is taking over, especially from Europe. I used to have an old Cub Cadet and it was a beast. Only reason it broke down was the repair shop that I had taken it to put the wrong crankshaft key in it and problems began. That was long ago, and I still regret getting rid of it.

Oh, I forgot to mention that my "hour meter" had been erratic thoughout the whole three weeks and three times I used the mower. I thought I had only 12 hrs on it, but I could have been wrong ... it never stayed on the same set of numbers for more than a minute or two. Is that normal, for the numbers to keep changing constantly?

Thanks to all of you for your help. Don't slide down in my puddle of tears .... i'm crying dollar signs $$$ all over the place !

$$$$$$$$$ send the waaambulance for me!

 

[Fordlords]

Looks like the exact same hood problem everyone else here had with the 2500's- don't see any reason why you should have been given grief with that issue at all. It was a workmanship along with a heat issue that made those hoods fail. They might waste more money with repairs and heat shield retrofits than they would have just making the hood out of metal to begin with. Plastic hoods IMHO aren't even worth the 50 cents in materials they are made out of. But... they save the manufacturer millions of $ over metal hoods every year. Good for them, bad for you, especially after the warranty expires and you either pay $300+ to replace it, cover it with duct tape, or just run without it 50's style

Even with authorized Kohler engine shops, as I've seen from past posters here, they won't deal with a warranty issue until an actual issue with the engine arises. (Noise, oil consumption, blown up, etc.) Even then they just repair the engine, I have yet to see a case here at TBN where they put in a brand new replacement engine under warranty. But, that warranty is your legal recourse if something happens. I hope we don't end up seeing a lot of Commands in these tractors start to fail from excessive heat after the three year warranty expires. (Cub actually covers the engine for an additional year beyond the Kohler factory warranty.)

-Fordlords-

 

[dronning]

I had the same hood issue it was handled under warranty no questions.

It was the first broken hood the dealer had seen and when we looked at another 2550 on his lot it had the same problem and the tractor had been run for less than 5 min.

Print out the other posts on this site that are related to the issues you are having and take them to your dealer.

see post here http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/cub-cadet/104589-2550-broken-hood-mounts-update.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/cub-cadet/103760-2550-broken-hood-mounts.html

Dave

 

[BoobyTrap]

Same here, my dealer was exemplary, it was his 2nd hood. Seems mine was the 2nd one. I had 1 hour on it. I now have 25 hrs, no melting, no cracks. I and he both believe it was over torqued at the factory. I have a super dealer. This is the same sort of crap that is ruining this country's auto sales. Lousy dealers that have to business in the business of customer service.

 

[BoobyTrap]

Duhhh. should read, lousy dealers that have NO business in the business of customer service.

 

[JSharp]

I had the melting around the exhaust exit hole in the hood but not the broken mounting bosses. My dealer replaced the hood under warranty no question as yours should. Cub shipping a new hood to them should tell them it's a warranty issue. Unless they're completely dense that is. Or trying to cheat you...

There's more bad news here though folks. The heatshield shown in the photos is the latest and greatest longer model. Which means hoods are still melting even with the new heatshield. Something for all of us to look forward too I'm sure. Unless we fix the problem ourselves some way.

redlinefever, you might consider spending the $30 +- and getting an oil analysis done on the engine oil when you change it the next time. That will show you if there's excessive wear. It'll also give you a leg up on the people telling you it's all fine if the analysis comes back poor.

 

[2manyrocks]

My suggestion is to change dealers especially since it's a warranty item and you're getting the run around. We have a total zero of a cc dealer in my community, but there is a really cc good dealer in the next county that actually stocks parts and has a mechanic that knows what's he's doing. It's a pain to drive those extra miles, but I won't set foot in my local dealer even for a spark plug. Find a good dealer, be nice, and you'll get further than spending your energy fighting to overcome a bad dealer who isn't worth your time.

Hope it gets better for you, but the other posts here suggest that the factory needs to figure out a better hood for these machines.

 

[redlinefever]

You guys have been great help and I guess I am a "learning tool" for those who read these threads. Maybe my loss at this point will at least help others. Just irritating for me and very expensive! Those of you on disability know what I am talking about ...

Well, that idea of finding another dealer is great, but unfortunately they don't want to be bothered with repairing something I purchased from another dealer, even if they don't sell the model I purchased. And that includes the fact that the shop may be listed as a "certified repair center" by CC and Kohler. It is typical of this area, since FL has a mowing season that lasts about 10 months. And enough of golf courses and luxury subdivisions to keep them in biz for awhile.

Yes, it is sad that there are way too many people in business who:

A - "conning the innocent or those in need" sell ya just what they think you need $$$$$$ without listening to a thing you told them or tell you a large lie just to make the sale .. "yes, you can use that equipment with it" until you do and find out it VOIDS your warranty!

B - American Auto Mfrs/Dealers golden rule for too long - "good enough for me, it'll be good 'nuff for anyone cause I just want the money... statiscal process & quality control management, what is that? Customer service? bwwaaaahaaaaa ...."

C - don't empower their employees to make any type of a decision about anything other than what to order for lunch. And you can never speak to a real person, find one that speaks & comprehends good ole ENGLISH or locate the person at the top of their management chain ... must be out playing golf somewhere!

D - It's my way and if you don't want my product, I don't care ... and if I don't want to warrranty what I sell, that is MY choice ... " which people like me learn AFTER the sale.

E - Multiple choice warranty - enough to confuse even the genius among us. Engine for a year, equipment for two, book says three, dealer can make decision to completely VOID your warranty if he has his undies on wrong .... and he can convince the kid from Cub Cadet that it should be voided or not covered under warranty ....

F - IF you don't pay us to do everything except put gas in it, then you don't have any kind of warranty. You can buy parts and change them. Like the oil change per se - IF it blows up, you must prove the engine was faulty, and that YOU were not the one who caused the problem. They learned that one from the Automotive Mfrs/Dealerships too!

Take all of the above and that is the type of dealer I am now stuck with. Guy even decided to NOT warranty my hood. Waited for over 3 HRS Sat. for Cub rep who never showed ....
....and almost three weeks for the corporate rep who has never called me back!!!

I have been sooo nice and cordial to all of these people and they have treated me like a doormat. NO, more like something I put in the compost pile ... Nice time is about over ...

The NEW AMERICAN WAY of doing business, let the computerized crap take over and you don't have to speak to any customers with "unresolved issues" - just take their money and run while they go from the website to the automated phone and back to the website ... hee, hee, hee.

Meanwhile, some poor idiot like me is sitting here wondering "why oh why did I do this?" If my dad or grandpa were still alive, this dealer and that youngster from CC would have gotten a much deserved "attitude adjustment". I'd have had to bail 'em outta jail but I'd probably have my money back!

 

[redlinefever]

OH, I have to drive almost 20 mi to this jerk's place of biz .. along with having to round up the truck and trailer from one of my family members (LOL! It's a parent thing when you have grown sons ...)

A lab that does "oil analysis" hmmmm, have to see if there's anything around the Gainesville area. Good idea.