Advice request on Dealer situation

   / Advice request on Dealer situation #1  

botalvr

Silver Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2004
Messages
219
Please toss in your two cents about this dealer situation.
About two months after getting my BX2200, I got some water in the fuel. Not knowing what it was, I called the dealer and they promptly picked up my tractor and fixed it.
I never got a bill so I figured this one was a freebie (perhaps due to the fact that I helped the dealer out and showed a potential customer my box blade at my house since he was considering buying one.)
Well, I got water in my fuel AGAIN, and still thinking that there was someting wrong with it, I called the dealer to work on it again. While it was there they also did some warranty work.
This time I did get a bill, for three hours to drain, flush refill, etc. It was $180. I figured no problem, that's alot of work.
The problem starts about two months after that $180 was paid, I got a bill for the first service trip for $60.
So my intial reaction was that you can't just send me a darned bill 4-5 months after the fact, and then I figured out that the same work was performed, costing $60 the first time and $180 the second.
When I confronted the dealer, he was upset and told me "perhaps we should give all the service away" and that they would not be able to stay in business that way.
So, my question is, would I be a major jerk if I insisted on a refund of $60? ($60 for each service = $120, leaving difference of $60 from the $180 I already paid?)

I had really just washed my hands of all this thinking that it is not worth the trouble, until I got water in my fuel for the 3rd time, this time I fixed it myself. In about an hour and a half, I had drained, flushed, replaced filters and was up and running again. Which pissed me off, since I am not a trained Kubota mechanic. There is no way a professional should have taken three hours to perform this work.
What do you guys think?

(I have since followed the advice in this forum for proper diesel handling and a new Mr. Funnel)

/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
   / Advice request on Dealer situation #2  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( (I have since followed the advice in this forum for proper diesel handling and a new Mr. Funnel)
)</font>

Huh??? I keep my diesel in a plastic fuel can outside, don't use a funnel and haven't gotten water in my fuel yet. I'd start getting your fuel somewhere else.

It sounds like your dealer got his billing a little out of sequence. How close were the first two times you called him? It's possible he got the second bill out quicker since there was some warranty work attached to it that he needed the factory to reimburst. Just a thought. Also, around here they charge around $50 to pick up or drop off a tractor. Maybe the bill for $180 included this and it wasn't all just mechanic's time. You can't expect him not to charge for this if it wasn't warranty work he was bringing it into the shop for in the first place.
I don't know, it doesn't seem too far out of line, just not itemized or explained correctly.
 
   / Advice request on Dealer situation
  • Thread Starter
#3  
I don't have much choice on where I get my diesel, I live out in the sticks and the nearest farm co-op/large diesel dealer is about 25 minutes away. The Mr. Funnel works great.

Anyhow, it was about 5 months from the first event to the last bill, which was the one that broke the camel's back.

Maybe I'm just too cheap for my own good...

/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
   / Advice request on Dealer situation #4  
Some dealers do charge for transportation if they provide it, even for warranty work. (You have the option to transport yourself!) Everyone has their own policy and until you ask your dealer, you'll not fully understand it. This may account for the first, albeit late, service charge of $60.
 
   / Advice request on Dealer situation #5  
Fair is Fair right Dan?? If it took him 5 months to send you the bill then send your payment in 5 months from now /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

If I were you I'd be looking for alternate options then to deal with this outfit. At the same time if he's the only gig in town then I would try to reason with him somehow so your not left out in the dark altogether.

Get your fuel somewhere else. Buy in bulk whatever but your fuel service isn't acceptable. 3 times in a row is crazy. Nobody should deal with this. If you want go to the station you buy fuel from and show them the bills for their diesel. Make them responsable also. If enough people are complaining maybe the owner will react about it.
 
   / Advice request on Dealer situation #6  
You can diesel fuel at most gas stations these days. The same diesel that goes in the rigs, tractors, bulldozers are all the same except for some taxes and dye.
I have a 6 gallon yeller plastic diesel container I got at Lowes. I fill it, fill the tractor and when I top off the tractor with the extra fuel I fill the container again.
Getting water in you fuel once is an accident. Doing it twice is careless.
 
   / Advice request on Dealer situation
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Yep, I changed dealers, and to attest to how much better they are, they did some expensive warranty work (front axle seal, steering cylinder) three weeks after my warranty expired and even replaced the plastic guard that tries in vain to shield the front axle driveshaft u-joint for free.
All that and even a power washing to boot.

They are the dealer I should have purchased from the first time. You can bet I'll send some business their way.
And yes, three times with water in their diesel from my local supplier is crazy. I was SO mad when it happened this third time, after all that $$$ and trauma.
But it's not all bad, just a high dollar lesson on the fuel system for my BX.
 
   / Advice request on Dealer situation
  • Thread Starter
#8  
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifAnd three times is just plain stupid!
Could be a Mr. Funnel marketing campain!
 
   / Advice request on Dealer situation #9  
Dan, not to flame you, but after the first experience, you should have known better not to put fuel and water into the tank and to purchase a Mr. Funnel. In my day, you would have been termed a "slow learner". /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif As for the $180 charge to drain, clean, and refill, that is too much, but they probably go by book time, not actual time. The first bill for $60 was probably for the transportation. If you want to maintain a good relationship with the dealer, sit down and explain the situation calmly to him. Tell him that it happened a third time and that it only took you, a novice mechanic, 1 hour to perform the work that they are charging 3 hours for. Ask for an explanation as to why there is a charge of one hour on the first repair and 3 hours on the second. Also check your invoices to see if they are charging for any other services while it was there.
 
   / Advice request on Dealer situation #10  
<font color="blue">When I confronted the dealer...</font>
Define 'confronted'. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

<font color="blue">...he was upset...</font>
See previous question... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 

Tractor & Equipment Auctions

2015 International DuraStar 4300 26ft. Box Truck (A51692)
2015 International...
2015 Ford Taurus SE Sedan (A51694)
2015 Ford Taurus...
2025 New/Unused Wolverine Pallet Fork Extensions (A51573)
2025 New/Unused...
JOHN DEERE FC20M LOT NUMBER 55 (A53084)
JOHN DEERE FC20M...
2010 Ford Edge SE SUV (A51694)
2010 Ford Edge SE...
2011 New Holland Boomer 90 MFWD Utility Tractor (A53472)
2011 New Holland...
 
Top