Aftermarket brand oil voiding the warranty?

[TractorLegend]

I used Harley tire cleaner on my Honda Valkyrie and I had to sell it cause it started vibrating real bad, got super noisy, idled like cr*p and was breaking down every other day... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

We hear people all the time who were led to believe by some auto dealers they had to have their vehicle maintained by the dealer in order to "maintain their warranty"
Pure lies.

 

[thebigc]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I used Harley tire cleaner on my Honda Valkyrie and I had to sell it cause it started vibrating real bad, got super noisy, idled like cr*p and was breaking down every other day... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
)</font>

At least you probably increased its resale value. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[TractorLegend]

LOL!! was glad to see it go to good owner!!
Had decent resale in spite of itself compared to paying a fraction of Harleys cost to begin with. The Valk's not made anymore (except the strange Rune model) so theres a following.
But I digerss from the thread.
I like all bikes but prefer smooth ones if Im all day cruising.

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( And I even tried to tell her about them supplying the product if it is required under warranty, and she said they do (she didn't understand it had to be free of charge )</font>

Heck.. she's 'informed' you that she doesn't 'know anything' about providing the oil for free.. .. but has told you you need to user the JD oil.. I think I'd leave it at that.. and find the federal agency ( FTC? ) that enforces that specific law.. and file a complaint. That should yeild 2 things very quickly. 1, that the dealer will be provided some 'free schooling' a-la 'hot poker' style from the regulatory commission handling the investigation.. and that they may try to stop lying to customers.. or the dealership may try to 'reign in' uneducated parts/service managers. Should also get you some free 'verification' that your warranty using non-oem oils will be provided in writing.

The dealer took the first step.. you take the second one.. let the govt ( we pay taxes right? ) take the third step.. then let your dealer take a step back while pulling their shoe out of their mouth...

Soundguy

 

[GerardC]

Well said Soundguy.

 

[MikePA]

Here's a link ------------> Click Here for the facts about the Magnuson-Moss Act.

The dealer has not broken any laws nor can you sick the FTC on them. Why? Because the dealer has not denied you any warranty claim. This act defines what can, cannot and what must be in warranties, advertising of warranties, whether they are Full or Limited, when Tie-In Sales Provisions are allowed (yes, they are allowed in some situations), when and where (state or federal court) consumers can sue, etc. Quoting from the MM Act...

Although tie-in sales provisions generally are not allowed, you can include such a provision in your warranty if you can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the FTC that your product will not work properly without a specified item or service. If you believe that this is the case, you should contact the warranty staff of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection for information on how to apply for a waiver of the tie-in sales prohibition.

Obviously, such a provision must be clearly stated in the warranty. I could not find anything that the MM Act requires that the dealer provide, in this case, free oil if they were to tie it to the warranty. Plus it's not the dealer who's providing the warranty, it's JD.

In this case, show the counter person the warranty and ask where it says you're supposed to use only JD oil. I imagine the warranty refers to following the service schedule as specified in the Operator's Manual which, in turn, specifies API requirements for the oil but not a specific brand.

 

[slowrev]

The dealer has not broken any laws nor can you sick the FTC on them.
//
Probably so, so just contact a a representative at a high level in JD.
Brown stuff flows downhill fast /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I am of course assuming that the dealer wants to remain a John Deere dealer.
I did not read all the replys to this post , so if i duplicated someone elses reply, my apologies.
Ben

 

[MikePA]

Good advice, Ben. I'd start at the dealer level with someone who's in charge, i.e., not a counterperson. If someone like the Parts or Service Manager persist in connecting the use of JD oil with the warranty, I'd send a letter to JD HQ to let them know what the dealer is doing and I'd cc the management at the dealer, from the Parts and Service Manager right up to the owner.

 

[JohnDeereGreen]

I've got a JD X595 in which I use Amsoil from front to back since it had 25hrs on it. Last winter at about 175 hours, I blew a hydraulic line. When I told the dealer that I had Amsoil in the transmission and that I wanted him to re-fill it with Amsoil when he was done, he just about had a caniption fit!

The usual, you can't use that oil, if you ever have serious trouble, we'll have to send a sample to Deere before we honor your warranty, etc, etc.

My replies were: 1)If I ever have serious trouble, I'll send the sample to Deere for you, and to a third party lab also.
2)Can you please put that in writing on your letterhead so I can send a copy to Amsoil and to my lawyer? No, I don't want to do that!
3)Then I said, why don't we go one step better than that? I have some virgin stuff in the truck, why don't we send it to Deere right now and have them tell you and I why I CAN'T use this stuff? He said John Deere won't do that. Well if they won't do that, then on what grounds are you telling me I can't use the stuff? Needless to say, that was the end of that conversation.
4)Tell the dealer that when you bought your tractor, you didn't buy it from a company that makes chocalates or tuperware or any of that kind of stuff, so why would you buy your lubricants from a company that makes farm equipment?

When the dealer was done repairing the hydraulic line he did replace the hydraulic oil with Amsoil, which I supplied.

Put your foot down, it's YOUR tractor! Don't let the dealers scare you.

Good Luck!

 

[sneaky_pete]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I could not find anything that the MM Act requires that the dealer provide, in this case, free oil if they were to tie it to the warranty.)</font>

See Section 2302.(c):

"No warrantor of a consumer product may condition his written or implied warranty of such product on the consumer's using, in connection with such product, any article or service (other than article or service provided without charge under the terms of the warranty) which is identified by brand, trade, or corporate name"

The entire text of the act (which was not in the link you provided Mike) is available several places, including here.