Aftermarket brand oil voiding the warranty?

[Bob_Skurka]

While the dealer likely has no legal standing to make the statements being made, and while the minutia of the law can be debated for hours here, none of that will improve your relationship with your dealer.

I use high priced oil that I buy from my dealer; I know it is just plain old oil in a jug with his brand sticker on it.

However, you are creating a divide between yourself and your dealer for no reason. When/if you need your dealer, do you want him to think of you as that guy who raised the stink over the oil, or do you want him to think of you as that regular customer who buys all his fluids and filters here and supports his dealership?

I want the dealer to know me as a good guy. I want them go out of their way to take care of my tractor first, and better than they take care of you & your tractor. I want to be at the front of the line when it comes to customer service. So I pay the extra $1 a gallon for oil instead of buying it at Wally World and I pay the extra $0.85 for a filter. But the service guy sees his brand of filter on my tractor, and the parts guy sees my face every once in a while, heck I even say HI to the sales guys when I stop in. And so far, it seems to work to save me a lot of money on other things.

When I wanted to add a MMM they beat the best price I found from a well known low priced internet source by HUNDREDS of $$$, and they picked up my tractor, installed it, and returned for the quoted price. And when I wanted a snow blower, they beat another well known low priced internet dealer by $200 (plus shipping costs), they even cut the PTO shaft to fit, and delivered it to the back of my tractor for that price, on the exact same model.


We make choices, I choose to support my dealer. I'd probably have a conversation with the service person if they told me I HAD to use their brand and explain otherwise, but then I would turn around and buy it anyway.

 

[kerr]

Good link, thank you sir.

 

[SnowRidge]

Bob, that just plain made sense. Good post.

 

[ronjhall]

Bob
You always amaze me with your ability to put into words what I just did because I wanted my dealer to support my needs in the future. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[fractal]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I was telling the parts manager at my dealer that I was going to put Amsoil synthetic in my John Deere 4310, and she gave me the old line that it would void the warranty if you didn't use John Deere oil. )</font>

As far as I know, if the bottle has the API circle on it with the rating appropriate for your tractor, they have no leg to stand on. If the bottle does NOT have the API circle on it, and you have a problem that they believe to be oil related, they have the right to test the oil. If the oil does not meet the specification in the manual, you loose.

Like Bob said. Paying extra for them to use their marked up oil may be cheap insurance if you like that type of insurance. It could also be considered throwing money away. It is a matter of your point of view.

Myself, I use oil with the API circle on it and to heck with their markup. But, my tractor is LONG outta warranty so I don't have to worry about such things. If I break it ... well, I already bought it..

 

[gsxr1100]

I agree and the odds of you have an engine oil related failure are pretty slim. Also unless they test it, they can’t go by anything you say. As I would say. “Prove to me I did not install this oil”. They will NEED to do an oil test and I would toss them my results.

But for me, I guess I am not the norm here, just because you are giving money to the dealer does not mean he will be on yours side down the road either. Unless you are buying his answer….J

For me, if the oil states it passes the proper ASTM, SAE, MIL, ILSAC, JACO, API ratings for my needs, that is all I need. I personally do not need API donuts since the API limits good things in the oil also.

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( 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 )</font>

I see your point of view.. however look at it like this. The dealer has 'informed' the owner that the warranty he has is 'void' if he does not use their oil.. but that they won't provide that oil free of charge.

I think that would be a situation that the FTC would look into. As with most LE agencies.. seldom is it required for a crime to actually happen for them to investigate it. Many times only the conditions for a crime have to be met for some enforcement to occour.

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( use high priced oil that I buy from my dealer; I know it is just plain old oil in a jug with his brand sticker on it )</font>

The issue is though.. what if you wanted to use a 'better' oil.. not the 'regular' dealership oil... ?

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( divide between yourself and your dealer for no reason )</font>

Plenty of reason.. They have an ignorant counter person...that's their problem.. not the customers problem..

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( you want him to think of you as that guy who raised the stink over the oil )</font>

You mean.. they guy that called them to task for 'shady' / borderline illegal, if ever put to the test, warranty practices? If I were the dealership management / franchise holder.. I'd be embarrised as ****, and try to make sure that customer got some top notch service...

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I want the dealer to know me as a good guy )</font>

Don't get me wrong.. I do buy the bulk of my consumables and repair parts from my dealer.. however.. oil.. for example.. i get from napa... Filters from NH, and repair parts from NH. I buy my tractors from NH.. at that point I expect an acceptable level of service...

Soundguy

 

[RedRocker]

I wouldn't deal with a dealer that fed me that line of BS.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

<font color="blue"> ( use high priced oil that I buy from my dealer; I know it is just plain old oil in a jug with his brand sticker on it )
</font> <font color="red">
The issue is though.. what if you wanted to use a 'better' oil.. not the 'regular' dealership oil... ?
</font> <font color="blue">
( divide between yourself and your dealer for no reason )
</font> <font color="red">
Plenty of reason.. They have an ignorant counter person...that's their problem.. not the customers problem..
</font> <font color="blue">
( you want him to think of you as that guy who raised the stink over the oil )
</font> <font color="red">
You mean.. they guy that called them to task for 'shady' / borderline illegal, if ever put to the test, warranty practices? If I were the dealership management / franchise holder.. I'd be embarrised as ****, and try to make sure that customer got some top notch service...
</font> <font color="blue">
( I want the dealer to know me as a good guy )</font>
</font> <font color="red">
Don't get me wrong.. I do buy the bulk of my consumables and repair parts from my dealer.. however.. oil.. for example.. i get from napa... Filters from NH, and repair parts from NH. I buy my tractors from NH.. at that point I expect an acceptable level of service...

Soundguy )

</font>
<font color="black">
Chris I guess I see things a bit differently. But I don't think one brand of oil is better than another provided it has all the stamps, ratings, marks and approvals. You and I usually pretty much agree on things, although we see things from different perspectives. I suspect that since you use older equipment, an a lot more of it, and since I buy new and use less, and for different purposes, then perhaps we that may be why I see it differently than you do.

The counter person may be a problem, and I said I would point it out, but I would buy that oil anyway. But as an employer, I know from time to time I get an employee here who does not represent my ideas and interests and convey them, that person may be gone tomorrow. I hope people look at my company not one jerk in it, just like I look at the dealership and may overlook one idiot at the counter.

Now there is an "expected and acceptable" level of service, and then there is the front of the line, top of the heap, bend over backwards to help you out type of service.

Me, if I can figure out how to get it, without it costing me too much, then I don't just want the expected & acceptable level. I want the special service where they guy swings by my house on his way home to help me out at no charge type of service. . . I want the type that goes into other departments and lowers my prices on other purchases type of service.

But that is just my opinion.

I'll pay the extra $3 or maybe $5 per year that it costs to buy my oil from the dealer so I can save almost $1000 on attachements & implements (so far!!!!) and get special attention when I need it.


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