CK35 HST shattered piston at 400 hours

[Industrial Toys]

Sometimes when fortune smiles upon you, as it did with the OP, it's difficult to ask for more. Yet I agree, an agreement is an agreement. This would be more the tactic of some little scheister, not a corporation. I'm thinking, maybe someone just over stepped his or her authority a little. Just another reason, why when someone offers you a good deal, to get it in writing.

 

[Teachu2]

My initial reaction to the dealer might involve profanity, but I think your attitude is wiser. It's certainly worth the $ to have a new engine vs a repaired one, and now you know more about the dealer's true character. I'd look elsewhere for service in the future.

 

[Industrial Toys]

But the way I understood the story, corporate was supposed to reimburse the dealer with the good will fund. I would not expect the dealer to cough up the money. He wasn't to blame for the failure.

 

[LD1]

But the way I understood the story, corporate was supposed to reimburse the dealer with the good will fund. I would not expect the dealer to cough up the money. He wasn't to blame for the failure.

My understanding was the dealer gets a certain amount of good will money every year anyway to put to use as they see fit, and they were going to use that. Not that kioti corp. would be supplying additional money, rather just use out of the money corp already supplied

 

[k0ua]

I'll venture a guess the neighbor is relieved.

Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

I suspect you are right.

 

[CenTex Chris]

You have the agreement well documented...

Not quite, unfortunately. What's documented is the email from Kioti customer service. In that, they said they provide the motor, I provide shipping, parts and labor (and this is how it's working out, apparently).

What's *not* documented is the phone call I received that same day from the service manager. I didn't record that conversation. Typically I don't record phone calls. That's when he had said the labor was on them, that it was a stipulation from Kioti. Which is contrary to the info I received by email, but I thought he knew what he was talking about. And that's what I reported here. Well, somewhere along the line, someone had their wires crossed or had a change of heart, whatever. Because now I've got a bill for $815 thereabouts. Once again, I'm not complaining since it's still a good and very fair deal. However, when he called yesterday and said "come and get it, the charge is $630" -- and called me back shortly after to say "sorry, it's another $165 for shipping, forgot to tell you earlier" -- at that point I had to ask him if he remembered what he originally told me about them covering the labor.

"No, but I have a feeling you're about to remind me." As tactfully as I could, I repeated what he had initially said to me back on the 18th (see this post). He said no, sorry, he didn't recall that. And like I said, I didn't record that phone conversation, so it's as if it never happened. I certainly didn't hallucinate it. No worries, though. It looks like I'm getting this whole mess resolved for just under $1K when originally I thought I had a big orange ship anchor. And, what they're telling me *now* jives with that email I got from Kioti which originally said that labor, parts & shipping are on me. Well, I say shame on somebody somewhere in the chain for getting my hopes up.

You know what else is funny, yesterday I asked if this new engine comes with any sort of warranty. Service manager's answer was really vague, "we'll deal with it as we go along." I'll have to come back in 50 hours anyway for the break-in oil change.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Oh. My mistake. But the dealer did cut some his labour time, which was a nice gesture.

As I have mentioned, I recently bought an upgraded albeit high hours tranny for my JD. Cost over 10G CDN. When it came time for the bill, I remembered a different amount then the guy quoted me. Neither of us could find "our notes" and of course I was charged the higher amount on two main items. If I was thinking a little bit better on my feet, I might have tried to at least agree to meet in the middle. Too many scraps of paper and too many things to think about.

Be glad that this happened at 400 hours, not 800!

 

[MinnesotaEric]

An update... good news and bad news (not too bad, just annoying):

Got a call from the service manager today that the CK 35 is ready to go. That's the good news. The bad news is that the dealership is not covering the labor after all. Not sure if he forgot what he told me before, or if they simply reconsidered and decided not to apply their goodwill fund that I had previously described. It's no big deal... I don't have any leverage here anyway. I'm to cover ten hours of labor (although he says they put about 16 into it, and I have no reason to doubt him, so that seems fair enough). With some parts that I'm also getting billed for, it comes to $650. I also have to cover the cost of shipping the engine from North Carolina to Texas. That's another $165. So I owe them $815.

You know what, I'm fine with it. For a new motor that's a perfectly good deal. I'm happy to pay.

I'll drag the flatbed up there tomorrow, but unfortunately I won't get any seat time for awhile yet... I have to jet off to The Big Apple on business (yes, work... gotta pay for this stuff somehow) and won't be back for ten days or so. It'll have to stay on the trailer while I'm gone. Will let y'all know when I can get behind the wheel again finally. Much appreciated as always!

Conjecture: Somebody may have over-stepped their authority or misspoke (as has been suggested, but I doubt), or on personal examination by the tech rebuilding the engine may have determined that the shinny part of the broken piston called out to our attention, was shiny from an impact after failure, not from a crack forming over time. If that is the case, the tech couldn't verify the narrative that the piston was failing over a period of time and so the factory went ahead and covered parts.

No matter what: Good for Kioti and good for you!

A trip to NYC will cost more than the labor容specially $15.00 beers.

 

[CenTex Chris]

A trip to NYC will cost more than the labor容specially $15.00 beers.

I'm getting paid to go to NYC... but the per diem is only $50! That doesn't go far for dinner in that town...

 

[Threepoint]

I'm getting paid to go to NYC... but the per diem is only $50! That doesn't go far for dinner in that town...

Nope, much less leave anything for breakfast and lunch. But eating is overrated, anyway.