Friend needs help

[centell]

I have a friend who recently purchase a new Branson 3520 tractor with front end loader. He has already brough it to the dealer three times for a rear main oil leak and the leak has never been fixed. It has only 27 hrs on it. He is getting ready to bring it back for the fourth time. Each time he is told the leak is fixed and they had to replace the clutch also because of the leak. He is plain disgusted and wants to talk to a factory represenative but does not know who to call. He seems to think he is getting the run around. Could any one give us a name or phone number so we can get help. He would like to give this tractor back to the dealer and get another different brand tractor but he has paid cash for it. He ask me to write to TBN to see if he can get some kind of help. Maybe I am in the wrong forum, should have went on the Branson forum. Help will be greatly appriciated. Thanks James

 

[Lazy]

Hi
I think I would start here

http://www.bransontractor.com/contact.html

charlie.

 

[Junkman]

I don't know if the tractor falls under the state lemon law, but if it does, then he should be proceeding under the jurisdiction of what ever department that administers that law in the state that he lives in. I would suggest that he check with the Motor Vehicle Department to find out what legal recourse he has. Most lemon laws allow the dealer 3 tries at repair before they are forced into a arbitration or buy back situation. If and that is a big if it does fall into the lemon law category, they won't take it back willingly, and he is going to have to be very persistent and have every detail documented and make certain that all the facts can be proven. I suggest that he create a journal now in a bound note book with details and dates of all conversations that he has had giving dates and names of persons that he has spoken with. The more information that he can assemble before hand the better it will be. Only then after he has all the details, let the dealership know what he is intending to do. Also try to get copies of all the repair orders, even though he didn't pay for any of the repairs. He is entitled to copies of the repair orders as an owner even though there is no charge to him. He should tell them that he wants them for a complete service record of the machine for future reference when the machine is sold to a second owner. If they refuse to give him the repair orders, record the name of the person making the denial and the date and time of such denial. All this is important if and when the matter should go to arbitration. This is the procedure that most buy back claims are resolved. It is rare that they are ever resolved in a court case. Many times today, the judges will order arbitration before a court case can proceed to trial to try to resolve the dispute first to save time and money, which it does neither.

 

[jayhawkRoy]

Junkman has provided some good advice. In addition to keeping/procuring good records of attempted repairs, you have to give the manufacturer a chance to make things right, otherwise your claim will go no where. In many states, it is the State Attorney General who administers the lemon law protections (assuming that tractors fall into the lemon law legislation). I would contact Branson first, to discuss the problem and solution, and if satisfaction is not gained, address the problem with the appropriate Consumer Protection authorities.

 

[KiotiJohn]

Be sure to let the Branson people know that if you can't get satisfaction, there are Thousands of people on the internet that will read all about it! John

 

[sassafraspete]

Sounds like the dealer is the lemon. Ditto on going directly to Branson. 3 strikes and you're out. This is why you pick your dealer as carefully as the tractor.

sassafraspete

 

[centell]

Thank you for coming to our rescue. I guest this is what TBN is all about. Friends helping friends. People helping people, everyone pulling together helping each other solving problems simple and complicated ones. Each and everyone of you who have responed is a help. Lazy you got the ball rolling for us with information you have provided. Phone call was make and Branson rep. very concern who I was told was the Vice President of company. It all breaks down to the dealership not doing there homework and being lied to. Don't believe clutch was ever change but was told it was. It does not pull itself because of four oil leak problems from rear main and each time it was suppose to have been fixed. Friend made four three hour trips towing tractor there. This is 12 hrs of towing not counting time spend at dealership. Friend has only 27 hrs. seat time. Works in Tenn. lives in Louisiana. Here about every third or fourth weekend. Big time apologies were make by dealership. I believe someone got a good but chewing. Hopefully it will be fixed this time. What you other guys are saying too many names to mention that he could consider the lemon law. Have cousin lawyer who onetime explain it to me how it works. I am pretty sure this guy does not want to go through all of this which would be his last resort. He sees my Kubota tractor that is always troublefree with 925 hrs on it and he get no where with his, is getting to his goat. I may have to give him my seat time so he can fixed his three acre lot and I don't believe that will work. I keep telling him there is nothing wrong with a Branson tractor. I am considering a Branson for my second tractor inspite of his bad luck. Thanks to all of you again. I will let you all know the outcome.

 

[JerryG]

As of now I am not aware or any lemon law for farm equipment as such. The Magnuson Moss Warranty Act is the so called lemon law that has been used against every major agriculture manufacture successfully for such problems. If you run a search on Goggle you will get lots of hits.
What ever your friend does, make sure that he keeps a detailed description of the repairs. He also needs details of conversations and who with. Tell him to put dates with everything.

 

[rambler]

Isn't this a China tractor? Kind of what one expects from them, quality wise?

By 'towing' it, you mean on a trailer, right? Tractors don't tow very well any more these days......

--->Paul

 

[NIXON]

I think if you posted this on the Zetor /century /Branson forum ,that Chipperman and the other owners would be more than willing to help you with some good suggestions.
John