Just a question/discussion about dealers and warranty.

[allen in texas]

Before I purchased my first tractor, I had visited the dealer many times trying to decide which tractor I wanted. During this time, I used my BIL's L3400 a bit. I noticed that when I tried to do fine grading with the boxblade, the 3 point would not respond to small movements of the control lever. When it did finally respond, it was a jerk instead of a smooth change of position and it would mess up my work. I had thought that I wanted the 3400 so on one visit to the dealer, I mentioned the issue and was in the process of asking about it. I say "in the process" because before I even finished the question, the dealer rudely interrupted me and just as rudely said to me that my BIL needed to take the tractor back to the dealership where he bought it.
It p***ed me off and I let him have it pretty much with both barrels. I told him I wasn't wanting him to work on the tractor, I was wanted to know if this was normal or an issue with just his tractor. He turned all back nice again and took me to a 3400 in his lot and while we stood on the three point arms, he operated the lever and this tractor did the same thing. Turns out is is normal, the tractor has the "inching" valve on the three point and would never work for what I wanted a tractor for. He then demonstrated the smooth operation of a Grand L3240 3 point. And I bought the tractor but it has always bothered me by his reaction. I thought it sucked!

Here's my question...
Shouldn't a dealer, regardless of where your purchase your Item (tractor), honor the FACTORY warranty that reimburses the dealer for any thing he may be out and not rudely tell you to "take it back where you bought it"
What if the tractor had be purchased two states away and the owner moved to here. Just floors me.

PS, after that episode, I strongly considered buying my tractor from (take it back to where you bought it.) I didn't because the deal was better where I did buy my tractor(s).

 

[davrow]

Dealers are people. Some good, some bad, some smart, some stupid.

No dealership can always hire the best. Just the way things are as far as I can tell.

 

[KiwiBro]

It's an interesting point though.
If the distributor/factory is picking up the tab under warranty, is the owner obligated to return the tractor to original dealer for warranty work, or is the nearest but not the original selling dealer obligated to do the warranty service work if the owner takes it to them?

It may be the local dealer doesn't want to help out an owner who didn't support them with the original sale.

 

[murphy1244]

It may be the local dealer doesn't want to help out an owner who didn't support them with the original sale.

I think that's a little short sighted. He is a potential customer for parts and service and maybe a new machine.

 

[KiwiBro]

As davrow noted, "Dealers are people. Some good, some bad, some smart, some stupid."

Regardless, do we know what the official line on this is? Can an owner expect warranty work to be done by any dealer of that brand?

 

[Deere Dude]

They should work just as car dealers work. If I buy a Chevy in Wisconsin and move to a different state, the local dealer will honor the warranty and do the work.

I had a great experience with JD. I bought a tractor from a dealer 700 miles away to save quite a bit of money and the local dealer still did all the warranty work and never squawked about anything. I expected them to do the work just as a car dealer would. Of course they sell me filters and oil and whatever else.

 

[allen in texas]

As davrow noted, "Dealers are people. Some good, some bad, some smart, some stupid."

Regardless, do we know what the official line on this is? Can an owner expect warranty work to be done by any dealer of that brand?

This was actually my question., the "official line". I "thought" all dealers were required to support the product they sell. again back to my example of buying a tractor (or car or whatever) in another state and moving from that state and away from the original seller.
The guy that gave me the hard time was the owner.

another story with completely opposite results.
I bought a Duramax Chevy pickup from a local dealer. After awhile, (40k miles) it needed injectors. Original seller said it was my fault (BS story) and would not honor the warranty. I took it to another dealer 32 miles away and that dealer said that it was nothing I did or did not do that caused the injector problem. I got a new set and two more since then still under warranty. Needless to say, I told everyone (locally) about this sorry dealer and I certain would not set foot on his property again except to tell him KMA.

bottom line I think anyone selling a product such as a tractor that is a DEALER for that item should warranty the product if needed.

 

[engine29]

To correct a common misconception by about everyone including people on here: manufacturers DO NOT reimburse dealers fully, 100% on warranties. This applies to all manufacturers. Minor adjustments, diagnostic time, misc. labor, transportation and time overages ARE NOT covered by warranty. Warranty IS NOT covered 100% to the dealer. It is not an open work order. Dealers routinely lose on just about every warranty claim they touch, that is why many dealers don't like to touch something they didn't sell.
If they sold the unit new, the profit helps cover the loss the dealer will take. I don't know how the automotive industry works but this is how it is in equipment.
They (manufacturers) only pay prescribed flat rates on certain repairs, which are always too low. If the labor runs over flat rate, then the dealer eats it. It is nearly impossible to hit flat rate. For example, if a dealer spends 6 hours on the repair and flat rate is 3 hrs., they lose that time. A dealer can lose hundreds to thousands of dollars on warranty.
Also, manufacturers can recall parts i.e. hydraulic pumps, and if they determine there was nothing wrong, then they will deny it. Then the dealer is out whatever that pump cost, $6-800+.
It's unfair to make a dealer who didn't sell the unit to lose money. That's why it needs to go back to where it was purchased. Yes, a dealer is obligated to do a warranty if pushed into it but it isn't fair to him.
Yes, there may be certain cases where the dealer may have to do it (customer relocation) but just to save some money 2-3 hrs. away and saddle the local guy to lose is not right.

You guys can take what you want from this, but these are the facts. I have lived it as a former dealer (Deere) and as a current OPE dealer.

 

[ultrarunner]

A manufacturer's warranty is just that.

If the owner of a product covered by a manufacturer's written warranty is having trouble... the manufacturer is the one to contact.

I've done a lot of consumer arbitration cases and often the manufacturer will say they would like one more chance to arrange for repair at another facility...

In other words... not all facilities are equal...

I asked one of the Dealers why the manufacturer sends vehicles to him for one more try and he said they have top notch mechanics that work hand in hand with the manufacturer to develop repair procedures... the manufacture also takes care of them for taking care of problem vehicles...

One Ford Dealer posted a policy stating they will only work on vehicles purchased elsewhere as time allows... boy did that Dealer hear from Ford... it was developed into a TV segment on one of the local the consumer reports shows.

 

[KiwiBro]

Thanks engine29 and ultrarunner.

One way or the other, the tractor buyer is paying for it or the dealer or distributor is going out of business having burnt a stack of cash in the process.

How could it possibly be in the manufacturers/distributors long term best interests to not pay dealers the full warranty costs and in not doing so put in motion a predatory train wreck where out of state/non-local dealers charge way less knowing the fact that the owner will have to pay to get the tractor back for any warranty work means essentially passing the costs/losses to the local dealer and risking them going out of business doing the warranty work and losing sales to cheaper non-local dealers? Like it or not, when the owner of a tractor gets treated poorly by a local dealer because the latter is trying to dissuade them from causing his/her workshop losses on the warranty work, that reflects poorly on the brand.