Lenar Tractor problems

[JohnS]

I don't understand about the dealer and his insurance problem, but I am not up on liability insurance and what things you can agree to, to lower premiums. Its too bad, since you were willing to travel, that Berry couldn't work something out with this dealer.

Am I to understand, that Lenar doesn't have a technical rep that helps its dealers solve problems? They must/should have someone that is more capable than just ordering parts. It seems that with some digital pictures and explaination, something could be done.

Given you can't find anyone that will honor the FailSafe warrantee, can you find a diesel mechanic that will give you a diagnosis? or just a friend that has good engine mechanical skills. They should at least be able to tell if it is a minor or major problem.

I hope your tractor issues do get resolved and you can be on your way and actually using your tractor. Your posts should be a warning to others. A new, non-established dealer can be high risk, given there is no other means of support. Many chinese tractor owners, are mechanicly inclined, and can do all or most repairs. But for people who need and expect full dealer/network support, then it pays to do all the homework.

 

[Soundguy]

I wonder if there is any chance he can contact the mechanic fo rthe original owner.. and perhaps pay him to install the parts. Given that the dealer went out of business.. the mechanic may want some work on the side.

I almost did something like this for my grey yanmar. Back when I got it I was 'green', and thought JD might be a -good- place to get parts or service for it.. I wisened up quite a bit after that.. though, on my way out a JD mechanic did pull me aside and told me to call him 'after work' as he was familiar with the yanmar engines in the JD compacts.. even if it wasn't an exact part for part engine to the domestic units.. etc.

Soundguy

 

[NIXON]

Patrick . As Durbob pointed out in an earlier post , I was both harsh,and hasty in my judgement . For that I offer my apology .
Do you have a state run consumer affairs bureau ? They may be able to help you get some relief from your problems concerning the lack of response from Lenar .
As a last resort ,you might cosider a lawyer . But then things could get very ugly . But then considering what you've gone through , Ugly might be an improvement . I hope you get things sorted out . And again , I apologize for my earlier comments . John

 

[hick11h1369]

Hello again, hey Nixon, your cool, speak your mind, everyone here has been alot of help in that some believe that I should fix the problems myself, some say get a lawyer, and some say cool down and try to work it out. Well, I cant say that I am the smartest guy out there, I know the easiest solution is to just fix the machine suck up my losses and drive on, but like I said, I am not the smartest guy out there and I dont get scared of lawyers at all, prosecuters, now they scare me, lawyers dont, why????? Because you only need a lawyer if you are trying to hide something, the problems I have had are all documented, four different serial numbers were given to the bank!!!!! Why, because all four tractors were lemons!!!! I have contacted the two biggest news stations in my area, Toledo 11 and Detroit 4, Toledo seems to be willing to do a story on a company that does not stand behind the product and endorses its dealers to be able to refuse service for tractors that they did not sell even though it is the same brand. I am planning trips to Indiana, Ky, Tn to the lenar dealers there, and I am going to sit outside, down the road or wherever with this oil soaked blue lemon on a trailer. I will educate the people that the value of the tractor is after the sale, not in the sale itself, I have the time, they have called my bluff, I am on the road now. This summer will be fun, Lenar dealers and Taskmaster dealers, I wish you luck!!!!

 

[Durbob]

I say go for it Patrick. Ben has always touted about Lenars having dealer support while the Jinmas didn't. Sounds like that's not true when a dealer can't back the product whether he sold it or not. Imagine if car dealers or dealers of anything else were like that. I say take that Lenar all across the country.

 

[shvl73]

The problem I see is another dealer gets dumped on for a problem that belongs at Mazama Products door. If I were a dealer & someone hauled his tractor hundreds of miles to get a problem repaired, I guess I would try to help & work on it but, you know their not getting compensated for their labor from the distibutor & that's who is ultimately responsible. Ben Hime from Mazama has posted on other boards & his attitude is nothing short of outrageous. I think he's the rep for Lenar stateside but, rather than being in sales, he's more like the anti-sale. He & his company are the best reason NEVER to consider any of the products they represent.
It's kind of like the old joke "she doesn't need birth control, she's got her personality for that."

 

[usedcarz]

i can really feel for this fellow with all these problems, but as a seller/dealer, i also feel for the poor guy that went out of business screwing with these tractors. he must have had good intentions, i mean the guy DID bring out 4 tractors! but if the product was junk from the get-go, he didn't have a chance. and it sure sounds like dealer support wasn't part of the program! sure would like to hear from him on his experience with lenar /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[bluechip]

It is common practice for Chinese tractors to be serviced only by the selling dealer. Why should a dealer fix a tractor bought somewhere else for free? The reason other brands do, is because the pricing structure is such that they get paid to do it. With Chinese tractors, the factory ships them here with parts warranty. If a distributor or dealer chooses to add labor coverage, it is on his own nickel (although it is usually added to the price). Homiers FArm Pro is one of very few brands I know of that support the labor done by thier dealers. It is the exception, not the norm.

Your particular dealer had a contract with Lenar (and with you) to provide labor for warranty service. Did he go bankurpt? just quitting does not stop your obligations.

Now you are on the warpath, and I don't blame you one bit for being upset at the lack of support this tractor has had in spite of it oft touted "US presence". so now your going on the road, even to Tennessee. Seems awhile back, Tennessee was to far to go to get help, (Wasn't it the Coopers who offered to help you way back at the beginning?), but now it is close enough to go only to damage a party that is essencially innocent in this whole affair? What is really ironic is that I am almost certain that the Coopers had a program as a Lenar regional distriubtor to back thier dealers warranty, (Michigan was not part of their area).

All Lenar dealers are independent businessmen, they have PAID Mazama up front for thier inventory. I just wish you would think about who you are poising to strike against.

Guilt by association? There are good dealers out there who are living up to their obligation to service the tractors they sell. Don't put everyone the same boat... then sink it.

I am only suggesting you carefully examine your warranty, with a lawyer if necessary, and find out where you stand. Then persue the responsible party(s) as indicated.

Now lest this sound like I have taken Mazamas side, that is not the case. I don't really want to take a side in this one, there is no winner. I do think that they, or one of their new regional distributors, could have done a heck of a lot better job at mitigating this situation for Patrick and for Lenar dealers nationwide. I venture to say that several tens of thousand of dollars of negative publicity has already been allowed to happen. I am just dissappointed that those hurt most immediatly are the INDEPENDENT Lenar dealers. I am no longer one (but still servicing the tractors we sold) having moved on to other products, In fact Lenar is a competitor and I possibly stand to benefit from their troubles, but I have friends who are Lenar dealers, and I'm sure they are just as upset about this whole affair as Patrick,and frankly have a lot more to lose in all this.

Patrick, all I suggest is to carefully define your objective, repair or revenge, and if it is pure revenge, than please aim well before you pull the trigger. (this is a figure of speech only, I am certianly not advocating violence of any kind!).

I for one would still like to see a happy ending to this saga. It seems less likely by the day however...

 

[shvl73]

I'll bet that would be an interesting story.

 

[bluechip]

It seems to me the dealer was out of his element. why would anyone replace a tractor rather than just fix it? a weedeater or chainsaw maybe but a whole tractor?. As I recall the first tractor had a knock, could have been an injector miss, or maybe a bearing. easier to fix than replace a tractor. Tractor 2 was a hydraulic hose as I recall, maybe two, it is unclear whether these were loader or tractor hoses, not many hoses on the tractor. Three broke because of an improper loader design, (one and two would likely have broke if run longer). That leaves us with 4, leaks oil and had trouble geting into 4 wd (think Patrick fixed that one) and I'm not sure what else. Patrick's description makes is sound like a pourous casting in the engine block, I havn't seen that but suppose it is possible that could be the case, if so need a new engine.

Tell you what. somebody has to do it. If Mazama will send me an engine and Patrick will bring me his tractor, we'll put it in for him, if Failsafe won't pay us to do it, then I'll eat the labor. Its time this got settled. I would have hoped a Lenar dealer a little closer would come up with something but the offer is on the table. Ben, Patrick, what do you say?
If someone closer wants to match this deal, save Patrick some driving, you are welcome to it. Lets get this over with.

Chip Uren
ARTRAC Co, LLC
Knoxville Arkansas