Miller warranty

[mx842]

I was wondering if any of you guys ever had to get warranty service done on a miller welder they owned. I bought a new millermatic 252 a couple years ago and awhile back I started having problems with the wire feed and the wire burning back into the tip. I did all the usual stuff checked the roll tension the drive rollers and cleaned the liner. It still had the problem so I changed the rollers thinking they may be bad then after that I even changed the liner. I didn't think either of these could possibly be bad because I had only run a couple rolls of wire through this machine the whole time I had it but I wanted to do everything I could before I hauled it off for service.

While I was going through this problem I noticed the machine would not shut down by the on and off switch. The day I switched the liner I had a couple of honey do's to get done before I could try it out so I just tested the wire feed to see if it was feeding properly with the 2X4 trick and once the wire fed out and curled up like it was supposed to I shut the machine off and left. When I came back I noticed the machine was still on and I was thinking....well I thought I turned the ol girl off but I must not have. I ran a couple beads to see what was going on and it seemed to be ok. I again went over to the machine and cut the gas off and hit the switch to shut the machine down and left the building for the night. The next morning I came in and went to fire the machine up and again it was already on. I thought my old age was really creeping up on me but but I do remember shutting it off before I left the night before

I looked at the switch and it was in the run position so I flipped it to off and nothing happened so now I am at least a little relieved that I'm not as senile as I was thinking before. But it also meant that I had another problem and was wondering if they could be related so I decided to see if the machine was still under warranty which it was and started looking to see who could look at it. There are only two places in town that can do warranty work on Miller and one of them I didn't like to deal with so I took it to the other guys.

I explained what was happening and told them what I had already done and left it with them. A month and a half later after not hearing anything from them I called to see what was going on and they had not even looked at it and when I told them I was coming to get it the guy then told me my machine was next in line and it would be looked at the next day. Three days later I still had not heard from them so I decided that I was going to get it the next day ready or not but that afternoon they called and told me it was done. They had left a message on my phone saying my bill was 259.00 and that they had put a new liner in and gave me a couple new tips and replaced the on and off switch.

It was too late to call them to question the bill by the time I got the message so I wasn't able to ask them why I even had a bill to begin with or why they replaced the liner especially knowing I had just replaced it before I carried it in.

I don't mind paying for service due but I hate to get ripped off too. Maybe I'm missing something here and is the reason I'm asking this silly question. I have never had to take a machine in for warranty work before........well for that matter I have never taken any welding related equipment in for any kind of service before so I don't know what's normal and what is not. It just don't seem normal to me but maybe someone can help me out to understand this before I go up there tomorrow to pick it up.

 

[BlacknTan]

As they say at the opening ceremonies for the Olympics...

"Let the games begin!" LOL

 

[kennyd]

I think your issue is with the LWS, not Miller.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

I think your issue is with the LWS, not Miller.

I agree. I'd remind them that it is under warranty, unless you bought an "aged" new unit. Miller's warranty starts ticking after a dealer has had it for a year regardless if it is sold or not (If I remember their terms correctly).

 

[Scooby074]

I think your issue is with the LWS, not Miller.

This.

Obviously the LWS must have forgot about your machine. Ive had parts in less than a week from Miller. Even if you had to pay for parts, that switch is only about $50 and a new liner + a handfull of tips maybe $30. Labour shouldnt be that bad either, its pretty easy to get inside these machines with a lot of room to work once you are in there. I think theyre ripping you off.

Ive had nothing but top notch service from miller themselves, they bent over backwards. Give them a call and explain the situation. You shouldnt have to pay a thing if youre under warranty. Ive even had warranty work authorized by Miller for old stuff out of warranty via phone.

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

Your LWS store is in error - explain it to them and I'm sure it will work out.

My local store has been stellar - though I've not needed any warranty work done, I've no complaints on them helping me with anything I need.

Good luck and let us know how you made out

 

[Arc weld]

Had to chime in here. Miller warranty starts on the day it was sold. Miller offers "Miller Bucks" for merchandise like shirts and jackets etc. to licensed dealers on the machines they sell. If a customer kept their bill of sale and Miller refused warranty, would get real ugly. Nobody welding supply would keep any stock if the warranty was reduced before it was sold. Also the serial number is registered when a machine is sold and the warranty depot can check the date of sale. However if nothing is found to be wrong, there may be a service charge depending on the individual repair depot. Not good to post about another brands warranty if you don't know. Miller has a reputation of excellent customer service. They'll send warranty replacement lenses and helmets air freight in 2 days based on the LWS's opinion. If they find it shouldn't have been warranty, it is very rare they don't honor it anyway. Most Miller dealers sell a lot of product so giving warranty on a few lenses or helmets that were abused isn't a big deal.

Keeping on topic, if an authorized Miller warranty depot won't honor the warranty or is giving you the run around, CONTACT Miller. They want to keep their customers happy so they'll come back. That's why so many people run blue machines. Also part of the reason people will pay a premium price for Miller. Sadly some repair shops don't like to follow the rules and instead try to mess around with the customer.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Had to chime in here. Miller warranty starts on the day it was sold. Miller offers "Miller Bucks" for merchandise like shirts and jackets etc. to licensed dealers on the machines they sell. If a customer kept their bill of sale and Miller refused warranty, would get real ugly. Nobody welding supply would keep any stock if the warranty was reduced before it was sold. Also the serial number is registered when a machine is sold and the warranty depot can check the date of sale. However if nothing is found to be wrong, there may be a service charge depending on the individual repair depot. Not good to post about another brands warranty if you don't know. Miller has a reputation of excellent customer service. They'll send warranty replacement lenses and helmets air freight in 2 days based on the LWS's opinion. If they find it shouldn't have been warranty, it is very rare they don't honor it anyway. Most Miller dealers sell a lot of product so giving warranty on a few lenses or helmets that were abused isn't a big deal.

Keeping on topic, if an authorized Miller warranty depot won't honor the warranty or is giving you the run around, CONTACT Miller. They want to keep their customers happy so they'll come back. That's why so many people run blue machines. Also part of the reason people will pay a premium price for Miller. Sadly some repair shops don't like to follow the rules and instead try to mess around with the customer.

You might want to go and actually read their warranty before stating something you aren't apparently familiar with. I DO keep track of it. In black, blue and white: http://www.millerwelds.com/pdf/warranty.pdf
They MIGHT do something else in practice, but there is a reason they specifically state otherwise in writing.

 

[Arc weld]

It also states they might not legally be able to do that depending on the jurisdiction. That's where a good welding supply and/or factory rep. can go to bat for a customer. I've sold Miller at every LWS I've worked the last 3 years and never had any problems with Miller on warranty. Repair depot's/some LWS's can be a different story though. I think a lot would depend on the individual customer and specific problem. My friend bought a 350 MP that was used lightly for a skills competition. It was discounted but was sold with full warranty. He wanted a pulsed MIG for aluminum so it would look similar to TIG. When he hooked it up, the pulse didn't work. He took it back to Praxair where he bought it. After 3 weeks when he checked on it, nothing had been done. It was still sitting where he dropped it off so he cancelled payment. He talked to the Miller rep. who informed him it should be warranty. Praxair did nothing for him except ask to be paid. He said you either fix it or give me a new machine and I'm happy to pay. Praxair did nothing so he cancelled his account entirely with Praxair.

 

[mx842]

Thanks for all the replies. First off, I wasn't trying to say Miller had crappy warranty.......Sorry if it sounded that way. I knew my issue was with the place that was doing the service. I was just wondering if it was normal for these places to try to rake you over the coals this way.

The machine is still in warranty according to Miller and they even checked it when I dropped it off. I never thought too much about warranty on stuff like this because in all my years of buying welders or other equipment like this I have never had any problems that needed to be addressed during the warranty period. You just hook it up and go then in about 10 years throw it away and get a new one.

I do see a potential for problems when the people doing the work didn't sell the machine to begin with and feel like maybe the selling dealer should be required to do some service on these things. I don't know.....I guess I'll find out what happens later today once I talk to them but I sure hate to get a shaft job on stuff like this but they are holding the cards right now. They say I have a bill to pay and if I want my machine back I guess I gotta pay the bill.