update on loader cracks

[thcri]

Personally I don't understand what everyone is getting so worked up about. I think this is just one of them problems that fell through the cracks

murph

 

[IslandTractor]

I'm tellin' ya, since you've been so diplomatic in a frustrating situation, I can start a fund drive to get you sent down to visit them. I'd be really curious how they would respond if you politely just stayed there until someone gave you some sort of response about the issue. It should be an easy enough proposition since you're not asking them to fix yours immediately, on the spot, without regard to the logistics etc. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that you, at this point, are simply trying to find out what their course of action is going to be and possibly an estimate on when to expect a fix to be released. Right?

Right. Just looking for an update.

The odd thing here is that it is corporate Kioti that is keeping this issue on the "front pages" which can only hurt them. I don't think any of the owners with cracked loaders has been screaming and hollering for an immediate fix, we are just asking to be kept informed.

Significantly, the issue has never been the quality of the tractor or loader and I think most folks accepted a long time ago that new designs sometimes have unexpected problems that come to attention after a good product has been delivered to market. The continuing issue relates to communication (more specifically lack thereof) and keeping both dealers and customers informed about their program to fix the loaders. If the first attempt at a repair didn't pass muster, fine, glad they checked it out. If there are supply problems from Korea, big deal, but let us know the updated delivery dates. I don't understand what has become essentially a corporate strategy of poor communication on the matter.

This six month+ long odyssey cannot be doing their image any good. I was struck yesterday when I realized that 3 of the top 4 most frequently read threads in the Kioti forum over the past year have been on this loader cracking business. You'd think corporate Kioti would want to get the situation resolved and behind them so we could all go back to proselytizing about the virtues of our Kioti tractors.

 

[rback33]

Personally I don't understand what everyone is getting so worked up about. I think this is just one of them problems that fell through the cracks

murph

And they say puns are the lowest form of humor....lmao...that was a good one

 

[Dusty]

And they say puns are the lowest form of humor....lmao...that was a good one

Murph's post crack me up all the time.

 

[HODAK]

My patience is just about gone. Plus, my wife found out about the cracks and she reminds me of the days when I was shopping for a tractor. When I told her I was buying a KIOTI, she asked me why I was buying that kind and not a John Deere. I told her KIOTI's were good machines with nice features and I could save a few bucks. So now you know what I have to listen to now.

Yeah, I know all brands have problems and I still like the tractor, but I'm afraid this will be my first and last KIOTI because of the lack of communication. When the cracks grow to an uncomfortable point, it appears that I'll repair it myself and just move on. I'll probably move on even if they ever come out with a fix. That's okay - lesson learned...........besides, I'm getting tired of checking the cracks every time I use the loader.

 

[Dargo]

Yeah, I know all brands have problems and I still like the tractor, .

Are you talking about wives or tractors here?

Ulike some guys here, I can't get by with telling my wife to clam it. She's as mean as a snake I tell ya...! Twenty years and she still orders me around.

Obviously I'm just kidding...well...sort of. Anyway, I just want to wish the best for all those with loaders that are affected. Hopefully Kioti is working out the final stages of a fix and they just have failed to keep people updated. Since I don't have anything to offer here except a sincere wish for a timely fix, I'll not attempt to add any humor for fear it could be taken the wrong way. Believe me, I've had issues with mechanical things before that dragged on and on and on. It about drove me nuts. Heck, my luck is so good that the first, and only, new Toyota I ever bought ended up being bought back by the factory under the Lemon Law! So much for Toyota being such a sure bet on being quality and reliability. I don't doubt that Toyota builds quality products, but when there was problems, they acted as if they simply couldn't believe that one of their machines could possibly be defective. In 12 months of ownership, the car (an Avalon) spent 7 months at the dealership's shop. So, good companies can at times drop the ball on issues. I say that, but because of the way Toyota treated me, I'm likely finished with Toyota vehicles. Maybe it's a good thing. I bought 3 new Honda vehicles this year and love them!

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all, and I hope Kioti will bring a nice Christmas present to all with cracked loaders!

 

[IslandTractor]

Dargo, if I didn't know you better I'd think you were campaigning for the TBN/Nobel Peace Prize.

I share your sentiments on dealing with both volatile wives and defective companies.

Merry Christmas.

 

[IslandTractor]

Well folks, I have about given up that Kioti will ever contact me. No response more than a week after an email contact now and more than two weeks since leaving three voice messages.

I presume their repair program is delayed and they are just keeping quiet about it. (Dumb move). However, I will speculate that the program must be at least a few weeks to months behind schedule and that they are awaiting some production or shipping problem from Korea (where I think the loaders are built). I presume they'd be inclined to tell us "the parts are on the boat" as a way of indicating the delay has been resolved. As shipping takes a 2-3 weeks from Korea by sea, and they would have booked passage for the parts a week or two in advance, that means that they must be at least a month or more from announcing the repair program by my guesstimate.

Would one of the TBN savvy Kioti dealers please pick up the phone and find out what the story is? PM me and I promise I won't tell who I heard the news from when I post an update/explanation.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I presume their repair program is delayed and they are just keeping quiet about it. (Dumb move). However, I will speculate that the program must be at least a few weeks to months behind schedule and that they are awaiting some production or shipping problem from Korea (where I think the loaders are built). I presume they'd be inclined to tell us "the parts are on the boat" as a way of indicating the delay has been resolved. As shipping takes a 2-3 weeks from Korea by sea, and they would have booked passage for the parts a week or two in advance, that means that they must be at least a month or more from announcing the repair program by my guesstimate.

Ed, sad to see it go this way, but by your timeline, it will be close to one full year from the time this problem was first announced on TBN and the first contacts to Kioti were made (Feb 2006). We are nearly at the start of 2007 right now. Another month wait will push this problem to nearly the start of Feb 07.

 

[malk315]

Island-

I'm pledging $100.00 towards your trip to headquarters to get things started.
Let me know if anyone else is serious about it. I don't think my loader is cracked (yet), but may be of the vintage that could develop cracks.

My machine was assembled new over winter 2005-2006 and placed on the lot for sale spring, 2006. I bought it in July.

I don't have the improved suspension seat -- but rather a seat w/ a front hinge and a couple no-adjustment springs in the back. I find my tractor much more comfortable than my old garden tractor, and comparable to my buddy's B7510.

I'm thinking my machine was probably built in early to mid 2005 and could possibly be a candidate for cracks.

I've also heard a few "creek" type noises from the loader when working w/ rocks and such in the woods. Perhaps it just needs some grease, but I hope it's not the sign of strain on something that will eventually let go. I'll grease it up w/ the new grease gun I got for Christmas and keep checking for cracks.

I really don't want to take the back plate off the cross member to inspect and don't see any cracks working out from under that plate -- perhaps when it goes in for 50 hour service, I'll inspect it for cracks before it goes in and get the dealer's opinion if there are any problems.