What would you do? dealers input welcome

[workinallthetime]

Short story, had my b3030 picked up in january for some items I needed fixed or looked on the tractor, had the main seat seperating on the tractor, had 2 leaks on the loader, and the BH seat was cracking in the middle. I called the dealer and talked to the service guy and he told me everything was under warranty and there would be no charge for the repairs. A couple days later i called back to check on things and he told me parts were on their way and again everything was under warranty and they should have it back to me in a couple more days. When delivery day arived they called to get the address again and i asked how things went and he told me again everything was fixed under warranty and since they had free pick up and delivery there would be no charges to me.
Last week i recived a bill in the mail for 327 bucks, for labor and materials on the bh seat and the leaks on the fel, when i called today the head guy for the place told me i should have known my loader and BH only have a 1 year warranty and that i need to pay. We got off the phone w/o resolving the issue and he is supose to contact me soon.
#1He / they did not have my aproval to fix anything not under warranty.
#2 I dont feel i should have to pay for their mistake, i could have had the work done much cheeper if not done it myself.
#3 I run a service department for GM cars and trucks, if i tell someone that something is under warranty and its not guess who is paying that bill, not the customer, ME

anyone else run into this kind of thing? any thoughts?

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

If the company agent/representative (service employee) told you up to delivery that everything was under warrenty and you owe nothing, then I don't think you owe anything. The company owner should collect from his/her employee. If you want to do more than you owe then offer to pay for parts but not service.

 

[Harvest Moon]

Hey, that happened to me too!

It's amazing how fast they realize it isn't under warrantee any more AFTER they fix it. Here is how I handled it, fortunately they weren't holding my machine hostage:

Called them up, said what is this? Told them that I asked them to make the repairs under warrantee because the warrantee was nearly up. Told them that I did NOT AUTHORIZE any repairs that were not under warrantee or agree to pay them for anything and finally told them very clearly that I AM NOT PAYING THEM FOR THIS REPAIR. I felt betrayed, cheated, set up even. They knew it wasn't under warrantee anymore, I told them my tractor warrantee would soon expire. They asked when I bought it, knew I got the loader at the same time. I didn't didn't realize the warrantee was shorter on the loader.

Some may say it's my mistake but I made it very clear that I didn't want anything fixed that wasn't under warrantee. I know not everything is covered, didn't want to request something that I'd have to pay for. It was sooo clear. Talked to them 3 times before and during the repair about it.

They got VERY rude with me when I told them I'm not paying. They even offered to come take their parts back, which I agreed to as long as they put mine back the way they found them. Of course, it was CLEAR they were not going to get a penny from me, I'd have paid $5000 for a lawyer before I gave them a nickel. I've never gone back, NEVER will.

What a scam, they really set me up for that, they lost thousands of $'s worth of business over their little game. They must have a lot of really stupid customers because I can't see how they are still in business pulling that ****. (BTW, I probably would have never gone back over this but in my case they had very subtly tried to cheat me several times before) Kubota should be ashamed to have dealers like this, it was not a mistake.

 

[workinallthetime]

I agree with both responses. The thing about it is there is a kubota dealer less than a mile from me but these guys had a better purchase deal and from what i had heard were a much better service department. What keeps going through my head and i guess what chaps my hide the most is the guy says " did i fix your problems and do a good job" i said yes and he said well you need to pay me then. Im sure he is hoping that i will just bow down and pay the bill cause he really does not have aleg to stand on. I have the tractor, it is now completly out of warranty, he does not have my signature on anything and any kind of mechanics lein will cost him well over the amout of the repair to refile every year. If he sends me to some kind of collection agency I will have my laywers on his hind end faster than a screen door slams in a tornado. I am actully almost willing to pay for COST on the parts as long as he eats the labor but that will be determined by his attitude with me.
agin i deal with this type thing every freakin day on 30-40 cars so this is just unaceptable to me.

 

[canoetrpr]

Sounds like they too thought it was under warranty until they submitted a claim and it did not get paid out. That is the only reason that they would have let you take the machine back without paying.

I would escalate. Maybe send a letter to the service manager and the president or owner of the dealership. Be firm but polite. If you did not sign a form authorizing repairs and assuming the cost for them over and above warranty, you should state this. You should state what the verbal conversations where.

I think it would be fair to offer to pay for the parts as you would have had to pay for these anyway even if you did the repairs yourself.

I would tell them that you will seriously reconsider doing business with them in the future unless this situation is resolved to your satisfaction.

 

[canoetrpr]

Also point out the fact that you deal with this type of thing regularly at your dealership and you consider the attitude that they have taken inappropriate. Say you picked them because they had the reputation for good service.

 

[greenmule]

Maybe 50 percent would make them smile? They know what they told you was wrong,and you know[now] that it wasn't under warrenty,plus your machine is fixed[hopefully].

 

[Harvest Moon]

I'd say it boils down to one thing, wether or not you feel they made a mistake or if you feel they are trying to take advantage. My dealer tried to cheat me, it was clean cut and clear. He knew I wouldn't go through with the repair if it wasn't under warrantee and took a chance he'd get paid.

If you think it was an honest mistake it's worth trying to negotiate something like paying for parts or 50%. I don't feel like should be responsible for their mistake but mistakes happen and maybe one day they will help you out on a mistake. Besides, if it wasn't covered and you still wanted the repair done, you'd have had to pay for the parts even if you did the work for yourself. So it's still fair to pay for the parts. After all, he did "fix your problems and do a good job."

If you think they set you up for this then there is nothing to negotiate. Make it clear that you are not paying and hope it goes away.

Although, depending on how determined they are to collect and how ornery you are it, might be easier to just pay them and stop dealing with them.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

Sounds like they too thought it was under warranty until they submitted a claim and it did not get paid out.

No, things don't happen that fast.

So here is the question? If they had told you this would have you authorized the repairs? If so, I'd pay the bill but take your business elsewhere. If not, ask them to undo whatever they did because you would not have agreed to have that done. You'll look like a bit of a schiester if your just trying to suck something out of them for free, even if they mistakenly told you it would be at no charge.

 

[Harvest Moon]

Yeah, like Messick said, you don't want to look like a schiester. But if the dealer made a repair he told you would be free, he kinda looks like a schiester for expecting you to pay full price.