Warranty Claim - Should I carry any costs?

[eddy]

 

 

The agent or retailer should still be liable. They are essentially the guarantor.

 

All that will happen is that the increased cost of this "guarantee" will be passed on to the bike buying public, pushing up prices for all.

 

Is it not fairer that the specific individual getting a brand new frame ( sometimes even a new model) carries the very modest rebuild cost?

[orbeaorca]

Cracked my 2011 Giant XTC 29er frame about 3 weeks ago. Took it back to Cajees, where I bought it, with my slip. Frame was replaced with a 2013 frame (including reassembly and new sleeves/cabling...Alles) at no cost to me within a week.

Never thought I'd have such great service.

This warrants a Thread on its own man.You got good service at Cajees.

[stringbean]

Just count yourself lucky.Mate of mine just discovered a crack on the rear chain stay of his ally Epic on the weld.1st owner,got proof of purchase etc.Manufacturer agree it's a warranty but are only replacing rear triangle.I'm interested to see who pays for rebuild etc and if they now use the old pivot bearings in bike and who also pays for that.I think he might still be lucky because some companies(Spez included ) don't see the rear triangle as part of the bike.

[Tumbleweed]

All that will happen is that the increased cost of this "guarantee" will be passed on to the bike buying public, pushing up prices for all.

 

Is it not fairer that the specific individual getting a brand new frame ( sometimes even a new model) carries the very modest rebuild cost?

 

Fair point, but what if you had a R2500 entry level bike that failed? Would you be happy paying 20% of retail to rebuild it?

[eddy]

 

 

Fair point, but what if you had a R2500 entry level bike that failed? Would you be happy paying 20% of retail to rebuild it?

 

Nope, but most of these comments are not about R2500 bikes.

 

I'd say, as people want to be put into the position they were before the crash, that if you break an older frame, the distributor offers you the choice between a new frame for you to build up again, or a second hand frame, with your equipment built over.....

 

If you break a 2009 Giant and get a new 2013 frame the increase in second hand value of the bike is in all likelihood higher than the cost of the rebuild. This should not be about being better off at the expense of everyone else.

[Wyatt Earp]

Fair point, but what if you had a R2500 entry level bike that failed? Would you be happy paying 20% of retail to rebuild it?

 

Here is my take and here is where loyalty becomes a good trait.

I fully agree that 20 % of a R 2.5 k bike will not sit well.

 

Here is what I normally do.

Depending on the cost of the bike, the re-build fee changes.

Now this is not to say that an S-Works level customer gets ripped off.

A fair price and a fair rate is always something one should be honest about to oneself.

 

If I have a loyal and supportive customer and they have bought quite a bit from us, I even waive a re-build fee.

Having the need for a warranty is never pleasant, so I think the bike shop needs to keeps this in mind.

 

Saying that, having the option to get a warranty is also t times a bit of a bonus.

Often an upgrade frame gets supplied.

 

Now in the owners manual warranties and the fees involved are all nicely laid out, so the purchaser enters in to the sale being bound by those conditions.

When a bike shop, me in particular sells a bike, they do so in good faith, faith in the product and also an honesty towards the client with the intention of keeping said client very happy for the life of the warranty.

 

So for bike shops , warranties are also not a very pleasant situation, I can't see that any shop will want to sell bikes in the hope that they will be able to do a warranty somewhere down the line.

 

So in short, yes there are costs involved as and the conditions are always nicely laid out in the owners manual.

Yes bikes and standards do change and sometimes a headset, BB, seat post or front derailleur to name a few items, might be necessary.

 

As I said, sometimes I waive the re-build fee, but I do then charge for new cables if we need to do new cables, often this is the case and an indication that the bike did in actual fact need a service.

[Tumbleweed]

Here is my take and here is where loyalty becomes a good trait.

I fully agree that 20 % of a R 2.5 k bike will not sit well.

 

Here is what I normally do.

Depending on the cost of the bike, the re-build fee changes.

Now this is not to say that an S-Works level customer gets ripped off.

A fair price and a fair rate is always something one should be honest about to oneself.

 

If I have a loyal and supportive customer and they have bought quite a bit from us, I even waive a re-build fee.

Having the need for a warranty is never pleasant, so I think the bike shop needs to keeps this in mind.

 

Saying that, having the option to get a warranty is also t times a bit of a bonus.

Often an upgrade frame gets supplied.

 

Now in the owners manual warranties and the fees involved are all nicely laid out, so the purchaser enters in to the sale being bound by those conditions.

When a bike shop, me in particular sells a bike, they do so in good faith, faith in the product and also an honesty towards the client with the intention of keeping said client very happy for the life of the warranty.

 

So for bike shops , warranties are also not a very pleasant situation, I can't see that any shop will want to sell bikes in the hope that they will be able to do a warranty somewhere down the line.

 

So in short, yes there are costs involved as and the conditions are always nicely laid out in the owners manual.

Yes bikes and standards do change and sometimes a headset, BB, seat post or front derailleur to name a few items, might be necessary.

 

As I said, sometimes I waive the re-build fee, but I do then charge for new cables if we need to do new cables, often this is the case and an indication that the bike did in actual fact need a service.

 

I admire and respect your business ethic. It's clear from the recommendations and referrals to do business with you that you know what you're doing, and do it damn well. Big ups!

 

My posts on this thread have mainly had to do with the CPA. Although it is a great piece of legislation, it has a toothless enforcer, it is at odds with many provisions of contract and common law, and isn't adhered to that much. (The latter part could be due to some mindless disciples listening to the ramblings of a certain self-professed protector of the consumer here on the hub - you know who I am talking about!)

 

I am going to do some more investigation, and think it would be worthwhile starting a "CPA and bicycles" thread. Much as the consumer is protected by the CPA, so are the retailers and the agents. Would be a good thread to educate, etc...what do you think?

Edited August 7, 2013 by Tumbleweed

[Frosty]

Haven't read all the posts, but having worked in the motor industry i can tell you that the cost of the warranty claim is recovered from the original supplier. It's called a PSW (parts submission warrant), which covers the buyer (of the component) against defects. It basically gets pushed back down the supply chain to the guilty party.

 

Most PSW's are for 3 years, which matches the warranty period for you average car. When the supplier sends their samples for sign off, the buyer keeps a master and the supplier keeps one as a reference sample. If it's a design error but the part was signed off then correctly, then the design company bears the cost

[DoubleDee]

I think it is a bit silly to put old parts on new frame anyway! If I was in that position I would choose to replace headset, bb and cables anyway! I was looking at car tyre warranties and if you have a claim, then you pay for the tread that you have used! I think it is fair to pay for reasonable labour costs though!