Specialized bad after sale service.

[raptor-22]

?? Really. Is your fanboy blinkers that tight?

[SwissVan]

After seeing the pictures I tend to side slightly with the OP

 

The frame has a 5 year warranty, the frame was purchased in Nov 2012 by the OP.

Problem is the Warranty Conditions limit this to material and manufacturing defects AND exclude corrosion.

 

Proving this is a material or manufacturing defect will be difficult and as result the claim is left to the discretion of the manufacturer, who has a "weasel out"  option via the "does not apply to corrosion" statement in the warranty conditions.

 

IMO the fact that both sides are corroding indicates it might be manufacturing related, possibly some part of the manufacturing corrosion preventive process was not correctly applied to this frame. 

 

Carbon fibre does not corrode, but its fibres are electrically conductive which helps in the corrosion process. The combination of carbon fibres and a metal like aluminium can lead to corrosion of the aluminium, the clever term for this type of corrosion is Galvanic corrosion.

 

The Aluminium lugs are completely buried or wrapped under carbon fibre and the manufacturing process will include measures to isolate them from each other to prevent corrosion from taking place.

 

Specialized could say that damage to the exterior surface (scratches for example) compromised the above manufacturing processes.

 

I wonder which material is used for these lugs, aluminium is being touted as the culprit... Titanium would be a better option as it is more resistant to corrosion.

[Fat fish]

Let me put this whole story in perspective. I purchased this frame on the 16.11.2012 ( Less than 3 and half years old) just before DC and I only notice the very vey very small bump just more than year and half on the one side after I purchase the frame. Not knowing about corrosion can settle in so quickly, as I did not have any issue with my previous frame. The bike got regurlary service at the bike shop and they also did not notice the corrosion. Before the 2015 Argus, I was to late send the bike away for the service and decided to clean it myself and it was only then that I notice the very very very very small bump is growing . I then took it to the bike shop where I bought the frame and they send it of to Specialized to have it checked out. The report confirmed it's corrosion and that the paint warranty is only 2 years. I did not understand it , as the paint was still on the frame and the bubbles is forming under the paint. By that time the bike shop and Specialized had some issues and then decided to take the frame myself, as a owner of a Specialized product, which I specially took of from work and drove to Stellenbosch to the head office and I was basically provided with the same report, but the only difference is that the infected arear grown big and the other side is also infected, which was not on the previous report. I cannot understand how it can corrode like that, as my bike and my wife's bike is standing in the same room and there is nothing wrong with her bike.

[nathrix]

How does carbon corrode......I will stick with my Mompsen.......

 

I thought it's Pasen when you took it from Momsen with the Datsun?

[Guest notmyname]

Good on you OP! You've beat off the haters with the facts.

[Julian]

It's as simple as this, you spend a considerable amount of money on a bike then you should be informed or you should at least do effort to find out the terms of your warranty. You took 2 YEARS to report this, you should have known your warranty expired. Specialized cannot give every guy who comes in and asks for a warranty a new bike, there is no proof that the bike was taken good care of, if you buy a car and notice when you're at home it has a dent in and then wait 2 years to take it back and inform the dealers, they are obviously going to deny your claims. Even if the other bikes stored in the same room did not corrode that means nothing, how sure are you that the corrosion didn't occur due to you not drying off your bike properly after a wash? Or maybe a leak in your bike room causing moisture on the frame?

[Rudi Pollard]

I tend to agree with most people in that the OP took way to long to take his bike in and that Specialized are well within their rights to decline the warranty.

 

If I find anything not normal on my frame I load it and go straight to the shop to have it checked out. Last year I noticed hairline markings around my BB on my Epic and took it in to have checked out. 5 days later I was riding my new frame.

 

I am almost 100% certain that if you highlighted the small bumb to them when you found it the outcome would have been different. Now you rode the bike like this causing further damage(neglect) which is also clearly excluded from the warranty. Thus the bigger bumps was not purely caused by corrosion or manufacturers defect but due to the OP not attending to the problem as and when it arose.

[Fat fish]

So I take it that you one of the people that look at there bike everyday. Atleast my car does not take that quick to corrode and it's metal where as the bike is carbon.

[Skinnyone]

Thank you for providing more facts, unfortunately I do feel for you and your situation, but like I have said, no manufacturer HAS to provide you with a new frame if it is:

 

1) not covered for that particular problem - corrosion

2) outside of the allotted time frame when claim submitted.

 

It is not nice being the warranties manager for any company as this situation will rear its head every now and again. I personally have never seen any damage like this on a Specialized (Like mentioned I worked in a concept store for 3 years).  

 

Even though you say they can give you an older frame, chances are they don't have one available, remember that companies have to forecast the stock at least year in advance to meet the local market demands,as well as manufacturing numbers - they don't make 5000 frames if they can only sell 500. If they sell out of a model then so be it. If they have excess stock then they will discount it and clear it to make way for the new stock and get cash flow in to pay for the new models.

 

Best option perhaps is appeal to them and ask for a goodwill gesture where they provide a new frame at their crash replacement pricing (a lot less than retail), However, they may not be too open to this option due to this thread and the title (not to mention the dig about Merida - which BTW is no longer a valid argument due to Specialized buying back the shares from Merida in 2010).

 

Alternatively get hold of Bogus and get him to touch up the area and seal it to prevent any further issues.

[Pure Savage]

So I take it that you one of the people that look at there bike everyday. Atleast my car does not take that quick to corrode and it's metal where as the bike is carbon.

Sho, this is a tough one.

 

I would not even know there was metal in there to corrode! But you did notice it within a year.

[Rudi Pollard]

So I take it that you one of the people that look at there bike everyday. Atleast my car does not take that quick to corrode and it's metal where as the bike is carbon.

Yes, I wash my bike at a minimum once a week and do a full inspection of the bike to check if anything does not look right. Further I do my own servicing as well.

 

I do not however pretend to be the warranty manager for specialized so when I notice something I have it checked out within the time frame as defined in the warranty policy.

[V12man]

I would just ask Spez to confirm (in writing) that the corrosion does not create structural weakness and that the frame is safe to ride - and move on if they say it is safe - if what it looks like worries you - get it touched up after checking what that does to any outstanding warrantee that might be left on the frame.

[Skinnyone]

So I take it that you one of the people that look at there bike everyday. Atleast my car does not take that quick to corrode and it's metal where as the bike is carbon.

You are fighting a lost battle...

 

Your car has thick under coating to prevent corrosion, but if you have ever worked on a car you would know that corrosion/rust does happen and everywhere! the difference being is that there is a LOT more material in any give car part so the rust/corrosion takes longer to be of harm. Because you don't want to ride a 15kg bike this is what happens, the materials are minimalist to say the least so any hint of corrosion is a lot more noticeable a lot sooner.

 

I have seen my mates old steel bike that he used on his IDT literally fall apart because it had rusted so badly.... 

['Dale]

Good on you OP! You've beat off the haters with the facts.

It's not a competition

It's the poster's responsibility to supply all the facts, including prentjies, if he expects support from fellow consumers about the questionable service of a brand

[Guest notmyname]

It's not a competition

It's the poster's responsibility to supply all the facts, including prentjies, if he expects support from fellow consumers about the questionable service of a brand

True.

[BarHugger]

Let me put this whole story in perspective. I purchased this frame on the 16.11.2012 ( Less than 3 and half years old) just before DC and I only notice the very vey very small bump just more than year and half on the one side after I purchase the frame. Not knowing about corrosion can settle in so quickly, as I did not have any issue with my previous frame. The bike got regurlary service at the bike shop and they also did not notice the corrosion. Before the 2015 Argus, I was to late send the bike away for the service and decided to clean it myself and it was only then that I notice the very very very very small bump is growing . I then took it to the bike shop where I bought the frame and they send it of to Specialized to have it checked out. The report confirmed it's corrosion and that the paint warranty is only 2 years. I did not understand it , as the paint was still on the frame and the bubbles is forming under the paint. By that time the bike shop and Specialized had some issues and then decided to take the frame myself, as a owner of a Specialized product, which I specially took of from work and drove to Stellenbosch to the head office and I was basically provided with the same report, but the only difference is that the infected arear grown big and the other side is also infected, which was not on the previous report. I cannot understand how it can corrode like that, as my bike and my wife's bike is standing in the same room and there is nothing wrong with her bike.

Naai hulle tjom......reig jou mielie deur hulle ore en ry hulle soos ń twostroke..........

Edited April 20, 2016 by BarHugger