Do the largest machinery manufacturers treat us the same as the supermarkets and politicians?

[Tweed]

Does anyone have good experiences with any of the big multinational machinery companies when it comes to sorting out problems with their equipment? I get the impression that some of them are wielding a big stick and customers and dealers alike are given a "take it or leave us" attitude. This wasn't the case a few years ago and I have been wondering if its just a couple of firms or are they all up to it?

 

[whindy]

They are not all the same we have a class scorpion and have had engine problems they stood by it and put a new engine in at 3200hrs with out any arguments. Have found nothing is to much trouble for them or Seward s

 

[Treemover]

Dealers tell me year on year it gets tougher for them to sort issues as the manufacturers reduce times allowed on warranty repairs; but also scope to deal or sort issues. It's like once the machine leaves the factory it's someone else's problem and let's not forget the machine will have been bought?

 

[Derky]

Yes very much. We recently bought a machine that is not fit for purpose and it has taken months to make any sense out of the manufacturer. some of the big manufacturers attitudes sucks and they have blinkered vision that sales will just keep coming and customers don't talk.

 

[nick...]

The big manufacturers dont care and thry know they will still sell machines and get away with what they want.i had a cat backhoe in the past and it was plauged by problems and would not work correctly.i was even told i didnt know what i was doing after 30 years operating plant.eventually they agreed to buy it back and took it away then claimed id damaged it,which i hadent.it was only 3 months old.took ages and ages to get my money back and no one cared and they actually had me in tears once.id never evr buy another cat product
Nick...

 

[smcapstick]

Yes very much. We recently bought a machine that is not fit for purpose and it has taken months to make any sense out of the manufacturer. some of the big manufacturers attitudes sucks and they have blinkered vision that sales will just keep coming and customers don't talk.

The phase 'not fit for purpose' is often wielded by people as if it were a gun.

What was the machine and what wouldn't it do? I mean actually, genuinely not do, rather than do properly but in a fashion that irritates you.

 

[engineer]

This is on a large companys web site and still they are trying to not talk. Who do you think it is ??

 

[engineer]

And some dealers are no better

 

[texelburger]

Had the same with my BMW car,lacquer peeling off the paintwork in 3 places.BMW customer care simply don't care,normal wear and tear they said.This is in a 4 1/2 year car,will never buy another again.How short sighted are they ? A few quid to put it right and i would still be a customer.

 

[smcapstick]

Had the same with my BMW car,lacquer peeling off the paintwork in 3 places.BMW customer care simply don't care,normal wear and tear they said.This is in a 4 1/2 year car,will never buy another again.How short sighted are they ? A few quid to put it right and i would still be a customer.

Did you buy it new?

 

[Tweed]

This is on a large companys web site and still they are trying to not talk. Who do you think it is ??

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Could be any of them! Seems to me that the more they sell the worse they treat people. Well I hope they take note of what's happened at Tesco!

 

[Tweed]

They are not all the same we have a class scorpion and have had engine problems they stood by it and put a new engine in at 3200hrs with out any arguments. Have found nothing is to much trouble for them or Seward s

I always thought Claas would be ok. I have a Claas tractor but I have never needed to put them to the test. About six years ago MF were extremely good about a tractor out of its 3yr warranty. I wonder if things have changed?

 

[texelburger]

Did you buy it new?

No it was ex BMW management car,about 8 months old.First they told me the car had been resprayed,i then replied that BMW owned the car before me and i certainly hadn't sprayedit.They then said the peeling lacquer was because i hadn't repaired the stone chips immediately as they appeared.How many stone chips do you see with 3 plus inches of lacquer around it peeled off.

 

[Cowabunga]

Does anyone have good experiences with any of the big multinational machinery companies when it comes to sorting out problems with their equipment? I get the impression that some of them are wielding a big stick and customers and dealers alike are given a "take it or leave us" attitude. This wasn't the case a few years ago and I have been wondering if its just a couple of firms or are they all up to it?

To an extent it has always been like that. I once bought a brand new Range Rover which had rear breaks that locked up prematurely and dangerously [also had a Subaru pickup and a Mk1 Shogun with the same problem which were quickly sorted, but I had to threaten the law on the Subaru/MF dealer at the time who was too lazy to get off his arse and sort it at first]. After two attempts at curing the RR, which didn't work, the dealer had the man from LR down to have a look. Despite the dealer and myself insisting that there was a serious problem, the LR man washed his hands of it and said that no further warranty work would be sanctioned. The dealer was very good and had it in again, no doubt covering it with another vehicle's warranty, and whatever they did it was sorted and I never had a problem with it again. It put me, who had bought five LR/RR vehicles over six years, off LR and RR for the next 15 years apart from a week moment when I bought a new Discovery three door.

It all depends on people. If the company has the 'wrong' area service manager then you might as well knock your head against a brick wall. The customer has far more influence than the dealer, so best to complain straight to the top of the food chain in the hope that the little 'big man' gets eaten up.

 

[Cowabunga]

Yes very much. We recently bought a machine that is not fit for purpose and it has taken months to make any sense out of the manufacturer. some of the big manufacturers attitudes sucks and they have blinkered vision that sales will just keep coming and customers don't talk.

Some of them are near-dinosaurs that have not woken up to the social media age. They don't realise that news travels ultra-fast.

On the other hand they cannot be held to ransom by pee-takers either and must draw a line in the sand with some 'customers'.

 

[Cowabunga]

The big manufacturers dont care and thry know they will still sell machines and get away with what they want.i had a cat backhoe in the past and it was plauged by problems and would not work correctly.i was even told i didnt know what i was doing after 30 years operating plant.eventually they agreed to buy it back and took it away then claimed id damaged it,which i hadent.it was only 3 months old.took ages and ages to get my money back and no one cared and they actually had me in tears once.id never evr buy another cat product
Nick...

Don't, and make damned sure that you tell everyone that will listen about it too. Sometimes they deserve nothing less.

 

[Cowabunga]

I always thought Claas would be ok. I have a Claas tractor but I have never needed to put them to the test. About six years ago MF were extremely good about a tractor out of its 3yr warranty. I wonder if things have changed?

It depends on the man. Like most companies I suspect that they employ people specifically to turn down as many warranty claims as possible on the slimmest of excuses.

 

[Glaws]

Tractor trailer combine baler,
I ain’t payin for that you see, must be covered by warranty,
But Sir your tractors 5 years old, despite the "only 3000 hours"

Well thats not on it can’t be true, i’ll set my solic’ter on t’you
But Sir you bought it second hand, no need to shout, we’re human too
Here it is, he’s gonna say it "next one will be a different make”

No need for that Sir, lets keep decorum
course we’ll help, whats that, on the forum?
The internet, it must be true, more bad than good not me not you

You hear they say that dealers gone,
Can’t believe it what went wrong
His kit was great, part prices strong,

Its expectations thats the spirit
Not me, manufacturers innit?

 

[Derky]

The phase 'not fit for purpose' is often wielded by people as if it were a gun.

What was the machine and what wouldn't it do? I mean actually, genuinely not do, rather than do properly but in a fashion that irritates you.

Wont comment on the make at the minute as in discussions. But if a machine says it will deal with a certain weight and then wont its not fit for purpose as described and as sold.

 

[engineer]

When it comes down to it these big multi companys do not care as there is now one person whose a??? is on the line they all get paid .