[Closed] Warranty replacement - AIBU?

You cant ride my sympathy. But you can enjoy being vindictive!

I'm very surprised, particularly as I think I know (from your posts on here) who the distributor is 🙁

It might not be who you think fathomer!

It is an offer from the manufacturer to the customer at the point of sale to replace specified things, under specified conditions, within a specified time limit.

To be fair, the manufacturers already push this, by not replacing like with like.
If, say, the front triangle cracked on a 26 frame, and the manufacturer had no direct replacement, then they would replace front, rear and linkages with (let's say) the 650b replacement. They won't give over the 650b front triangle then nonchalantly shrug their shoulders when you you say that the linkages and rear won't marry up.

To me, a warranty (regardless of small print) is a statement from a manufacturer which says; We stand by our products, we make good shit. If you agree to become a customer and our stuff breaks through normal use, we'll see you right. It's not (or shouldn't be) about giving you the bare minimum that they can get away with, leaving you in the shit.

You buy a TV, car, basically anything. something breaks and the Distributor dissembles and because the item is no longer in production/superceeded they give you back 50% of the old product with 50% of a newer model that wont work as the older section isn't compatible.

No - they replace the whole section to return it to you as a fully working product.

Is anyone still struggling with this or have you all been brainwashed into thinking this is ok behaviour for a bicycle [b][u]Distributor[/u][/b] to do?

I highlighted Distributor as they are the importer, agent and the company where the responsibility lays to honour a warranty. I used the word honour. A word that implies trust.

A couple of definitions:

[i][b]the quality of knowing and doing what is morally right[/b].

and

fulfil (an obligation) or keep (an agreement).
"make sure the franchisees honour the terms of the contract"
synonyms:
fulfil, observe, keep, discharge, implement, perform, execute, effect, obey, heed, follow, carry out, carry through, keep to, abide by, adhere to, comply with, conform to, act in accordance with, be true to, be faithful to, [b]live up to[/b][/i]

Thank goodness this particular company isn't dealing with me.

Stoner - Member

You cant ride my sympathy

Quote of the thread.

On balance I think you're doing the right thing by not being a prick about the 650b switch but holding out for a shock.

This. I think you're being reasonable. The shock is an intrinsic part of the frame, it's useless without one. 'They' get to keep the old shock, along with busted frame.

The fact that its all changed to 650b is a bit crappy, but I think I'd suck that up myself. Think of how alive the trails will be 🙂

TBH Wrecker you're being more than obliging with accepting a 650b frame.

I know it gets bounded about left, right and centre, but the SOGA clearly states that an item should be of merchantable quality for it's intended use, if it is not then the customer is entitled to a repair, replacement or refund at the seller's descretion.

They have offered a "part" replacement, which leaves you in a position different to the one you were in when you bought it. A fully working 650b frame, including shock, is part of the way there if that is all they have to offer as a replacement. But it's not a like for like replacement.

I'd be pushing for a refund and looking for another frame.

They have offered a "part" replacement, which leaves you in a position different to the one you were in when you bought it. A fully working 650b frame, including shock, is part of the way there if that is all they have to offer as a replacement. But it's not a like for like replacement.

A fair set of comments and I'd be using those in your dealings.

I'd also say again it may be accepted distribution company ways of doing things but it aint SOGA or acceptable. Don't suck it up.

I'm hoping that the manufacturer steps in and make the distributors play ball. I'm pretty sure that others have been given complete replacements in the past. I think the distributors are just being dicks TBH.

How long ago was it bought?

It's half way through its warranty period.

wrecker - Member
It might not be who you think fathomer!

Purely speculation to myself 😀

It's half way through its warranty period.

So bought 5, 2.5, 1 or 0.5 years ago?

I think when it was bought affects your rights/chances under SOGA. How old is it?

Don't mix up SoGA and a manufacturer's warranty, they're different things. However.

SoGA states that goods should be of "satisfactory quality" and that can mean anything up to six years. It's ensconced in words like "reasonable" - a thousand pound sofa should "reasonably" last longer that a fifty quid one.

That said, if a manufacturer warranties their product for five years (which yours seems to be if I'm reading this correctly) then I'd argue that it's reasonable to expect a frame to last for the length of the warranty. Ergo, SoGA may well apply here.

So you've bought a frame and shock as a package, the frame has failed, therefore it's the retailer's responsibility to make good your purchase. Not the manufacturer, not the distributor. Clearly, replacing the frame with an alternative which is incompatible with the rest of your purchase is not making good.

Any issues about the distributor not replacing it or the shop not carrying spares or whatever are irrelevant; it's not your problem to sort out, it's the shop's. They're the ones who will have to take the hit on repairing / replacing whatever is required.

Obviously, this is all down to interpretation, and may require legal intervention to actually convince anyone.

I Am Not A Lawyer, etc etc.

Well it turns out that being nice helps (doesn't it always?). The manufacturer turned me down flat, but the retailer has agreed to provide a shock FOC (I asked nicely if they'd be willing to provide one at cost)

Good news - although that's shockingly bad from the manufacturer.

Are you naming and shaming, or holding off for the retailer's sake?

Good work. The shop deserves naming and acclaiming for sorting you out.

You can just tell us what the manufacturer rhymes with or something.

😉

As above, credit to the shop and negative vibes to the manufacturer. I would suggest that naming the manufacturer would be a reasonable thing to do given that your experience would certainly make me keen not to buy one of their frames.

Good news, definitely give the shop a mention.

Though as said, pretty shitty from the manufacturer.

Santa Cruz? Blur Ltc?

Santa Cruz? Blur Ltc?

What shop was it?

Wait out.
Nothing's been delivered yet!

See, I thought that was the frame, though obviously wrong on distributor 😀

I'm very surprised by SC, particularly as you often see on mtbr about how they go out of there way to help.

How was it supplied if it was through a shop but not through Jungle?

Euro import?

Yep. Glad I did too.

Obviously it was beneficial to you to do it that way at the time.

Not that what follows may be right, but I suspect it probably goes along the of the distro in the country of sale isn't too fussed, as it's not their core market, fair play to the dealer for stepping up though. Maybe SC warranty went down the same angle.

Would an 'official' UK supplied frame have been treated differently by a UK dealer/Jungle? Who knows really, i'd like to think/assume in their home market they might come to the party & see you right though.

Wouldn't have made a jot of difference where I was in relation to the distributor (who didn't even know I'm a brit). Even US customers didn't get replacement shocks when their LTCs failed.
Jungle wouldn't have done it any differently (and I wouldn't blame them).
This lies firmly at SCs feet.

Does seem strange, I wouldn't have thought it's that black & white from my own experience of dealing with them in the past, hell they warrantied a rear triangle on a bike I didn't own from new.

Not that I necessarily agree with the reality of business life, but a big SC dealer would be in a lot stronger position to argue a case for the customers benefit with the distributor.

That said, I do agree with your stance, if it was a like for like replacement then keep the old shock, but it wasn't - I would expect a working alternative.

Out of curiosity what failed on the LTc? sweamrs has one and given your comment around even US customers implying there is something systematic I"m wondering if I should be looking out for something....

I bet it's the swing arm inserts that have become disbonded?

Rick has it again. Where the seat stays (for want of a better term) carbon meets the metal. Cracked all the way around. Mine was by no stretch the only one.
I think the dealer is a pretty big one as far as SC is concerned.
Oh, and I mailed the manufacturer directly, no dice.

Still no bike. nearly two months since they received my old one.
Feel helpless, frustrated and even a little bit angry. I know it's only a bike and I keep having a word with myself.
I don't want to rock the boat, but I'm tempted to mail the distributor and enquire about stock (just to see if they have one).

that IS sh1t, time to fire up twitter and start baraging their feed? id be on the phone a lot.

id be on the phone a lot.

It is what it is. I'm probably a bit more annoyed than usual due to life not being a simple as I like it at the moment. I haven't been at all rude though; quite the contrary.