lBS warranty, etiquette

[EvFlow]

Hi just after a few thoughts on what you guys recommend. I've got A bike in which I have cracked the frame common bike common fault. Bike was bought from lbs and the lbs doesn't deal with this brand any more. I cracked the previous frame about a year ago when the lbs was just stopping there dealings with the brand and it took about 3 months for my new frame to get to me lbs said the company was not being overly cooperative as they no longer stocked their brand.
Anyway I went in the lbs to tell them about the crack and the lbs worker( who is a riding friend) suggested I should go down the road to the bike shop which stocks this brand as my bike would be fixed a lot quicker
My question is should I
Take it to my lbs and let them deal with it ( my preferance)
Or
Take it to the other bike shop as they stock the brand and is there any etiquette to the bike shop if I do this

Time isn't a big factor as I hardly ever ride this bike as it is for local xc races and endurance events

 

[Knuckles]

Contact the other bike shop and the manufacturer and find out what they have to say about it. Quickest resolution would probably be going direct to manufacturer .

 

[pink poodle]

like knuckles says. i'd hit up the wholesaler and ask them how they want to resolve it. the other shop will likely be pretty good about it all, especially if you are just dropping off the frame and picking it up. they may try and squeaze some coins out of you for stripping and rebuilding the frame if you want them to sort that.

good manners go a long way. then when they screw you around, they havent had reason to do so....and you can feel real smug while blowing up. i also find my high horse usually stands an inch higher in that scenario.

 

[treble]

Is the cracked frame a manufacturing fault? Or is it your fault it broke?
The reason I ask is because if its a manufacturers fault, even though they are technically at fault for producing a shoddy frame, you bought the frame from your LBS, so legally it is their responsibility to replace the frame. They can't put it back on the manufacturer, even if they don't deal with them anymore.
The other shop might do you a solid and help you return it to the manufacturer. but as they didn't sell you the frame they are in no way obliged to help.

The other thing, with the 3 month turn around last time, the LBS is obliged to provide you with a replacement or refund in a timely manner. 3 months is absurd. sounds to me like they are putting it all on the manufacturer, when its actually their responsibility.

Personally, I would be taking it back to the shop you bought it from and make them deal with it. Because they are legally required to.

 

[oriion]

Personally, I would be taking it back to the shop you bought it from and make them deal with it. Because they are legally required to.

^^^ This.

Even if they no longer stock the item, they have to honor the warranty period.

 

[99_FGT]

^^^ This.

Even if they no longer stock the item, they have to honor the warranty period.

Kind of cr@ps all over the reason we are charged so much for stuff in Australia, as we have a wholesaler in the mix to deal with trivial matters such as spare parts and warranty...

 

[hellmansam]

^^^ This.

Even if they no longer stock the item, they have to honor the warranty period.

Yeah but....it's the distributor/wholesaler who will supply the replacement frame. And yes legally the retailer has to sort it out. However I'd be ringing the distributor (as others have already said) and asking them how to best sort it out in a timely manner to avoid the prospect of not being able to get your size etc if stock runs low.

 

[pink poodle]

i am suprised. i thought the warranty obligation was upon the importer/wholesaler/distributor etc.....not the retailer.

 

[treble]

i am suprised. i thought the warranty obligation was upon the importer/wholesaler/distributor etc.....not the retailer.

Yeah, its a commonly held belief. but completely wrong. retailers bank on that. a Retailer is Legally required to provide you with refund, replacement or repair if the goods they are selling aren't 'durable'.
Your 'contract' when you buy something is between you and the retailer you bought it from. its their responsibility to deal with their suppliers/manufacturers, not yours.

But agreed, it would be a good idea to contact the distributor to give them the heads up. They will be pretty keen to make the brand they sell look good, so they may rush a replacement frame to your LBS

 

[abennyy]

I had a very similar experience, ended up the distributor wouldn't deal with original lbs, so off I went to other lbs now dealing with said distributor and they were excellent. Got a whole new frame within 2 weeks.

 

[slowmick]

i had the same issue with my frame and the lbs no longer being a dealer. I was lucky in that they were able to point me to a friendly store who were still dealers. great guys but unfortunately they are not near my home.

I would contact the distributor and tell them you would like someone to inspect your frame and ask what is the correct way to organise it. They may suggest a bike shop you can take it to rather than just going into another store cold.

Good luck with your frame

 

[scblack]

Yeah, its a commonly held belief. but completely wrong. retailers bank on that. a Retailer is Legally required to provide you with refund, replacement or repair if the goods they are selling aren't 'durable'.
Your 'contract' when you buy something is between you and the retailer you bought it from. its their responsibility to deal with their suppliers/manufacturers, not yours.

But agreed, it would be a good idea to contact the distributor to give them the heads up. They will be pretty keen to make the brand they sell look good, so they may rush a replacement frame to your LBS

Yes all correct, except the term is "fit for purpose" not durable.

 

[treble]

Yes all correct, except the term is "fit for purpose" not durable.

No, different things. Durability is a new thing that has come into law somewhat recently, anything you buy is expected to have a certain 'durability.' for example, a bike frame may have an durability of say 3 years, if it breaks in that time, it need to be replaced/repaired/refunded regardless of factory warranties. Its designed to weed out retailers selling extended warranties, which are now not legal, and not needed as you are already covered for any warranty claim for the term of the items durability. applies to pretty much everything you buy.

'Fit for purpose' is in regard to a salesperson selling you a carbon road bike when you expressly ask for a downhill MTB (for instance)

 

[driftking]

Contact the other bike shop and the manufacturer and find out what they have to say about it. Quickest resolution would probably be going direct to manufacturer .

Definitely the way to go, warranty is through the manufacturer so as long as you have proof of purchase date You should have no worries going with the store that deals with them.

Yeah, its a commonly held belief. but completely wrong. retailers bank on that. a Retailer is Legally required to provide you with refund, replacement or repair if the goods they are selling aren't 'durable'.
Your 'contract' when you buy something is between you and the retailer you bought it from. its their responsibility to deal with their suppliers/manufacturers, not yours.

But agreed, it would be a good idea to contact the distributor to give them the heads up. They will be pretty keen to make the brand they sell look good, so they may rush a replacement frame to your LBS

Wait, this is a well kept secret.
So in these situations for warranty does the store than have to pay for the new frame from the manufacturer again? Or is it still free from the manufacturer. If the store is liable for replacements you would think they are paying for it.

 

[pink poodle]

well this has suddenly become very informative. i was plenty aware of fit for purpose (used it myself a few times over the years!) and the concept of durability (from memory was there not once an implied warranty of 12 months on most things?) and im glad about the extended warranty....i was ust looking at some coffee machines and the retailer was trying to sell an extended warranty. but the actual durability and retailer obligations are new to me, especially the refund. nothing worse than having the same frame break in the same places each time it is replaced.

what would be handy is a sticky....about your warranty rights/obligations and some government facts on the matter.

 

[treble]

So in these situations for warranty does the store than have to pay for the new frame from the manufacturer again? Or is it still free from the manufacturer. If the store is liable for replacements you would think they are paying for it.

No, I'm pretty sure it works the same as it goes up the chain. So the supplier needs to be responsible for looking after to their customer, the retailer. and the manufacturer needs to sort out the supplier. at the end of the day, the buck stops with the manufacturer. The whole idea is that the end consumer can deal directly with the person they bought the bike from. Then it goes up the chain and everyone else gets sorted out.

well this has suddenly become very informative. i was plenty aware of fit for purpose (used it myself a few times over the years!) and the concept of durability (from memory was there not once an implied warranty of 12 months on most things?) and im glad about the extended warranty....i was ust looking at some coffee machines and the retailer was trying to sell an extended warranty. but the actual durability and retailer obligations are new to me, especially the refund. nothing worse than having the same frame break in the same places each time it is replaced.

what would be handy is a sticky....about your warranty rights/obligations and some government facts on the matter.

Haha yeah, NEVER buy an extended warranty, they are scams.

for anyone interested. all that consumer stuff is on here

http://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/consumer-rights-guarantees/repair-replace-refund

 

[cramhobart]

I think there is some confusion over which warranty is being referred to here.
In australia their is an implied warranty between the purchaser and the seller, the terms of which can be found on the site previously linked in the thread. This is completely separate from any warranty the manufacturer may provide, and as has been previously stated, the shop is obligated to repair, replace or refund in a reasonable time. In this instance the shop where the bike was purchased from is obligated to replace, repair of refund. Who covers the shops out of pocket has nothing to to with the purchaser. As far as what is deemed a fault I believe under the terms of the act it is in the view of a "reasonable person" .

 

[BLKFOZ]

I broke a frame - took it to a different bike shop from where I bought it and they got me a new frame and swapped over all parts at no cost to me. I broke that frame too and the same bike shop (again, not the one I bought from) got me a different, upgraded frame, again for no cost.
Guess where I went to buy a new bike? obviously the shop that helped me out for free. I've also had them service my suspension and do random repairs for me when needed. I drive passed other shops to get to the one that helped me out the most...
Service and word-of-mouth brings in customers...

 

[freddofrog]

How can extended warranties be illegal? Admittedly there are some crap ones but there are also some very good ones that go way beyond normal consumer protection laws.

Like offering to repair laptops ANYWHERE in Australia. (I work remote - they decided it was too expensive to come out and repair it so refunded my money after 2 yrs used). Or new for old replacement up to 5 yrs old). Camera lens broke after 3 yrs constant hard use, I got a new one no questions asked.

Making ext warranties illegal would be a step backwards.


---------------
Sent from my iFoam

 

[treble]

How can extended warranties be illegal? Admittedly there are some crap ones but there are also some very good ones that go way beyond normal consumer protection laws.

Like offering to repair laptops ANYWHERE in Australia. (I work remote - they decided it was too expensive to come out and repair it so refunded my money after 2 yrs used). Or new for old replacement up to 5 yrs old). Camera lens broke after 3 yrs constant hard use, I got a new one no questions asked.

Making ext warranties illegal would be a step backwards.

The point is, you should already be entitled to all of what you listed. They aren't allowed to sell you an 'extended warranty' for rights you already have. If they offer more then its fine