Dealers prefer not to perform warranty work on equipment that they didn’t sell for many reasons.
- Because your local dealer didn’t service the unit when it was purchased, they’re not able to judge who’s at fault when a repair is not a warrantable issue. This puts that local dealer in a tough spot when they have to explain why a repair isn’t free to the customer. Non-warranty issues include:
- Non-starting due to fuel issues.
- Problems due to lack of proper maintenance.
- Seller didn’t review proper operation of the equipment with the Customer.
- Damage or non-working issues caused by improper assembly.
- Abuse or neglect (Some sellers leave new equipment out in the weather, which can cause issues).
- Because dealers may not have enough resources to take care of warranty work for equipment bought elsewhere; and still be able to offer fast quality service for their loyal customers.
- Because dealers lose money when performing a warranty repair. Manufacturers only cover the bare minimum and don’t take into consideration the time taken besides the mechanic for work performed outside of the actual repair time. For example:
- The service writer who takes in your equipment.
- The parts department that looks up and orders the repair parts.
- The clerk who may spend time educating you on how to care for and use the equipment.
- The data entry clerk that processes the claim.
Tip: A reputable dealer who sells you a product is more likely to offer superior service before and after the sale. They know their product and want their customers to stay satisfied with their purchase.