Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

For a warranty frame replacement, I suspect the dealer is going to charge labour to strip the existing bike and re-build it onto the new frame. How long would this take and how much would a reasonable fee be?

Also, do you believe they should / should not charge for this?

Thanks,

T.

I would not pay to have my bike stripped and rebuilt if my frame broke. No way.

I mean, what, do they expect you to pay the postage on the frame too?

End of the day type stuff - It's not your fault the frame broke, that has been accepted by the dealer/manufacturer as they are warenteeing the frame for you. (If it was your fault, then you wouldn't be getting a free frame.)

Tell the dealer to invoice the manufacturer if they want to be compensated for their time.

I'd be quite adamant about something like this, especially if they are charging anything more than a token amount for consumables.

I wouldn't pay a cent. Consumables or not.

What makes you suspect that they'll charge you?

No way should you have to pay. My only frame warranty experience involved three replacement frames because two failed, not including the first original frame failure. I ended up being offered a major frame upgrade which cost extra for the frame only, no labour costs for the rebuild.

Call BS on 'em if they try, multiple thumbs up to Jimboss.

Wonder what the maker thinks of this sort of "service" extended in their name?

The LBS shouldn't charge you to strip/rebuild the bike, I think they get paid from the manufacturer.

I had a Warranty frame debacle last year. I did pay for strip rebuild. However wasn't to worried as I had originally purchased a discounted 2010 bike, warranty frame was a 2011 as they had no more stock. I won out by about 40% of what the new bike was worth.

I think it all comes down to 2 things:

1. Relationship you have with LBS (Certainly all customers should be treated equally - $10 Purchase or $10k) So yes I think the Bike shop should cover the cost.

2. Managers decision in LBS as to how he deals with Warranty frames and strip rebuild (Should be a blanket for every case) Keeps customer happy correct.
However view it from Business perspective > LBS sells not Manufacturers these frames it is not the LBS fault Frame failed, however. LBS will be up for the cost of labor to strip and rebuild (Not cheap generally to do this).
Although a similar example would be a car service centre covering labor cost for replacement warranty parts in a car - Which they do.

rkelsen wrote:What makes you suspect that they'll charge you?

My last warranty claim. They charged labour to rebuild/repack the rear cassette/wheel/hub/bearings etc. But maybe all that labour was before they discovered the warranty aspect of it. I'm not sure. (I did re-coup the loss by getting a free Gatorskin out of them. They sent the old gator to the distributor in Melb. and they never sent it back.) Happy enough with that exchange.

T.

smileNnod wrote: 2. Managers decision in LBS as to how he deals with Warranty frames and strip rebuild (Should be a blanket for every case) Keeps customer happy correct.
However view it from Business perspective > LBS sells not Manufacturers these frames it is not the LBS fault Frame failed, however. LBS will be up for the cost of labor to strip and rebuild (Not cheap generally to do this).
Although a similar example would be a car service centre covering labor cost for replacement warranty parts in a car - Which they do.

If the bike shop isn't absorbing the labour of rebuild as a 'cost of doing business' they should be invoicing the distributor/manufacturer. It really is as simple as that.

If the amount is a token amount (under $50) I'd pay it just to avoid the awkwardness of an argument with people you will probably need to visit again, but any more than that and I'd be inclined to stick it to them.

It simply isn't fair to sell someone a product and subsequently when it breaks charge them for the privilege of having their warranty claim satisfied.

smileNnod wrote: Although a similar example would be a car service centre covering labor cost for replacement warranty parts in a car - Which they do.

Good point!

I would expect the strip down and rebuild to be free if the bike is still under general warranty, and I would be prepared to pay if the bike was old enough to only be covered by the frame makers frame warranty.

Note that Clarence St stripped and rebuilt my 2.5yr old Trek into its warranty frame for free, and Trek also upgraded it from the 2006 ex 6.5 frame to the 2009 ex9 frame and supplied the appropriate new rear shock for that frame.

smileNnod wrote:Although a similar example would be a car service centre covering labor cost for replacement warranty parts in a car - Which they do.

No they don't. Holden don't anyhow. My car is out of warranty now, but it had a few things go wrong with it during the warranty period. These were all were fixed at no cost to me whatsoever, including an inlet manifold gasket which took them 2 days to swap.

rkelsen wrote:

smileNnod wrote:Although a similar example would be a car service centre covering labor cost for replacement warranty parts in a car - Which they do.

No they don't. Holden don't anyhow. My car is out of warranty now, but it had a few things go wrong with it during the warranty period. These were all were fixed at no cost to me whatsoever, including an inlet manifold gasket which took them 2 days to swap.

I'm sure that's what SmileNnod's saying.... Free!

Yep. Sorry. I read "covering" as "charging". Time for an afternoon coffee!

smileNnod wrote: Although a similar example would be a car service centre covering labor cost for replacement warranty parts in a car - Which they do.

My car out of warranty, service centre tries to get part covered under warranty and succeeds and I have to pay labour. Fine, rather pay $500 vs $4000....

I have had a frame replaced under warranty. The bike shop did not charge any labour to transfer parts over. It cost me nothing. You should not have to pay.

My Giant Anthem had an issue with the frame about two weeks into ownership, Bikeriders Maroochydore made me strip the frame myself and then wanted me to pay to get it rebuilt when the new one arrived, this is after i'd spent about $4000 on bikes and gear in about a month. I'll never shop their again after i gave them a second chance when my wheels on my roadie needed a tension check and they gave my two month old rear wheel back to me with a radial buckle which was not their when i handed it over.

Ok, this issue is still ongoing.

Basically, this is what happened to the bike:



Group Sportif the Aust. Distributor for Kona have determined that it IS a warranty issue.

Today I was on the phone to them and they said they're only replacing the frame, despite them asking me to send the entire bike to them.

They were going to send me a 2013 Honky Tonk frame (the 2013 Honky Inc model was discontinued but previously the TONK and INC difference was only in components, the frames were identical) but realised the 2013 TONK frame doesn't have disk brake connectors. They're now going to speak to the overseas Kona people to see if they can locate a 2012 frame instead.

Before they realised the TONK frame wouldn't work, they did say though that they'd not re-build my bike, all the other parts would need re-assembling myself or by a bike shop, they didn't do that. They'd send them back in a bag etc.

He also said any parts that didn't fit the newer model frame I'd have to buy new as well. Hopefully they'll all fit!

I'm not really happy with all this. I just want a working bike back. Not a frame and a bag of parts!

T.

thomashouseman wrote:Group Sportif the Aust. Distributor for Kona have determined that it IS a warranty issue.

Today I was on the phone to them and they said they're only replacing the frame, despite them asking me to send the entire bike to them.

They were going to send me a 2013 Honky Tonk frame (the 2013 Honky Inc model was discontinued but previously the TONK and INC difference was only in components, the frames were identical) but realised the 2013 TONK frame doesn't have disk brake connectors. They're now going to speak to the overseas Kona people to see if they can locate a 2012 frame instead.

Before they realised the TONK frame wouldn't work, they did say though that they'd not re-build my bike, all the other parts would need re-assembling myself or by a bike shop, they didn't do that. They'd send them back in a bag etc.

He also said any parts that didn't fit the newer model frame I'd have to buy new as well. Hopefully they'll all fit!

I'm not really happy with all this. I just want a working bike back. Not a frame and a bag of parts!

T.

Gee Thomas, anyone would think you bought a bike, not just a collection of parts. Can you imagine any car manufacturer getting away with saying here is your gearbox replaced under warranty, but you will need to replace it yourself. It is an appalling attitude that all too many bike distributors think they can get away with.

+1. I wonder if Kona head office knows how the locals treat their customers...

Tom,

The warranty issue is the responsibility of the LBS you bought it from. If they have to strip and rebuild, that's their problem. This is why you bought a Bike, not a Frame, from them. It's fair enough that the frame will be the only replacement part, but the LBS is responsible for the Bike if it has failed in the warranty period, not the manufacturer or distributor. (this is precisely why our LBS's aren't cheap)

If you end up paying for a rebuild, I've got an old bridge near Circular Quay I will let you have cheap

Mulger bill wrote:+1. I wonder if Kona head office knows how the locals treat their customers...

They're pretty buddy buddy but it does get them moving when I post about it on the Kona US/Canada technical forum.

They ring me up saying.... "I had a call from the US regarding your issue this morning....". They then proceed to talk their way out of it being in any way their fault/delay.

Oh well, at least they've acknowledged the fault now. I'm making some headway.

Xplora wrote:Tom,

The warranty issue is the responsibility of the LBS you bought it from. If they have to strip and rebuild, that's their problem. This is why you bought a Bike, not a Frame, from them. It's fair enough that the frame will be the only replacement part, but the LBS is responsible for the Bike if it has failed in the warranty period, not the manufacturer or distributor. (this is precisely why our LBS's aren't cheap)

If you end up paying for a rebuild, I've got an old bridge near Circular Quay I will let you have cheap

Yeah, unfortunately I purchased it from a Melb. store (and I'm in Sydney) as it was the only one left in the country and they're even less helpful than Group Sportif (and caused at least a month's delay in getting this issue resolved).

I'd offer you my frame but your frame is in better nick even considering you don't have rear brakes Unless you prefer the new "midget focussed" geometry

Dude, you'll have to ship the bike to Melbourne to get that sorted. Would be cheaper than a rebuild... amazing stuff, these guys are happy to take the cash from Sydney but not provide the service. Who were these scoundrels? NAME AND SHAME.

Xplora wrote:I'd offer you my frame but your frame is in better nick even considering you don't have rear brakes Unless you prefer the new "midget focussed" geometry

Dude, you'll have to ship the bike to Melbourne to get that sorted. Would be cheaper than a rebuild... amazing stuff, these guys are happy to take the cash from Sydney but not provide the service. Who were these scoundrels? NAME AND SHAME.

Hehe, thanks for the offer, but a 32cm frame is a bit small for me.
It's been shipped directly to the Aust. Distributor that does all the warranty reviews anyway.
I'd name and shame but it's against forum rules. I checked.
How hard is it to rebuild anyway? I'm happy to attempt it. Just never put 105 brake/gear levers on before. Also never played with cranks or attached forks etc either. Maybe with the forum's help I could do it though. We'll see what they decide. I'd settle for a brand new http://www.konaworld.com/bike.cfm?content=rove instead! (however they told me they're also out of stock of them.)