Cylinder repacked & my wallet also!

Richard · Jul 30, 2004

Here's the detailed breakdown of the bill, AFTER they gave me a $123.86 (net) credit

Environmental fee 1.07
Repair cylinder 411.00
Packing kit 92.79
various taxes 47.80
Adjusted total 552.66

The original total was $676.52, I just rounded down to $650 /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I'm in process of calling the OTHER dealer to find out what the "dealers price" is to purchase this cylinder new. I just hung up with Baileys (advertiser on TBN which just HAPPENS to be located here in Knoxville!! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif) a call, and their salesman sized it out to as close as they had, his price for a NEW cylinder (admittedly, not a direct, fitted replacement) was $723. His cylinder was actually for one with a bore/stroke a bit bigger than mine.

Hmm...

MicroPilot · Jul 30, 2004

( ...
Repair cylinder 411.00
Packing kit 92.79
...)

I'd guess these prices are including labor? If so I'd be wondering exactly what was invovled with "Repair cylinder". What exactly needed to be repaired? Did they give any indication where they sliced off the $123?

JerryG · Jul 30, 2004

Repair cylinder 411.00 
This is the part that I would have a problem with.

higgy · Jul 30, 2004

do they tax labor and other taxes in your state? on a $100.00 dollar repair kit they tax you 40 odd dollars in tax? wow taxation without representation. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

seems high to me.

normde2001 · Jul 30, 2004

I would be very surprised if Tenn. doesn't have a law requiring a written estimate on repairs over a certain $ amount. That 10% sales tax is bad enough without getting gouged on labor. I suspect they buggered the threads and charged you for the extra time to re-assemble.

Richard · Jul 30, 2004

I just picked a random hydraulic shop outta phone book, gave him the dimensions I listed above and asked "approx how much to repack/seal, presuming straight rod & all else ok"

"approximately $175"

/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Richard · Jul 30, 2004

I'm reading more of the fine print on the receipt, perhaps this will shed light that is otherwise, blind to me?

"disassembled cylinder"
"Polish rod"
"Repaired damage threads on cylinder rod (nut was ran loose)"
"Reassemble cylinder with new packing"
"pressure tested"

??

Do they mean threads INSIDE the rod, maybe where piston was? I'd origionally thought he meant the threads that hold the cap on.

None the less, that's all the details on receipt that I'd overlooked...

Oh, they missed writing down "painted cylinder" on there too /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

JerryG · Jul 30, 2004

If they spend that much labor on repairing the rod, it was a very, very bad judgment call. They should have have a new rod made, it would have been much cheaper for you.

slowrev · Jul 30, 2004

"Do they mean threads INSIDE the rod, maybe where piston was? I'd origionally thought he meant the threads that hold the cap on."

If they mean the nut on the inner end of the rod then it was probably never properly tightened from the day the tractor was new.

Richard · Jul 30, 2004

I just hung up with the "official" JCB dealer in town. (Power Equipment isn't the "dealer" anymore, but they still deal with them, since they use to be a dealer)

Anyway, the dude called back, said there are no cylinders to be found in the entire US of A.

Said to purchase a new cylinder, (then he asked if I was sitting down), would be $3,800 /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

This guy has NO idea of whats going on (with me), so this is an honest number. After I acted appropriately shocked and scared, we talked a bit, I told him it was leaking, he said it could be packed.

Finally, he said (given sight unseen disclaimer) he thought they could probably do it for about $400. He thought that was shooting high, but felt more comfortable shooting high and hoping he was high on his guess.

Although his "high" number makes me feel a tad better, I still have a headache.

slowrev · Jul 30, 2004

I guess the moral of the story is not to buy JCB stuff as parts are a problem.

Richard · Jul 30, 2004

( I guess the moral of the story is not to buy JCB stuff as parts are a problem.)

I'm afraid I WOULD feel compelled to disagree. My machine is approximately 1987 or so and have NEVER had an issue with any parts.

Though this experience in particular hasn't been terribly pleasant for me, I'd have to say that OVERALL, I'm more than happy with Power Equipment and if you do a search, you will even find a while back, I went out of my way, to publically bring them accolades.

I think it's "just one of those things" that I'm gonna have to get over, but this really ought not reflect on JCB.

Just my .02

markct · Jul 30, 2004

you need to remember that his jcb is considerably bigger than alot of cut tractors, its alot of work to do packings on a big cyl sometimes, i have done cylinders on volvo and cat machines a few times, big machines where they cyl were 6 inch bore or bigger sometimes, i remember one of the volvo seal kits once was around 300 bucks, hyd stuff isnt always cheap like the little common ag cylinders many of you are used to on cuts

higgy · Jul 30, 2004

well put

DiskDoctr · Jul 30, 2004

Richard,

Well, maybe you didn't get the best price, but most of us don't (I always seem to pay more than everyone else).

But at least your friends at TBN gave you the basis and encouragement to get 125 bucks back /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

You did the right thing, asking some knowlegable people to be armed with some info before approaching the dealer. I know that I am slow to question "experts" before I do some digging first.

Nothing like feeling foolish for questioning a $1000 price tag when the rest of the world wants $2000 (just an example).

Now that you've been bitten by the dealer, you know where that line of trust is and can get estimates and investigate options in the future. We all like to trust someone will give us a reasonable deal, so it's a natural response.

Don't worry about it, though. We've all been there at one time or another. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Glad you got some $$ back. Maybe you can do better, but you have a better feel for it. Perhaps if you asked for a meeting in the mgr's office and took some quotes from other local places and let him decide.

I wouldn't say, "You're ripping me off," or anything like that. Simply tell him that this is more the range you were expecting and since he has always been a reliable person, you naturally wanted to be a loyal customer.

Remember, he doesn't want to break your trust and you shouldn't accuse him of it. His motivation will be to keep you as a satisfied customer, but it is your responsibility to share your expectations and concerns with him, else it's really hard for him to meet them.

My guess is you will get the best and fairest deal he can offer. Be gracious and judge for yourself if you want to continue with this dealer. My personal feeling is that a dealer willing to work with you and keep your trust is more important than getting the absolute rock bottom price. (Of course, the price should be fair /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

Just my opinion. Let us know how you make out.

-JC

cowboydoc · Jul 30, 2004

I went through this with the local dealer here. They were absolutely some of the nicest guys around from the salesman to the mechanics. The problem was you paid for all the service. They don't discount equipment, it's usually pretty close to list price. Repairs are top dollar and then some. I guess that is fine for some people but I work pretty hard for my money to pay double and triple what things are worth. I now go to a dealer that is 45 miles away. I still get the same great service but I get it at reasonable and fair prices.

hillslider · Jul 30, 2004

I send out all kinds of hyd cylinders for repair. Got one back today. All it needed was to get cleaned, polished, repacked and then bench tested. Total cost....725.00. It was a 5" diameter and measured 32' long. Yes I said 32 feet not inches. This cylinder is used for scoping out a derrick on a drilling machine. I use a company by the name of Morgantown Machine and Hydraulic in New Philidelphia OH. They are very good at what they do. I send them cylinders from 12" to over 50 feet in length. Repacking the big ones is rarely more than 1200. It looks like these folks were not sure how to do the cylinder and it took them to long and you paid dearly for it.

theonlybull · Jul 30, 2004

atleast they were willing to give a little. running a small shop, and doing alot of these repairs, there is always unforseen problems that rise up, like a nicked thread on the barrel of the cyl, which makes them a bear to get apart, then you have some not so fun work to repair it. that being said, it also should have been listed on your bill, or atleast explained to you when you paid it.

sounds like your dealer does value your business, but next time, ask for a ball park price, and tell them to let you know if it's going to be more...

slowrev · Jul 31, 2004

Hey now I was not complaining on the cost of the repair just that no more cylinders were available. That is not good.

Richard · Jul 31, 2004

( Hey now I was not complaining on the cost of the repair just that no more cylinders were available. That is not good )

Ahh..I understand.

It might be worth knowing that JCB is an English made machine. When I talked about replacing this specific cylinder, the guy dropped his jaw and said "WOW, you must have hit an overpass or something". I guess there's not much demand for these cylinders either!!

/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif