Filter Scam Alert

[davesteve]

I'll tell you my story. You choose if you want to avoid Barton tractor or not.
So I'm looking for filters for the first time and I find alternatives (cheaper) for the LS filters thru Wix, etc. But I can't find a cheaper HST Filter for whatever reason. A few places list the OEM LS filter for HST at around $40. OK, that's expensive for a filter, but it's OEM and everyone knows you pay more for "brand name" parts.

So I find this place: LSTractorParts4Less
It says right on their parts page, qoute, "All of our products are OEM products. Shipped from the Manufacturers directly." And they have a picture of the LS OEM part in the listing.
So I can't find a cheaper brand of part #40007563, so I buy the $40 OEM part from them, +$6 shipping. $46
What I get in the mail is a "Zinga" filter. I look it up and it's $8 retail. Barton probably buys them for $4.
So Barton multiplies by ten times and sells for $40. Nice profit, but a little over the top even for "dealer part prices".
Yea, they ripped me good. Partly my fault, buyer beware of unscrupulous sellers, and all that.
Lesson learned on the old bait and switch.
Oh, and for those of you who say just return it...they have a catch for that too. You can return an item , IF, they receive it less than 7 days after you bought it. By the time I got it and opened it, 4 days from order date had passed. My mistake again. I did not open the box the day I received it. I assumed they had sent me an OEM part, like they promise. DON"T ASSUME...
And, even if you can get it back that fast...15% restocking fee.
At this point I could go into a rant about evil sellers, but I can't be bothered. You can draw your own conclusions.

 

[chuck172]

I had the same thing happen to me. Tractorjoe sent me an off brand filter which they built up to be an oem kioti. Be careful of Tractorjoe's.

 

[CCWKen]

If you paid by Credit Card, call your CC Co. and tell them you refuse to pay for the reasons given. If Barton calls you and wants to settle, tell them to pound salt and that they owe you $120 (3x damages) for fraud.

Be sure to get hard copies of the website page and the photo of the filter they sent.

 

[hawkeye08]

Dispute the CC charge if you didn't receive the item you purchased.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Agreed.. dispute the charge. Even if all you get is your original $40 back, your way ahead. Enough people start disputing and the CC company will quit doing business with them.

 

[dickfoster]

This is way it's sometimes a good idea to use EBay or Amazon. They will make them make it right.

 

[DFB]

That sucks! Places that claims a % restocking fee and/or have limited return policies I avoid at all cost if I can. Looking for Harley parts you run into that a lot.


Are you going to run that filter? If not don't get stuck...dispute the CC charge like the others have suggested.

I once got some Chinese knockoff HD filters. I freaked when I seen them but I used them up and they seemed to be just as good as any of the more expensive off brand (non HD)replacement ones.

On the upside you LS guys now know that there are $8 HST filters available right

 

[davesteve]

That sucks! Places that claims a % restocking fee and/or have limited return policies I avoid at all cost if I can. Looking for Harley parts you run into that a lot.


Are you going to run that filter? If not don't get stuck...dispute the CC charge like the others have suggested.

I once got some Chinese knockoff HD filters. I freaked when I seen them but I used them up and they seemed to be just as good as any of the more expensive off brand (non HD)replacement ones.

On the upside you LS guys now know that there are $8 HST filters available right

That's mainly why I posted it. So others know what to look for. I did use a CC, so I could challenge it, see what happens. I'll try it.

 

[TnAndy]

Years ago (mid 80's), I bought my first Yanmar from a local dealer who was also a dealer in used heavy equipment and know as shady. Bought my filters from their parts counter. Always came in a Yanmar box with their part numbers, UNTIL the last ones I bought there.

Guy handed me a couple oil filters in a paper bag, Yanmar price. I paid, took them outside, and looked at the white filters in the sun light. You could still read the impression "WIX" and the number. They had clearly used lacquer thinner to try to remove the black Wix labeling.

I went down to a local auto parts store, bought two filters for about 1/3 Yanmar price, then went back to the dealer parts counter....laid all four on the counter, and told the guy "If you're gonna sell Wix filters, you need to price them at Wix prices".....he stuttered around about how they didn't do that, and I told him refund my money, or I was coming over the counter for a personal conversation. I got a refund.

Last time I dealt with them.

 

[oosik]

I know none of us are fooled into thinking any tractor company makes their own filters. I just wish there was an easy way to determine who makes the OEM filters for which tractors. Or, at least, which filters meet the specs called out by our tractor company. I've been unable to sleuth this out and since I really don't trust aftermarket parts houses, for tractors, I still buy my filters from Kubota. I know, I'm paying a lot more for the white paint and the orange lettering.

 

[arkydog]

you all forget that the tractor dealers are in business to make money. ya'll probably didn't pay the asking price of the tractor, why shouldn't pay the list price of the filter. it was your, call it stupidity, for not researching enough and making enough calls to find a cheaper filter. then you want the dealer to cut his prices because of you mistake??? i bet your the same person that goes to a restaurant, orders and eats a wonderful meal, and then complains so you can get a free or reduced price on the meal so you don't have to pay full price!!! and then you ***** when you don't get paid enough at work!!!

 

[Midniteoyl]

you all forget that the tractor dealers are in business to make money. ya'll probably didn't pay the asking price of the tractor, why shouldn't pay the list price of the filter. it was your, call it stupidity, for not researching enough and making enough calls to find a cheaper filter. then you want the dealer to cut his prices because of you mistake??? i bet your the same person that goes to a restaurant, orders and eats a wonderful meal, and then complains so you can get a free or reduced price on the meal so you don't have to pay full price!!! and then you ***** when you don't get paid enough at work!!!

Well, apparently you didn't actually read (or comprehend) the story OP told..

 

[Rock knocker]

If Barton calls you and wants to settle, tell them to pound salt and that they owe you $120 (3x damages) for fraud.

That ain't going to happen, there is no basis for 3X

 

[CCWKen]

That ain't going to happen, there is no basis for 3X

Perhaps not where you are. Some states allow 2x and 3x damages for wrongdoing especially if you can show fraud. Granted, it's not automatic and it might mean going to small claims court but the possibility remains.

 

[chuck172]

I had the same thing happen to me. Tractorjoe sent me an off brand filter which they built up to be an oem kioti. Be careful of Tractorjoe's.

I called Tractorjoe. I demanded my $$ back. I spoke with the owner. A women with a very thick Russian accent. After a considerable amount of time, I was able to return the filter for a refund.

 

[CCWKen]

You might want to send that info to Kioti Corporate. They may be interested in maintaining their ownership of the Kioti name. They can make life miserable for the cheaters and scammers if they know about it.

Another possibility is that the vender has no control over "drop shipped" items. That's one of the reasons I don't knowingly deal with them. It's either in stock or it's not. Resist the temptation of getting something for nothing.

 

[davesteve]

you all forget that the tractor dealers are in business to make money. ya'll probably didn't pay the asking price of the tractor, why shouldn't pay the list price of the filter. it was your, call it stupidity, for not researching enough and making enough calls to find a cheaper filter. then you want the dealer to cut his prices because of you mistake??? i bet your the same person that goes to a restaurant, orders and eats a wonderful meal, and then complains so you can get a free or reduced price on the meal so you don't have to pay full price!!! and then you ***** when you don't get paid enough at work!!!

What do you think should be the mark up on a $4 filter? If you are in business to make money, you double it. Barton just multiplies by ten. That's just pure greed. I'm sure they would sell a $20,000 tractor for $200,000 if they could.

 

[JLinder]

I'll tell you my story. You choose if you want to avoid Barton tractor or not.
So I'm looking for filters for the first time and I find alternatives (cheaper) for the LS filters thru Wix, etc. But I can't find a cheaper HST Filter for whatever reason. A few places list the OEM LS filter for HST at around $40. OK, that's expensive for a filter, but it's OEM and everyone knows you pay more for "brand name" parts.

So I find this place: LSTractorParts4Less
It says right on their parts page, qoute, "All of our products are OEM products. Shipped from the Manufacturers directly." And they have a picture of the LS OEM part in the listing.
So I can't find a cheaper brand of part #40007563, so I buy the $40 OEM part from them, +$6 shipping. $46
What I get in the mail is a "Zinga" filter. I look it up and it's $8 retail. Barton probably buys them for $4.
So Barton multiplies by ten times and sells for $40. Nice profit, but a little over the top even for "dealer part prices".
Yea, they ripped me good. Partly my fault, buyer beware of unscrupulous sellers, and all that.
Lesson learned on the old bait and switch.
Oh, and for those of you who say just return it...they have a catch for that too. You can return an item , IF, they receive it less than 7 days after you bought it. By the time I got it and opened it, 4 days from order date had passed. My mistake again. I did not open the box the day I received it. I assumed they had sent me an OEM part, like they promise. DON"T ASSUME...
And, even if you can get it back that fast...15% restocking fee.
At this point I could go into a rant about evil sellers, but I can't be bothered. You can draw your own conclusions.

I'm not defending anyone here.

I work for a LS dealer. When I order a 40007563 filter from LS it's a Zinga filter with an LS sticker on the plastic wrapper.

 

[Midniteoyl]

I'm not defending anyone here.

I work for a LS dealer. When I order a 40007563 filter from LS it's a Zinga filter with an LS sticker on the plastic wrapper.

Ya.. Owning an orphaned ZTR (Gizmow) means finding parts elsewhere. When I had a spindle break recently, I searched high and low for a replacement and finally ran across one from a Great Dane that looked the same. Found them on eBay for ~$50 all day long, but not wanting to 'risk it', I ended up at an Ariens dealer here.. Darn thing cost $185 and was exactly the same as the eBay ones. Right down to the Chinese bearings and markings. Never will I go to a dealer again.

 

[AJ197816134]

Did you dispute these charges? I am wandering. I was pricing tractors, and found their dealership, after reading this. I did not even contact them

Granted on first service for piece of mind we all want to use OEM labeled filters.
We know LS does not make their own filters, but sometimes their tolerances are tighter, or at least in case of failure have proof where they came from.