Tiller First Choice Tiller and rust

[Alan L.]

Looks to me like there is something going on there that is way more serious than just a little paint chipping.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

It looks to me that the paint was applied over rusted metal. I would think that the manufacturer would work with you on this and at least supply you with a couple cans pf matching touch up paint and a little bit of $ compensation for the work that you will have to expend. I think that you have a legitimate complaint.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I'm in the vehicle business so I see a lot of paint on metal and a lot of body work in the course of an average week. What you have there is terrible! It looks like a repaint over a poorly prepared surface.

I think not only is the appearance going to worsen but that this problem will eventually affect the structural integrity of the equipment as well. I'd definitely either get hold of my selling dealer and have them contact Pieter at First Choice on this one or contact him myself if I were you. He's always impressed me as a man of honor and 'old school' integrity. I'm sure he'll be more than fair and helpful. Truth be told, something like this hurts him at least as much as it does you.

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( a pic is worth a thousand words )</font>

Very true. And with what you have, I would be contacting the dealer to see if they wouldn't do something about that. It sure appears to be a "defect" to me.

 

[HayDR]

After seeing your pictures and knowing how the tillers are packaged and shipped, IMO, likely this tiller's paint was damaged in shipment and crating. Then the tiller possibly sat outside in Wilson,NC in the salt air over the winter and the chemical process of rust started. The paint delaminated from the sheet metal but the paint being so hard allowed water and air to be held under the paint. This is ungalvanized sheet metal and will rust very quickly. To fix this I'd recommend cutting the rusty metal out welding some more back in place and paint the area. This is not the fault of the MFG but either the dealer or wholesaler's rough treatment damaging the paint. This is one reason used cars from areas close to the ocean have less value because of unforeseen rust problems. I hate that this happened to you but you had better fix it or trade it. The paint on FC equipment is better than Landpride, Woods & most of the other implement MFG's but in this case the powder paint worked against you concealing the rust. It's just like a improperly repaired flat tire holding air and separating a month or two later.

This is a picture of how the FC tillers are stored.

 

[theboman]

I don't really buy that theory since where the rust appears and by looking how the tillers are stored there's not contact with the crates or bands.
If you notice there are caution decals next to the area where the paint has peeled up.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I just looked at my First Choice tiller and I am developing the same problem as you. It is in the same location on the tiller. I will try to take a picture latter today. I bought my tiller in December.

John

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Theboman... does this picture look familiar?

My First Choice tiller is blistering in the same place as yours. Both sides of my tiller have the same problem, I only took a picture of the one side. It looks to me that the paint was scratched and the rust migrated under the paint. I noticed the scratches when my tiller was delivered. I thought that it was scratched during shipment but now I am not sure. The place where mine is scratched is fairly protected. I wonder if First Choice uses some type of equipment that is damaging the tiller when they move the tillers around when they a crating them. It seems funny that both of our tillers are damaged in the same spot.

John

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

The plot thickens... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[theboman]

Amazing don't ya think? There's something going on.