Reasonable service charge?

[hillfarm]

I'm a first time tractor owner with a Massey subcompact. At about 20 hours, it wouldn't start -- just clicked as though the PTO or the transmission was engaged. I messed with the levers back and forth repeatedly, did some other sanity checks, and called the dealer, as recommended by the troubleshooting manual.

On the phone I walked through some diagnostics, but nothing helped. So the mechanic came to my place, spent 10-15 minutes on it. Confirmed that I wasn't an idiot, but found the PTO safety switch was stuck.

Charged me $195. What do you think? Chalk it up to being a newbie and the cost of learning how to fix my own machine? Or is it an expensive slap in the face for a buyer who just paid $17K for a brand new tractor that was faulty?

 

[mjncad]

That sounds like it should have been a warranty item. Call the dealer as I don't think you should have to pay for it. If the dealer blows you off, go to the manufacturer.

Good luck.

 

[johnk]

I agree with mjncad. If you paid the mechanic on site you should get your money back. It has to be covered by warranty. Let us know how you make out.

 

[john_bud]

I'm a first time tractor owner with a Massey subcompact. At about 20 hours, it wouldn't start -- just clicked as though the PTO or the transmission was engaged. I messed with the levers back and forth repeatedly, did some other sanity checks, and called the dealer, as recommended by the troubleshooting manual.

On the phone I walked through some diagnostics, but nothing helped. So the mechanic came to my place, spent 10-15 minutes on it. Confirmed that I wasn't an idiot, but found the PTO safety switch was stuck.

Charged me $195. What do you think? Chalk it up to being a newbie and the cost of learning how to fix my own machine? Or is it an expensive slap in the face for a buyer who just paid $17K for a brand new tractor that was faulty?

Let's see now....

You put the PTO lever into the engage position. The tractor won't start with the PTO lever in that position. It's DESIGNED to not start with the PTO lever engaged. You didn't realize that and had a service call to fix a broken tractor - but the tractor was not broken. It was operating as designed. No fault of Massy or of you dealer. I am willing to bet that in your owners manual there is a check of the operation of the safety switches where you make sure the machine WON'T start with the PTO engaged, HST peddle down, etc. Had you fully read and understood the manual....

I would chalk it up to a learning experience - suck it up like a man and move on, wiser than you were before.

jb

 

[BTDT]

but found the PTO safety switch was stuck.

It was a bad switch, he should get his money back.

 

[schmism]

Let's see now....

You put the PTO lever into the engage position. The tractor won't start with the PTO lever in that position. jb

RTFP!

should have been a warntee issue. My guess is youll never get the cash back, but you might wind up with a credit at your dealer.....

 

[ODT]

Could the charge have to do with the field visit, not the repair?

I don't know how Massey does things, but New Holland does not cover travel time/field visit under warranty.

Perhaps the dealer has a policy that it costs XXX amount to send the tech out in the field, regardless of the repair outcome.

Not saying that you don't still have a beef with your dealer, but it could be over something other than what the board is assuming.

But then I could also be wrong.

 

[Bird]

Charged me $195. What do you think?

I agree with ODT. It does sound as if a bad switch should have been under warranty, parts and labor if you had taken the tractor to the dealer. But if the dealer had to send the mechanic to you, it's hard to say whether the price was reasonable or not. How far did he have to go and how much more time did he spend than he would have spent doing the job in their shop? When you get to be my age, everything seems to be terribly high priced, but I'm inclined to suspect that your price in this case was not unreasonable.

 

[BTDT]

Maybe he should have clarified over the phone whether he was going to be charged and how much. He said it took the guy 10 to 15 minutes to fix, I'm thinking he was overcharged.

 

[Bird]

Maybe he should have clarified over the phone whether he was going to be charged and how much. He said it took the guy 10 to 15 minutes to fix, I'm thinking he was overcharged.

10 or 15 minutes to fix, but how long to drive there and back and/or to diagnose? Now I certainly agree that it seems expensive, but I have a brother in the "on site" RV repair business. He lives in an RV in an RV park, so he works on lots of RVs right there, but he charges $70 an hour with a one hour minimum. If he has to leave that park and go to the customer, which he does very frequently, in addition to the $70 an hour, he charges $2 per mile one way to the customer's location. Now that seems terribly high to me, but he doesn't get any complaints. Maybe that's because, unlike the dealer in this thread, my brother tells the customers in advance what the charges are going to be, and then he guarantees his work.

 

[hillfarm]

Let's see now....

You put the PTO lever into the engage position. The tractor won't start with the PTO lever in that position. It's DESIGNED to not start with the PTO lever engaged. You didn't realize that and had a service call to fix a broken tractor - but the tractor was not broken. It was operating as designed. No fault of Massy or of you dealer. I am willing to bet that in your owners manual there is a check of the operation of the safety switches where you make sure the machine WON'T start with the PTO engaged, HST peddle down, etc. Had you fully read and understood the manual....

I would chalk it up to a learning experience - suck it up like a man and move on, wiser than you were before.

jb

Umm, I think I clearly said that the lever was NOT engaged and that I did thoroughly review the maintenance and troubleshooting recommendations in the manual. When the PTO is engaged, it also engages a small safety switch underneath the body. This switch became stuck so that it did not disengage even after the lever was disengaged. Much jostling failed to free up the stuck switch, but once I saw where it was located I could have fixed it myself.

Anyway, I think other posters are right that I was charged for the 45 minute drive each way. I'll follow up with the dealer and report back if I get a credit. Regardless, definitely wiser than before. Funny how all of these "lessons" hit me hard in the pocket.

 

[Bird]

Funny how all of these "lessons" hit me hard in the pocket.

Aah, how well we understand. I'll bet most of us have been there and there's nothing funny about it at the time.

 

[LoneCowboy]

I'ts crap!!!!!!!1
***** like crazy
Don't pay a dime
Brand new tractor, broken item, how could he get it there if it won't start?
Dealer should eat it, even if the manufactuer won't cover it.
If I didn't get repaid, I would NEVER and I mean NEVER set foot in that dealer again.
And I would tell the entire world how I was treated.

 

[irwin]

This sounds like poor communication on the service dept. The vast majority of unhappy customers is caused by (see above). The learning curve for proper communication skills are lifelong for some people.
Unfortunately many dealers don't teach their employees the importance of it.
The bottom line is often number one, with customer satisfaction important after everyone makes the monthly gross as high as possible. However the business owner has the ultimate responsibility, so perhaps a call to Him/Her is in order, just because they don't use this skill, thats no reason for you not to.
Of course you may find out that this dealership charges travel time/miles even if warranty work and even if someone forgot to tell you.........good luck

 

[john_bud]

RTFP!

should have been a warntee issue. My guess is youll never get the cash back, but you might wind up with a credit at your dealer.....

RTFP?? took me a while --> then the very dim bulb that is me turned on. OOPS!@!

Yes, I am Fumb Ducker_!

'nuff said - my bad


SORRY!!!


I mis-read what was plainly there and thought the switch was on, not stuck.

Again - SORRY!

jb

 

[txdon]

I had a problem with my tractor (stuck float position joystick) a month ago and the dealer sent a mechanic out at my request. The cost was about the same as yours. The tractor is out of warranty. The next time I will BUY and replace the part that he serviced. He was at my place for about an hour. Live and learn.....

 

[LBrown59]

Let's see now....

You put the PTO lever into the engage position. The tractor won't start with the PTO lever in that position. It's DESIGNED to not start with the PTO lever engaged. You didn't realize that and had a service call to fix a broken tractor - but the tractor was not broken. It was operating as designed. No fault of Massy or of you dealer. I am willing to bet that in your owners manual there is a check of the operation of the safety switches where you make sure the machine WON'T start with the PTO engaged, HST peddle down, etc. Had you fully read and understood the manual....

I would chalk it up to a learning experience - suck it up like a man and move on, wiser than you were before.

jb

A stuck switch is a product defect not operator error.

 

[shvl73]

Seems to me the dealer could have bought some good will by not charging. Maybe worked it out over the phone first, clearly stating the travel cost and trying to get someone out there when they might be in the area, thus avoiding a charge.
The actual cost doesn't seem out of line.

 

[john_bud]

A stuck switch is a product defect not operator error.

True - I blew it!

 

[nickmech]

At the truck dealership I work at the service truck charge out is $100 plus travel time to and from job at shop rate. It adds up pretty quick even for a liitle job. Warranty pays all parts and labor. Not drive time. Check your bill and see exactly how it breaks down. That being said, a good service manager should give a guy a break. Everyone knows you get more business from happy customers.