goodwill vs empowerment

[ronc925c]

Rob,

I don't consider it an interpretation of the warranty as you discussed. It either is a defect in material or workmanship or it isn't.

In the case you present, you are talking about proper design of the part or the system. Design is not a defect in material, althoug we could argue where workmanship starts and ends. It's just a bad design, that would occur again if the part or system has not been updated. I will agree though, manufacturers do release repair bulletins to correct design issues, and pay for them under a warranty claim.

Having been in several BBB and lemon law arbitrations, they usually throw out issues of design as it doesn't belong in that setting. It's just a different court that handles them.

[Doug]

Water-in-fuel causing injector rust sounds pretty cut and dry to me. Somehow I can't help but feel that there's more to the story which would validate (or perhaps discredit) his decsion.

Every service rep I have ever known (in 28 years) has told me, in essence, "Don't deny warranty repair unless you are 110% certain that it should be the owners responsibility."
IOW, if there's any doubt....then there's no doubt...and cover it under warranty.

On a remotely related issue....

We have been facing more and more difficult warranty calls in the last few years with owners of modified pick ups. It so happens that quite often the owners of modified vehicles are dyed-in-the-wool [Chevy-Ford-Dodge, you choose) fanatics who are totally devoted to [Chevy-Ford-Dodge]...often having bought several of them or, in some cases, dozens of them when you consider family members in the mix. These people are the ones that continue to buy Chevy/Ford/Dodge trucks *no matter what* anyone says or what the competetion has to offer. These are the people who have been loyal to the nameplate "ever since '39 when Gramps bought his first half-ton" type of thing.

Now, after someone has bought 4-6-8-10 or more trucks from you, just how much of a fight is the factory rep or dealership service manager gonna put up?

We have one customer who bought FIVE diesel pick-ups from us in less than 12 months...one for him and one each for his four sons. Add to this the 12-15 other trucks they've bought for the family business. All the personal trucks are modified in some form or another, none too radically. Now, if some "issue" comes up, just how hard does General Motors/Ford/Chrysler really want me to enforce the rules? Pretty scary territory, eh ?

Are they saying "We expect every dealer to enforce P&P" or is it more like "Geez, they bought 15 trucks? Don't call me on something like this, because then I might be forced to say 'no' when I'd really like to say 'yes'."

Hey, over the years I've gotten more than a few mixed signals and wager many of you have, too.

Just food for thought....

Cheers
DD