Getting a new frame under warranty...but

steve9uk

Hi Guys
i'm getting a new frame replaced by giant because of a crack found in the frame (bottom bracket area).
I've asked my lbs if they would rebuild the parts from the damaged frame to the new one. Which they said they will.
Now my problem is who foots the bill for this??? Me or Giant??? The frame is still under warranty by the way.
I've contacted Giant through twitter (only place i could get a hold of them!!) someone one on there said they wanted more info from me so i've told them and they have not replied???
I'm just wondering if anyone has had a frame replaced and had to pay for there rebuild even though its under warranty??

Thank you

Any advice would be welcome

Regards


Steve

cooldad

Ask the shop - your deal is with them, not Giant.

steve9uk

Hi cooldad
I asked the shop but they just said they want £100 who ever pays it.
I bought the bike down Kent but live in the North East so you can see the reason that my lbs are not bothered who pays it

Steve

turnerjohn

steve9uk wrote:

Hi cooldad
I asked the shop but they just said they want £100 who ever pays it.
I bought the bike down Kent but live in the North East so you can see the reason that my lbs are not bothered who pays it

Steve

is your LBS a Giant dealer ? if not I can understand them asking for cash as their not benefiting from anything.
I'm sure Giant are in their rights to get a local Giant dealer to build it but not pay a third party. Your contract is with the shop you bought it from.

cooldad

Did they source the frame and handle the warranty claim for you?

Although given that option I'd do it myself.

mattv

So you bought a bike from one shop, it broke, then you took it to a different shop which sold those same bikes but you didn't spend any money with, they get you a new frame under warranty by dealing with Giant, and now you complain that they want to charge you for their time, after you haven't paid them? Crude, but they are a shop. They need to make money.

steve9uk

I bought a bike from Kent (giant dealer) got it shipped to North east where i live. My local bike shop (giant dealer) has serviced my bikes for years noticed a crack. contacted the shop in kent where i bought it, they contacted giant in turn contacted the shop to say take the crank out to check under the bottom bracket housing. but instead of sending my bike a million miles away to the shop originaly bought from giant said take it to a local dealer. hence newcastle!! They undertake services on all my bikes

The Northern Monkey

So, the shop you bought it from should pay the shop that is rebuilding the bike and then recoup costs from Giant.

Thats if Giant agree that the warranty replacement will cover the cost of building a bike up.

If Giant don't agree, then you have to foot the bill.

supersonic

A warranty is entirely different from your statutory rights. How old was the bike?

cooldad

As I said above, although it may not be right, or what you're entitled to or whatever, I'd just take the frame and swap the bits over. I quite enjoy fiddling with my bikes, and couldn't be arsed arguing - could probably have the bike sorted in less time than would be spent debating the issue.

steve9uk

supersonic wrote:

A warranty is entirely different from your statutory rights. How old was the bike?

The bike is 5 year old

The Rookie

Why not just phone the original selling BS and ask them who they anticipate will be paying?

What does it say in the warranty?

5 years is marginal on SoGA.

rolf_f

cooldad wrote:

As I said above, although it may not be right, or what you're entitled to or whatever, I'd just take the frame and swap the bits over. I quite enjoy fiddling with my bikes, and couldn't be arsed arguing - could probably have the bike sorted in less time than would be spent debating the issue.

Very much this. FWIW, you are getting a brand new frame to replace a five year old frame. That's a pretty good deal so, if the bike is a half decent one, I'd be disinclined to quibble over the hundred anyway. Besides, it should end up all fettled and running nicely which, if you don't do any of the mechanics on the bike yourself, is worth a few quid anyway.

However, as cooldad says, DIY is a good option - which is exactly what I did when my 4 year old MTB frame failed. In this case, because the factory is local I got them to crop my new hydraulic brake hoses and bleed the brakes and that ended up with them fitting the forks for me too. I suspect they might have built the bike up for me if I'd grovelled but I wanted to do it myself and it was an enjoyable task.

I think if I was you and feeling a bit uncertain about the process, I'd politely ask the LBS to fit the bottom bracket, headset and forks and then take it home and build it myself - maybe asking the LBS to check it over at the end. As a regular customer, they really ought to put a minimal charge on that if anything.

supersonic

The original shop bears the cost. It is up to them to claim their costs from Giant.

Warranties are basically a commitment to repair or replace defective parts within a specified time frame (usually 12 months), although beware of any small print requiring the consumer to bear the cost of any shipping, labour etc as this runs contrary to the Sale of Goods Act which states that it is the seller’s (retailer’s) responsibility to ensure the goods are repaired or replaced at no cost, minimum inconvenience and within reasonable time. Previously there was some doubt as to the legal status of such documents, but European regulations have now confirmed that warranties are legally binding contractual obligations between the manufacturer, or retailer and the consumer for the time frame indicated.

njee20

And I would say your LBS are under no obligation whatsoever (morally or legally) to do the work FOC then claim it off the shop you bought it from. Suck it up, it's a compromise when you buy from miles away.

supersonic

LBS definitely haven't, unless the warranty states that other Giant dealers would do it FOC.

steve9uk

Contacted Giant and they said they would only foot the bill for the first year.
But i suppose i'm getting a new frame and can't complain.

steve9uk

Rolf F wrote:

cooldad wrote:

As I said above, although it may not be right, or what you're entitled to or whatever, I'd just take the frame and swap the bits over. I quite enjoy fiddling with my bikes, and couldn't be arsed arguing - could probably have the bike sorted in less time than would be spent debating the issue.

Very much this. FWIW, you are getting a brand new frame to replace a five year old frame. That's a pretty good deal so, if the bike is a half decent one, I'd be disinclined to quibble over the hundred anyway. Besides, it should end up all fettled and running nicely which, if you don't do any of the mechanics on the bike yourself, is worth a few quid anyway.

However, as cooldad says, DIY is a good option - which is exactly what I did when my 4 year old MTB frame failed. In this case, because the factory is local I got them to crop my new hydraulic brake hoses and bleed the brakes and that ended up with them fitting the forks for me too. I suspect they might have built the bike up for me if I'd grovelled but I wanted to do it myself and it was an enjoyable task.

I think if I was you and feeling a bit uncertain about the process, I'd politely ask the LBS to fit the bottom bracket, headset and forks and then take it home and build it myself - maybe asking the LBS to check it over at the end. As a regular customer, they really ought to put a minimal charge on that if anything.

I suppose your right about the fettled and running nice so i can't really complain.

gezebo

100 quid to put it together? Wow. Maybe offer someone here 50 and get a couple of new bits for it!

The Rookie

Bike frame swap - 1 hour? maybe 90 minutes tops.

I've built a bike from individual parts in 70 minutes including sizing and trimming etc etc.