Specialized (and other makes) warranty advice

JGTR · September 2014

Hi all

Got a problem with a 6 month old Specialized Camber - do I have to take it back to the shop I brought it from or can I take it to any Specialized shop for warranty repairs?

Story is I wanted a Camber in Large but my local shop (Specialized Chelmsford) didn't have that size so I ended up buying it from Cycle Surgery in Romford. Specialized Chelmsford have said it needs new rear suspension bearings as it has a knocking sound but despite saying they would do warranty (even taking copies of receipts etc, making me do 2 trips up there with the bike and leaving me without a working bike for what will now be some considerable time) they now say I have to take it back to cycle surgery. I do not want to take it back to Cycle Surgery as they are useless and from experience don't know one end of a bike from the other.

Any suggestions?? I thought a Specialized shop would be the best place to go to but for some reason they can't/won't do it? Are they telling me porkies? Should I contact Specialized UK?

nicklouse · September 2014

your contract is with the seller.

njee20 · September 2014

The Chelmsford store haven't made any money from you, why would they do your warranty work? If it's something quick and easy that involves handing you bits that's one thing, but if they're clogging their workshop (and a mechanic) for a couple of hours they're fully justified in either:

1) charging you for the work
2) telling you to go back to the shop you bought it from

What Spesh have done on occasion is reimbursed a shop for their time, so the Chelmsford store do the work, then claim back the cost from Spesh UK, but no idea if they'd still entertain that.

JGTR · September 2014

Surely the manufacturers warranty is with Specialized and not the individual store? And as for having a contract well I do, it's the manufacturers warranty information which is written by Specialized.

The reason the Chelmsford store would do warranty work is that they are a Sspecualized shop, my bike is Specialized. They don't do it for free, they claim the cost back from Specialized surely?? It's the same with a car, you can take it to any same make dealer as the warranty is with the manufacturer and not the individual dealer....hence why it's called a manufacturers warranty and the cost is covered by the manufacturer.

Same as if my frame snapped, it wouldn't be the shop footing the bill it would be the manufacturer?

njee20 · September 2014

The reason the Chelmsford store would do warranty work is that they are a Sspecualized shop, my bike is Specialized. They don't do it for free, they claim the cost back from Specialized surely?? It's the same with a car, you can take it to any same make dealer as the warranty is with the manufacturer and not the individual dealer....hence why it's called a manufacturers warranty and the cost is covered by the manufacturer.

So? Do you think they get a share of everything Specialized sell? If you bought a jar of sauce from Tesco and it was off would you expect to get a refund from Sainsbury's? They're both retailers for the same product after all...

Specialized will charge for warranty goods, then reimburse upon return of the broken part - that's not specific to one store, however they generally won't include labour charges, and that's where you've come a cropper in this specific instance. A shop effectively loses out most of the time when they have to do warranty work.

Your contract is with the retailer. They're not franchised like car dealerships, so comparisons to that industry are irrelevant.

JGTR · September 2014

Specialized will charge for warranty goods, then reimburse upon return of the broken part - that's not specific to one store, however they generally won't include labour charges, and that's where you've come a cropper in this specific instance. A shop effectively loses out most of the time when they have to do warranty work.

Your contract is with the retailer. They're not franchised like car dealerships, so comparisons to that industry are irrelevant.

Do you know this for sure or is it just a guess as this is different from a lot of other industries. If the manufacturer is at fault for a defect then they are liable for the repairs including the labour usually, albeit at a reduced rate from retail labour costs. Like you say why should the shop lose out for selling a companies product??

Sauce.....bikes.....bit of different there fella, for starters you don't really need a mechanical warranty for a jar of sauce. In any instance, buy Heinz from anywhere and you can still send it back to Heinz for a replacement if it's not up to standard.

Think the best thing to do is to contact Specialized direct and speak to them, just after decent service for my bike which I am not confident I'll get from the original shop :-(

CitizenLee · September 2014

If it was a warranty replacement then you can generally do it via any dealer as all they have to do is send the item back to the distributor (I've done this a few times, inc a snapped SX Trail chainstay), however since it's warranty work then it will cost the shop time and money to perform the repair, as stated above.

I'd just let Cycle Surgery do it and if it's not satisfactory then take it up with Specliazed UK from there. They're a great company to deal with in my experience (Specialized that is, I've only ordered little things from Cycle Surgery).

nicklouse · September 2014

JGTR wrote:

Surely the manufacturers warranty is with Specialized and not the individual store? And as for having a contract well I do, it's the manufacturers warranty information which is written by Specialized.

have a read
viewtopic.php?f=40074&t=12877456

njee20 · September 2014

Do you know this for sure or is it just a guess as this is different from a lot of other industries. If the manufacturer is at fault for a defect then they are liable for the repairs including the labour usually, albeit at a reduced rate from retail labour costs. Like you say why should the shop lose out for selling a companies product??

I know. I spent 10 years working for a big Spesh dealer, and I'm friends with several of their employees.

Sauce.....bikes.....bit of different there fella, for starters you don't really need a mechanical warranty for a jar of sauce.

That's irrelevant, would you take it back to Sainsbury's? That's what you're doing...

JGTR · September 2014

The whole sauce thing is irrelevant. You can't compare a mouldy jar of sauce to a £2k bike

I appreciate the point you are making though, it would be great if I could just take it back to the shop and get a brand new bike (like your jar of sauce example) but I can't and I don't trust the people I brought the bike from to be capable of doing the repair.

njee20 · September 2014

No, the sauce thing really isn't irrelevant.

You can ask your dealer nicely, they may charge you the labour if they can't get Spesh to reimburse them. We did that fairly often.

supersonic · September 2014

The RETAILER sells you the warranty as part of the purchase. If it is specified you can take the bike back to another retailer, then it will say so in the warranty as part of the contract of sale. Does it say this?

JGTR · September 2014

Thought I was right!!

This Limited Warranty is made on new Specialized bicycles or framesets purchased from an authorised Specialized dealer. In order to exercise your rights under this limited warranty, the bicycle or frameset must be presented to an authorised Specialized dealer, together with a proof of purchase. Should this bicycle, frameset or any part be determined by Specialized to be covered by this warranty, it will be repaired or replaced, at Specialized’s sole option, which will be conclusive and binding.

http://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/warranty

Chelmsford ship is a Specialized Concept Store so I'm pretty sure is an "authorised" dealer!

The Rookie · September 2014

Well no, you are not right, but the terms of the warranty explicitly extend it to all spesh dealers, which (if you think about it) actually shows you were wrong as if it were normal it wouldn't need to be mentioned!

JGTR · September 2014

The Rookie wrote:

Well no, you are not right, but the terms of the warranty explicitly extend it to all spesh dealers, which (if you think about it) actually shows you were wrong as if it were normal it wouldn't need to be mentioned!

:? :?:

Clearly states any dealer with proof of purchase.

Will ring Specialized for a definite answer.

Briggo · September 2014

The Rookie wrote:

Well no, you are not right, but the terms of the warranty explicitly extend it to all spesh dealers, which (if you think about it) actually shows you were wrong as if it were normal it wouldn't need to be mentioned!

Have a google, the wording is fairly similar to a few other major brands I had a quick look at. "take it to an authorised X dealer, with proof of purchase"

Doesn't state it has to be the original place, I mean what happens if the place shuts down. The manufacturer doesn't want to have to deal with claims directly so they leave it like that to say you can take it anywhere.

The Rookie · September 2014

It is common, but it's not universal and it doesn't apply unless it says it does, read what I wrote again perhaps?

JGTR · September 2014

The Rookie wrote:

It is common, but it's not universal and it doesn't apply unless it says it does, read what I wrote again perhaps?

I'm reading it, still reads any authorised dealer??

Dealers may not like doing it as they probably don't make much on the job but they want to be an authorised dealer then that's part if being an authorised dealer??

I feel like I'm being fobbed off as originally they were very clear that they would be able to do the repair but now they have found out what the problem is they have done a U turn and say they won't despite making me take my bike there twice, taking copies of receipts so they were fully aware the bike was purchased somewhere else and knowing that I want my bike back for a trip to Wales in a couple if weeks :-(

danlikesbikes · September 2014

JGTR wrote:

The Rookie wrote:

It is common, but it's not universal and it doesn't apply unless it says it does, read what I wrote again perhaps?

I'm reading it, still reads any authorised dealer??

Dealers may not like doing it as they probably don't make much on the job but they want to be an authorised dealer then that's part if being an authorised dealer. Don't see why they should mess me about (as they have done already) because they don't want to do it?

I feel like I'm being fobbed off as originally they were very clear that tent would be able to do the repair but now they have found out what the problem is they have done a U turn and won't fix it, despite making me take my bike there twice, taking copies of receipts so they were fully aware the bike was purchased somewhere else and knowing that I want my bike back for a trip to Wales in a couple if weeks :-(

I'm looking at the link too & it does appear that it says any authorised dealer.

Perhaps an email to them just to confirm that under your warranty you can go to any authorised dealer & in you email advise that you are currently unhappy with the retail store where you purchased the bike from doing the work.

Cost very little time and they do have good customer service hopefully you'll get a quick response.

Plus you could always give your preferred store a call to ask them (politely) why they feel this should now go back to the retailer you purchased from. As this could help you if you need to go back to the manufacturer at a later date.

paul.skibum · September 2014

How are bearings a warranty issue in any case - surely they are a wear and tear item even at 6 months? Are you sure this is why they wont handle it as a warranty matter and are pushing you to go to your supplier?

supersonic · September 2014

Specialized's OE bearings are censored - aptly named JNK.

JGTR · September 2014

paul.skibum wrote:

How are bearings a warranty issue in any case - surely they are a wear and tear item even at 6 months? Are you sure this is why they wont handle it as a warranty matter and are pushing you to go to your supplier?

Maybe. I don't know, hence I'm trying to find an answer. Fault is a knocking noise when the rear suspension is compressed, 6 months old and approx 6 rides (I don't get a lot of time to rider unfortunately, plus I live in Essex so use my road bike or hard tail most of the time)

Shop have said a set if new bearings required, they can do it for £270. Would you be happy having to spend £270 on a bike that's done less than 100km?

The Rookie · September 2014

JGTR wrote:

The Rookie wrote:

It is common, but it's not universal and it doesn't apply unless it says it does, read what I wrote again perhaps?

I'm reading it, still reads any authorised dealer??

No, I never said authorised dealer at all, so you are reading what someone else wrote, try reading what I wrote!

JGTR · September 2014

The Rookie wrote:

JGTR wrote:

The Rookie wrote:

It is common, but it's not universal and it doesn't apply unless it says it does, read what I wrote again perhaps?

I'm reading it, still reads any authorised dealer??

No, I never said authorised dealer at all, so you are reading what someone else wrote, try reading what I wrote!

I have, still don't know what you are on about?

Briggo · September 2014

JGTR wrote:

I have, still don't know what you are on about?

You're not the only one, I think this may be a case of 'I'm wrong but I'll argue that I'm not' syndrome.

The Rookie · September 2014

Try going back to the start and reading it, it's clear to a blind man, the point made that a warranty isn't transferable from the buying dealer unless it says so, I sort of knew JGTR wouldn't get that as he made it clear earlier he couldn't cope with that concept. He made a pint that we were wrong as his said it was transferable, the pint of course was made that (as we had said) it wasn't transferable unless it said so, if it was transferable without it saying so it wouldn't need to say it!

JGTR · September 2014

The Rookie wrote:

Try going back to the start and reading it, it's clear to a blind man, the point made that a warranty isn't transferable from the buying dealer unless it says so, I sort of knew JGTR wouldn't get that as he made it clear earlier he couldn't cope with that concept. He made a pint that we were wrong as his said it was transferable, the pint of course was made that (as we had said) it wasn't transferable unless it said so, if it was transferable without it saying so it wouldn't need to say it!

Que?

Nope, still none the wiser :?

Spoke to the shop today and they informed me as long as I have proof of purchase any dealer can carry out warranty repairs irrespective of whether they supplied the bike or not. They are investigating why I was informed otherwise. Hopefully will be sorted next week

supersonic · September 2014

The warranty is sold as part of the deal from the retailer. The terms may express that you can take it to another dealer - that is a binding contract. But is splitting hairs, you will be covered if is not deemed wear and tear.

Your rights under the SOGA are somewhat different, and anything above this is in addition. All warranties are in addition to any rights. You may not even get one from some retailers.

The Rookie · September 2014

JGTR wrote:

The Rookie wrote:

Try going back to the start and reading it, it's clear to a blind man, the point made that a warranty isn't transferable from the buying dealer unless it says so, I sort of knew JGTR wouldn't get that as he made it clear earlier he couldn't cope with that concept. He made a pint that we were wrong as his said it was transferable, the pint of course was made that (as we had said) it wasn't transferable unless it said so, if it was transferable without it saying so it wouldn't need to say it!

Que?

Nope, still none the wiser :?

Spoke to the shop today and they informed me as long as I have proof of purchase any dealer can carry out warranty repairs irrespective of whether they supplied the bike or not. They are investigating why I was informed otherwise. Hopefully will be sorted next week

Just try reading it, it's all there in. English, we are not disputing you can take it to any dealer, but that is ONLY because it says you can, you have no automatic right that a warranty means that you can.

CitizenLee · September 2014

FSR bearings can be a time consuming ball ache to replace depending on the bike model, but I wouldn't consider them a warranty item unless they were I'll fitted from the factory, which would have been noticeable from earlier than 6 months.

I'd still just take it to Cycle Surgery, unless you have any solid proof of their mechanical incompetence?

CitizenLee · September 2014

Double post... buggy forum!

Specialized (and other makes) warranty advice

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