Warranty

Mafesto · Dec 22, 2018

I would like to start a dialogue about warranty.
Here's my issue... I live in SD, and often times the only riding I get is in the mountains.
Most years it is only one trip of 3 days. (less than 100 miles)
I have a hard time justifying spending $10,000 - $16,000 on a sled and only getting a 100 mile warranty.
How can we convince the manufacturers that we would be more willing to purchase their products if we didn't have to expose ourselves to such a financial vulnerability?
What are your ideas as to how they could structure warranty periods that would meet more customers needs?
Perhaps the option to choose a warranty period of 500 miles or one year?

What are your thoughts?

Blk88GT · Dec 22, 2018

If all you put on a year is 100 miles, just rent a sled.

Mafesto · Dec 22, 2018

Blk88GT said:
If all you put on a year is 100 miles, just rent a sled.

That would be the smart play.
But we're not always smart!

There are years when we get enough snow to ride locally, but that hasn't been the case recently. You certainly cannot bank on riding locally.
And there is something about owning your own sled vs renting.

AZ800 · Dec 22, 2018

You can get multiple year warranties. Get one of them if it’s important to you.
Or buy a used sled and then you automatically bank a couple few grand for “warranty” work.
Personally the only advantage of warranties I see is it keeps the mfgs honest.
If they gotta warranty they gotta think about that before they put out something that may not work right.
Other than that, I love people who base their decisions on whether they have warranty or not. Makes for good deals on things that just went out of warranty.

AZ800 · Dec 22, 2018

Imo too difficult to impose on dealers a bunch of varying criteria for warranty.
Not talking the auto industry here, not as much $ and not as sophisticated.
Example, you get the benefit of multiple years of warranty because you ride low miles, but all the trail riders, rental outfits and mountain riders that put in serious miles are out of warranty by March of the first season.

Mafesto · Dec 22, 2018

AZ800 said:
Imo too difficult to impose on dealers a bunch of varying criteria for warranty.
Not talking the auto industry here, not as much $ and not as sophisticated.
Example, you get the benefit of multiple years of warranty because you ride low miles, but all the trail riders, rental outfits and mountain riders that put in serious miles are out of warranty by March of the first season.

I don't disagree with the points you've raised.
And I don't mean to sound like an a__, but I asked for thoughts that may help, not reasons why it won't work.

Sorry, I couldn't think of a nicer way to word that!

Solarguy · Dec 22, 2018

I've been buying new sleds every couple of years and mountain riding 1,500 miles a season on average. Not much for warranty work on my sleds in the last 8 years (I have been extremely lucky). As suggested, but a little used sled at big savings and there is your warranty. If you ride like TRS, I suggest a warranty

I don't think there is a lote that can be done to incentivize the manufacturers to warranty anymore than they do. IMHO

Jaynelson · Dec 22, 2018

Ala the auto industry...all OEM's offer a time/mileage "whichever comes first" type warranty. I don't see anyone offering a "whichever comes last" warranty....if anyone ever did, you can bet it won't be sled manufacturers paving the way.

I think your best chance would be getting a group of low mileage, low risk riders together and approaching an aftermarket warranty company to see if they would offer a product designed for that user group. Something that either gives extra years, or discounted pricing if you can prove you don't put on more than XXX miles per year.

It's still a stretch, but if they thought there was a demand....I think that's your only snowballs chance.

Mafesto · Dec 22, 2018

The best scenario is to go west more and ride more!
I'll run that by the wife. Lol.

And again, I apologize to az800, I hated the way I worded that reply.

Mafesto · Dec 22, 2018

What if they would offer the choice of 1 year or 500 miles (of course they would still hav to cap the time, maybe 3 years?)

Mafesto · Dec 22, 2018

Of course the snowcheck route with multi year warranty is an option as well.
As a salesperson, that's the angle I would push on a customer like myself.

Mafesto · Dec 22, 2018

Can you purchase an extended warranty if you buy a sled in season?
A manufacturer backed warranty, NOT an aftermarket service contract.

Mafesto · Dec 23, 2018

Food for thought, if you buy a Bennington pontoon you are not only buying the best pontoon in the industry, you are also getting a 10 year warranty.
Ten years!
If you leave it outside uncovered and the weather ruins stereo, or other electronics.... It's covered, no questions asked!

My point is that it can be done.
If a manufacturer wants to stand above it's competitors, this is one of the paths to forge.

Do you know who owns Bennington?

Polaris

joshkoltes · Dec 23, 2018

The price needs to go back down on the machine. It made sense back in the olden times that things got more expensive as time went on due to more advanced assembly tech tooling and engineering. But now we are at the point where the material cost is so low, the man hours are so low, and we get to pay three times what the machine is actually worth for a bunch of office folk to Pat themselves on the back

joshkoltes · Dec 23, 2018

Oh, then we wouldn't care about the warranty if the top of the line was 10000. Or at least I wouldn't.

AZ800 · Dec 23, 2018

Mafesto said:
The best scenario is to go west more and ride more!
I'll run that by the wife. Lol.

And again, I apologize to az800, I hated the way I worded that reply.

No worries man! Not offended. I was maybe being too much of a realist...
Merry Christmas!

mtncat1 · Dec 23, 2018

i am surprised they even offer warranties on sleds , dirt bikes come with less than a tail light guaranty.
i won't hold my breath waiting for a mileage type warranty

sledheadxm · Dec 23, 2018

4 year bumper to bumper on snowcheck from poo and doo what more can u want? Unlimited mileage makes me smile!! Wish my vehicles came with an unlimited mileage warranty. I would very unhappy if there was mileage limit to my warranty, the warranty is why I buy a new sled every 3 years, trade it with some warranty and get decent money back.

sledheadxm · Dec 23, 2018

Mafesto said:
Can you purchase an extended warranty if you buy a sled in season?
A manufacturer backed warranty, NOT an aftermarket service contract.

There is an option for extended warranty but usually the cost far more then it’s worth!

Mafesto · Dec 23, 2018

sledheadxm said:
4 year bumper to bumper on snowcheck from poo and doo.

That's kinda the way I'm leaning.

Warranty

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