After sales service?

[L Austin France]

I've never had the necessity to complain about French after sales service until very recently but really!!
A several thousand euro axial broyeur I purchased from Agri Bannalec a couple of years ago requires a gear box oil check/top up after every 10 hours use.This entails demounting the prise de force & the safety guard around it to access the oil level & drain plugs which takes about half an hour. The manual says to top up level if required & change the 0.8 litres of oil every 500 hrs usage.
Last week thinking I might need some oil I popped down to the depot to buy some SAE 140 EP only to be told by the guy running that dept. after a reluctant search & pointing to a 5l bidon that, "there it is". I explained I probably only need a spoonfull to top up the level & 0.8l once in my lifetime to change the oil. "One litre bottles are available on line" says I. A shrug was all the response I got so off to the service dept. I went to explain my dilemma & ask for a little bit of oil from their bidon to top up my machine.
"We don't have the oil" says the counter guy, "why?" says I, "what do you do if I bring the machine I bought here in for a service, do you charge me for the 5l you get from your oil sales dept?" " No we charge you for a vidange" says he. " Yeah but how much oil is that for?" says I whilst laughing... Well the rest of the conversation was equally as bizzare so I told him I'd go & talk to Mickael their sales guy who sold me the machine. "He's on holiday" came the reply so thoroughly p'd off I left saying I'd speak to Mickael when he returns & after that demand to see a director if I had no satisfaction.
On virra!

A Parkside 2 stroke strimmer I bought from Lidl last year has a 2 year guarantee & worked fine until last week when it 'coughed' & died.
It started again, ticked over very fast, but bogged when throttled up. An investgation revealed a pinhole in the primer pump bulb which was obviously allowing air to be sucked in allowing the m/c to run weak.
An email to the customer service address in the manual explaining the problem & stating I can easily fit the probably €5 part involved me jumping 'through hoops' with their every reply asking for further information.
I got to the end of this saga when I was told that my information would now be passed to their service dept. who will contact me direct. So far I've heard nothing.
On virra!

[Hotrodder]

Keep us posted. There's nothing much on TV at the moment.

[L Austin France]

Keep us posted. There's nothing much on TV at the moment.

Crickets' 'The hundred' is on BBC 2 at the mo.
What more could a red blooded Englishman want?
Oh! I forgot, you're a yank. Sorry no baseball here

[Yonner]

Can u post a comment of your dissatisfaction on the facebook page for the garage, manufacturer or parkside?
Often gets a positive response in the UK.

[hughnique]

I bought a handful of those primer bulbs on line cheap as chips.

[L Austin France]

I bought a handful of those primer bulbs on line cheap as chips.

Yeah I've seen them on line.
I just thought it would be simple to ask Lidl for the part to ensure I got the right size.
More fool me but it's now a matter of principle.
In the meantime I'll take the duff'un out & measure it so I can buy one online if push comes to shove.

[hughnique]

I remember that situation with a B & Q chainsaw, that had a primer bulb problem, took it in to 2 repair merchants here and it sat on the floor, both times, they couldn't get the parts. Big rating plate on the bottom, " Made in France for B & Q, by Ryobi", when I did finally get a supplier the bulb was available complete with carb only. Throwaway society.

[Hotrodder]

I bought a handful of those primer bulbs on line cheap as chips.

Yeah I've seen them on line.
I just thought it would be simple to ask Lidl for the part to ensure I got the right size.
More fool me but it's now a matter of principle.
In the meantime I'll take the duff'un out & measure it so I can buy one online if push comes to shove.

As you know, there are thousands advertised online, and many so cheap they are sold in batches of 5 or 10 but it is usually a gamble because actual sizes are not mentioned in the ads and if they show info about devices they fit the lists are not comprehensive.

I once tried a quick fix while waiting for one to arrive. I used a soldering iron to melt the area around the split to seal it. It didn't last long.

[L Austin France]

I bought a handful of those primer bulbs on line cheap as chips.

Yeah I've seen them on line.
I just thought it would be simple to ask Lidl for the part to ensure I got the right size.
More fool me but it's now a matter of principle.
In the meantime I'll take the duff'un out & measure it so I can buy one online if push comes to shove.

As you know, there are thousands advertised online, and many so cheap they are sold in batches of 5 or 10 but it is usually a gamble because actual sizes are not mentioned in the ads and if they show info about devices they fit the lists are not comprehensive.

I once tried a quick fix while waiting for one to arrive. I used a soldering iron to melt the area around the split to seal it. It didn't last long.

I haven't yet measured mine but as it appears they are all either 19 or 22mm across the base flange I've ordered a pack containing 8 of each size for delivery Thursday.
At €8,59 it's not gonna break the bank if they don't fit & in the meantime I'll continue chasing Lidl after sales.

[L Austin France]

I gave up waiting for Lidl service dept to contact me & fitted a 19mm primer bulb bought in a pack the other day.
The machine started OK but still bogged when throttled up so I stripped down the carburettor where I found what seemed like minute bits of the old bulb plus unknown gunk.
Took me three attempts before I finally cleared all of the 'junk' but this morning the machine started first pull & ran like a good'un at full throttle.
RESULT!
Stuff Lidl & their crappy after sales service