November 18th, 2016, 05:19 PM | #1 |
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BiLT warranty wasn't honored
I got a BiLT as my first helmet. It was on closeout, I figured it fit my head-shape well enough, it was ECE rated, and since I was more likely to crash in my learning-phase of riding, I'm better off with a cheap helmet for now.
I've been meaning to upgrade for a while now, but the helmet malfunctioned recently. While riding, the light turned green, I closed my visor, the right side of it came disconnected, the wind caught it, and the visor broke off. I picked up the pieces and took it back to the store, seeing if I could get anything under warranty. They said it did not fit the criteria. I went home and looked up more regarding the warranty, and read the paper that came with it. It seems that, being a 5-year warranty against defects would cover this, but their "no questions asked," policy should also cover it. I wrote them an email, they asked me some questions, then they referred me to the same manager that told me it wasn't under warranty. I'm wondering if I should even go back. If I'm in the area, I might try again. I'm pretty miffed. I try not to be a crybaby consumer, but jeez. Am I in the wrong here? Should the warranty be honored? Let me know what you think. |
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November 18th, 2016, 05:27 PM | #2 |
Guy Who Enjoys Riding
Name: Jim
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Have you contacted BiLT about the problem? They may be more interested in helping than your local store.
Not trying to be picky, but I think you mean your face shield broke, not a visor. I may be wrong, but I think it might confuse the issue if you call it a visor. |
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November 18th, 2016, 05:31 PM | #3 | |
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Quote:
http://www.revzilla.com/face-shields |
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November 18th, 2016, 05:47 PM | #4 |
Guy Who Enjoys Riding
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I hate when a company resists helping. If I understand you correctly, all they have to do to keep you loyal is send you a free shield. Those things cost around $20-$40 retail, and about 1/10 of that to make.
I don't know about the terminology when used with helmets. One of the items on the Revzilla site, page 2 is "Arai Pro Shade Face Shield Without Visor", so there's a difference of some sort. |
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November 18th, 2016, 06:20 PM | #5 |
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This right here is why brands get poor reputations. (I'm in the branding business so this kind of stuff really pushes a button with me.)
I had something like that happen with my fitness tracker recently. I had a Jawbone UP3, that I bought via Groupon last February. Still in the warranty period. Over time, the rubber band developed a stress crack near the metal clasp. Clearly a design flaw. I repaired it twice with "as seen on TV" UV glue, but it finally just popped. I called them to see what could be done. Sent pictures, etc. Their response: Groupon is not an authorized reseller (as if I'd know that), and support is up to them. No joy. The RIGHT answer would have been "well, since Groupon isn't an authorized reseller, we can't cover it under the terms of our warranty. But we value you as a customer, so if you send it back we'll replace it for cost." That way they would not have lost a dime, and would have impressed me with their service and attitude. If they'd offered me a replacement for $79 I would have taken it. As it was, I sent a pointed letter saying that who sold me the band has NOTHING to do with the product the company manufactured, and that a manufacturer should stand behind its products. I also told them I was going to go out and buy a Fitbit instead. So they lost a customer, and gained some negative buzz. STUPID.
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November 18th, 2016, 06:35 PM | #6 |
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Is the helmet more than 5 years old?
They can state that you could have not set the pivot properly after removing the shield for cleaning, being that the cause of the problem rather than a defect of the pivot itself. I would go higher than that manager and store; otherwise, they just will add to your frustration.
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November 18th, 2016, 06:39 PM | #7 |
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My latest was an LED H4 bulb I bought from Cyclops Adventure Sport. Despite a website claim of a 30,000 hour life, it failed after about 100 hours of use. I contacted Cyclops and was told that it was just outside of warranty, but they'd sell me another one for 1/2 price. I asked about the 30,000 hour life claim and was told that's just the emitter life, not the whole bulb, even though the ad doesn't specify this. After more back and forth emails, I was told that 100 hours is a reasonable life for one of those, and it's better than a typical quartz-halogen. At that point I declined the 1/2 price replacement.
I ended up getting an apparently identical unit from a Chinese eBay seller for $13, which was less than half of the 1/2 price deal from Cyclops. The one from China is working fine so far. |
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November 18th, 2016, 06:54 PM | #8 | |
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Triple Jim, I agree. I was planning on purchasing a better helmet, anyway, and keeping this one as a pillion helmet. I guess there is a difference between visor and face shield. I wasn't aware of this. I'll keep calling it a visor though, as people seem to know what I mean and that's less letters than face shield
Quote:
Typically, I take a clean, small towel and clean the inside without taking the visor off, flossing between the visor and the helmet, and I clean the outside normally. I use either warm water or a tiny dab of shampoo (helps a tiny bit with the visor fogging up). I do this because I don't want to wear gloves while cleaning, and I tend to get fingerprints on the visor when putting it back on. So the likelihood of me improperly replacing it is pretty low. Plus, it's one of those with the lever on the end, not the so-called quick-release ones that are a bit more complicated. It'd be difficult, but not impossible, to improperly replace it. I don't even think this is a problem with BiLT (although it shouldn't have failed in the first place). I think it's a problem with this manager. This manager is new. I don't recognize them. I'll go back and talk with the manager again, likely get denied again, then email the district manager and see what he has to say. I'll keep you posted. Hopefully it won't be too annoying. |
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November 18th, 2016, 07:11 PM | #9 |
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Then, the reason is on your side, unless the tiny words in the warranty state some specific limitations.
To me, the failure may have happened due to a plastic part involved in the high number of open-close cycles that wore out prior to the five years (premature wear) and let the shield go. Copied from the Cycle Gear site: No Hassle Returns or Exchanges You can return any Cycle Gear purchase within 30 days for an exchange or refund. In order to qualify you must have the item’s receipt and the product must be in new, unused/uninstalled condition. All original packaging and tags must be intact and included. Returns with ordinary wear and tear or damage caused by improper use or accidents will not be accepted.
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November 18th, 2016, 07:32 PM | #10 |
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November 18th, 2016, 07:47 PM | #11 |
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Try a different cycle gear if possible.
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November 19th, 2016, 01:41 AM | #12 | |
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There isn't another in my area. If I do buy a new jacket or something that's worth trying on before purchasing, I'll make sure to buy from an employee that isn't her so she doesn't have anything contributing towards her sales quota/commission/etc. Petty, yes, but it requires little effort on my part to feel better about it.
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November 19th, 2016, 02:23 AM | #13 |
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Go when that manager isn't there. Get the manager's name and call the store before going.
I try to say faceshield now because some helmets have an inner flip down visor. http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/shoei-gt-air-helmet |
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November 19th, 2016, 12:48 PM | #14 | |
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Quote:
The pivot mechanism should have been working flawlessly for at least 5 years. I assume that Bilt would be more interested in honoring the warranty than the store; although, again, if they would not, they could use the argument of possible improper re-installation on your part. Unfortunately, I don't see a way to contact the factory directly, only Cycle Gear. Phone: 1-800-292-5343 Email: cs@cyclegear.com Yours should not be the only case of that type of failure. Only one way to know, I guess. Copied from http://biltracing.com/ "And with a 5-year Guarantee on all products - no questions asked - BiLT inspires the confidence you demand as a rider. BiLT for value. BiLT to last. BiLT for you."
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Motofool .................................Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly "Mankind is composed of two sorts of men — those who love and create, and those who hate and destroy. Love is the bond between men, the way to teach and the center of the world." - José Martí |
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November 27th, 2016, 11:01 PM | #15 |
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Here's an update. They politely told me to **** off and changed their tune as to why the warranty wasn't valid. It's because I'd dropped it. I'd (reluctantly) accept that answer if they said that the first time.
On the plus side, I did try on a few helmets (despite not wanting to buy another BiLT) because I had some free time, and wasn't impressed. Then I slipped on the BiLT Techno (old model) and it fit my particular head like no other helmet has. It's a BiLT, it's only DOT rated (I heavily prefer ECE), but as Ninjette wisdom has taught me, having one that fits and conforms to your head nicely is one of the most important things for safety, so I went home, thought about it, and picked one up off the website. It's here and I'm thoroughly impressed. We'll see how she holds up over time, though. |
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November 27th, 2016, 11:45 PM | #16 |
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Pics or it didn't happen... Congrats
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November 28th, 2016, 08:51 AM | #17 |
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Sucks that they wouldn't work with you but I'm glad you found a helmet you like!
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November 28th, 2016, 09:14 PM | #18 |
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If you dropped it, it was no longer a manufacturing defect. If it just broke, sure, it might be a manufacturing issue. One drop is more shock than any one part should be subjected to.
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November 29th, 2016, 08:45 AM | #19 |
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I think you're not thinking!
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November 29th, 2016, 11:42 AM | #20 |
Certifiable nontundrum
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^^ these two posts win!
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November 29th, 2016, 02:05 PM | #21 |
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It was on the left side of the helmet. No damage to the helmet anywhere on the right side, where it detached. Unless you're talking about the styrofoam compacting, which, simply put, is kinda bullshit.
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November 29th, 2016, 02:10 PM | #22 |
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November 30th, 2016, 10:04 AM | #23 |
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Really surprised they would not replace it for you. I have not tried to warranty a helmet thru them but I did get a free replacement jacket because the pocket had a tiny hole in the inside along the seam. They just took the old one and handed me a new one. You should call another store and see if they will replace it thru the mail. You could ship it to them and see if they will send you another via mail. I know a manager in one of the Jersey stores (she sent me to the Ninjette site originally) and she would swap it for you if you were close enough!
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