Three weeks in the shop now

[purplewg]

Well, it has been three weeks again for my Gator in the shop. The first time it was two weeks, second time it was a month, third time now and three weeks. Guess the dealer got mad when I told him his $5000 offer trade in for mine was an insult.

[jradue]

What are they fixing? Don't tell me an oil change LOL! :lol:

[RoyJackson]

I'm quite curious why this Gator has been in the shop so frequently and for such a long time for each visit.
Is it a machine malfunction or excessive wear and tear due to your usage?

[osiris]

I would be extremely irritated with the problems and the 5K offer it sounds like its time to find a diffrent dealer unless thats the only option u have in that case that sucks to hear sounds like the same crap I was dealing with on my previus atv and ended up with the gator good luck

[purplewg]

It is in for a clutch repair again. Not sure they ever changed it although they said they did. I think they just lubed it.
Roy, it is not due to overuse or abuse. I don't ride it hard. Might be from under use though. Same problem each time. Clutch does not release.
I emailed the dealer again yesterday and asked when it would be ready. He responded with, "ready now". Short and sweet. I think he might be a bit miffed at my comments on his offer. lol
I think I will leave it there for another week just to take up room in his small shop. When I do pick it up I plan on telling him he sold his last JD item to me.

[Z15]

Friend bought 500 this spring and he is having come clutch issues as well allbeit the opposite problem with the dealer. They keep putting him off on bringing it in. He just told me they did it again today. He was supposed to bring it in the past Monday but they were too busy and told him next week for sure. He called them today, no can do next week. He said this is the 4rd time they told him they were too busy, maybe next week. Small rural dealer, owner is salesman/parts man/delivery man/service manger, and 1 mechanic (his F'n'L).

He is retired and wants to use it but they keep jacking him around to the point he is regretting buying it. When he left here he was mad as heck and contemplating taking it 100 miles to the next closest dealer. I know what he is dealing with, I got my X728SE from them 3 yrs ago and I cannot get them to change my hydraulic oil, they say they will but I can never get them to do it.

[Dane]

I hate hearing all these problems. I know when my dealer did the clutch I caught them at a good time. We were having unusually cold and rainy weather in the spring. They promptly turned my Gator but the weather broke and everybody tried staring their mower for the first time. I remember driving by and seeing all the mowers lined up that weren't there the week before. Part of me wonders though if there is a problem they are working on. They don't want to tell the customer that they don't have a solution and corporate is saying "just stall them we're working on a fix".

[CaptDan]

I agree, vote with your wallet and feet. Let your feet take you to a dealer who appreciates the wallet that you have. Too many of us in the United States have become accustomed to poor service and accept it. I have to say not me anymore. The honest bottom line is that they need us - we are the customer that provides them a living - I do not need or have to deal with any particular dealership.

If and when I have an issue with a company - store - dealer - I speak with a manager or owner and one of the first things I tell him is that I am here by choice and that if they do not want my business I can take it elsewhere. Sometimes they laugh as if not having my business will not have any effect on them. I remind them that all business operations have a certain trigger point that need to sell or earn in order to remain profitable. That number may be 5 million dollars, and they may just need my business, no mater how big they are, there is a number they must earn. Just like me, if I want to buy something for ten dollars and only have $9.90 I am out of luck. People might laugh at me for picking up a dime off the ground, but it be just what I need.

Go where you are treated right. It's your money !

[Z15]

Trouble is its far to the next dealer, 100 miles 1-way for us. I just got a new aluminum 6'x12' aluminum STS trailer so I can haul my tractor anywhere I want now. But it going to cost me gas in the truck and a day of my time away from my business to travel there and back. I can darn near see the local JD across the lake from me, about 2-3 miles by road.

[purplewg]

I decided to not pick up my Gator till this Friday. I am going to let it take up space in his shop till then. I will then haul it over to another dealer where hopefully I can work a trade. I am looking forward to see how he responds to me when I pick it up. I do plan to tell him he did his last deal with me or any of my friends.

[jradue]

I decided to not pick up my Gator till this Friday. I am going to let it take up space in his shop till then. I will then haul it over to another dealer where hopefully I can work a trade. I am looking forward to see how he responds to me when I pick it up. I do plan to tell him he did his last deal with me or any of my friends.

Good luck to you. Not all dealers are that bad. I am pretty happy with my JD dealer.

[purplewg]

Well, I got it back. I talked to tech who worked on it. He said he replaced the clutch for sure this time. The dealer said, "we have only changed your clutch twice". lol Yeah, in less than a year. The first time I am sure they did NOT change it. He also told me the owner was the one who would only allow $5k trade in value. I told him he just lost me and anyone I know as a customer. "Tell that to your boss".

[jimgerken]

I just dont get it. Why does a clutch need replacing? It's a collection of parts and is very simple. The act of replacing it shows a complete lack of understanding of what is inside it, and so probably means they haven't cured the root of the problem. I guess if I were you I'd trade it now while it works, 'cause they have not fixed it, IMO.

[Dane]

The 550's had a design issue with the early clutches so I can understand replacement on them but the 825 is a well developed product by this point.

[purplewg]

I just dont get it. Why does a clutch need replacing? It's a collection of parts and is very simple. The act of replacing it shows a complete lack of understanding of what is inside it, and so probably means they haven't cured the root of the problem. I guess if I were you I'd trade it now while it works, 'cause they have not fixed it, IMO.

Not sure I can answer that. I do understand how the clutch works but since mine is under warranty, I just haul it in to be fixed. I would assume they can change a clutch faster than they could fix/rebuild one?

[purplewg]

The 550's had a design issue with the early clutches so I can understand replacement on them but the 825 is a well developed product by this point.

I haven't bothered to look into it. I have no idea what they look like when they get stuck like that. Till my warranty runs out, I will let someone else handle it.

[number3shot]

Not sure I can answer that. I do understand how the clutch works but since mine is under warranty, I just haul it in to be fixed. I would assume they can change a clutch faster than they could fix/rebuild one?

Pirplwg,
I'm pretty sure you and I got our 825i real close to the same time. I had the same problem as you getting the thing in/out of gear. Alot of the times I'd have to lift the bed and have someone push,pull, tap on the linkage to get it to work. I too had mine in three times. Don't remember their fist explanation but the second was it was dirty and the third they finally changed the clutch. Had it out yesterday working it pretty hard and not a bit of shifting difficulty. Nice and smooth. Also no learching forward when putting in gear as it had done from day one.
I know you're pretty discusted with everything, but if they did replace the clutch the second time, maybe hang in there.
Mabe I would have been as fed up as you, but each time I took mine in, Saturdays, it was ready Wednesday.