Thread: Makita grinder just crapped itself... Warranty technical question

It depends on whether you want to exercise your rights under the ACL or under Whatever Makita’s express warranty is.

The former you argue with Bunnings, the latter however is whatever Makita’s process is.

regards

Originally Posted by Wol

It depends on whether you want to exercise your rights under the ACL or under Whatever Makita’s express warranty is.

The former you argue with Bunnings, the latter however is whatever Makita’s process is.

regards

I'll be taking it up with Bunnings, I didn't buy it from Makita. Maybe I'm a bit thick... So can I demand a refund, or have to put up with a repair?

My read on the ACCC is you have to give the business that sold you the item a chance to repair/replace or refund in a reasonable time and then it is your choice and you can demand your accc rights.
in this case you know they are going to repair so they will send it to the local makita agent or to makita direct, doubt it will take 3 months. Ask how long it will be gone when you take it in, and hold them to the response.
catch more flies with honey
cheers

Originally Posted by The Spin Doctor

I'll be taking it up with Bunnings, I didn't buy it from Makita. Maybe I'm a bit thick... So can I demand a refund, or have to put up with a repair?

They may just replace it anyway, as it’s just not worth the cost too have it looked at an repaired !!
I would personally wait an see what they say, before verbal bashing them, with my rights.
Always best too know what the enemy is thinking, before throwing a punch.

Cheers Matt.

Originally Posted by The Spin Doctor

That means it'll be gone for 3 months.

Bunnings told you that?

Originally Posted by Wrongwayfirst

My read on the ACCC is you have to give the business that sold you the item a chance to repair/replace or refund in a reasonable time and then it is your choice and you can demand your accc rights.
in this case you know they are going to repair so they will send it to the local makita agent or to makita direct, doubt it will take 3 months. Ask how long it will be gone when you take it in, and hold them to the response.
catch more flies with honey
cheers

Yes three months is a bit of a stretch but 2 months is realistic. But then again, taking it to bunnings... Might end up being 4 months.

Interesting one on repair. I have a Makita RTO700 Trimmer that burned out a bearing. I thought it was out of warranty so took it to the guy Bunnings would use. They were going to get it back to me in less than 5 days... Ended up finding the receipt and great it's under warranty, but that stuffed everything. Now it has to go through a claims process and then wait for the bearing(s). Now they won't give a time frame and are saying theirs a shortage of parts with Makita. Same thing happened with a hammer drill I had under warranty - 6 weeks minimum to get it back... If I can't get a replacement or refund, I'll just circumvent bunnings and take it to those guys myself. It's a hassle as they're over an hour return drive away.

Warning: bit of a rant - with a liberal dose of sarcasm infused.

The warranty is more a scam than anything. These are tools that get used on the job enough that 6 weeks is unacceptable - can't be waiting like that to get it back so you're forced into buying another...

It reinforces something I was mulling months back... Buy the real cheap %^&* ozito crap instead of good stuff. The benefit is threefold, at least:

1) I calculated the return on investment is about 12 months just in the savings of unpacking and packing up, and watching the tools... It's 6 months if you don't also buy a spare of everything for when they die. When it does, just throw it in the nearest skip bin and pull out the spare. Which is an even greater time saver off your monthly time frames. No waiting months for a repair.

2) No unloading in the morning and pack up at the end of the day. Just leave everything where you stopped and come back the next day and carry on. That's a good hour of your time - at least. Us oldies could stand around watching the young-ins scramble around grabbing all their gear and lugging a 35kg bag in and out of the van...

3) You also don't have to worry about theft. You always have to watch your tools on site, even your tape measure is fair game... But! No self-respecting tradie would be seen holding, let alone own such crap (But us boomers are always told we bag on the younger gens and don't care what others think of us). I could leave an ozito drill laying on the floor of a unit and it would still be there a week later, maybe kicked to the side...

Originally Posted by Simplicity

They may just replace it anyway, as it’s just not worth the cost too have it looked at an repaired !!
I would personally wait an see what they say, before verbal bashing them, with my rights.
Always best too know what the enemy is thinking, before throwing a punch.

Cheers Matt.

Bad choice of word - demand. I'm not going to rip anyone a new a-hole, at least not right away. But I want to know what my actual rights are before I go and stand my ground. Interesting enough. I do plan to dig in a push back though. I've returned 3 other things that failed to bunnings. I don't keep paper receipts; I take a pic and keep it in the cloud... Each time I went to return the item I was told. Nope, can't accept that back without the physical receipt. First time I accepted that, as I naively thought they're supposed to know the consumer rules - right. That was until I learned a few days later that no they have to accept a digital copy - as per the ACL.

Now you have to realise, this gal worked on the returns desk - her job is to know ACL. So when I went back and told the same gal she was mistaken she dug her heels in. I then told her she doesn't get paid enough for how I'm going to talk to her so get her supervisor - NOW! Supervisor OK'd the refund in seconds. For the next five mins did she ever try to give me the stink eye LOL. Happened again two other times. I just rolled my eyes and told them to get the supervisor.

As for me throwing punches or getting stroppy... I'm quite nice and respectful to most I meet and have to deal with, I'm actually known for being really good with the customers... But if someone tries to BS or %^&* me, the Marcus Queensbury Rules are tossed.

If made in Asia, they are all basically the same thing. Just pick a colour and a price you are happy with

An update.

Took the grinder back and the gal tried to say it's a fault that Makita will have to determine, so needs to be sent back. This is where I, respectfully, retorted with: You don't have the consumer law correct (see folks!! that's why you do your homework first). I said, we have to determine whether it's a minor or major fault here - now. I bought the tool from you, not Makita... If it's major, I get to decided - replace or refund. If it's a minor fault, you get to decide repair, replace or refund (by this time poopy face was growing across her mug). I then popped the battery in and hit the switch. It ran for maybe a 1/4 second. No exaggeration, in that time the brake came on, the nut spun off and it and the flange spun off the counter somewhere, and it shot smoke out the vents LOL. We were both a bit surprised by that. I said, it pretty safe to say that's a major fault. I had also read early this morning that it has to be fixed in a reasonable time, or it's considered a major fault. I added to her knowledge that it's not reasonable for me to wait for probably 6 weeks to get it back when I use it weekly. Bunnings had, you could say, four aces, but I had a royal flush. She barked back, do you want that on your card or a credit. After the deal was done she simply grabbed the grinder, turned and walked away LOL.

I get that retail is hard and I respect that. I actually worked for Bunnings when in Uni so I know, but it was more the managers were dicks than the customers. But, to get all poopy and pouty because you've been, respectfully enlightened on consumer rights, when you're trying to feed the customer BS is pathetic and funny all at the same time. I can't respect that and I won't back down, and I'll get real nasty if needed (dealing with Telstra taught me that)

I am surprised that you have had such hassles. My experience with Bunnings has usually been that they are happy to swap like for like, or at least give you a credit note.

When I worked at Bunnings during COVID they would happily provide a new tool if it was Ozito or or XU1. "Proper" tools usually had to go back to the manufacturer for repair. This was the manufacturer's policy, not Bunnings. I was happy about this, because we'd get the occasional punter who would bring in a clearly abused tool and expect to exchange it for a new one before the warranty expired. That policy saved me from having to tell them what I really thought of their little scheme.

Ya, I've seen people brag about that and have read few here write about doing that. I'm not a dick, if I've beat a tool to death I eat that. That grinder was used to nibble a few tiles, cut thin angle or a bolt or two... I think it was only on its third cut off wheel since new, 2021.

I get your guy's stance but a manufacturer's warranty policy doesn't supersede ACL.

As I was refining my understanding of my ACL rights here, in my internet wanderings I read from a lawyer a key point that nullifies the manufacturers position. My contract is with Bunnings, not Makita. Therefore, Bunnings is forced to make the decision of whether it's a minor or major fault. Also, it was just that morning, and I had already stated earlier in this thread, I felt warranties were more a scam than anything because they often force the consumer to buy another tool because the time to fix is many weeks but you need it on an ongoing basis. And I read that morning that ACL has addressed that by stating the nomination to fix needs to be in a REASONABLE time. Bunnings and the warranty repair shops won't even give a time and my experience is it's always well over a month - that's unreasonable.

E.g. My trimmer needs a single, common as cornflakes, bottom bearing... If I paid the $77 and dropped it off Saturday, they guaranteed it would be ready the next Saturday with both bearings replaced. It would have been earlier, but I don't have time during the week to pick up. Since it's under warranty, I get hand waving and I dunno and there's a shortage of parts and only the one bearing will be replaced - What BS!! I need that trimmer Monday FFS. So, without exception, every professional has to dump the warranty and pay for a new tool ($350) or fix the old ($77) and hope there's no other faults...

I may get called a bitching ol boomer by the retail staff that have to deal with me, but that's why I make sure I know my rights and I don't back down. The warranty process is DELIBERATELY designed to undermine the customer. And if you're unaware or too easy going or don't like conflict... you'll get screwed every time - for hundreds of $$.

Up until now, I was willing to pay a lot more for my tools for reliability and a strong warranty. The first is waning the second is non-existent, unless you're willing to fight for your rights - and that's definitely not an enjoyable process. Not much incentive left to buy Makita, other than the shame of using ozito or some other cheap brand on the job...

Anyways, this crusade is over - until the next one dies.

Originally Posted by jack620

When I worked at Bunnings during COVID they would happily provide a new tool if it was Ozito or or XU1. "Proper" tools usually had to go back to the manufacturer for repair. This was the manufacturer's policy, not Bunnings.

That's interesting as the only tool I have ever returned to Bunnings was an Ozito router. It failed after half a dozen passes. I returned it and the guy said he better try it. It produced an instant cloud of stinky smoke. He nodded and asked if I would like a replacement or money back. No quibble whatsoever. I exchanged it for another brand: I think it may have been a GMC as it was back in those days. I just wanted a lightweight machine for smaller jobs.

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by The Spin Doctor

…other than the shame of using ozito...

My reason for avoiding Ozito isn’t shame, it’s because they are sh*te.

Just pondering my collection of power tools. Two Metabo angle grinders, Metabo rotary hammer, Metabo ROS, Metabo cordless drill, Metabo 240V drill, Makita planer, Makita router, Festool router, Festool ROS, Protool cordless drill. Paslode cordless framing nailer. Most of those are about 30 years old and some have been absolutely flogged. All still going strong. I’ve never called in the warranty on any of them. So I don’t agree there’s no point in paying for quality.