FTC suing John Deere

[sonnythomas]

FTC sues John Deere over farmers' right to repair tractors
6 hours ago — The lawsuit accuses Deere of withholding access to its technology and best repair tools and of maintaining monopoly power over many repairs.

I wonder if my reports were noted. The dealership nearest me does real good job of ripping off people on any John Deere equipment.
My X540 lawn tractor. New, it came with an oversize battery. No way could I get out. So, took it dealer for a new battery and oil filter and oil change. $365.00. I blew a gasket. The dealership has a Gold, Silver and Bronze levels for repairs and whatever. I got stuck with a Gold. Gold has oil, filter, check hydraulics, grease job and sharpens blades. I raised the roof. Got some relief, $100 and more. Still wasn't satisfied, I paid the bill and wrote all over how I got shafted. Phone call from dealer - Promised another $75 back or $75 off on next time having it serviced. I wanted cash and got it.
The thing was, I told the clerk not to touch the deck or blades. I had heck of time getting the deck adjusted to get real good cut. I told the person that called that I have farm, you think I don't know to grease things?

X540 had the computer go. I think it has a 2000 hour warranty. It wouldn't start. No juice to that thingy in the bottom of the carburetor bowl. I got stuck with carburetor rebuild and more. $750.00. And my air filter cover was missing. I was told it didn't have one. They cut wiring harness that shouldn't even been touched. I tore into them right there. By the time they took cost off for I was charged $475.00. I didn't the $75 off that I was promised.
Checked with my brother, he found that I wasn't getting juice to that thing in the bottom carb bowl. He blew up, told the cover was on the lawn tractor. Trip to the dealer. Repair person for lawn mowers wasn't there. I got after woman sectary. She looked up the part in the manual. She went out the repair area and found the cover under a bench. I told her that was the last time my lawn tractor will be there, and I'd junk it first.

Can't remember what I gave for it - $7000.00?

 

[Paul_IN]

What cost would you have considered reasonable for a new battery and oil change?

 

[sonnythomas]

What cost would you have considered reasonable for a new battery and oil change?

I could have bought a new battery for around $110.00. The oversize battery in the lawn tractor was put in at the factory, shouldn't been any charge for taking apart to get it out, falling under warranty.
Oil filter and oil doesn't cost $200.00.
I think labor charge on the wall was $65 per hour. How long does it take remove and install a new oil filter? Draining the old oil and putting in 2 quarts of oil?

The thing is this dealership wants to go with their program (Gold, Silver and Bronze).

 

[Jim.ME]

I could have bought a new battery for around $110.00. The oversize battery in the lawn tractor was put in at the factory, shouldn't been any charge for taking apart to get it out, falling under warranty.
Oil filter and oil doesn't cost $200.00.
I think labor charge on the wall was $65 per hour. How long does it take remove and install a new oil filter? Draining the old oil and putting in 2 quarts of oil?

The thing is this dealership wants to go with their program (Gold, Silver and Bronze).

$65 per hour labor in a dealer shop currently? I expect to see two to three times that around here. I'm not saying they did everything right, but I just find the 65/hour strange.

 

[sonnythomas]

$65 per hour labor in a dealer shop currently? I expect to see two to three times that around here. I'm not saying they did everything right, but I just find the 65/hour strange.

The $65 was for lawn mower repair.

 

[sonnythomas]

I just gave of what I ran into. The BIG part is John Deere getting sued. I had heard rumors of it, but rumors are rumors. And now no longer a rumor.

 

[sonnythomas]

You can use my Title for searching on Google.
FTC - Federal Trade Commision.

 

[Duner Wi]

Watch this for next battery change. Not certain all X540 had exactly the same hood configuration.

 

[wh]

FTC sues John Deere over farmers' right to repair tractors
6 hours ago — The lawsuit accuses Deere of withholding access to its technology and best repair tools and of maintaining monopoly power over many repairs.

I wonder if my reports were noted. The dealership nearest me does real good job of ripping off people on any John Deere equipment.
My X540 lawn tractor. New, it came with an oversize battery. No way could I get out. So, took it dealer for a new battery and oil filter and oil change. $365.00. I blew a gasket. The dealership has a Gold, Silver and Bronze levels for repairs and whatever. I got stuck with a Gold. Gold has oil, filter, check hydraulics, grease job and sharpens blades. I raised the roof. Got some relief, $100 and more. Still wasn't satisfied, I paid the bill and wrote all over how I got shafted. Phone call from dealer - Promised another $75 back or $75 off on next time having it serviced. I wanted cash and got it.
The thing was, I told the clerk not to touch the deck or blades. I had heck of time getting the deck adjusted to get real good cut. I told the person that called that I have farm, you think I don't know to grease things?

X540 had the computer go. I think it has a 2000 hour warranty. It wouldn't start. No juice to that thingy in the bottom of the carburetor bowl. I got stuck with carburetor rebuild and more. $750.00. And my air filter cover was missing. I was told it didn't have one. They cut wiring harness that shouldn't even been touched. I tore into them right there. By the time they took cost off for I was charged $475.00. I didn't the $75 off that I was promised.
Checked with my brother, he found that I wasn't getting juice to that thing in the bottom carb bowl. He blew up, told the cover was on the lawn tractor. Trip to the dealer. Repair person for lawn mowers wasn't there. I got after woman sectary. She looked up the part in the manual. She went out the repair area and found the cover under a bench. I told her that was the last time my lawn tractor will be there, and I'd junk it first.

Can't remember what I gave for it - $7000.00?

You carried mower to dealer and said change oil and battery. I have a x485 about 20 years old. Gave $8000 for it. Dealer service oil change blade sharpen is around $275 this time of year. Add in battery change and i think you have nothing to gripe about. Last year during service they discovered my drive shaft was twisted. No telling what happened. $400 or so later back good as new. Knew my battery was weak and told them to change it. That was another $125 with labor. All in i spent about $1000 to make sure my mower was ready for season. Deck perfectly level. If i carry something to dealer i expect to pay more. My choice to go there.

 

[Fixingfarmer]

That seems quite reasonable to expect for a dealer to do it really. Some of the new ones have an oil change kit with oil in it. Anymore you can expect half parts half labor going in so if you have 150 in parts you have 150 in labor. Plus the tax man getting his cut you are pretty much there. That has been consistent no matter the color for awhile now. 150 doesn’t buy you an hour and a half at a dealer around here. That’s why I stay out of there if I can. I met the service manager at the local dealership the other day and he was like I have seen your name come up every couple days on the phone log and we haven’t ever met…there’s a reason for that. YouTube is a wonderful resource.

Honestly as much as they pay the kid he probably had 4 hours in it by the time he sharpened those blades and did everything and you paid a flat rate. It’s 50/50 if they made a dime off you other than the parts markup. Service for the dealer has been a money looser for awhile. Not to mention when something gets screwed up I remember seeing several million dollar whoopsies on the mining side up north at the company I worked for. One particular ticket stayed open for like 3 years.

I feel like Deere has a right to make me pay for their resources it’s up to me if I can find used tooling and books or make my own tooling. Your brother sounds mechanically competent it might be time to rely on him more as a first choice. The wonderful thing about around here is there’s 20 green dealerships within a 100 mile radius I’ve gone places to ask answers to questions I need and if I didn’t like something on to the next guy.

Honestly I have seen these lawsuits as trouble from the start and the quickest way Deere will be destroyed all it takes is being forced to give their software info to the wrong company. Honestly how often is that controller the problem everyone whines constantly about the computer but unless they have been having constant trouble where a bulletin was issued it’s usually a 1 off or a missed diagnosis at caterpillar I put 3 engine ecms in agco and cat equipment over 7 years it was never the issue always wiring. And an ECM is expensive people see the price tag on their bill and think it would be better if someone else did the labor. Not at all. It took him 10 minutes to put it on and flash the ecm carrying 3000 dollar software that HE as in the mechanic or dealer had to pay for. You still have to pay for the 5000 dollar ecm that’s unlikely to be correct and work except from the oem source.

It’s reason like above if I was Deere I’d toss the lawn mower business the only advantage I can see for them is it’s fairly low risk.

 

[Tx Jim]

I guess I'll just keep mowing with my '16 Dixie chopper that has never needed a trip to the dealer. It's only needed regular engine oil changes, 1 battery & simple blade drive belt change

 

[DoubleO7]

shouldn't been any charge for taking apart to get it out, falling under warranty.

Batteries are not JD warranted.
And JD warranty does not apply to labor for non JD warranted items.

 

[GChief]

Not sure the lawsuit will go anywhere. JD made ADVISOR and what not available for purchase and updates over 2 yrs ago. So, the "right to repair" is there.

 

[rrlund]

I remember John Phipps doing a commentary and using this as a bit of a metaphor. He said that in order to build a factory in China, American companies have to give the Chinese government access to their proprietary technology. The same people who think this is wrong, think that they should have access to Deere's proprietary technology.

 

[HFP]

I'm sorry you had a poor experience with your dealer. However, the nature of that lawsuit is that Deere is restricting customers' ability to purchase parts and tools/services in order to make repairs themselves or have them done by an independent mechanic. In your specific case, there is absolutely nothing that would have prevented you from purchasing the parts (and service manual if needed) and performing your repairs yourself.

 

[NY 986]

Considering that nearly all dealers around here get 125 dollars per hour regardless of equipment type and most charge a pickup/ drop off fee that does not sound bad at all.

 

[sonnythomas]

I'm sorry you had a poor experience with your dealer. However, the nature of that lawsuit is that Deere is restricting customers' ability to purchase parts and tools/services in order to make repairs themselves or have them done by an independent mechanic. In your specific case, there is absolutely nothing that would have prevented you from purchasing the parts (and service manual if needed) and performing your repairs yourself.

Like i said, oversize battery installed at the factory. No way to get it out normally. Mechanic had take the instrument piece off and move the steering shaft to get the battery out. New battery dropped in. Because I had it there, I went a oil filter and oil change.
I'm not a electrician and no way to check a faulty computer.

 

[sonnythomas]

Batteries are not JD warranted.
And JD warranty does not apply to labor for non JD warranted items.

I listed 2 separate instances. I didn't expect warranty for battery.

 

[sonnythomas]

You carried mower to dealer and said change oil and battery. I have a x485 about 20 years old. Gave $8000 for it. Dealer service oil change blade sharpen is around $275 this time of year. Add in battery change and i think you have nothing to gripe about. Last year during service they discovered my drive shaft was twisted. No telling what happened. $400 or so later back good as new. Knew my battery was weak and told them to change it. That was another $125 with labor. All in i spent about $1000 to make sure my mower was ready for season. Deck perfectly level. If i carry something to dealer i expect to pay more. My choice to go there.

I guess you can't read. I told them to leave the deck alone and didn't want the blades sharpened. I got stuck with the Gold program and didn't get what Gold program called for. I raised roof enough that I got $100 off the bill and promised another $75 that didn't get.
I trade in a smaller John Deere lawn tractor and paid $7000 on top of that. It had anti-slip. On hillsides, if it slipped, it shut down. Engine blew and warranty covered it.

 

[sonnythomas]

$65 per hour labor in a dealer shop currently? I expect to see two to three times that around here. I'm not saying they did everything right, but I just find the 65/hour strange.

Not currently. 3 years ago for the battery, oil filter and oil. This last year for the computer. I didn't look at the labor charge.