Check this Instagram post out

[Drew Sanderson]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwUf1IigwjB/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=dy1sqbuwuu9q

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ChuckS]

I learned from this forum that that is a standard practice at Festool.

 

[peter halle]

Totally normal for liability reasons.  On the other side I know that Festool gets tools in boxes just like this and then they are asked to diagnose and fix.  Guess what, the tool has then must be reassembled from the parts (possibly) and then tested to find out what is wrong.  And then torn back down.  There are costs involved and if a repair is made the costs will quite possibly be higher than if the tool was sent in non disassembled.

Time is money and none of us like to work for free.

Peter

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

Also to be fair, if the tool isn’t working, and Festool weren’t asked to repair it, somebody else would have too unless it was going in the rubbish bin. So that would involve stripping it down anyway. If the owner says he doesn’t want it repaired, what use is it?

He should have sent it too me, I can clearly see that a dry joint is the issue!  [big grin]

 

[ChuckS]

I should add that my car dealership charges me a diagnostic fee whether or not I go ahead with the recommended fix after the diagnosis.

 

[six-point socket II]

What Peter said.

Totally normal. Would be the same at/with Bosch, (...) (any other brand).

Sucks not knowing this, so I partly understand the frustration coming with this.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[Svar]

Also to be fair, if the tool isn’t working,

But it was working!
They could charge diagnostic fee to cover putting it together and be upfront about it. Explain to the customer all options before taking a look at the item. This was clearly not the case. Nothing "normal" about keeping the customer in the dark.
Mechanics don't just hand you pieces of engine if you decide not to go with the repair. In my experience they always explain the options before starting any work.

 

[AlexThePalex]

I don't think this is normal. This is a disgrace.

I have never seen a tool returned like this to anybody in my life. But then again, I don't live in the USA.

 

[ChuckS]

They could charge diagnostic fee to cover putting it together and be upfront about it. Explain to the customer all options before taking a look at the item. This was clearly not the case. Nothing "normal" about keeping the customer in the dark.

This (highlighted) is the correct approach as I never knew Festool would return a tool in scattered pieces until I heard it in this forum.

My car dealership lets me know IN ADVANCE how much I would be charged for a diagnosis and I decide if the diagnosis goes ahead or not. Nothing is taken apart before my decision is made, whether it is a $200 charge or a $1,500 fix.

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

Also to be fair, if the tool isn’t working,

But it was working!
They could charge diagnostic fee to cover putting it together and be upfront about it. Explain to the customer all options before taking a look at the item. This was clearly not the case. Nothing "normal" about keeping the customer in the dark.
Mechanics don't just hand you pieces of engine if you decide not to go with the repair. In my experience they always explain the options before starting any work.

It wasn’t working properly though, otherwise he wouldn’t have sent it in the first place. Who’s to say it didn’t have a serious fault that could of escalated?
If I had a tool that changed speed every time I pushed on it, I’d either try and fix it, or pay somebody else to fix it, or simply throw it in the bin.

Whether this is good practice or not, is a matter of opinion, I thought most were aware of this. Festool aren’t the only company that operate in this way either, as somebody else mentioned time is money.

 

[six-point socket II]

This has absolutely nothing to do with the country you reside in/ or not.

But here we go:

Let's assume it wasn't a Festool sander but a Bosch sander, and let's say it's all unfolding in Germany. And let's assume for some magical reason I know what happens.

So you send a sander that works, but bogs down upon pressure to Bosch Service Center.

Bosch Service Center will test/ diagnose tool and lastly take apart if it can be repaired. Test and diagnose goes way beyond checking if it runs.

Bosch Service Center will then send quotation.

If you agree with quotation, Bosch Service Center will repair sander, perform necessary checks and ship to user. Every tool shipped is not just repaired, but deemed fit for SAFE & professional/commercial use.

 

[Distinctive Interiors]

I don't think this is normal. This is a disgrace.

I have never seen a tool returned like this to anybody in my life. But then again, I don't live in the USA.

I've only had to send 1 of my Festool power tools in for repair and it was still under warranty. I was very happy with the service I received.

Having said that, I would be interested to hear what [member=41214]Phil Beckley[/member] has to say on this subject regarding Festools position if a tool is returned to Festool UK for diagnosis of a fault and the customer decides it is not worth it to pay to have it repaired by Festool,.....Is the dismantled tool returned to its owner in the same state as shown in the original post above...?

Is it company policy worldwide or is the process different from country to country...?

 

[Frank-Jan]

I don't think this is normal. This is a disgrace.

I have never seen a tool returned like this to anybody in my life. But then again, I don't live in the USA.

I had a dustextractor returned to me like that once by Makita in the Netherlands.

I wasn't too happy when I received it, because I didn't want to send in for repair in the first place (It was still working, but it was pretty beaten up, so I decided to order some parts (piece of body housing with the handle, filters and a filtercloth), the manager of the toolstore suggested to send it to the Makita service department. I reluctantly agreed, after examination they said the repaircost was too high, and it would be better just to get a new one;
I didn't want a new one, because I didn't like the machine to begin with, but I asked to have it returned to me. I got it back disassembled to the last tiny screw, and I did receive the new filters.

(The manager of the toolstore decided to give the parts for free, so I would have a complete vac if I decided to assemble it myself, which I never did)

Previous experiences with the Makita service department were better (a few repairs,of which most under warranty, and another case where the repaircost would be too high, but then they offered me a discount on the replacement tool, (which I would have bought anyway, a small demolition hammer for tiles and masonry grout)

I have sent plenty of other tools in for repair by other brands over the years (Festool, Bosch, fein, Dewalt, arbortech,carat,..) but I never decided to go for the "return unrepaired" option, so I don't know how they handle such cases.

While I was typing this, I got the warning with the "other replies have posted to this thread", and Oliver's post makes sence to me.

 

[Phil Beckley]

Hi
To find the fault it has to be opened up and quoted for - if the customer decides not to proceed then it is sent back dismantled. Hands are tied on this due to legislation as we cannot send a machine back in a dangerous state
Rg
Phil

 

[six-point socket II]

Thank you Phil!

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

Hi
To find the fault it has to be opened up and quoted for - if the customer decides not to proceed then it is sent back dismantled. Hands are tied on this due to legislation as we cannot send a machine back in a dangerous state
Rg
Phil

Makes sense to me Phil, imagine the consequences of somebody having a faulty tool returned to them, and that tool causes an accident or personal injury?  [blink]

 

[Distinctive Interiors]

Thanks for the clarification Phil! 

 

[GarryMartin]

To be clear, it's stated on the form you fill in to send a tool in for UK repair. I've never understood why people complain on social media afterwards when they've essentially agreed to it beforehand. Of course, that assumes they actually read the form...  [poke]

 

[Doug S]

I learned this lesson with a Fein cordless drill a few years ago.

I felt the batteries were not holding charge for quite as long as they used to, the shop where I bought it from offered to send them in to Fein to be checked out, they said you might as well send drill as well.

I was told something inside was a bit worn which was putting more strain on the batteries so they were not lasting as long. Repair was too much so I said no presuming I would get drill back working as it was when it was sent it in but no just a box full of bits, was not happy at the time.

 

 

[harry_]

As mentioned upthread, liability can be a be and likely is a factor.

Having done a tour of duty at an auto repair shop, I can remember a time when a car was brought in with a braking issue. Upon removal of the wheels it was discovered that the pads had long since worn into the rotors. One side of a rotor had all the cooling fins exposed. Meaning there was no disk plate on one side. When the repair was quoted to the customer they declined the repair. Management informed the customer that there was no way that car was leaving unless it was repaired or by tow truck.

The furious customer called the police on us. The cop took one look at the rotor, as us to remove the license plates and give them to him. He then informed the customer (again) that the only way that car was leaving was repaired or by tow truck.

This is obviously extreme in several areas, but I know I would not want that liability hanging over my head.

I am sure in this tread's case it was more about expense. Could it have been said to the customer that cost to reassemble is $xyz? Sure. That same customer would have in all likelihood declined. Why spend the money to reassemble a 'junk' tool. And if one is to spring for the reassembly why not spring for the parts as well?