Air compressor warranty?

[jonsdoghouse]

Hi everyone have not posted on here lately, but always keeping up on the latest on GJ. I would like some input on an air compressor I purchased in August 09.
The air compressor is a 7.5 hp ,3cyl.2 stage 80 gallon tank, and at this time I am going to leave out the brand name of the compressor.I will say it is made in the USA. Okay with that said, shortly after using compressor like 2 days of using with minor running time the compressor started leaking oil around cranksahft end plate. Call and they send me gasket that I replaced myself, still leaking then they send some copper washers to put on bolts. Still leaking call back and they tell me they had some compressors that the rings were installed upside down. I say okay what now, you have two choices,You can pull compressor off and rebuild flip rings over or we will send you a compressor that You can put on , but You have to pay for FREIGHT. Oh and you can keep the old compressor.
My question is why should I have to pay for FREIGHT on something that was defective from day one. Or build a compressor on my DIME when i paid for a new compressor!! Ya know maybe i am being unreasonable but I dont think so.I did alot of research on compressors before I bought this one especially since it was made in the USA. But this has really left a sour taste in my mouth.

 

[Art From De Leon]

Ingersoll-Rand?

If so, you are not the first to experience the vaguries of their 'warranty'.

 

[Mickey_D]

It sounds like they are giving bad service and a run around. I would post their name in the thread and then let them know where the discussion is and ask them if they want to respond. Good service should be rewarded and bad exposed. BTY, if it was an Ingersoll, they normally will offer to do onsite service. their Indian made compressors **** but at least they will come out and fix them while they are under warranty.

 

[Zrexxer]

Having the rings in upside down should have absolutely nothing to do with leaking oil at the crankshaft bearings. Is the crankcase breather plugged?

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

Have them send it ground freight, replace the compressor and then tear down the old one, fix it and find a busted compressor on CL and sell it.

 

[rodm1]

I would tell them to come over and pick up the POS! Then call my credit card company and get a charge back. Then I would post the name here for everyone to see.

No way would I work on a anything new under warrenty.

p.s. I don't think it's Made in the USA there a very few made here and no 3cyl I'm aware of.

 

[jonsdoghouse]

Thank you all for your input.. Guess I really have no recourse but to pay the freight for another compressor, which is to the tune of a $120 ground frieght from ohio to MS. It does mention in the warranty that it does not pay freight charges, which I really would not have aproblem with if this would have happened 2 or 3 yrs down the road... this was clearly defective from day one..
Oh well like georgiahybrid mentioned I can rebuild the old one and keep as a spare or use for one helluva boat anchor!
It is not a Ingersol-Rand..

 

[harvero]

also made in the USA

but most likely an Eaton

 

[Mickey_D]

That is why I will not buy a compressor from them. If they are like most importers they have an agreement worked out with supplier where they report defects to the their overseas supplier and the supplier issues a credit. By charging the customer for shipping they end up with warranty failures costing them nothing. I like to buy from companies that I know have some skin in the game when it comes to quality. If they design and build a product to be defect free for the length of the warranty there is a good chance that it will last substantially longer (failures can be plotted and you usually end with a bell curve).

I guess it all boils down to you get what you pay for. I know a couple of people who purchased either new or almost new Champion compressors. The tanks were rated to 300psi, the contactors were high quality and made in the US, and the motors were low rpm Baldors. They are built the way a piece of machinery should be to provide a long and trouble free service life. Life is too short to put up with crappy tools.

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

but most likely an Eaton

The OP mentioned US made (well, assembled here anyway), 3 cylinder and 7.5 HP. I think you are correct but I am curious...

 

[Zrexxer]

The OP mentioned US made (well, assembled here anyway), 3 cylinder and 7.5 HP. I think you are correct but I am curious...

If one were to pay only casual attention to Eaton's marketing, they might well be misled into believing they're US made. The minute he said three cylinder I thought either "Eaton" or "Puma."

 

[Fubar]

I'd be surprised to hear it was an Eaton. I've dealt with them and they've bent over backwards for me....

 

[larry4406]

Not uncommon for warranty's to exclude shipping - not saying I agree with it, but that is often true. Warranty's are a PIA. It ***** when something is not right, but that is today's world. Sorry to hear of your troubles.

So, $120 for freight and they send you a replacement compressor head and you keep the old one. How much did you save by buying this compressor in the beginning compared to some other competitor? Add $120 to your original price, and compare. Are you still ahead? I suspect you are. What is the value of the repaired head? Sell it after repair as suggested.

Escalate your calls to management, but in the end you will likely end up with a spare compressor head and still less than the other options. I bought my Puma 3 cylinder compressor knowing that if the Taiwan compressor head croaked, I could get a replacement with shipping and still be ahead. The unit runs fine but the continuous run feature was missing (order error). They sent it, I installed it, and all is well (no cost to me). Not that I wanted yet another small project to do, but it was the best of a bad situation. Would I have willingly paid another $500 to $1000 to have a comparable 100% US made compressor company that in theory would deal with me cradle to grave - no.

 

[proorange]

Not uncommon for warranty's to exclude shipping - not saying I agree with it, but that is often true. Warranty's are a PIA. It ***** when something is not right, but that is today's world. Sorry to hear of your troubles.

So, $120 for freight and they send you a replacement compressor head and you keep the old one. How much did you save by buying this compressor in the beginning compared to some other competitor? Add $120 to your original price, and compare. Are you still ahead? I suspect you are. What is the value of the repaired head? Sell it after repair as suggested.

Escalate your calls to management, but in the end you will likely end up with a spare compressor head and still less than the other options. I bought my Puma 3 cylinder compressor knowing that if the Taiwan compressor head croaked, I could get a replacement with shipping and still be ahead. The unit runs fine but the continuous run feature was missing (order error). They sent it, I installed it, and all is well (no cost to me). Not that I wanted yet another small project to do, but it was the best of a bad situation. Would I have willingly paid another $500 to $1000 to have a comparable 100% US made compressor company that in theory would deal with me cradle to grave - no.

Ditto!!! Well put Larry

 

[jonsdoghouse]

It just really got under my skin how they handled the sitiuation,but have since cooled down and will call them back monday. Sometimes it is just good to vent and to hear what others think. Once again ,Thanks for all your input and will let you know the outcome... And Zrexxer it is not a "Puma"

 

[Zrexxer]

And Zrexxer it is not a "Puma"

Got it!

 

[Herb]

Hmmm, for $120.00 they will send you a replacement pump, and you get to keep the old one. I would take THAT option in a heartbeat, replace the pump, fix my old one and sell it for a couple of hundred $$.