B.E.S.T. warranty does not cover exploding clutch at 13k miles - 2008 RS - Premier Ed

[pro10is]

You're painting with a really broad brush...... Most owners have not had problems.. and most who have had warranty work have been taken care of. We've had a few stories lately.. and many people only post when something bad happens.

The BEST warranty is in the same price as other aftermarket warranties.. so I would not consider it 'expensive'. Nor do I consider the Spyder itself 'expensive'.

For every one of these bad stories of warranty problems.. there have been plenty where BRP has gone above and beyond in helping owners.

He does make a good point. In all fairness we should also post all the good things BRP does right instead of primarily the bad. For example when I had an issue with my BRP boat they went far and above the call of duty to make it right not once but twice. So credit where credit is due.

[kawakii]

Who told you not to buy the BEST? Most have been very happy with BEST, and I believe there's less chance of problems when using the BEST warranty compared to a 3rd party. While Zurich is well known, there are many others out here that used other 3rd party warranties that turned into a nightmare.

At least with BEST, it is endorsed by BRP.. and should push come to shove in court.. that could prove to be important.

We choose not to buy B.E.S.T after some of our own research and after talking extensively to the technicians at our local dealer who have had experiences with both BRP's warranty and with Zurich. We have had issues with BRP and getting parts covered under their manufacturers warranty already and we are still within our 2 first years of ownership. Our dealership has much better relationship with Zurich on warranty issues and say they get Spyders back on the road a lot quicker not having to consult BRP and go through the hoops of B.E.S.T to justify the needing of parts. Whether that is true 100 % of the time or just their opinion I don't know. Didn't see any statistics but we have a good relationship with our dealer and choose to go this way after looking over the pros and cons of both policies. BRP has a great program but it's just not the way we choose to go. They sell both B.E.S.T and Zurich at this dealership so we were offered both- not pressured on either. Our Zurich is a 5 year extended warranty. Everyone should do their due diligence when picking a warranty company -- look at what they cover and what works best for you. Their are other options then B.E.S.T and it never hurts to take a look.

[jsmiley]

Can you please inform us if there was any sign of problems before the clutch blew up? Anything we should watch out for?

There were no indications of any issues. The clutch seemed perfect at the time, until it wasn't. I had never had any slipping issues or shifting problems. It went from good to nuclear instantly.

[Littlebadwolf]

He does make a good point. In all fairness we should also post all the good things BRP does right instead of primarily the bad. For example when I had an issue with my BRP boat they went far and above the call of duty to make it right not once but twice. So credit where credit is due.

I'll agree that I painted the issue with a broad brush but just reading the situation got my blood boiling. Most of the instances where people have presented thier problems seem to have a terrible time dealing with BRP and I wouldn't want the same to happen to me, especially if I was on the road a long distance from home. Time will tell what happens to the warranty issues.

[wyliec]

kawakii or Randy,

Quick question for you. Is there a 'pay out' schedule for different replacement parts listed in the Zurich warranty? I ask incase you aren't able to take the spyder to the dealer that sold the warranty and you take it to a dealer that charges way above what would be considered reasonable. I'm making an assumption here that you can take the spyder to any BRP spyder dealer; but, if the dealer doesn't participate with Zurich that you pay up front and then are reimbursed.

[Bob Denman]

I suppose tht the point should be made to them again:
"Clutches wear out; but they don't " When they do pop and ruin everything downstream; the Company should of course pay for that. You actually should only need to argue over the value of replacing the clutch...

[kawakii]

kawakii or Randy,

Quick question for you. Is there a 'pay out' schedule for different replacement parts listed in the Zurich warranty? I ask incase you aren't able to take the spyder to the dealer that sold the warranty and you take it to a dealer that charges way above what would be considered reasonable. I'm making an assumption here that you can take the spyder to any BRP spyder dealer; but, if the dealer doesn't participate with Zurich that you pay up front and then are reimbursed.

You can take the Spyder to ANY licensed repair shop. They do not need to sell or be within the Zurich network. Zurich will pay by corporate credit card any dealership or state licensed repair facility. If they do not take credit cards you have to pay up front and submit for reimbursement. For our Spyders that means any BRP dealer - but if it was a motorcycle who could be worked on by an independent shop they would also pay for that shop as well.

I don't remember in our contract seeing a "pay out" clause or schedule. I do know Zurich has different levels of extended warranties .. I'll have to drag out of contract tonight and take a look but I don't believe their is. We choose a plan without a deductible and with tow pickup reimbursement . ** Dragged out our Zurich Warranty paperwork tonight and it says they'll pay reasonable parts costs and labor but no exact payout schedule. ** Just wanted to update this.so if a shop was way out of ine with costs I'm sure they would set a certain amount they'd pay per hour of labor. I dont exactly know what this is-- but I plan on calling to ask.

Zurich customer service is very helpful over the phone as well : 1-888-835-5063 to get specific answers.

[Mr. White]

Carlo is not available. When I called two days ago, to see when a part for BR1 would ship, I was told Carlo has not been in the office for "several weeks" and the laldy said "We do not know when he will return."

[Huntindawg1962]

If I were you I'd be checking into some other warranty companies for when the Spyder is returned to you. Some individual warranty companies don't require the warranty be put on when the bike is purchased or new...one of them is Zurich. Might be worth a call to them to find out some iformation if you can't renew B.E.S.T. We were told to not use BEST from the beginning and purchased Zurich which we have been happy with overall. Not waiting for part approval fro BRP - Dealer makes the call on what parts are needed, etc...

I second (or third or fourth) this one. My first RT has the "best warranty" but the second one was warrantied through a different company that was the same cost as "best," no deductible, and more of a "no question" process. All I gave up was the roadside assistance but my insurance company for the bike covers that anyhow so that was redundant coverage from BRP that I dont need anyhow.

[3leggedSpyder]

When I purchased my Spyder, back in may of this year, my dealer only offered the Zurich warranty. I had asked about the B.E.S.T. warranty through BRP, but he said that he didn't know about that one. I would add that he was a newer employee at the dealer.

[wyliec]

Carlo is not available. When I called two days ago, to see when a part for BR1 would ship, I was told Carlo has not been in the office for "several weeks" and the laldy said "We do not know when he will return."

I was wondering about that. As of about 2 months ago he hadn't returned. Someone else handling service issues was very helpful to me. I can't remember her name.

[Firefly]

Sounds like Zurich maybe a good viable option. I just recall a few others out here buying other 3rd party warranties thru their dealer--- and then finding out after the dealer went out of business that the warranty was not honored anywhere else.

On my new RT I have 2 years factory plus 2 years BEST was added for free. If I keep this bike that long I'll have to reassess warranty options then.

I too am boiling mad about this clutch blowing up issue not being covered.

[bullant12]

When my clutch slipped back in 2011 (2700 miles on the ODO), my dealer's owner was concerened that BRP was not going to take care of it being a wear-and-tear part. So I got Carlo on the phone and documented everything (both myself and the dealer). After more than a month in the dealer, BRP shipped the parts and dealer rebuilt the clutch. Nothing out of pocket and Carlo said that as long as I owned the , any clutch issues that appear would be taken care of.

But a clutch BLOWING UP THE ENGINE?!?! Yeah, BRP should step up on this one...

[CyncySpyder]

Call the BRP customer support line at 888-272-9222 or 819-566-3366. Last person I talked to was Chrystelle LaChance, don't know if Carlos returned or what happened to him, she was great and helped a lot.



The above I copied from another thread & pasted it here for you since Carlos seems to be MIA
That man has helped a great many of us myself included, and if he has left BRP, its a major loss for their Customer Service & Support, thats for sure

Either way, none of this is good and Teddy & I only hope you can get this resolved in one manner or another to your satisfaction Good Luck & keep us posted

***On a side note, the pic you posted, that's what I do in my day job, manufacture forward & coast clutches for an Automotive Company, but I've never seen them look like that***

[jsmiley]

Call the BRP customer support line at 888-272-9222 or 819-566-3366. Last person I talked to was Chrystelle LaChance, don't know if Carlos returned or what happened to him, she was great and helped a lot.



The above I copied from another thread & pasted it here for you since Carlos seems to be MIA
That man has helped a great many of us myself included, and if he has left BRP, its a major loss for their Customer Service & Support, thats for sure

Either way, none of this is good and Teddy & I only hope you can get this resolved in one manner or another to your satisfaction Good Luck & keep us posted

***On a side note, the pic you posted, that's what I do in my day job, manufacture forward & coast clutches for an Automotive Company, but I've never seen them look like that***

I have spoken with customer service. I called myself after the dealer told me about the slow walking issue. This was after I raised a little hell being 3 months in.
- first time I called, gave them my VIN and they confirmed my name and told me there was no claim on my bike. They gave me a Call-ID number. I promptly began raising hell again with the dealer who pulled his records and provided me a Call-I'D that was several thousand ahead of the one I was given.
- I call BRP again referencing th dealer Call-ID and they were oh, oh yeah. Then they told me they were not covering clutch work or replacing the engine in whole. Voiced my dissatisfaction and asked for this to be escalated.
- received a call from another gentleman a week later and he was rude and pretty much told me I was SOL on the clutch as it is a wear item, end of conversation. I talked to him about my engine and my concerns with piecing it back together and the overall health and the dude actually raised his voice to me and told me that was the best I'm getting out of BRP. Told me the dealer was at fault because they could not diagnose why the clutch exploded.

Dealer is not happy either as they are getting low balled on the rebuild labor.

Consulted with a lawyer yesterday and they are researching it, they say its a slam dunk. I have not heard back from the email I sent to Carlo and I am at my wits end.

[Doodah]

So let me get this straight. BRP is claiming that they've designed a clutch that, when it undergoes normal wear and tear, will possibly fail catastrophically and demolish the engine. And that this is a normal, expected occurence that is not covered by their own warranty. Really!!?

Maybe I missed it. Is there something in the user's manual that explains what maintenance the OP should have done to avoid this problem?

[bullant12]

So let me get this straight. BRP is claiming that they've designed a clutch that, when it undergoes normal wear and tear, will possibly fail catastrophically and demolish the engine. And that this is a normal, expected occurence that is not covered by their own warranty. Really!!?

When have they claimed that?!?! This is the first case that we've heard of...

[Bob Denman]

I can't believe that you'd actually need a lawyer to get actively involved. it might be best to keep them in your hip pocket; just in case!

[Doodah]

When have they claimed that?!?!

You need to reread the original post.

[Firefly]

I have spoken with customer service. I called myself after the dealer told me about the slow walking issue. This was after I raised a little hell being 3 months in.
- first time I called, gave them my VIN and they confirmed my name and told me there was no claim on my bike. They gave me a Call-ID number. I promptly began raising hell again with the dealer who pulled his records and provided me a Call-I'D that was several thousand ahead of the one I was given.
- I call BRP again referencing th dealer Call-ID and they were oh, oh yeah. Then they told me they were not covering clutch work or replacing the engine in whole. Voiced my dissatisfaction and asked for this to be escalated.
- received a call from another gentleman a week later and he was rude and pretty much told me I was SOL on the clutch as it is a wear item, end of conversation. I talked to him about my engine and my concerns with piecing it back together and the overall health and the dude actually raised his voice to me and told me that was the best I'm getting out of BRP. Told me the dealer was at fault because they could not diagnose why the clutch exploded.

Dealer is not happy either as they are getting low balled on the rebuild labor.

Consulted with a lawyer yesterday and they are researching it, they say its a slam dunk. I have not heard back from the email I sent to Carlo and I am at my wits end.

Do you know if you were really talking to BRP... or BEST???

They are separate companies......

[serf]

Who told you not to buy the BEST? Most have been very happy with BEST, and I believe there's less chance of problems when using the BEST warranty compared to a 3rd party. While Zurich is well known, there are many others out here that used other 3rd party warranties that turned into a nightmare.

At least with BEST, it is endorsed by BRP.. and should push come to shove in court.. that could prove to be important.

What companies have people had major issues with (besides brp). Not trying to hi-jack the thread, but I am looking to extend my warranty by next month and it would be nice to know who to avoid.


Guess Zurich sound reputable, but I'd have to check their pricing compared to BRP (with a sponsor doing 750/3yrs on the best warranty).

[Jeriatric]

What companies have people had major issues with (besides brp). Not trying to hi-jack the thread, but I am looking to extend my warranty by next month and it would be nice to know who to avoid.


Guess Zurich sound reputable, but I'd have to check their pricing compared to BRP (with a sponsor doing 750/3yrs on the best warranty).

The B.E.S.T. warranty is as good as they get for the Spyder. IMO.

That said, you may want to pay very close attention to any mods you may make and how BRP feels about such modifications.

[bone crusher]

You nailed it !!!!!!!!!!! My aftermarket warranty does put the customer through all this either. The dealer calls with whats wrong, if it's covered ( I have a detailed list of what is and what isn't covered) they give the dealer the ok and a PO# for payment. It's as simple as that.


I know alot of members on this forum think the the Best Warranty is the only way to go, and that because thats the only warranty company they have heard of from forum members here. Why would someone buy a warranty from a company that is affiliated with BRP is beyond me ?????

Does your warranty have road-side assistance? Also, can you get it once the BEST runs out...meaning, my warranty runs out next year...will your company still offer a warranty (being my bike is still under factor BEST warranty)?

[rcturner]

Care to tell us all what the error in the catalog is so we can be aware of the problem???

The one that I was talking to them about was concerning the comfort seat which their catalog lists as standard on the Limited. They said that this was just an error in their catalog and that they had no intention of honoring their catalog error or correcting the catalog.

From their catalog:

COMFORT SEAT
Ultra comfortable with lumbar support. Roomier for driver to improve comfort during long rides. Driver seating area pushed back by 2” (50 mm), thus relaxing the driver’s knees and upper body. Stock Backrest to match Comfort Seat.
Spyder RT 219400343 - Black (Standard on 2012 RT Limited Model) Spyder RT 219400410 - Tan (Standard on 2012 Lava Bronze Metallic RT Limited Model) $599.99

I later found out that this error has been know of at BRP for some them but, they have no concern or feeling of responsibility to correct it.

[Firefly]

The one that I was talking to them about was concerning the comfort seat which their catalog lists as standard on the Limited. They said that this was just an error in their catalog and that they had no intention of honoring their catalog error or correcting the catalog.

From their catalog:

COMFORT SEAT
Ultra comfortable with lumbar support. Roomier for driver to improve comfort during long rides. Driver seating area pushed back by 2” (50 mm), thus relaxing the driver’s knees and upper body. Stock Backrest to match Comfort Seat.
Spyder RT 219400343 - Black (Standard on 2012 RT Limited Model) Spyder RT 219400410 - Tan (Standard on 2012 Lava Bronze Metallic RT Limited Model) $599.99

I later found out that this error has been know of at BRP for some them but, they have no concern or feeling of responsibility to correct it.

Well, once a catalog like that is printed and distributed... it would be very expensive to yank them all and reprint them. You'll notice in the fine print on page 2 of the catalog:

Because of its ongoing commitment to product quality and innovation, Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP) reserves the right, at any time, to discontinue or change specifications, prices, designs, features, models or equipment without incurring any obligations. Some models depicted herein may include optional equipment. Prices are based on Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Prices. Dealers may sell for a different price.

So maybe at one time they were going to include those seats on the RT limited models, or maybe it's simply a mistake... and mistakes happen. I bet if a dealer thought he was going to lose an RT limited sale, he'd probably though a comfort seat in if you really pressed the issue.