Author Topic: Obtaining Warranty Approval? (Kymco USA)  (Read 4442 times)

my_kymco_broke

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Obtaining Warranty Approval? (Kymco USA)
« on: May 31, 2011, 10:57:39 PM »
Well this is my first post here and unfortunately it's not a positive one, as I did like my scooter while it lasted. My 2009 Kymco Agility 125 with around 3800km's on the clock has no engine compression whatsoever, and has been sitting at the dealer for a few weeks waiting for approval to start work from Kymco.  I am told they need to tear down the engine and disassemble things to know exactly what is wrong, but it is a no start, no compression situation as of right now.

The scooter was purchased just under a year ago, and I paid a premium over a Chinese scooter to get quality and the peace of mind a warranty brings, but now it seems left up to me to do some leg work.  I will willingly do this, but the slow response from Kymco USA to the dealer has me concerned.

Is there anything I need to know before I attempt to contact Kymco again, and whom should I contact? I checked the "Kymco USA Customer Service" thread here and saw a few pieces of information, and I found this at the website, but it must be past business hours because I get no answer

KYMCO USA
5 Stan Perkins Road
Spartanburg, SC 29307
864-327-4744
Customer Support 888-235-3417

Maybe email is the way to go? My scooter has had all it's servicing done (according to my owners manual it didn't need anything but oil changes before 4000km) and I take it real easy riding it around town. I rarely exceed 50mph indicated, most of the time keeping it at 45mph and under.

So, what might be next in this process for you owners who may have some experience obtaining warranty work? I would gladly accept a new or remanufactured engine to have bolted on if it made the repair quicker and easier, but two weeks and no reply from Kymco USA yet?  Just how far and how hard do I need to push? I know persistence pays off, but I don't want to be a nuisance, either.
« Last Edit: May 31, 2011, 11:00:14 PM by my_kymco_broke »

blue

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Re: Obtaining Warranty Approval? (Kymco USA)
« Reply #1 on: June 03, 2011, 11:01:41 AM »
oh no theres that word again( warranty)  you need to be on theam about covering there scoots with a warranty on theam they are not very good I went threw the same thing my scoot broke down under warranty and it took 0ver 4 monthes to get my scoot back then when I got it back the clutch cover came off and I was pissed. it could of realy done some damage if I didnot stop the scoot in time. just stay on top of things bug theam a lot its your scoot and they should stand by there name. if you have the warranty papper work keep it and show it to theam. Your scoot should get fixed for free. next time just shop around and find a repair place you trust. with this all said would I buy kymco again yes but there warranty on theam suck. 

dudley

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Re: Obtaining Warranty Approval? (Kymco USA)
« Reply #2 on: June 03, 2011, 04:58:42 PM »
the shop should fix it right away. waiting for a reply from kymco is ridiculous.
the dealer should make you happy and then they should argue with kymco.
if they dont trust kymco to stand by their warranty then they shouldnt claim there is one when they sell the bikes. if kymco wont stand behind their product, the dealer should find another brand.
keep on them and dont worry about being a pest, they are the ones letting YOU down.
(this is assuming that you maintained it properly, my kymco needed valves checked at 200 miles per the manual)
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bought march 2011
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dr pulley variator w/stock weights
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jprestonian

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Re: Obtaining Warranty Approval? (Kymco USA)
« Reply #3 on: June 03, 2011, 05:43:30 PM »
Let's hope Steve Lazoff, Eric Bondy and Mike Hancock @ KymcoUSA are reading this thread. This is very troubling, indeed.
.

Syl

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Re: Obtaining Warranty Approval? (Kymco USA)
« Reply #4 on: June 03, 2011, 10:06:35 PM »
I agree with you dudley.....now am wondering how others did with warranty work. If this is the case with Kymco, I am concerned also naturally. On the other hand, maybe it is with the dealer not Kymco. Good Luck.

jprestonian

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Re: Obtaining Warranty Approval? (Kymco USA)
« Reply #5 on: June 04, 2011, 01:11:58 AM »
I should have more to say on this topic on 7/11/11.
.

my_kymco_broke

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Re: Obtaining Warranty Approval? (Kymco USA)
« Reply #6 on: June 04, 2011, 02:25:38 AM »
Thank you for the replies and the heads up about the dealership needing to honor the warranty. If the Kymco dealership the scooter is presently located at drags their feet on this I will have the scooter delivered to my dealer, whom I trust implicitly. His business is a scooter only shop, unlike the large powersports store where the scooter is right now. But because of where my scooter was located when it failed I simply had it delivered to the nearest Kymco dealer and figured that would be that. I called my dealer yesterday and he gave me some good advice and indeed did say the shop the scooter is currently located should have torn  the engine down to see what the matter is even without consent from Kymco. But I guess they simply gave it a compression check and perhaps took off the CVT cover and valve cover to take a peek. Which the service manager said told them nothing.

The good news is Chip at Kymco USA gave me a call today less then 24hrs after I left a message at their Customer Service line and said he called the powersports shop and talked to the Service Manager, approving the warranty work. Now that's what I call service, and want to send a big thank you out to Kymco USA and all the good people whom work there!


Now all I have to do is deal with a dealership which seemed a bit reluctant to do a little work on their own to find the problem, and hope they make good on their word to do the work when they heard back from Kymco. Which they have as of today.

So far as what could be the matter with my scooter, who knows? I like it and think it a solid, good running scooter. But it took a dive pretty quickly. It has been very well maintained, has just 2400 miles on the odo and has had three oil changes in that time. And of course it's first service at 600 miles. My own owners manual calls for a valve clearance check at 4000kms and not before, although they may have been checked at the first service, I suppose? So at under the 4000km mark nothing was really called for except oil changes which might impact the engine in this way if neglected. If it is indeed a major engine malfunction. And as said, this all happened without warning. The scooter had run flawlessly up until the second it broke down. Never stalled, sputtered, smoked, backfired, burned oil, or anything of that matter. Performance had been good and on par for the 125cc it is, also. So I am mystified myself?

Lastly I want to say I did not post this thread to bad mouth Kymco scooters, or service and support. In fact it has turned out I think it is excellent. I simply needed some guidance on this issue, as the word of the powersports dealership was all I had to go on. And as said, I will get it out of there and to my own dealer if I feel they are putting me at the back of the line, or worse. And like another poster has said, I too would buy another Kymco scooter in a quick second. I understand I am the exception to the rule here, and most people find their Kymco scooters to be reliable and strong running. I have, also. But I suppose sometimes things go wrong and some owners will be on that end of things, too. I am one of them, but still have nothing but good to say about my Kymco scooter and look forward to riding it again asap.

This is a nice forum here and I am grateful to have found it to connect with other Kymco riders. Thanks for your support, and a big thanks to Kymco USA for getting right on the matter for me. Another Kymco scooter is most likely in my future, as my confidence has been inspired by what I consider a high level of support simply by calling and asking for it. I will update this thread as the warranty and repair process continues.

« Last Edit: June 04, 2011, 02:31:01 AM by my_kymco_broke »

dudley

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Re: Obtaining Warranty Approval? (Kymco USA)
« Reply #7 on: June 04, 2011, 02:50:15 AM »
glad its working out. I'm sure we all expected it was a problem with the dealer and not Kymco.
hopefully that dealer will be more proactive in the future, and kymco will follow up to make sure they do.
problems like this that could be easily handled, but arent can cause significant problems for a company.
kymco seems like a well run company and seems to be taking all the right steps to grow their business in the US. keep us updated re: the fix.
2010 super 8 150  red/black
bought march 2011
4000 miles march 2012
dr pulley variator w/stock weights
top speed 61.5mph  gps verified

my_kymco_broke

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Re: Obtaining Warranty Approval? (Kymco USA)
« Reply #8 on: August 03, 2011, 11:46:15 AM »
Hello

I posted this topic around 9 weeks ago and said I would update the progress concerning my warranty and repairs.

In my last post I indicated  I called Kymco and their warranty claims department contacted the dealer to approve repairs on the engine. The dealer started work but it was slow going. It didn't matter much to me as I just wanted a job done right. The dealer tore down the engine and cracked it open. They found a stuck valve and excessive wear on the piston and ring(s). Upon further examination they said it looked as if the engine internals had been "nuclear grenaded." IOW, all tore up. Simply a mess. They said they couldn't say exactly why this happened as the engine was too destroyed to make heads or tales of it.

I was patient and a couple more months passed. They ordered parts sooner, but said they still needed to receive some from Kymco to start and complete work. So more time passed and finally a tentative time was given for the completion of work. And as of today I have my scooter back and its running strong! I am very happy with a job seemingly well done and with Kymco USA and the dealer, who was not the selling dealer. And although it took a few months I have read on the forums of some lesser jobs taking a month or two just waiting on a part. So I am plenty satisfied.

Essentially I have an entirely new engine, with all internals replaced. The only thing which is the same are the "cases." Which I take to mean the block, valve cover, etc.

Thanks for all the helpful posts.

I am a happy Kymco Agility 125 owner and rider once more. And I hope this engine takes me thousands of miles down the road without a hitch. I have a feeling it will.

Thanks again  ;D
« Last Edit: August 03, 2011, 11:52:37 AM by my_kymco_broke »

sidthesloth

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Re: Obtaining Warranty Approval? (Kymco USA)
« Reply #9 on: August 03, 2011, 12:03:32 PM »
That is a very unusal thing to happen, glad you have got it fixed and were patint with the waiting. I know that things can drag out for a long time and that can get frustrating.
Hopefully, now you can enjoy your scoot as you should.
ZX50, 47mm cyl. kit, TZR50 CDI. Michelin Pilot Sport tyres,
Next performance mod; pumping the tyres up.

azscootin

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Re: Obtaining Warranty Approval? (Kymco USA)
« Reply #10 on: August 04, 2011, 06:28:18 AM »
I bought a used S200 and was able to get a document from Kymco USA stating me as a new owner and which dealer was my preferred service dealer.  Their fax number is 864-327-4745.  Also called the number posted on here to get a rep to email the file so I could fax it back to them.

864-327-4744
Customer Support 888-235-3417

DoubleSC

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Re: Obtaining Warranty Approval? (Kymco USA)
« Reply #11 on: August 30, 2011, 07:00:45 PM »
I've e-mailed the general info address, and called Kymco at the numbers listed in this post, but am not getting responses for my warranty support requests.   Would anyone have any more specific e-mail addresses for warranty support that I could try?

Thanks,

DSC

roboscoot

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Re: Obtaining Warranty Approval? (Kymco USA)
« Reply #12 on: September 02, 2011, 03:06:06 AM »
sorry to hear of your difficulties...but i am in a similar jam...on a scooter that is out of warranty..and a dealer who can't seem to fix it....as i am also a kymco owner....you need to look at the differences between year one and year 2 of the warranty......with the amount of miles on the scooter your hope is that the engine was defective from the manufacturer....good luck

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