Interesting General Int'l Warranty

[Joe Fisher]

My General 25-650 has developed a bad bearing in the headstock. It's almost a year old.

I called and spoke with their service manager who said he "usually doesn't replace bearings after 6 months."

What?

"We don't warranty belts or bearings."

Come again? Well, what do you warranty for the full 24 months of the warranty period?

"The warranty covers manufacturing defects."

From General's website:

Quote:

---

This warranty does not apply to items that would normally be consumed or require replacement due to normal wear such as blades, lubricants, belts, electric motors and electric components.

---

Call me crazy, but I never thought of a bearing as a consumable. Do other manufacturers handle bad bearings the same way? He said he would warranty the bearing, but he made it sound like he was doing me a favor.

-Joe

[Guest]

From General's website:

Quote:

---

This warranty does not apply to items that would normally be consumed or require replacement due to normal wear such as blades, lubricants, belts, electric motors and electric components.

---

Wow, so they expect the possibilty that their motors will wear out within 2 years? Impressive!

Glad to hear that they are covering the bearing, have you removed it yet? I have to imagine it is pressed in.

Chris

[tangboy5000]

Wow, that's a first for me.

[n7bsn]

Motors and bearings are consumables?

Sounds like I need to stop reccomending the GI 25-650

[Charolaisbreeder]

Let's see they don't cover belts, bearings, motors, and elctrical components. In other words you have a warranty on the cast iron. Why worry about issuing a warranty - that is a joke!!!

[MIKE C.]

What about for the General Lathes...the ones made in Canada..is it the same?

[n7bsn]

LNS® said:

---

What about for the General Lathes...the ones made in Canada..is it the same?

---

Yup web page

[BriRodg]

That's pretty terrible.

Quote:

---

"their service manager who said he "usually doesn't replace bearings after 6 months."

---

This is the strange part. Either it's a warranty item, or it's not. Sounds like there is more than 1 warranty???


I remember several years ago, I bought a used car that had a "Bumper to Bumper " warranty. A week later I recieved the paperwork on the warranty in the mail. The first item on the list of things not covered (listed in alphabetic order) was.....yes, you guessed it.......Bumpers!

[czarcastic]

Joe:
Just FYI, Jet replaced my bearings for free after TWO years (actually 25 months) , no questions asked. One call. Had them within 3 business days.
My lathe had a one year warranty, butin the time between my purchase and my call to Jet, they had upped the warranty to two years on their new lathes and honored that for mine. That's why I'm sticking with WMH group (Jet or Powermatic) next time I buy.

[Joe Fisher]

Ok, so it's not just me, then I just wrote back to them to let them know what I think of their warranty (in a nice way, of course ).

We'll see how they handle the bearing replacement.

I was considering one of the big General bandsaws. I'm glad I didn't buy one.

-Joe