BGE Dealers honoring the warrenty

BajaTom · July 2008

I will make this quick. Let me know if you think I'm out of line. My grate which holds the lump in the fire box has cracked and broken in half. I called 4 dealers within 25 miles to get a free replacement. Every one told me I had to provide a receipt for my egg along with pictures. 3 out of 4 told me to go back to the dealer where I bought my egg. I think this is absurd. and out of line. I called all 4 back and told them that I would not buy my next egg from them. Opinions please. I ordered from the mothership and they couldn't have been nicer. Of course I now have to pay shipping cost for a $12.00 part. Thanks for letting me rant. Tom

Spring Chicken · July 2008

Many Eggheads have posted here that their dealers couldn't have been nicer when warranty issues came up. But like all businesses, some are better at customer service than others.

Certainly, not buying anything in the future from them is lost business, but in doing so you may put yourself at a greater disadvantage in the process.

I think I would have discretely written to Big Green Egg in Atlanta and relayed your experiences to them. If they are unaware of poor customer service there's not much they can do about it.

Spring "No Problems Here" Chicken
Spring Texas USA

EgginDawg · July 2008

went to for the warranty repair was where I bought the egg, then I would have raised Hell with them. Regardless it's not a real expensive part so I would have thought one of the 4 would have wanted to earn your business.
I am fortunate that I am in the ATL area so the mothership is accessible for me.

Longknocker · July 2008

Does not surprise me in the least. Get used to it.

The Naked Whiz · July 2008

FWIW, the dealers (as far as I know based upon what I know about my dealer) have to get warrantee parts from distributors. My dealer's distributor is a bit hard nosed and demands photos of broken parts, so the dealer has no choice but to request the photo. As for proof of purchase, how do these dealers know you are the original purchaser? Obviously, my dealer knows I bought the Eggs from him, so he would never have to ask.

On the other hand, it's just a grate...

Longknocker · July 2008

The Dealers should have parts in stock.

fishlessman · July 2008

i had a lower section swapped out a few years ago, having bge's telephone number and a contact there to talk to in hand seemed to smooth things out, they never called but i could see their reluctance.

Michael B · July 2008

Parts in stock or not, the warrantee applies to the original buyer when purchased from an authorized dealer.
With 57 posts, you may not have been around long enough to see some of the posts stating that someone was going to purchase from an online source and, if they had a problem, go to a dealer and try to make a fraudulent warrantee claim. Or, maybe you were one of those posters?
Any dealer would be foolish to accept a warrantee claim from someone they didn’t know, with no proof of purchase provided.

NibbleMeThis · July 2008

I don't think I would have that kind of problem with my local dealer because I bought my egg through them and I'm in there every other week buying chips and lump. That being said, if they did advise they needed pictures and my receipt, I would think that is reasonable.

Ultimately, I feel (my opinion only) the warranty is the responsibility of BGE rather than the independent dealers and I registered my egg with them when I bought it, so I'd be pretty irritated if BGE balked at covering a warranty issue over a lost receipt.

PhilsGrill · July 2008

You should have just supplied the receipt and you would have your part. Is there a problem with that? My grate cracked, called the mothership (where I bought it) and they shipped me a new one.

BajaTom · July 2008

My green egg is 12 years old or older. I don't have the receipt any longer. I bought my egg in St louis many years ago when I lived there. I live about an hour and a half from the dealer I bought it through. I guess I've been a too trusting business operator. I believe that most people are trustworthy. I would have honored the request and hoped word of mouth advertising and the possibility of a sale would cover the $12 part. Just another 2 cents worth. Thanks, Tom

Biscuit · July 2008

Read the warrenty. it covers ceramic parts. was your grate ceramic?

smokinsop · July 2008

Should have went to local Home Depot and bought a cast drain cover for 8.99. Thats what I did last yr

BajaTom · July 2008

I called the mothership to ask if the part was under warrenty. They said it was under warrenty and to go to a dealer to get a replacement part. I could always drive 75 miles to get a replacement part from my original dealer where I bought my egg. I found 4 dealers within 25 miles to try to save money. My original point was that I think any dealer should honor the warrenty. It is a $12 part and now it costs me $10.50 additional for shipping. just another 2 cents worth.

BajaTom · July 2008

I should have thought of that option. I will the next time. Thanks, Tom

FlaPoolman · July 2008

Just dropped off my firebox and grate today and my dealer gave me new ones off the shelf. Guess all dealers are different but he does know me.

SMITTYtheSMOKER · July 2008

As a dealer, I do good deal of warranty business with Big Green Egg customers. I also get lots of calls for price matching and the such. I have found that some customers put a value on good customer service and some don't. Some of the dealers in my area have to slash prices to compete (not sure why?), these are the same dealers who are very difficult to deal with on warranty issues. I have tried to take care of other dealer's customers on warranty isssues thusfar, seems like a good business practice. But sometimes it seems the customers want both their (other dealer's) low prices and my good service...but my business is good and I'm not complaining.

I feel a good dealer will establish a value for themselves in the long run.

Support your local Egg Dealer!

JPF · July 2008

When I bought my eggs about four years ago I got a warranty card to fill out and send to Atlanta. I don't know how long that's been going on. I would think that should be enough for warranty parts? My dealer has since gone out of buisness and I too have no idea where my receipt might of gotten to. I hope this will not be a problem for me someday too as I have two fire boxes that have been cracked for a while now. Sorry to hear about your troubles. John

FlameNSky · July 2008

Michael B wrote:

...you may not have been around long enough to see some of the posts stating that someone was going to purchase from an online source ...

If BGE is so concerned about unauthorized online sellers, Why do they sell their products to these businesses? Probably because BGE is progressing toward the more common corporate culture in todays business place... its all about the money. Sell the product, make big warranty claims, and then create so many loopholes you don't have to honor any warranties.

-=mirko=- · July 2008

I went by my dealer to pick up a CI grid and told them that my fire grate was STARTING to crack and he handed me a new one and said to bring the old one in when I get a chance. Sorry to hear that you are having such a problem.

Longknocker · July 2008

Very interesting response Michael. I fail to see the reason you accuse me of buying my Eggs online and then trying to file a warranty claim?
The reason I responded the way I did was because around here the Dealers hardly have any stock and if you do have a warranty claim your out of luck because they won't order anything from there distributer unless they have a big enough order to get free shipping. You could wait forever.
The only way to get warranty repair is to call the mothership and then you have to pay for shipping.
I'm going to let your asinine remark slide because you sound like a punk kid or a Egg Dealer.

UnConundrum · July 2008

Man, you must live a really sad life thinking everyone is out to get you. Of course they want a profit, just like you want a paycheck. But they've always been a great company to deal with. Beyond me how you can jump to a conclusion that BGE wasn't honoring a warranty....

UnConundrum · July 2008

Smitty, What is the Mother Ship's policy on shipping from distributors to dealers? I'm wondering if the problem here is dealers with lower volume who may have been responsible for the shipping?

SMITTYtheSMOKER · July 2008

Not sure the mothership has such a policy, we get weekly shipments of BGE product from the distributor. If we are out of stock on any item...it will be on Tuesday's truck. We pay $50-75 for weekly shipments.

As an Egg owner, I didn't have a good dealer locally myself. I stopped complaining and did something about it.

WileECoyote · July 2008

There has been much debate on this forum about the value of the BGE lifetime warranty. Many of the most active forum members strongly urge you to buy from a local dealer to get the warranty, even if the egg costs a good bit more than the low-price online retailers (which BGE does not officially support). Others say that the warranty is not worth paying a huge premium for and they go with the lowest online price which typically enables them to avoid tax and get free shipping as well.

Personally I think it all depends on what the total price difference is, how likely you are to need or use the warranty, and whether or not you can realistically expect to meet the terms of the warranty and use it long into the future.

If you lose the receipt, sell the egg to a family member or friend, or give the egg as a gift then the warranty is void. If you move to a new area away from your original dealer or your original dealer closes then your warranty is still valid but it can be more difficult to collect on the warranty claims. If you move to an area without a local dealer or if your local dealers will not help you then you will be stuck paying shipping to BGE for the parts and this isn't cheap.

As an example, one friend recently purchased his egg from a local home show. He paid about $200 more than other options but he was ok with it since he could have the egg delivered immediately. The delivery was delayed twice, it arrived with a broken draft door, and they promised to come back out and replace the draft door a few days later. More than a month has gone by and they still haven't replaced his draft door. So the warranty service all depends on the dealer but neither you or BGE can directly control the dealer.

So consider all the factors before you decide how and where to buy your egg. If you buy locally then choose your dealer carefully and save the receipt. Once you buy the egg then live with your decision without griping.

crghc98 · July 2008

Interesting. My dealer just went out of business. I was planning on trying to establish a relationship with another one close by. I've often had to replace parts from other companies, and always paid for shipping....

I never had an issue with it, and figure if I only have to pay 50 bucks every 10 years or so to keep something running well, that's not a big deal.

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BGE Dealers honoring the warrenty

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