Hey ME,

Well, I think maybe you should consider the time it took the local guy
to reply in the first place. I understand "the day after ordering
it" to be one day. But how long is "Several days"? If all these days
you mention add up to one week or more, then maybe they are not trying
to "diss" you by saying they can't look for "at least a week", but
merely being truthful about their work schedule.

I do think that had I been you, I would have gone directly to the
local dealer on day one, instead of using the Miller RTQ page. I
assume (and it appears so from your text) that Miller merely passes it
along to the nearest ZIP code local dealer to you, for that dealer to
reply with a price. I also know that any really good business will
give you better service in person face-to-face than via a phone call
or email. They could spend the next ten years giving over-the-net
on-line quotes to mere tire-kickers, and go broke providing the very
best service at doing that.

Try walking in the front door and see how it goes. Hey, who knows,
you night even get a loaner, or a break from Miller on a rental, until
yours is fixed.

Take care.

Brian Lawson,
Bothwell, Ontario.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
On Fri, 26 Aug 2005 21:11:35 -0500, me wrote:


Just wondering if this is a widespread issue or if I'm expecting too much...

I knew I shouldn't have done this, but I purchased a Miller welder online
after contacting the local Miller guys via Miller's website "Request a
Quote/Availability" page. Several days later, they hadn't responded and I
even received an automated email from Miller asking if I had received a
response yet. So, I purchased the unit online. The day after ordering it,
I finally received a response from the local guys.

Well, after less than 20 minutes of welding, the machine dies on me. There
is only one Miller authorized dealer/service shop in town, and one more 45
miles away (both branches of the same business). The one in town says it
will take at least a week to even look at it, and the one 45 miles out
says at least 2 weeks. The place I purchased it from says I could pay
shipping to return it, and after they determine the welder is faulty and
covered under warranty, they will send a replacement, with a turn-around
of about 2 weeks.

I know I should have bought it locally (although it would have been $300
more), and should have called rather than use the online
quote/availability request (smaller town which is still sorta stuck in the
dark ages), but what kind of warranty service is that?

I know the commercial customers who spend tens of thousands of dollars at
the local store will get preference, but dang, I expected a little better
service than "we'll get to it in a week or so."

I've never had to have a welder serviced under warranty before. Is it
common to take so long? I can understand how they would place me as a low
priority customer since I didn't purchase the welder from them, even
though I buy consumables from them, but it doesn't make me feel any better
knowing I will be without the welder for at least a week, and it just
doesn't seem right to me since it is warranty work.