# Vermeer BC2000 Service Help



## Yellowdog (Feb 18, 2006)

I have a question that I would like to see some input for. Thanks in advance!

I have a 2002 BC2000 chipper. Took it in for routine service at approximately 500 hrs.

Here is what I requested and the dealer performed:

*Check and adjust clutch
*Check and adjust and test electric brakes
*Repack bearings and replace seals on (2) 6k axles
*change oil and filter
*change primary and secondary fuel filter with inline filter (all easy to reach)
*change hydraulic filter (takes me approximately 20 min.)
*replace oil send unit and oil guage (seems simple enough)
*no engine service at this time
*drain and replace radiator fluid (and drain petcock)
*replace inner and outer air cleaners (took me 10 minutes)

I had no other service performed. 

Dealer says it took their technician 19.3 hours to complete this service. Dealer says that it billed me 7 hours of regular time and balance as overtime. 
Has anyone ever heard of that? This wasn't a rush job!!

Has anyone had similar experiences with Vermeer? I was also charged $75 for miscellaneous supplies that they told me was grease and sealants? I was charged for axle seals separately and itemized for all fluids. Has anyone ever heard of a few cans of axle grease costing $75? What sealants could have gone into this machine? That baffled me too and I haven't received a good answer.

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. Based on the above list; how long do you think this routine service should take? My trailer company tells me packing bearings should take an hour. That's inline with my 2 hour time when I did it myself.

Thanks!!!

YellowDog


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Feb 18, 2006)

I suspect they see a big chipper like that come in and think a big operation. They hope the bill will just get glanced at and paid. Do not put up with this.
Even though this makes Vermeer look bad, really these shops are owned and operated independently.
Did you inquire as to what took so long?
The work you itemized shouldn't have taken more than 6 hours, unless they replaced the clutch or did some other major work. Maybe for the clutch inspection they pulled the motor and tore it completely apart. 
We once took a little self propelled stumper in for a minor repair and asked them to change the oil while it was in there anyway. They did the same thing, $75 for oil. This on a two cylinder air cooled motor.
You need to complain your way up the ladder until the problem is fixed.
We never did it, but going to Vermeer's corporate head honchos might help the situation.


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## B-Edwards (Feb 18, 2006)

Ask yourself what would happen if you ask your customer to pay $500.00 for the $50.00 in fuel it took to do the job for him, not counting what you already charged him for the job. Dont lets these guys make you pay for something you didnt get I just had this happen to me at a UD shop in charlotte , i complained and got 2k off the price,, that said ,, do u guys drop 2k off a job when you've earned what you priced it at? Too many crooks in the world!!!!!!!!


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## JimL (Feb 18, 2006)

I just services a 1800 here at home for a guy,
repack both wheel bearings, 
check brakes,
new knives,
adjusted feed wheel preasures, 
hyd oil filter change,
motor oil and filter change,
fuel filters changed, 
air cleaners changed, 
coolant changed, 1 new hose,
new belt, 
new fan belt for the motor,
replaced 4 lights and the rubbers they sit in,
checked battery and topped off the water in it, 
new winch rope and some winch parts,
and I greased everything, blew everything out with compressed air and test ran it.
I was done in a little over 6 hours, didn't take all day by any means, and i didn't hurry. I don't work on these every day, this is only the 2nd time i have worked on a 1800. 

Id say they are trying to shaft you.


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## Yellowdog (Feb 18, 2006)

Mike, as far as I know, they did not do anything other than "adjust" the clutch which requires removing inspection plate and adjusting the pins. Side cover would have been off anyway for the hydraulic filter. 

I never have these issues with my Bobcat dealer. This is a first with my Vermeer place. They are offering (to some extent) to resolve but I need as much information as possible. Thank you for your information.



Mike Maas said:


> I suspect they see a big chipper like that come in and think a big operation. They hope the bill will just get glanced at and paid. Do not put up with this.
> Even though this makes Vermeer look bad, really these shops are owned and operated independently.
> Did you inquire as to what took so long?
> The work you itemized shouldn't have taken more than 6 hours, unless they replaced the clutch or did some other major work. Maybe for the clutch inspection they pulled the motor and tore it completely apart.
> ...


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## Yellowdog (Feb 18, 2006)

B-Edwards said:


> Ask yourself what would happen if you ask your customer to pay $500.00 for the $50.00 in fuel it took to do the job for him, not counting what you already charged him for the job. Dont lets these guys make you pay for something you didnt get I just had this happen to me at a UD shop in charlotte , i complained and got 2k off the price,, that said ,, do u guys drop 2k off a job when you've earned what you priced it at? Too many crooks in the world!!!!!!!!



You are right.


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## Yellowdog (Feb 18, 2006)

JimL said:


> I just services a 1800 here at home for a guy,
> repack both wheel bearings,
> check brakes,
> new knives,
> ...



Are you a trained Vermeer or heavy chipper mechanic? Your estimate was in line with what I thought plus an hour or so for the clutch adjustment. 

19.3 hours...really. They did reduce it to 12.7 but have charged me overtime on 4.6 hours. That is baffling to me and I did not request a rush job nor was I even in town to pick up the machine! Why am I responsible for overtime??? Good question, huh?


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## JimL (Feb 19, 2006)

no vermeer tech, just worked at an equipment dealer for a while and a saw shop. 

The machines are fairly simple to work on. Some of the safety crap can become a headache but it can be worked thru.. 




charging overtime is something I have never heard of?? At least at an equipment service shop


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## Yellowdog (Feb 19, 2006)

yeah. would be like me charging my customers overtime. That just doesn't make sense???? It would be one thing for a rush job that I made arrangements for and someone had to work off the clock or on a sunday but gee whiz.. overtime?


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## Yellowdog (Feb 19, 2006)

JimL said:


> no vermeer tech, just worked at an equipment dealer for a while and a saw shop.
> 
> The machines are fairly simple to work on. Some of the safety crap can become a headache but it can be worked thru..



I have not adjusted a clutch myself. Do you know how much is involved in adjusting a clutch on a bc2000? The book makes it look fairly simple.


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## ASD (Feb 19, 2006)

yellow dog

we ran nothing but vermeer for over ten years and are in the proses of changing over to bandit because of the things you are having problems with !! vermeer makes a good chipper but we found that their shop's are poorly run and their customer support was become nonexistent and their sales teem has a "sell it and forget it" attitude !! 

i would suggest that you let vermeer know that they are not the only game in town and if this is how the are going to treat you you will take your $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ some wear you will be treated Farley

use your own line
"If you aren't taking care of your customers, Your competition will."


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## JimL (Feb 19, 2006)

not sure on the clutch adjustment,

I would just go by what the book says...


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## Yellowdog (Feb 19, 2006)

ASD said:


> yellow dog
> 
> we ran nothing but vermeer for over ten years and are in the proses of changing over to bandit because of the things you are having problems "



We are in a large market, per se, in San Antonio, TX. Vermeer never seems to have anyone at the parts counter or enough guys in the shop. this time my machine was serviced in record time (you wouldn' t know it by the hours charged, though. In the past, I have had to make appt.'s for simple repairs or wait a week. I am not through and I don't want to leave Vermeer. I looked at Bandit before the BC2000. Both had loaders, both had 200 hp, etc. but Vermeer seemed more refined for what I do. 

I get treated like a family member at Bobcat of San Antonio. Absolute best feeling when you leave that place. Had 7 machines in 9 years with them. Still feel good 95% of the time and I know they are only humans so the other 5% of the time we work things out. I am waiting to see what this week brings from Vermeer. Either they have a good explanation and I shut up and say thank you, or I make noise and go up the ladder. Business is business. I get work because I advertise well and have good referrals. I keep customers because I treat them like family. That is something I want to see from my vendor's..


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## SilentElk (Feb 24, 2006)

You are getting the shaft from many directions on this one. For starters, the only time you should have the pay an overtime fee is when you have an emergency problem requiring ASAP attention where they are already completely booked and they work nights or have to do it on weekends because you cant wait.

As for therest, yeah, go with your gut. Feeling. I would tell them what you think and ask them for the phone number from nearest Bandit dealer so you can see if they will take a trade in. Cause a stir. Not because you are trying to be a pain in rear customer but because they are trying to rob from you.


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## Stumper (Feb 25, 2006)

I agree with the other comments-overtime on your bill is a complete ripoff if you didn't have an emergency order in place. As for the time for the work... I am no mechanic but that sounds like a days work for me the -nonmechanic. Not to blame you Yellowdog but always ask for an estimate BEFORE work starts. Even if every charge on that bill were legitimate you are going to feel cheated because it is so much greater than your expectation. In this case I have no doubt that the bill is way beyond what is right. Keep your chipper if you like it but write the dealership off.-If they don't make things very right I would suggest you tell then that you are going to publish their name and details on all the arborist and lawn and garden websites so that other people aren't victimized by them.Fight hard, fight fair. If it is worth fighting about it is worth winning. All is fair. Kick 'em in the genitals and punch 'em in the throat.


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## Panama (Mar 3, 2013)

I have an '03 BC 2000 and the clutch adjustment is stone cold simple. If you did not tell them to rush, or that you needed it back asap or "by tomorrow", I would flat refuse to pay any overtime. IF they actually worked on it after hours, THEY made the decision to work overtime, not you.


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## VA-Sawyer (Mar 4, 2013)

I agree that he was getting ripped off, but I think 7 years later is a bit late to complain about it.

Rick


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## Panama (Mar 5, 2013)

Ha Ha :msp_biggrin: Yeah, was searching for BC2000 threads and didn't notice the date on this one.


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