PMD question for you guys related to warranty

[Burning oil]

Alrighty, I have an opportunity to give a "lifetime" warranty on a PMD (not a Chinese Dorman).
Lately for past several months I have been charging $150 for a PMD with a one year warranty and I don't know how long that price will hold.

I can offer a lifetime warranty but of course the price go's up.
A lifetime warranty for a "Made in USA PMD" will cost $275.
The only catch is you must have it installed by any car industry "professional" This could be local mom & pops joint to a full on injection shop. But, you must provide a receipt showing the installation on an official receipt (an Office Depot receipt won't work ) if you have a warranty claim.
So its only $125 more and you get a lifetime warranty.

Before I invest $5000 in new PMDs I wanted to see if ya'll are willing to spend the extra?

 

[79jasper]

Well, only $125 more plus whatever the shops labor is.
Then if you have to have them install the relocation kit, etc, etc.
For some people it may be a option. I wouldn't.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[ChillerMechanic]

My two cents......

After relocating my pmd behind the front bumper on a heatsink, I havent had any failures, knock on wood. If someone was set on keeping it mounted on the injection pump, i think it would be a good deal.

As for the "catch", I havent been able to find a diesel shop near me that I would trust to work on a 6.5L. Therefore, i do all my own work.

 

[Burning oil]

I know a lot of auto repair facilities if you tell them what your doing they would probably charge $10 bucks IF! you do this.
Have the PMD already ready to go, mounted on heat sink, cable ran, license plate removed....ect all they have to do is install one bolt though the bumper and snug it up. Literally one minute or less.
Just be sure to get the all important receipt and hang onto it. If you loose the receipt the PMD still has a 2 year warranty.

 

[Will L.]

I would if I still ran anything ds4. Behind the bumper or in the cab makes them last longer, but they still go. Once in a while you'll see an amazing one. Know how easy it is to do a fake receipt of the computer -shoot.
I'm 10x more qualified than half the mechanics around on older diesels.


About two weeks ago a friend and ex Mac Tools customer I hadn't seen in some years stopped by. He bought a 95 2500. Having fuel pump issues. In teaching him about the water drain trick I noticed his, on th ip. Looked like it's been there forever. He has a lucky one. Think I didn't tell him to get a spare in the truck anyways? Yeah right.

It's like buying 2, 1 for now and the spare for eternity. Mount the new one now, and keep the old one your running now as your spare for when you send this one in for warranty. It will happen.

96 Hummers and newer have the same pmd issues, they just relocate to a different area. No big chrome bumper on a hummer.

 

[ak diesel driver]

nah I have 2-3 new ones already

 

[Burning oil]

I would if I still ran anything ds4. Behind the bumper or in the cab makes them last longer, but they still go. Once in a while you'll see an amazing one. Know how easy it is to do a fake receipt of the computer -shoot.
I'm 10x more qualified than half the mechanics around on older diesels.


About two weeks ago a friend and ex Mac Tools customer I hadn't seen in some years stopped by. He bought a 95 2500. Having fuel pump issues. In teaching him about the water drain trick I noticed his, on th ip. Looked like it's been there forever. He has a lucky one. Think I didn't tell him to get a spare in the truck anyways? Yeah right.

It's like buying 2, 1 for now and the spare for eternity. Mount the new one now, and keep the old one your running now as your spare for when you send this one in for warranty. It will happen.

96 Hummers and newer have the same pmd issues, they just relocate to a different area. No big chrome bumper on a hummer.

I told them most 6.5ers are going to be more qualified to work on a 6.5 than a lot of "mechanics". They said Nope. I understand their position to though. And, its so vague its easy to loop hole the warranty IYKWIM.

 

[WarWagon]

Bad deal - tell them to go "Pound Sand" with that shop install requirement. I suggest just skipping the lifetime warranty shop installed requirement and find out what the normal DIY warranty would be. It's not worth the warranty trouble when the thing goes intermittent. Chuck it and get a new one because it's cheaper than paying a shop to not find the intermittent PMD warranty issue.

Lifetime warranty isn't a selling point for me. Better quality is. If it's a different design I would try it with the same warranty as the other proven problem units.

A shop install requirement pisses me off so forgive any bias as I walk a fence here.

Good shops are far and few between let alone shops that will let you bring your own parts. Now add a non-OEM location... Some shops wonder why they want ANY liability for touching your 20+ year old 1/4 million mile Clunker?

Some shops that you bring your own parts too have "No Warranty Whatsoever" on the receipt.

You have a problem (upgraded over issue aka genuine PROBLEM) and the shop installs whatever brand PMD they normally use handing you your PMD back in a diplomatic bag. You can't argue with a 'fixed problem' results no matter your heartburn over not using your parts.

I do sub things out like ball joints. But I have no desire to sub out stupid simple PMD work. (Hmmm and that's not just because I don't own any PMD crippled stuff at the moment.)

Your Made in the USA harness and relocation kit even with the Grey Stanadyne did ok for me. The above prices are cheaper than I recall paying for the kit from you long ago.

 

[Burning oil]

If not installed by a licensed automotive business the warranty is two years.
This is not me making the rules its my supplier. Frankly its a small price to pay IMO considering a lifetime warranty.
The install shop can put "no warranty" on the invoice all day long as they are not the one going to warranty the part.

I bet a Jiffy lube tech would do the install, possibly for free. Show up for an oil change and tell him what your doing, hand him one bolt and say "install this there" and point at the bumper. Lets not make this seem harder than it needs to be.

Lets not forget that competitors of mine offer a 7 year warranty, but charge like $550 IIRC and people eat that up. It was the be all end all. Now I offer a lifetime warranty for half the cost and its like pulling teeth. Not just here, I have another FB post going so my frustration comes from there also.

The lifetime PMD is the same one Ive been selling but relabeled under different name.

 

[Big T]

I'd pass. Not worth the time to take it to a "pro" installer. I already have mine mounted in the bumper. Going on 6 years and 60K miles under my ownership and no problem. You're right, most of the 6.5 guys here are better than the "pros".

 

[Burning oil]

That means your due

Im not getting the logic. $150 for a one year warranty today ( You paid more than that 6 years ago)
Or $275 for a lifetime warranty. (you probably paid more than that 6 years ago too)

I can understand if its just not in the budget. But if it is then to say having it professionally installed is the deal breaker! I don't get.?
Do you do your own A/C work (not you WW ) or rebuild your own axles....ect If you have that done make sure to tell them you don't want the best possible warranty but that you'd like only 2 months warranty.

 

[Big T]

I did not buy the current remote mounted PMD in my '99. The PO did.

Who's providing the warranty? What's their balance sheet look like? Are they going to be around for a lifetime?

I am generally not a fan of lifetime warranties. They typically offer them because they know they will have few claims, or in this case they know they have an aging population of host trucks and something else will go before they're exposed to a claim. For the extra cost of the warranty, plus install, plus return shipping, I know I can get two PMDs. Based on my current experience, two would cover me for a lifetime.

 

[Burning oil]

I can see the point about being able to buy 2 PMDs.

I think I'll offer them on the site though and see how they do.

The PMDs are basically relabeled Flight Systems PMDs under the DTech name so yeah a huge company that will be around for a long time.
A lot of people have these installed professionally anyway for whatever reason, also return shipping...ect you will pay on any PMD warranty weather one month, year or lifetime. The good thing as weird as this sounds is you will always have the opportunity to pay for return shipping where as if your warranty expires your just done & Get to buy a new one with new shipping.

 

[JMJNet]

For anybody out there, I think this is a good deal.

For member of this forum, they probably would not let any pro mechanics touch their truck anyway.

I would go to any shop that can give a receipt for attaching the PMD onto the bumper will probably be ok for a LT warranty.
Or they just need to tightened the nuts to mount the heatsink to the bumper or even just put the plug into the PMD.

 

[WarWagon]

If not installed by a licensed automotive business the warranty is two years.
This is not me making the rules its my supplier. Frankly its a small price to pay IMO considering a lifetime warranty.
The install shop can put "no warranty" on the invoice all day long as they are not the one going to warranty the part.

I bet a Jiffy lube tech would do the install, possibly for free. Show up for an oil change and tell him what your doing, hand him one bolt and say "install this there" and point at the bumper. Lets not make this seem harder than it needs to be.

Lets not forget that competitors of mine offer a 7 year warranty, but charge like $550 IIRC and people eat that up. It was the be all end all. Now I offer a lifetime warranty for half the cost and its like pulling teeth. Not just here, I have another FB post going so my frustration comes from there also.

The lifetime PMD is the same one Ive been selling but relabeled under different name.

@JMJNet has a good point in general, but, IMO the 6.5 market is more mechanically inclined people esp. for 'simple stuff' like relocate a PMD.

Just our honest reaction to it no harm no foul. You are coming up with new ideas or better products warranties and that is respectable. This one's a lead balloon and you are scratching your head as to why. We could be wrong do to lack of information.

It's the shop install that adds cost, aggravation, PIA, and time to get it there and back. Seriously a Lifetime warranty for $550 without a shop install would get better warm fuzzes. I was thinking cost of the entire kit (PMD, Heatsink, and trouble free rep of the Made in USA cable) and I guess you are quoting the PMD alone.

If the shop install warranty requirement is that lax... well "Shop" means the Real McCoy to us that would be qualified to do repairs. Otherwise Fire up Quickbooks and print a invoice or use MS-Word at the Public Library.

 

[Burning oil]

Like I said easy to "loop hole"
If you feel better I will charge $550 for a seven year warranty out of my own pocket and allow you to install yourself.

 

[NVW]

Put it on your website Leroy. The same PMD with two choices in warranties. Some are likely to be uncertain about changing them out. I have enough spares for awhile. I would have to see what a shop would charge and if they would more or less sign off on the install to validate the warranty.

 

[SnowDrift]

I think Leroy's concern, though, is the quantity he would be able to move. It's not just a matter of putting both on his site for availability, but rather a determination he has to make as to whether he should drop the coin to make a reasonable purchase and still be able to turn a profit on the parts, themselves.

I don't recall what I paid for Heath's setup, but that was 10-12 years back and I've not had an issue with it mounted on the skid plate. I'm way beyond the warranty he had, which was 7 years, at the time, if I recall correctly.

My analytical mind says that if it's the same part (and I know it's the exact same part) and one has a shorter warranty than the other, I'm buying the less expensive one. The seller puts faith in it lasting a long time, so he puts a long warranty on it. I'm going to put as much faith in it.

Are you doing a lifetime warranty that is transferrable to the next owner, or limited to the current owner? Just something to consider.

 

[Burning oil]

It does not say anything in paper work about transferable or not.

 

[Big T]

I think Leroy's concern, though, is the quantity he would be able to move. It's not just a matter of putting both on his site for availability, but rather a determination he has to make as to whether he should drop the coin to make a reasonable purchase and still be able to turn a profit on the parts, themselves.

I don't recall what I paid for Heath's setup, but that was 10-12 years back and I've not had an issue with it mounted on the skid plate. I'm way beyond the warranty he had, which was 7 years, at the time, if I recall correctly.

My analytical mind says that if it's the same part (and I know it's the exact same part) and one has a shorter warranty than the other, I'm buying the less expensive one. The seller puts faith in it lasting a long time, so he puts a long warranty on it. I'm going to put as much faith in it.

Are you doing a lifetime warranty that is transferrable to the next owner, or limited to the current owner? Just something to consider.

If the manufacturer is asking Leroy to front the insurance premium on a wholesale lot of PMDs, that's a great deal for the manufacturer and a raw deal for Leroy. Manufacturer takes in the premium and faces minimal warranty risk due to aging population of vehicles and the fact that when and if they ever have to fulfill the warranty, they can do so with future inventory that costs a fraction of the retail cost. On a present value basis, that's a great deal for the manufacturer.

IMO Leroy should counter with a piecemeal warranty program where he remits the warranty fee to the manufacturer as it's collected on sales.

I have the DTech PMD and it was installed by the PO of the vehicle. Never have had a problem. I think Flight Safety is trying to take advantage of historic concerns or worry. One would think that given the design, a warranty program would require installation on the IP. GM has never issued any recommendations to remote mount the PMD. Essentially you'd be violating OEM standards to comply with a warranty on a product that was and is designed to be mounted on the IP.

Bottom line for Leroy is he needs to ask the questions:

1) How many customers come to me for PMDs because I offer the best price?
2) How many customers go to the other vendor because of the 7 year warranty?