Repairing modern power tools.

[cdbe]

So my top(ish) of the range DeWalt DCF887 impact driver packed up yesterday, the trigger got stuck in. I did the usual: bit of WD-40, opened up the casing to check for dust/grit etc. - nothing there and it doesn't seem to want to dismantle any further. Fortunately I bought it on 14th April last year so it's just about under warranty. I know you have to send them away to the warranty agent etc and I'm a bit stuck without it at the moment so I thought I'd see how much a replacement switch was to just quickly do it myself - £87 plus delivery!! It turns out that the motor, trigger, speed switch (basically everything back from where you put the bit in) is one complete sealed unit. I only paid £77 for the entire tool. The main reason I buy branded tools is because they are usually repairable as a DIY job if you only have to pay for the parts.
I'm starting to think I'd be better off with the 3 year warranty Aldi stuff (which I hate, I'm not trade but some of my tools get a lot of use and while Aldi may be good value I don't feel they offer the same performance, precision and battery quality as professional tools).

Shame really, although I suppose they'll send back what will essentially be a brand new tool - until it breaks again and has to go in the bin.

 

[sircerebus666]

Welcome to the modern throw away culture - which I hate btw

I have never understood how a complete unit can cost less than one part , maybe someone can explain it to me

 

[ETAF]

still only £76
https://www.ffx.co.uk/tools/product...-Xr-Brushless-3-Speed-Impact-Driver-Bare-Unit
New
But did you register for the 3 year warranty?
http://service.dewalt.co.uk/DEWALT/GB/en-GB/Article/GetArticle?code=WarrantyPolicy_2

 

[foxhole]

Brushes wore out on my old dewalt sds drill , £6 for replacement set , fitted myself in 5minutes .

 

[cdbe]

Brushes wore out on my old dewalt sds drill , £6 for replacement set , fitted myself in 5minutes .

Those were the days. I recently overhauled my 2 ancient Bosch corded hammer drills - one I use occasionally for drilling (great for roof tiles as it seems to have that extra bit of speed and oomph over the cordless) and one that has a right angled chuck grafted onto it. I took a chance, waited 3 weeks and got 10 fake brushes from China for £2.50 - look identical and work perfectly.

still only £76
https://www.ffx.co.uk/tools/product...-Xr-Brushless-3-Speed-Impact-Driver-Bare-Unit
New
But did you register for the 3 year warranty?
http://service.dewalt.co.uk/DEWALT/GB/en-GB/Article/GetArticle?code=WarrantyPolicy_2

I know. I did email DeWalt and asked if, given the current situation, they could just send me a replacement but they wouldn't - instead their warranty agents will pay for postage both ways, replace the assembly - maybe an hour, plus the admin costs of repackaging to return to me and will send a bill to DeWalt - probably about £75!
Not sure about the 3 year warranty, I think I only became aware of this with more recent purchases.

 

[ETAF]

I think I only became aware of this with more recent purchases.

its been running a couple of years , when i purchased my first dewalt - 21/05/2018
a flyer in the instructions and stuck on the box

 

[big-all]

So my top(ish) of the range DeWalt DCF887 impact driver packed up yesterday, the trigger got stuck in. I did the usual: bit of WD-40, opened up the casing to check for dust/grit etc. - nothing there and it doesn't seem to want to dismantle any further. Fortunately I bought it on 14th April last year so it's just about under warranty. I know you have to send them away to the warranty agent etc and I'm a bit stuck without it at the moment so I thought I'd see how much a replacement switch was to just quickly do it myself - £87 plus delivery!! It turns out that the motor, trigger, speed switch (basically everything back from where you put the bit in) is one complete sealed unit. I only paid £77 for the entire tool. The main reason I buy branded tools is because they are usually repairable as a DIY job if you only have to pay for the parts.
I'm starting to think I'd be better off with the 3 year warranty Aldi stuff (which I hate, I'm not trade but some of my tools get a lot of use and while Aldi may be good value I don't feel they offer the same performance, precision and battery quality as professional tools).

Shame really, although I suppose they'll send back what will essentially be a brand new tool - until it breaks again and has to go in the bin.

just for information
within the first year your contract is with the retailer you bought it from
if its faulty you do not need to keep boxes or deal with anyone else your only contract is with who you bought it from and they need to do all the footwork and running around with no input from you what so ever appart from returning at there cost and effort to there location

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Warranty work is a bit weird. A few years back I bought a brand new Bosch heavy duty recip saw. Within 6 months it was weeping oil from the gearbox and sounded terrible. Contacted the vendor who arranged for it to go back to Bosch for repair. I thought they'd just replace the entire gearbox unit, after all it sounded like a bag of spanners being dropped, but no. Two weeks later when it came back it had the same gearbox casing and rubber cover - however the repair sheet inside the box revealed what they had replaced: every single component inside the gearbox! When it started to go west again after another 9 months I couldn't be bothered with the hassle so I just replaced it with a Milwauke recip (which is still running almost faultlessly more than 3 years later). Maybe goes to show that even top marques don't always sell the best tools (but at least they'll stand by them when they do go phut)

 

[cdbe]

just for information
within the first year your contract is with the retailer you bought it from
if its faulty you do not need to keep boxes or deal with anyone else your only contract is with who you bought it from and they need to do all the footwork and running around with no input from you what so ever appart from returning at there cost and effort to there location

Yes, I understand that is the case. I did email the seller (Planet Tools) at the same time as e-mailing DeWalt - just heard back from them, there's a 3 week backlog with their repair agent and they seem to want me to pay £7 to return it to them (which doesn't seem quite right to me). In the meantime the DeWalt side have sent me a prepaid label and it's on its way to Aldermaston Tools in Reading.

 

[mattylad]

FWIW I have dismantled tools from Aldi/Lidl and in comparison to Makita/Bosch/Dewalt I find them to be of an equal if not better build.

My small Lidl electric screwdriver I use (still going 2+ years later) actually has ferrite beads around the battery wires, I have never seen anything like that in any of the more expensive brands.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

FWIW I have dismantled tools from Aldi/Lidl and in comparison to Makita/Bosch/Dewalt I find them to be of an equal if not better build.

If you look carefully at the casings you'll find that the big brands have better fitting shells with more complex mouldings, which are more rigid and often use higher quality materials such as 30% glass fibre filled PE as opposed to ABS. The switchgear, chucks, electronics and motors on the big brand tools are generally more durable and of better quality, too. Then there's parts availability and accuracy/durability on tools like angle grinders, plunge saws, etc. Look up AvE on YouTube and watch some of his videos on cheaper stuff vs. trade stuff - it'll open your eyes to what really is skookum

BTW I'm not saying that Parkside and Aldi stuff isn't good enough for lightweight (DIY) use (despite a fairly good trade kit I have a few LIDL tools), but seriously, it will never be competition for the big boys. But surely the prices also indicates that

 

[opps]

Warranty work is a bit weird.

It gets even more weird when buying professional tools. Consumer protection legislation doesn't actually apply to businesses. In theory a retailer could argue that it is a business to business sale and therefore not covered by the Sale of goods Act. That is where the manufacturer's warranty helps.

Additionally after 6 months the retailer could demand that you prove that the fault existed at the time of purchase. Apple use that clause to convince people to pay through the nose for AppleCare. Personally I buy phones/PCs that have a 24 month warranty.

 

[cdbe]

Well, it's back and repaired - sticking trigger = complete new motor, circuit board, speed selector switch and of course trigger (because they're all one assembly). I suppose the sums must add up for some bean counter somewhere.

 

[ETAF]

their cost for parts will be small compared to retail, maybe as little as a 1/3rd or less of the cost