A few months back I bought a 2 HP chiller. The brand was Pacific Coast Imports. The unit was very fairly priced and it seemed like a great deal given the cost compared to other units on the market. My brand new unit sat in the box it came in pretty much in the same spot on the floor as where the delivery people had dropped it off. I recently set up the chiller as it had been getting warmer during the days. The chiller had really not gone off until about 3 weeks ago when it went off for a few hours in the afternoon when it got hot one day. It cooled off considerably that night, so I did not think too much of it running for a couple of hours continiously. I've never had a chiller before, so I thought this was pretty normal. 2 days ago, it got pretty hot again and the temp. reached 83F. The chiller came on and it stayed on all afternoon, evening, and night By the time I went to work in the morning, the temp had gone up to 85F!! The chiller was still running, so I turned it off. I inmediately contacted the manufacturer and informed them of the situation. Their solution was that since the chiller was still "under their one year warranty period" they would take care of the labor and parts to fix it. All I had to do was package it in a pallet and send it to them via freight shipping. They in the meantime would send me a loaner if I wanted it for me to use until mine came back. Here is the catch to this though:
-I pay freight shipping for my unit to them (close to $200)
-I pay freight shipping for the loaner back to them (close to $200 again)
-the loaner will take 8-10 (realisticly 2 weeks time) business days to get to me.
-my chiller may be gone for at least 4 weeks (2 to go and same to come back), but likely more if they are busy and can't get to it right away.
So, in other words, I have to spend nearly 25% of the cost ($400) for them to look at it and fix a brand new unit that has not worked right not even one freaking day. This is also after I already paid $200 once to get it here in the first place I spoke with their rep. and told them how unreasonable that is for this size unit. If this was a smaller unit that can simply be put in a box and sent fedex of UPS, that would be another proposition, but this is a very large unit and the cost of shipping alone is likely more than the repairs are going to be worth. At worst case scenario, if the compressor needs replacing it would cost $300 plus labor ($120). Shipping would be just about the same. So, for me to have to spend that kind of money to get it fixed "for free" is just as good as having no warranty and having to pay to fix it anywhere. I asked if they would cover the cost for me to get a local refrigeration professional to come out not only diagnose but fix what is wrong so long as it cost less than $400. It would be so much quicker too and I would not have to wait for weeks. They said not and that if I had someone other than them as much as touch anything within the unit that would void their so called "warranty".
I decided to ge a local techician anyway to come by and take care of it. He took at look at it and realized the unit had no refrigerant whatsoever. He leak tested it and found there was a hole in the line that had drained the refrigerant. this was at one spot where the copper pipe had been bent. He fixed it and charged the unit with refrigerant. $125 later, it now works. Does it cool? yes, but it has left a very sour taste in my mouth and wallet after the experience I just went through.
One thing is for sure and that is they will never get my business ever again. I will also do my best to discourage anyone I know from ever buying any of their products and will give them a very bad review in every other forum I know of based soley in my experience. Their so called warranty is worse than having no warranty at all. At least 2 service companies in the area that frequently set up systems with their chillers now know the story and refuse to buy their chillers ever again. Same goes for one of the most popular stores in town. I was also going to buy another of the same unit to install inline for a back up, but I will no longer get it either. Their lack of willingness to be realistic and cover the damages my chiller came with has already cost them in profit loss 3 times the cost of my chiller.
Buyer beware.
-I pay freight shipping for my unit to them (close to $200)
-I pay freight shipping for the loaner back to them (close to $200 again)
-the loaner will take 8-10 (realisticly 2 weeks time) business days to get to me.
-my chiller may be gone for at least 4 weeks (2 to go and same to come back), but likely more if they are busy and can't get to it right away.
So, in other words, I have to spend nearly 25% of the cost ($400) for them to look at it and fix a brand new unit that has not worked right not even one freaking day. This is also after I already paid $200 once to get it here in the first place I spoke with their rep. and told them how unreasonable that is for this size unit. If this was a smaller unit that can simply be put in a box and sent fedex of UPS, that would be another proposition, but this is a very large unit and the cost of shipping alone is likely more than the repairs are going to be worth. At worst case scenario, if the compressor needs replacing it would cost $300 plus labor ($120). Shipping would be just about the same. So, for me to have to spend that kind of money to get it fixed "for free" is just as good as having no warranty and having to pay to fix it anywhere. I asked if they would cover the cost for me to get a local refrigeration professional to come out not only diagnose but fix what is wrong so long as it cost less than $400. It would be so much quicker too and I would not have to wait for weeks. They said not and that if I had someone other than them as much as touch anything within the unit that would void their so called "warranty".
I decided to ge a local techician anyway to come by and take care of it. He took at look at it and realized the unit had no refrigerant whatsoever. He leak tested it and found there was a hole in the line that had drained the refrigerant. this was at one spot where the copper pipe had been bent. He fixed it and charged the unit with refrigerant. $125 later, it now works. Does it cool? yes, but it has left a very sour taste in my mouth and wallet after the experience I just went through.
One thing is for sure and that is they will never get my business ever again. I will also do my best to discourage anyone I know from ever buying any of their products and will give them a very bad review in every other forum I know of based soley in my experience. Their so called warranty is worse than having no warranty at all. At least 2 service companies in the area that frequently set up systems with their chillers now know the story and refuse to buy their chillers ever again. Same goes for one of the most popular stores in town. I was also going to buy another of the same unit to install inline for a back up, but I will no longer get it either. Their lack of willingness to be realistic and cover the damages my chiller came with has already cost them in profit loss 3 times the cost of my chiller.
Buyer beware.
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