Service Centers are dissapearing

[Arkadi]

I have Ridgid 14v cordless drill that is no longer does variable speed, one dead battery and one battery that barely holds charge. With my lifetime registration I was quite sure I will have no trouble getting that serviced. Was I wrong...
I leave in Toronto, Canada. It appears that in past couple of years many service centers have run away from Ridgid. Now only centers that are around are way outside of the city. If you need to get your tool serviced you need to do hours of driving to get to closest center. I would not recommend anyone living in Toronto to buy Ridgid tools. Ridgid tools - No service. I already had my tool accepted and returned to me without any repair after a month of waiting from one of service centers that just decided not to do any more business with Ridgid.
After talking to Ridgid customer service I was given 2 options - drive to another neighboring city or mail the tool (I get privilege to pay for mailing). This stuff is heavy so it is not going to be cheap.

Ridgid tools - never again.

[BadgerDave]

Re: Service Centers are dissapearing

And what would your options be if you had tools made by another mfg. that didn't have service centers near you? I hear you about Ridgid's lack of service centers in some areas, I have the same problem where I live, but when service is not available sending the tools away is the only option. Tools happen to be one of the few items left where local service is even available. Try and get any small household appliance serviced under warranty locally, most mfg's. tell you to mail it back to them.

[Alphacowboy]

Re: Service Centers are dissapearing

A couple of my local home depots will send the Ridgid tools out for service, just bring them in with your registration info. Had one of my cement board saws fixed this way, only took a week and a few days.

[Arkadi]

Re: Service Centers are dissapearing

And what would your options be if you had tools made by another mfg. that didn't have service centers near you? I hear you about Ridgid's lack of service centers in some areas, I have the same problem where I live, but when service is not available sending the tools away is the only option. Tools happen to be one of the few items left where local service is even available. Try and get any small household appliance serviced under warranty locally, most mfg's. tell you to mail it back to them.

Toronto is a large city. I can find service centers for brands like Bosh, Milwaukee, Dewalt and Makita all over the place no troubles.
I was talking to two service centers that decided not to do any more business with Ridgid. Both were telling me that Ridgid is a worst manufacturer to deal with from their perspective. So that is that...

I will try to go to Homedepot as another person suggested here. See what they have to say.

[tomeckert]

Re: Service Centers are dissapearing

You can even contact some good appliance repair guy who can help you fix that. Appliances stop working or they need some parts change as they cannot last for ever. Hope this helps you and you can get it fixed.

[Supermanofsteel]

Re: Service Centers are dissapearing

Arkadi the Ridgid site is giving approx 10 service centres in your region. Are you saying they are all closed or not accepting Ridgid Tools to work on?

Arkadi Toronto is a big city and I know it sucks when depending on traffic it can take an hour to get from the north end to the south end of Toronto but that is the state of the city you have chosen to live in. Also saying you have to drive to a neighbouring city is a little misleading as Toronto is made up of what use to be many smaller cities but now all fall under the same region.

I live In Cambridge approx 1 hour away from the centre of Toronto and the nearest service center to me (other than HomeDepot) is in a neighbouring city, Kitchener, a 20 minute drive for me as I have to come through the city. If coming down the highway from Toronto, Kitchener turnoff is 5 minutes past our city from Toronto.

[Arkadi]

Re: Service Centers are dissapearing

I just checked it is 24Km to the nearest service center. If not count traffic lights and traffic trip estimated to be 34 min with traffic not counting traffic lights right at this non busy time 11:53AM on the roads is 49 min estimated by Google Map. In reality it will be one hour each way.
Oh yes forgot to mention that at least 2 service centers have closed that were much closer to me in past couple of months. Both were complaining about all the nonsense they had with Ridgid.

Also I am not sure what 10 centers are you talking about... For entire Toronto area there are only 4 centers. Take a look my postal code is: L6A4G4

Arkadi the Ridgid site is giving approx 10 service centres in your region. Are you saying they are all closed or not accepting Ridgid Tools to work on?

Arkadi Toronto is a big city and I know it sucks when depending on traffic it can take an hour to get from the north end to the south end of Toronto but that is the state of the city you have chosen to live in. Also saying you have to drive to a neighbouring city is a little misleading as Toronto is made up of what use to be many smaller cities but now all fall under the same region.

I live In Cambridge approx 1 hour away from the centre of Toronto and the nearest service center to me (other than HomeDepot) is in a neighbouring city, Kitchener, a 20 minute drive for me as I have to come through the city. If coming down the highway from Toronto, Kitchener turnoff is 5 minutes past our city from Toronto.

[Doctordeere]

Re: Service Centers are dissapearing

I was talking to two service centers that decided not to do any more business with Ridgid. Both were telling me that Ridgid is a worst manufacturer to deal with from their perspective.

The warranty repair reimbursement rates that TTI allows for corded/cordless tools has virtually assured that an ASC loses money on every in-warranty repair they provide. ASCs aren't in business to lose money intentionally, so many ASCs have dropped Ridgid & Ryobi from their product lines.

[CWSmith]

Re: Service Centers are dissapearing

While I do agree that Ridgid may be loosing service centers, I sort of question your opinion that you need one in your neighborhood. Hey man, I'm down here in NY's Southern Tier, and though I haven't checked in recent months, the last I knew the nearest service center was at least an hour's drive away. That's a lot closer today, than it was six years ago when it was over two hours away. Still, it would be nice if it were a few blocks away, but that isn't going to happen for me on anything I buy. That's why UPS stays in business I guess.

I have been told by a couple of SC's that doing business with TTI (Ridgid-branded) is not very profitable. Long waits for parts and for re-imbursments. Of course that their complaint and I've learned from experience that the truth from only one perspective may be a bit different than the actual facts. But, new SC's do seem to pop up on occasion.

CWS

[Arkadi]

Re: Service Centers are dissapearing

I guess with my lifetime warranty I will just have to check in couple of years. Lol... I am sure with both batteries dead and electronics for variable speed dead it would be much cheaper for them to give me a replacement tool...

[jayboyjayy]

Re: Service Centers are dissapearing

All Ridgid power tool service work is being done through the tool rental centers at your local home depot. Thats where you need to go.

[BadgerDave]

Re: Service Centers are dissapearing

All Ridgid power tool service work is being done through the tool rental centers at your local home depot. Thats where you need to go.

I have heard that certain HD's with rental centers will now exchange batteries under the LLSA but I wasn't aware that they are also doing service work. Is this something new? I hope so as the nearest SC to me is a 110 mile round trip now.

[AtlantaDan]

Re: Service Centers are dissapearing

My Ridgid service center says that they don't make any money on Ridgid work, but it's been a good "loss-leader" for them. I'm a good example of that. After using the service center for my Ridgid LSA work, I was impressed enough to start taking my out-of-warranty tools of other brands to them. Apparently there are other service centers that haven't benefited in this way. At some point the volume of incoming Ridgid warranty work could exceed the non-Ridgid work generated. I guess that's when they pull the plug.
-Dan