“Alternative Spares” is it worth the hassle?

[oscar123]

I have just had a call from an upset customer.. “guess what my oven is not heating again” I have fitted two “alternative” fan elements to it this year, one in May and another at the end of September. Should I expect more? It is a Neff 1700w bell shaped fan element, original element trade price is £31, alternative £4.99 from connect. I have also bought these in the past from Maddocks at similar price.

Connect would refund the £4.99 but they aren’t going to pay my time for calling back again and again. This is not the only customer I have had with this problem recently. What is the difference between these and the original? I bet Neff pay pennies for them so the £4.99 for original is probably a more realistic price anyway! Though that said I have also fitted an original which lasted about 10 months in the past.

I have just ordered original and will fit that when it arrives, so it will end up costing me money and time… Is it worth the hassle?? NO!!

Oscar.

[Martin]

Re: “Alternative Spares” is it worth the hassle?

oscar123 wrote:I have just ordered original and will fit that when it arrives, so it will end up costing me money and time… Is it worth the hassle?? NO!!

I think you’ll enjoy reading THIS Oscar! 🙂

[oscar123]

Re: “Alternative Spares” is it worth the hassle?

Thanks Martin

Yes it sure does make interesting reading and it seems to say it all..

This oven has had genuine and alternative elements fitted with the same results. It is not a one off for me either because I have had about 3 other customers with similar problem. There is a lot off Naff sold over here and I do fit a lot of elements but these are prolific. I will stop recomending Bosch, Naff ovens and start them slagging off, rather than telling to customers they have just been unlucky!

I use a lot of the Creda and Tricity alternatives but rarely get recalled, has to be something wrong and it is not the fan motor!

Oscar

[loaf]

Re: “Alternative Spares” is it worth the hassle?

They too are the only patterns we have a problem with,especially the “half moon” type, to the extent where we only fit “gennys” now and price accordingly.

[Martin]

Re: “Alternative Spares” is it worth the hassle?

I think you’ll find within the other link I gave that the consensus of opinion regarding genuine half moon element is just as bad as the far cheaper pattern elements. I can testify to the former at a great personal cost to me. So much so in fact I now have a list of all models that have half moon elements and refuse to repair them and instead refer them to BSH…knickers to the lot of them I say! 😈

[Phidom]

Re: “Alternative Spares” is it worth the hassle?

I’ve never had to do one of those, just as well by the sound of it. :rolls:

[leavemetogetonwithit]

Re: “Alternative Spares” is it worth the hassle?

Got a customer with a Leisure range cooker, dual fuel. Has a 1400 or 1600w round element has gone about 3 times in five years. Just left message the other day, gone again – looked it up – still within my year’s g’tee. 😥
Mike.

[Author]

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