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View Full Version : How to handle Cobra warranty


tbmmbt
03-18-2011, 07:59 PM
I put this in another topic a couple days ago but wanted to put it on its own to get some responses. Here is what I put in the other post.

Well my wife bought me some Cobra True Duals on clearance as the motorcycle dealership just wanted to get the older pipes out of the store. Got what she thought was a good deal. A little over $100 less then a brand new set would cost even though these are new just older off the shelf pipes. Well when I was putting on the shields the back cylinder pipe shields tongue makes it lay and touch the other shield. I remember reading on here that Cobra was having issues with the older ones and that they would replace the part that they were having trouble with. Called customer service and was told that they would have to send out both heat shields but they wanted pictures and to ride the bike anyway being both pieces would be replaced. Rode the bike once to hear the pipes and sure enough it put that 1/8" cut in the front heat shield but wasn't to concerned as they said they would replace them anyway. Got another call from Cobra and they wanted the # from the back shield . Took it off and gave them the # that was stamped on the backside. Got another call from Cobra and was told that the pipes I have is an older set which we knew but it was still a new set. Then they called and said they wanted a copy of the invoice. Now my wife bought these pipes back in Dec 2010 and I was given these pipes and installed them in March 2011 so the invoice took some looking but she finally found it. Sent a copy of the invoice to Cobra and haven't heard a thing since then. Granted it hasn't been very long since I sent it to them but they sure was quick to get on the phone and ask for different things to make us jump through hoops for. They say that the Cobras have a lifetime warranty but its hard to get them to do anything when it comes to our situation. I will reserve my comments on Cobra until I see what they are going to do. It has been a known problem with the heat shields. The customer service guy has been fine with what has been going on but he blames the engineering department for all the phone calls and questions on things they want. We will see what happens but hopefully they will stand behind their product and replace the parts that they knew were defective to begin with.

tbmmbt
03-18-2011, 08:01 PM
Well Cobra made contact today and they want us to take the heat shields off our bike and send them back. Not "We'll send you a new set and when you get the new heat shields then send back the ones that were with your exhaust". We asked why do we have to send them back first. They told us that is the way warranty works. We told them how long will it take and they answered it would take at least a week for them to get them and log them in and then at least another week to get the new heat shields sent out. So we are figuring it could take up to 3 weeks to get the new shields installed. We told them that we have to sit here without the opportunity to ride for almost 3 weeks because they won't send them out and when we receive them we will send the others back and they said thats the way it is. Now does anybody else out there who has the Cobra True Duals or any other Cobra exhaust have to do that when they was going to get the replacements for Cobra's screw up when making the heat shields? I would like to know what you had to do and how was it handled. Seems we have to pay the price for their screwup. Tell me if I'm wrong here and what should I do to get this remedied. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

cactusjack
03-18-2011, 11:30 PM
This is how Cobra handles warranty issues. Not long after I installed my True Duals, the flange on the rear pipe where it meets the exhaust gasket cracked and broke. I had to send them my rear pipe, and they sent me a replacement with no trouble at all.

tbmmbt
03-19-2011, 08:22 AM
Well I for one thinks that sucks. I could understand in your case as you couldn't ride your bike with the exhaust broke but in my case the only thing wrong is their design flaw that they admitted to being the problem. I just asked that they send the part that they knew was wrong and when it arrived I would have the other parts ready to send back as I could track the new stuff and when Fedex or whoever showed up he hands me a box I hand him a box. I could still use my bike until that time. I don't need nor do I want the screwed up parts so they can have them back and both sides gets what they are after. I just think that they are handling this the wrong way. You would think that a big company would want to earn your business as well as future business rather than making the consumer earn what is owed to them for the company's know mistake. Sort of bass ackwards if you ask me. If this is the way it turns out that I have to do I will make it my goal to inform anyone and everyone about how Cobra handles their stuff and if I can get anyone to not buy from them than it will cost them far more than it will cost me.