The springs inside the ex MOD Dixon Bate pintle hitch of unknown age
fitted to my Land rover failed. I emailed Dixon Bate asking where I
could purchase replacements. I received a reply two days later
containing an exploded diagram of the hitch and requesting I confirm
which parts and send my address.

About a week later a packet arrived containing the springs with no charge!

Mike

On Mon, 17 Apr 2023 09:42:51 +0100
Mike Rogers <mike@mattishall.org.uk> wrote:

> The springs inside the ex MOD Dixon Bate pintle hitch of unknown age
> fitted to my Land rover failed. I emailed Dixon Bate asking where I
> could purchase replacements. I received a reply two days later
> containing an exploded diagram of the hitch and requesting I confirm
> which parts and send my address.
>
> About a week later a packet arrived containing the springs with no
> charge!
>
> Mike

The one and only time I can remember that happening was in the US, when
the tweeter in one of a pair of loudspeakers failed, several years
after purchase. I called to order a new tweeter, they asked for the
model number and my address, and like your hitch parts, it arrived at
no cost to me. A very satisfied customer.
--
Davey.

On Monday, April 17, 2023 at 10:09:16 AM UTC+1, Davey wrote:
> On Mon, 17 Apr 2023 09:42:51 +0100
> Mike Rogers <mi...@mattishall.org.uk> wrote:
>
> > The springs inside the ex MOD Dixon Bate pintle hitch of unknown age
> > fitted to my Land rover failed. I emailed Dixon Bate asking where I
> > could purchase replacements. I received a reply two days later
> > containing an exploded diagram of the hitch and requesting I confirm
> > which parts and send my address.
> >
> > About a week later a packet arrived containing the springs with no
> > charge!
> >
> > Mike
> The one and only time I can remember that happening was in the US, when
> the tweeter in one of a pair of loudspeakers failed, several years
> after purchase. I called to order a new tweeter, they asked for the
> model number and my address, and like your hitch parts, it arrived at
> no cost to me. A very satisfied customer.
> --
> Davey.

An apocryphal story about a Rolls Royce owner whose car broke down in Switzrland. They sent an engineer to fix it and on return to England he related the story to Crewe and asked for the bill. The reply was there must be some mistake as Rolls Royce cars didn't break down so there was no bill to pay

The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
> Apparently it was cheaper to simply take the old modem back, recycle any
> parts that worked and send out a new one than deal with all the paperwork.

I suspect that's why companies do it free of charge. The parts cost pennies
and are lying around anyway, so shove them in an envelope - happy customer
and staff can get on with something else. If they need to generate an
invoice, take a payment, blah blah it would cost them more in time than the
value of the transaction. Especially if not an item they usually sell so
it's not on 'the system', etc.

The opposite end of this is companies with really extensive parts supply -
they warehouse every screw individually for an item made 30 years ago,
but you will pay for the privilege...

Theo

On 17/04/2023 10:09, Davey wrote:
> On Mon, 17 Apr 2023 09:42:51 +0100
> Mike Rogers <mike@mattishall.org.uk> wrote:
>
>> The springs inside the ex MOD Dixon Bate pintle hitch of unknown age
>> fitted to my Land rover failed. I emailed Dixon Bate asking where I
>> could purchase replacements. I received a reply two days later
>> containing an exploded diagram of the hitch and requesting I confirm
>> which parts and send my address.
>>
>> About a week later a packet arrived containing the springs with no
>> charge!
>>
>> Mike
>
> The one and only time I can remember that happening was in the US, when
> the tweeter in one of a pair of loudspeakers failed, several years
> after purchase. I called to order a new tweeter, they asked for the
> model number and my address, and like your hitch parts, it arrived at
> no cost to me. A very satisfied customer.
My US robotics modem got struck by lightning. It was replaced free of
charge.
Apparently it was cheaper to simply take the old modem back, recycle any
parts that worked and send out a new one than deal with all the paperwork.

--
“Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.”

H.L. Mencken, A Mencken Chrestomathy

On Mon, 17 Apr 2023 12:02:48 +0000, phister wrote:

>> An apocryphal story about a Rolls Royce owner whose car broke down in
>> Switzrland. They sent an engineer to fix it and on return to England he
>> related the story to Crewe and asked for the bill. The reply was there
>> must be some mistake as Rolls Royce cars didn't break down so there was
>> no bill to pay
>
> That one has whiskers on it.

And the one where a prospective customer asked how much power the engine
developed.

"Sufficient".

--
My posts are my copyright and if @diy_forums or Home Owners' Hub
wish to copy them they can pay me £1 a message.
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

On 17 Apr 2023 11:20:59 +0100 (BST), Theo
<theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:

>The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>> Apparently it was cheaper to simply take the old modem back, recycle any
>> parts that worked and send out a new one than deal with all the paperwork.
>
>I suspect that's why companies do it free of charge. The parts cost pennies
>and are lying around anyway, so shove them in an envelope - happy customer
>and staff can get on with something else. If they need to generate an
>invoice, take a payment, blah blah it would cost them more in time than the
>value of the transaction. Especially if not an item they usually sell so
>it's not on 'the system', etc.
>

Afew years ago the filter fitted in the nozzle of my kitchen tap,
whose make I can't now remember, disintegrated. There are dozens
listed on eBay and Amazon at about £1 each but I thought it would be
quicker to shop locally. To my surprise B&Q didn't stock them so I
went to a plumbers' merchant, where they also didn't stock them. 'Too
many varieties.'
I emailed the maker, who asked for a photo and address. A few days
later a complete new nozzle arrived.

On Mon, 17 Apr 2023 20:02:57 +1000, The Natural Philosopher
<tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:

> On 17/04/2023 10:09, Davey wrote:
>> On Mon, 17 Apr 2023 09:42:51 +0100
>> Mike Rogers <mike@mattishall.org.uk> wrote:
>>
>>> The springs inside the ex MOD Dixon Bate pintle hitch of unknown age
>>> fitted to my Land rover failed. I emailed Dixon Bate asking where I
>>> could purchase replacements. I received a reply two days later
>>> containing an exploded diagram of the hitch and requesting I confirm
>>> which parts and send my address.
>>>
>>> About a week later a packet arrived containing the springs with no
>>> charge!
>>>
>>> Mike
>> The one and only time I can remember that happening was in the US, when
>> the tweeter in one of a pair of loudspeakers failed, several years
>> after purchase. I called to order a new tweeter, they asked for the
>> model number and my address, and like your hitch parts, it arrived at
>> no cost to me. A very satisfied customer.
> My US robotics modem got struck by lightning. It was replaced free of
> charge.

> Apparently it was cheaper to simply take the old modem back, recycle any
> parts that worked and send out a new one than deal with all the
> paperwork.

Don't believe that.

On Mon, 17 Apr 2023 20:20:59 +1000, Theo
<theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:

> The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>> Apparently it was cheaper to simply take the old modem back, recycle any
>> parts that worked and send out a new one than deal with all the
>> paperwork.

> I suspect that's why companies do it free of charge. The parts cost
> pennies
> and are lying around anyway, so shove them in an envelope - happy
> customer
> and staff can get on with something else. If they need to generate an
> invoice, take a payment, blah blah it would cost them more in time than
> the
> value of the transaction.

That's different to his line about taking the dead one
back and ratting it for parts that can be used again.

> Especially if not an item they usually sell so
> it's not on 'the system', etc.

> The opposite end of this is companies with really extensive parts supply
> -
> they warehouse every screw individually for an item made 30 years ago,
> but you will pay for the privilege...

Only the worst designs would be using unique screws.

In article <Jcq*ID0dz@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk>, Theo
<theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
> The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
> > Apparently it was cheaper to simply take the old modem back, recycle
> > any parts that worked and send out a new one than deal with all the
> > paperwork.

> I suspect that's why companies do it free of charge. The parts cost
> pennies and are lying around anyway, so shove them in an envelope - happy
> customer and staff can get on with something else. If they need to
> generate an invoice, take a payment, blah blah it would cost them more in
> time than the value of the transaction. Especially if not an item they
> usually sell so it's not on 'the system', etc.

> The opposite end of this is companies with really extensive parts supply
> - they warehouse every screw individually for an item made 30 years ago,
> but you will pay for the privilege...

Warehousing spares costs money. Dennis, the fire engine builder, went bust
because they has so much stuff in their store,

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England - sent from my RISC OS 4té
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

On Mon, 17 Apr 2023 02:19:16 -0700 (PDT), fred wrote:

> On Monday, April 17, 2023 at 10:09:16 AM UTC+1, Davey wrote:
>> On Mon, 17 Apr 2023 09:42:51 +0100 Mike Rogers
>> <mi...@mattishall.org.uk> wrote:
>>
>> > The springs inside the ex MOD Dixon Bate pintle hitch of unknown age
>> > fitted to my Land rover failed. I emailed Dixon Bate asking where I
>> > could purchase replacements. I received a reply two days later
>> > containing an exploded diagram of the hitch and requesting I confirm
>> > which parts and send my address.
>> >
>> > About a week later a packet arrived containing the springs with no
>> > charge!
>> >
>> > Mike
>> The one and only time I can remember that happening was in the US, when
>> the tweeter in one of a pair of loudspeakers failed, several years
>> after purchase. I called to order a new tweeter, they asked for the
>> model number and my address, and like your hitch parts, it arrived at
>> no cost to me. A very satisfied customer.
>> --
>> Davey.
>
>
>
> An apocryphal story about a Rolls Royce owner whose car broke down in
> Switzrland. They sent an engineer to fix it and on return to England he
> related the story to Crewe and asked for the bill. The reply was there
> must be some mistake as Rolls Royce cars didn't break down so there was
> no bill to pay

That one has whiskers on it.

On 17/04/2023 10:19, fred wrote:
> as Rolls Royce cars didn't break down

Correct. They fail to proceed.

On 17/04/2023 13:56, Bob Eager wrote:
> And the one where a prospective customer asked how much power the engine
> developed.
>
> "Sufficient".

"Adequate" was what I heard, and the Bentley Turbo "More than adequate".

Andy