Re: Koni info (in defense of Koni)

["Martin Pajak" <quattro@rogerswave.ca>]

> I'm sure Craftsman has a bunch of 12mm
> sockets left over collecting dust when Sears sells all it can; it's not
> surprising to me that you can pick one up off of the street broken and take it
> back to Sears and get a new one free.

They might not be as big as Sears but poor they are not.
 
> Also, a precision-manufactured, performance shock absorber is not a 12mm
> socket.  It has a lot more failure modes but must also be designed for
> constant, demanding use.  

Maybe your 12mm socket is not in constant demamding use.
Most of my tools are.  Every mechanic will tell you the same about 
their Snap On tools which have lifetime warranty, have high prices 
and no reciept necessary to get replacement becouse it has their name 
on it.  If a product has Koni's name on it they should stand behind 
it.  

>The fact that Koni even offers a lifetime guarantee
> on a component like this, which they know will probably be used by an
> enthusiast/racer, under very demanding circumstances, is testament to the
> confidence in their product.  

It is expected for you to use them hard.  They should be designed for 
that and you have paid the price (or previous owner) for them 
to last under demanding conditions.  So if they do break is it not 
due to some defect of the component.

> Finally, you might have spent some extra money buying the car because it had
> Konis on it, which you expected to be replacable without any questions.  But I
> have to ask: do you save the receipts for those things that you know are
> expensive and somewhat "unnecessary"?  Of course you do.  

People do loose things.  It does not mean that Koni should find this 
as an excuse.  I believe a good company should stand behind their 
products and promises.  I wonder if your position would be different 
if you have lost your reciept?  
 
> I don't think Koni's lifetime warranty is a marketing gimmick; they have to
> protect themselves, as should anyone who spends hard-earned cash on a high-
> performance product.

If they want to protect themselves from people who had their shocks 
fail on them, they should start making them better.  It sounds like 
they have tons of people with broken shocks demanding replacements.  
If not than wouldn't one set of shocks to keep a customer happy be 
a nice thing to do?  Just in case one did in fact loose that reciept.
Might be you next time.

Cheers.

Martin Pajak
quattro@rogerswave.ca
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/5939

1982 Coupe TURBO (473,150 km)
1984 4000s quattro (soon to be a rally car)
1986 4000s quattro (317,000 km) with four Nokia 10's
1970 Porsche 911E Targa (for sale)
1982 Coupe (154,000) parts car

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