Agrison tractors face court as owners reveal tales of losing life savings

The ACCC has taken action against Agrison, as dozens of angry customers claim they have been burnt by the Australian importer of budget Chinese machinery. Find out how here.

The ACCC says Agrison’s warranty and servicing claims are misleading. Picture: Chloe Smith

DON’T buy an Agrison tractor. That’s the advice from dozens of angry customers who say they have been burnt by the Australian importer of budget Chinese machinery.

Last week, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission instituted Federal Court proceedings against Agrison, alleging it made false or misleading representations about the warranties and after-sales services available to its customers, in breach of the Australian Consumer Law.

In its filing, the ACCC said “since June 2015 the ACCC has received numerous complaints from customers who purchased tractors, regarding defects or problems with the tractors and/or the inability to obtain required parts or satisfactory service to remedy those defects or problems”.

The ACCC alleged customers who sought assistance from Agrison after experiencing problems with their tractors found the company did not have a service network available to provide after-sales service or repairs throughout Australia, the warranty was a limited “parts only” warranty, and that spare parts were not available in a reasonable time frame or at all.

A number of Agrison customers complained to the ACCC that their machinery had serious defects, such as brakes failing and hydraulic systems leaking or not working, which they were unable to have repaired by Agrison.

They were also unable to get the correct spare parts to repair their machinery, and these issues were not resolved when the customers raised them with Agrison.

On its website, the Campbellfield-based company claims, “we offer a professional after-sales service by qualified staff, and have over 20,000 spare parts in stock at any given time. Our products are backed by quality service and parts”.

“Agrison tractors are fully supported in Australia through its after-sales service and supply of five-year warranty on all new tractors with a spare parts inventory of thousands of items, ensures the highest level of after sales service”.

However, the ACCC said the claims were misleading because “Agrison did not have a national service network available to provide after-sales service or repairs throughout Australia”.

“Agrison had no policy, guidance, training manual or instructions for Agrison employees regarding consumer requests for after-sales support (including requests for refunds, repair or replacement).

“Agrison did not track or keep records of notified defects, customer complaints, warranty claims or refunds.”

An investigation by The Weekly Times into Agrison has uncovered many more complaints of poor quality machinery, second-hand tractors sold as new, no after-sales service or spare parts and many customers with inoperable machines awaiting to be collected for repairs.

Some owners said their machine had been parked for as long as six years as they battle the belligerent dealership to repair the machine, or refund their money.

“I now have a $20,000 garden ornament,” said one devastated customer.

A clamp was used to stop a fan belt damaging a hose on Gino D'Augello's Agrison wheeled loader, which broke down on the first day he used it and has never worked since.

Kyabram-based Gino D’Augello’s composting business was growing faster than he planned and he decided to buy a wheeled loader to keep up with the demand.

He contacted Agrison about a “near-new” machine that he believed was reasonably priced at $20,000, as it usually sold for $27,000.

“I was told there was something there pitched as ‘near new’ there all ready to go. I had to put a $500 holding deposit on it in case someone else snaffled it,” Mr D’Augello said.

After buying the machine, Mr D’Augello said he discovered it wasn’t built to a high standard.

“I did about four to five hours on it and it started this bunny hop thing, then next thing I know I had glass all over my back — the back window just went pop,” he said.

“I noticed also a fairly extensive leak was coming from the back. I saw the refiller pipe and it was empty and full of glass because they had forgotten the cap and glass had gotten into the engine.

“I’ve got a machine that’s just come through a workshop and there’s no cap on top of the engine, the fan belt was as loose as a goose, wires were just twisted together.”

He said also could not find the serial number on it, and therefore could not insure it.

He claimed the Agrison salesman said the loader had done 10 hours, but “there’s no way in hell that engine’s done 10 hours,” Mr D’Augello said. ”It’s been repainted that much to look new it’s not funny”.

An independent review by a local mechanic for a well-known tractor brand revealed 24 defaults.

Mr D’Augello said Agrison had not taken responsibility for the machine’s damage or prepared to refund his money, and the event had triggered mental health issues from a previous business he was involved in.

The impact on his business has been significant, and now he has been forced to rent a machine for $1800 a week to keep working.

“The hidden games, the agendas, the skulduggery is just terrible. It’s deceitful and disgusting. It’s just fraud,” he said. “All of us (customers) who have been speaking, we just don’t want anyone else to get stung.”

The Tractor Machinery Association of Australia said it was not the TMA’s job to get involved in commercial operations of dealers, but the industry body was in the process of preparing a guide to assist buyers.

“Some people think they are getting a bargain and they’re going to beat the system, but sometimes you’ve got to take a bit of responsibility for your behaviour,” said TMA executive director Gary Northover.

“We are in the process of developing a tractor buyer’s guide that we can provide to anyone that’s in the market to buy a tractor as to what are the pitfalls, the things they need to look out for — not just a safety point of view, but a commercial point of view as well.

“That will be available shortly to help educate the market which we see as the most important thing we can do.”

Agrison’s general manager Ray Yayintis refused to comment when approached with the ACCC’s and customers’ claims.

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