Shed Gentech Industries if you can, get your own repairer.

Strap in, these guys are terrible.

In November my 11 month old Gentech Inverter Generator stopped working. It would not start.

I contacted Gentech Industries as instructed through their help line and was put through to a guy called Dean.

He told me to check the oil level which I did, still no change.

He then told me to replace the spark plug with a standard NGK spark plug. Again, no start so I was told to bring it in.

I booked it in a day before my warranty expired but the people who booked it in said warranty should cover as it was technically the day before expiry.

I did not hear anything from 3 weeks when I called them and the fun started.

I was told that the work was not covered under warranty, surprise, surprise, because I had caused the damage by overfilling the oil and putting a non-compliant spark plug. There was no damage caused by this however and that the unit needed a service at a cost of over R2000…with a strip and quote fee of R700 on top of that.

I refuted this quote and did not accept their assessment as it just sounded like nonsense. I could not understand how a perfectly functioning, relatively new machine would need such a costly service. I was also aggravated by the accusation that I caused the damage as I only replaced what I was told, and what I did was basic things.

Gentech said I did however owe them R700 for the strip and quote fee, which at no point until now was I told about.

Firstly, on all documentation mention of this strip and quote fee is at the bottom of the terms and conditions, it is not displayed prominently in their showroom and through conversations with 4 people was it ever mentioned.

Secondly, I have since contacted other repairers and the average assessment fee is between R250 and R350, which is reasonable. And displayed prominently in store.

After a heated back and forth with the manager at Gentech they agreed to drop the fee to R350 and I could collect the machine. This is now almost a month later.

On the day of pick up, I haven’t mentioned that their workshop is a 45 minute drive from me, I told them I have a 15 minute gap and to please have the unit ready for me on arrival.

Unsurprisingly it was not ready and even worse was not even on the premises. It was at their assesor, “5 minutes” up the road.

I could either wait for him to bring it, or I could go collect.

I took the address and said I would collect. 5 minutes was a 20 minute drive away in someone’s garage.

So not only was I being charged double the normal assessment rate, I was being charged it by a backyard mechanic. Not the premium brand feel Gentech try portray.

The machine was filthy, full of grease stains and marks. Totally what I expected after our heated exchange.

We are now in mid-December and with me heading off on holiday I put the machine away and repairing it became January’s problem.

I found another repairer, showed them the fault report and quote I received from Gentech and left it with them.

Two days later they phone me and ask if I had turned on the machine at all since collection.

I said no, it doesn’t turn on.

Nope, machine works perfectly and doesn’t even need a service. The spark plug I put in was slightly loose and once tightened the Machine started perfectly.

So here’s my problem, Gentech were more than Prepared to charge me the best part of R3500 to tighten a spark plug.

Worse still this work was being done by a back yard operator no more sophisticated than the repairers I eventually used, despite giving the illusion of premium service.

And listen, I have no problem with backyard guys. I use them myself, they’re usually the best and most practical…but also the most affordable.

Through the whole experience I was made to feel that I was absolutely in the wrong, that I had **** about a conversion with their workshop who denied talking to me, not giving me any such instruction over the phone and still having the audacity to charge me the fee after leaving me waiting 3 weeks to even give me an update and making me go out of my way to collect my unit when I had asked for it to be ready.

What a terrible experience, I’m glad to be out of warranty so I can just get my unit serviced by whoever I want.

The unit itself has been hassle free, except for this, but dealing with Gentech as a company sucks and is another example of companies taking advantage of our energy situation.