Help! In need of expert report regarding Impulse motor fault

[hairyneville]

Apologies for my current problem steadily spreading through the forum!

The thread title says most of what you need to know.

I'm currently in dispute regarding an Impulse-equipped Kalkhoff Pro Connect i8. The motor catastrophically broke at 1384 miles and I'm seeking recourse from the shop that sold me the bike. The motor is under warranty and the shop has offered a free replacement but my argument is that even the replacement motor will be unfit for purpose so I'm after a refund.

My position is that the Impulse motor is a fault product and not fit for purpose and it was mis-sold as suitable for daily commuting. Needless to say the shop's position is that they weren't aware of the fault at the time of purchase. Deadlock means that an expert report on the faulty Impulse 2.0 motor would strengthen my case as I progress the dispute.

The Bearingman has been recommended as one possible source of an expert report. Any other advice or recommendations would be very welcome!

Thanks.

 

[oyster]

Apologies for my current problem steadily spreading through the forum!

The thread title says most of what you need to know.

I'm currently in dispute regarding an Impulse-equipped Kalkhoff Pro Connect i8. The motor catastrophically broke at 1384 miles and I'm seeking recourse from the shop that sold me the bike. The motor is under warranty and the shop has offered a free replacement but my argument is that even the replacement motor will be unfit for purpose so I'm after a refund.

My position is that the Impulse motor is a fault product and not fit for purpose and it was mis-sold as suitable for daily commuting. Needless to say the shop's position is that they weren't aware of the fault at the time of purchase. Deadlock means that an expert report on the faulty Impulse 2.0 motor would strengthen my case as I progress the dispute.

The Bearingman has been recommended as one possible source of an expert report. Any other advice or recommendations would be very welcome!

Thanks.

I am not convinced that the shop needs to be aware of the issue in order to be responsible. Otherwise, can you imagine any shop ever accepting responsibiity for anything? Other than managing their reputation, they would always claim they didn't know.

Or a shop would never sell anything that will go wrong! Either they already know hence won't sell. Or they will sell and deny knowing.

 

[BazP]

Apologies for my current problem steadily spreading through the forum!

The thread title says most of what you need to know.

I'm currently in dispute regarding an Impulse-equipped Kalkhoff Pro Connect i8. The motor catastrophically broke at 1384 miles and I'm seeking recourse from the shop that sold me the bike. The motor is under warranty and the shop has offered a free replacement but my argument is that even the replacement motor will be unfit for purpose so I'm after a refund.

My position is that the Impulse motor is a fault product and not fit for purpose and it was mis-sold as suitable for daily commuting. Needless to say the shop's position is that they weren't aware of the fault at the time of purchase. Deadlock means that an expert report on the faulty Impulse 2.0 motor would strengthen my case as I progress the dispute.

The Bearingman has been recommended as one possible source of an expert report. Any other advice or recommendations would be very welcome!

Thanks.

Can't help you with the expert but another avenue to helping with your dispute is Resolver which is part of the Money Expert Group. Their web site looks very promising and it is totally free.

 

[hairyneville]

I am not convinced that the shop needs to be aware of the issue in order to be responsible. Otherwise, can you imagine any shop ever accepting responsibiity for anything? Other than managing their reputation, they would always claim they didn't know.

Or a shop would never sell anything that will go wrong! Either they already know hence won't sell. Or they will sell and deny knowing.

That's the genius part of Kalkhoff's complaints procedure (if you can actually manage to unearth it on their website!) - they pass all responsibility on to their stockists!

 

[oyster]

That's the genius part of Kalkhoff's complaints procedure (if you can actually manage to unearth it on their website!) - they pass all responsibility on to their stockists!

Well, legally, it is the retailer who is responsible. But not much help if they go bust or won't help.

 

[hairyneville]

Can't help you with the expert but another avenue to helping with your dispute is Resolver which is part of the Money Expert Group. Their web site looks very promising and it is totally free.

Thanks. Interesting website and not one I'd heard of before, but in my case I'm already quite a way along the dispute process (it's been pretty quick in my case, for some reason!).

 

[hairyneville]

Well, legally, it is the retailer who is responsible. But not much help if they go bust or won't help.

Exactly - that's why I've already reached the point where I need to take the dispute to arbitration, and hence the need for an expert report.

 

[soundwave]

there is a 48 page report here

Ongoing reliability of Kalkhoff/Focus Impulse 2 motors

Hi, I am trying to ascertain who is having issues with Impulse II motors on Kalkhoff or Focus e-bikes (both made by Derby Cycles). Personally, I had a first motor replacement after 900 miles (4 months, loud clacking/clicking noise), and then another failure at around 900 miles (7 months, very...

www.pedelecs.co.uk

buy law they have 2 chances to fix the problem but a new motor will fail its not if its when as the all do.

it is going to cost them even more if you take them to court and they wont win 50 cycles went bust over this brand.

id advise them to not sell any more and send back what they have as it will be nothing but hassle both ends

Make a court claim for money

How to take legal action if someone owes you money (small claims court), how much it costs, what happens next. Includes information from withdrawn guidance EX303, EX304, EX306, EX321, EX325 and EX350.

www.gov.uk

peter might do you a report on the motors as a 3rd party as he fixes most of the brands.

The home of ebike motor parts -

Spare parts, bearings and repair service for most common ebike motors

www.performancelinebearings.com

 

[hairyneville]

there is a 48 page report here

Ongoing reliability of Kalkhoff/Focus Impulse 2 motors

Hi, I am trying to ascertain who is having issues with Impulse II motors on Kalkhoff or Focus e-bikes (both made by Derby Cycles). Personally, I had a first motor replacement after 900 miles (4 months, loud clacking/clicking noise), and then another failure at around 900 miles (7 months, very...

www.pedelecs.co.uk

buy law they have 2 chances to fix the problem but a new motor will fail its not if its when as the all do.

it is going to cost them even more if you take them to court and they wont win 50 cycles went bust over this brand.

id advise them to not sell any more and send back what they have as it will be nothing but hassle both ends

Make a court claim for money

How to take legal action if someone owes you money (small claims court), how much it costs, what happens next. Includes information from withdrawn guidance EX303, EX304, EX306, EX321, EX325 and EX350.

www.gov.uk

peter might do you a report on the motors as a 3rd party as he fixes most of the brands.

The home of ebike motor parts -

Spare parts, bearings and repair service for most common ebike motors

www.performancelinebearings.com

Many thanks for that - I found a lot of Impulse-related information on here after the motor died at the end of January. The other party is claiming that it's "anecdotal" so I have a plan to make requests for quantative data regarding Impulse motor repairs from various e-bike shops across the UK and also ask Kalkhoff for the same. The idea being that I either get data which shows Impulse motors categorically aren't reliable and are therefore definitively not fit for purpose, or I don't get any data at all and will be able to say that Impulse motors can't be proven to be reliable - and are therefore not fit for purpose (the purpose being to ride uphill on an everyday commute to and from work).

I contacted Peter, and he's not in a position to make a report. He did give me an amazing point of clarity, though, and I plan to use that from now on.