Ty Korrigan

You know... I'd really like that to experience that level of service without asking. I currently have 3 issues which are a little more serious than mere 'cosmetics' and impact greatly on the machines usability, efficiency and even future value. Now GM have kindly offered to let me bring it back to the factory where they will no doubt work around the clock by candlelight light under the post Brexit, post pandemic austerity measures to ensure my continued customer satisfaction. I'm resigned to do this but these stories of great customer service from U.K GM and Forst dealers make me a little nauseous and really highlight a cultural difference between the U.K and France. It is not unimaginable though...to have it picked up by GM France, for there are precidents who were given a shiny new loaner for the duration and had their machine returned in a 'detailed' condition, not entirely the stuff of wild fantasy. However, more likely, even if I had bought my 150P in France, paid full list price, sucked off the dealer and his wifes dog, I'd still more likely get little more than a gallic shrug and lose my machine for an unknown number of weeks/months. For if an easy to diagnose and cheap to fix engine fault takes 4 weeks to turn around, how long would a French dealer take to sort out 3 far more serious issues? This is no reflection on the help and support given by PeteB, Ashley of GAGroundcare or Jase Hutch and his team who I shall be seeing once the fog of pandemic has lifted. Stuart

Except fuel Efi pumps it seems... Stuart

You are missing the point. I am comparing Amazon's efficiency to dealers in-efficiency in obtaining parts. Stuart

I wasn't worried or I wouldn't have bought the engine. I kept a record to PROVE it's real time economy. Myth busting the Efi haters. The greatest chipper economy comes from reliability. It is costly to have a chipper sat in a dealers workshop whilst you must rent. My Efi fuel pump issue cost me almost 1000 kms travel, 8 hours travel time and over 4 weeks €2k in chipper hire. If dealers where as sharp as Amazon, I have the part in 24hrs and my chipper fixed the next day. Stuart

I to measured over the first 100hrs out of curiousity and now use my figures to explode the myth of petrol being a 'very' uneconomical option. Stuart

That figure fluctuates far more than the hourly consumation figures as it depends on material being chipped and the efficiency of the feeding. It was around .75 litres per hour at times on conifer jobs. In the first 12 months of ownership, we produced 511m3 over 136 hours at an average of 3.75m3 per hour so 1.2 litres per hour. Stuart

What problems have you experienced? Stuart

Yeh, I noted that. They all tend to look like Panzers dragged from a Polish swamp with a price tag to match. Stuart

We are all somewhere on the Aspergers spectrum... ? Stuart

I like the 37hp Efi engine despite the abismal after sales. My own records show that for the first 100 hours a consumption of 4.5 litres per hour. I estimate the 57hp, if also Efi to be 7 litres per hour. However, what I'd really like, is to buy a machine from a reputable and reliable dealer who is focused on his customers and not have anything more to do with the dealer for the next 5 years. Think it possible to produce a machine that reliable? Stuart

Imagine a 45hp petrol... Stuart

Hello, Question for the members of this parish. Has any-one ever experienced 1000hrs use on a chipper with no major faults occuring? Stuart

Don't forget to give some feedback on the 165 Evo in comparison to the 150. Stuart

When my chipper required drive belts recently on a Friday at 4pm, I called a U.K supplier on my mobile because even with postage it was less expensive and faster service than France. 24hr international over the weekend when French delivery drivers sleep mean't Tuesday morning though. Stuart

Well... I'm on my 5th GM machine and have been banging the GM drum now for over 10 years. Others too have bought GM off the back of my enthusiasm for the brand. I bought my last one from a decent U.K dealer who is always there as is Jase for advice. If I had bought from a French GM dealer, I'd have received shit to zero 'service après vente' anyway. In fact, recent advice from a French GM dealer was "Not to chip up to 6" or these things will happen" Previously they have dismissed issues because they cannot replicate them in the workshop or simply blamed me for 'using it' or told me that I should accept my lot and not be so fussy. Not buying from a French dealer also avoids me having to take medication. It also saved me thousands of euros though the opportunity to do this in the future may change in a post-brexit world. Some of these saved euros I will use to return my current machine to the factory this Summer for some repairs if the ferries ever run again but this is no big deal as I will make a holiday of it. I'd love for a local dealer to sit up, take notice, collect my machine, lend me one and bring mine back repaired and steam cleaned. In France, this just won't happen, it just isn't in their culture. What you get is the jam taken out of your do-nut by the dealers Gallic shrug with resting bitch face. I had previously an intermittent fuel pump issue which was covered under a Briggs warranty, not the GM warranty. When I eventually found a Briggs/GM dealer willing to undertake the work, my machine was off the road for 4 weeks. It didn't need to be. I should have avoided the warranty altogether and bought a fuel pump online having got a pressure test done in my local garage. The dealer refused to do a pressure test as I waited, insisting I left the premises, then took they it apart and refused to assemble it until a new pump could be sourced despite it still being able to run. The dealer also charged me 80euros labour for a failed diagnosis (he claimed there was no fuel pump fault only chaffed wiring) which is not part of the warranty arrangement. This isn't unique to GM, I've a mate with a brand new Bandit 75XP which broke down after 2 hours and the dealer simply won't honour the guarantee. This one is going legal but all major brands of chippers seems to suffer from an uncaring and nonreactive after sales in France. Stuart

If you have any friends on the continent, Kox.fr do an ultra-light pair with very long rear leg zipped vents. I can vouch for their comfort. Sadly they don't ship to the U.K nor is their site in English. Here: PSS X-treme Light pantalon anti-coupures | KOX SARL M.KOX24.FR Pantalon anti-coupures X-treme Light : extrêmement léger...

I'm begining to think David Cropper is immortal and that we'll never gain access to his tool shed, grinder and whisky cabinet. Stuart

None of my 'confreres' are recieving many calls so I assume little 'poaching' is going on. Glitter on hands... hmmm good example. I've a litre of Vanilla scented alcohol in a hand mist spray. It gets used on gloves, saws and krabs, chipper though only I use that. Climber is very autonamous, own vehicule and kit. Our only common link is the rope with it's spliced Notch rigging thingy and the wood. Gloves, regularly sprayed in sickly sweet alcohol. For 'Breatharians' this virus must be worse than eating....tofu. Stuart

I've not stopped, though being short staffed and limited to a 2 man team, I found myself doing longer hours than usual trying to cram as much in before people canceled or even did some jobs themselves out of boredom. Very few inquiries though but at least monetary wise, we are in a very good place. Many of the council jobs have actually been made easier by the lack of pedestrians and onlookers. My goal is to have an empty diary ready for a break and to be able to react faster and book any new jobs in sooner. I also need a week to return my chipper to the factory and a few days to work on the truck. Stuart

Ah... a sum of 1500 euros has been banded around for those commerçants and artisans who can show their turnover is down by 70% for the month of March. For those who habitually declare they live on air and have a low turnover, they will be regretting that very soon as they will receive very little if anything at all. The process of claiming is already proving to be very slow, still April and even May to consider yet and I doubt many will receive a payment before June. Something rather strange, hotels, gites, chambre d'hotes who have already received payment up front will be allowed to keep monies for 18 months before refunding. I count myself lucky that I vacillated over a 2 week gite holiday costing over 2k and did not make payment before the plague struck. There is a strong chance that people won't get money back. Business owners die or go out of business or clients may die or just give up on reclaiming or just decide that they no longer want to holiday in France or that they can no longer afford to take that holiday given the situation, austerity, unemployment etc plans change. Several 'gite' owners have stated on a Facebook page for expats that they have no intention of re-paying monies and have already spent it anyway. I caused a heated debate when I accused them of not having a viable business if they need to spend clients deposits just to live. If a builder had taken a 50% deposit in advance then refused to refund the money because he couldn't start the work for 18 months due to a bad back people would be up in arms. Yet this no refund policy is actually sanctioned by the French government. Stuart

Working as a team of two, 4 days this week. I have a bottle of vanilla scented alcohol and tissues ready to wipe any surfaces such as the krab, pulley I send to the climber and my gloves (List is not exhaustive) The chipper and truck are my domain. The climber has his own transport. He climbs on srt so it takes a minute or less to ascend a tree so coming down to fill his own saw isn't an issue. I sent up the Longboy after drenching it in alcohol. The rope is a vector, not just for Covid-19 but typhoid, cholera, norovirus and toxoplasmosis but it's handled with gloves which are regularly drenched in alcohol. Climber normally looks like a homeless guy in a harness but when I pointed out this virus has boosted his personal appearance and hygiene somewhat, he replied that he was back with his girlfriend. Today he pushed the chipper twice, I wiped down those surfaces. If this continues, I might even be tempted to polish the thing. This morning, an elderly 'bourgeoisie' couple stopped on the footpath and had a go at the climber for working. His reply was along the lines of "You have a fat retirement, I only have todays wage" He's not lying, I'm his only employeur in this current situation and his van is trapped in a garage awaiting a new injector system. Thursday and Friday for another local commune (council) Police permission granted to work on the roadside. I'm hoping to unscrew some new road signs and do a couple of cheeky fells. Week after I'm hoping to get on with prioritising the jobs that might get cancelled or trimmed down if delayed longer. I'm keen not to lose a centime now because I see a future of austerity ahead. Stuart

Yes, these are fairly common in the West of France on former thatched houses. Stuart

Magsi wouldn't sell me one direct so I asked a friendly local engineering firm to be my 'dealer' as Didier used to make buckets for Congo sized mining excavators. It needed some hydraulic pipe fettling as well from a mobile hydro specialist. I could also have bought an MX as they are made in Acigné just 7km away and ordered that via a colleague whose brother actually makes the fecking things. Stuart

Totally empowers the machine. For Arb work it is 'de rigour'. Loading logs, moving masses of leylandii to the chipper or more mundane tasks like emptying a clients oversize compost heap. Well worth the extra cost. Stuart

Ping me your price Parcel Monkeyed on a pallet and I'll flash it across to the boss. Regards Stuart