Polaris fined 1Million$

[markc]

http://www.channel3000.com/money/4078530/detail.html

Hmmm, this can't be good for Polaris.  makes me wonder about the heating of the Ranger XP melting the seat and floor board.

[tjf76]

Im glad I bought a foreman 500  :lol:

[robw]

Glad you brought this to my attention, but these problems apply to older models.  What about the newer ones do they have problems or recalls?.

[markc]

I haven't heard about any except for some problems with the Ranger XP that just came out and the steering column on the 05 Ranger 500.

[Old Syko]

Polaris has relented by agreeing to pay the $950,000 simply because it is the cheapest way out for them but refuse to admit any fault.  Now who can blame them?  I have mixed feelings about this whole deal.  To begin with, as long as Polaris is willing to make repairs and update designs, what can be gained from this socalled fine?  We have to remember, the CPSC in their all knowing wisdom, are the same fine bunch who killed the 3 wheeler because they felt the general public was too stupid to fend for ourselves.

My problem with all this is that the money doesn't go to the folks who have had problems with their machines it only serves to harm the manufacturer.  Since Polaris was already trying to reengineer items to avoid future problems and repair past ones, this fine is a joke.  And to think people actually wonder why our manufacturers are moving outside US borders and the price of an atv is equal to that of a nice car just a few short years ago.

[markc]

I see your point syko, especially the part about the 3 wheeler.  


Let me play devils advocate for a second.

I'm assuming that the law requires them to notify someone of these problems?   So the fine was for not following the law right?  While Polaris made the corrections, if it is the law to report the problems, then I for one, believe the law should be followed.   If you pay several grand for an ATV, the manufacturer owes it to the customer to inform them if a dangerous defect is identified.

Maybe the law needs to be changed, maybe not, but I don't think any manufacturer whether it be Polaris, GM, Ford or anyone else should be able to decide on their own if they will or will not follow the law.  We may not agree with the law, but until it is changed or done away with, we should follow it.    

I think the same law applies to the other ATV manufacturers.  If my memory serves me correctly, and it sometimes doesn't, ArticCat declared a recall on some of their ATV models a few years back.  I don't remember the details, but it seems that what they did was notify owners of their ATV's by issuing the recall, made repairs or corrections etc... Rather than trying to hide the defects and making the corrections, reporting problems after the fact.   If someone was driving one of the Polaris ATV's that had problems and was injured because Polaris had hidden the problems and tried to correct the problem in future models, wouldn't you think that a fine was in order?

Okay, devils advocate suit is off now.  Either way, I don't think Polaris is going to suffer alot of permanent damage from the fine.

[Old Syko]

Mark, believe it or not we're pretty much on the same page.  No, a million or there 'bouts won't destroy this corporation but my problem with all this is where the money goes.  I feel it should go to the folks who have been wronged instead of to a federally supported entity.  I'm sorry for being so ignorant but once the check is written, who's account does it end up in?

[markc]

Good question.   So Polaris or whomever gets the fine.  Why doesn't the fine $ collected go to the consumers who were wronged by the product failure?  I'm with you on that one for sure.