On our blog some time ago we argued about "why it is worth to be guided by the brand of a horse drawn carriages manufacturer when choosing a new horse carriage". After its publication, we received many valuable comments from enthusiasts of carriage driving from all over the world, especially those who are just learning the secrets of horse riding. It is thanks to you that we are now discussing another topic, important from the point of view of all horse carriage users, namely: "why you should buy carriages from authorized dealers". Why it is important? This is because it concerns the important issue of the safety of carriage driving and the problem of purchasing and using a used horse drawn carriage of unknown origin. If you are to buy a new or used horse carriage, this article is just for you.
The "DNA" of the GLINKOWSKI 1956 brand is a combination of 3 features: innovation, perfection of workmanship and safety (read more: Why is it worth paying for a brand on the market of horse-drawn carriages?). You can find them in every carriage that leaves the carriage factory in Sikorzyn near Gostyń. However, if the brand is a commitment and a guarantee of quality, they must also cover the period of use of the horse drawn carriages after sale.
This is why reputable horse drawn carriages' manufacturers develop a distribution network whose representatives take care of carriages' service, perform post-warranty repairs and supply with original spare parts. But these are not the only benefits of using the services of an authorized dealer.
Dealer, meaning who?
The dealer is the guarantor of the manufacturer's quality extension, therefore its selection should be a process conditioned by many factors.
- We have been developing our global dealer network for 30 years - emphasizes Hubert Glinkowski, co-owner responsible for the sales area - Many are interested, but we set great requirements to make sure that the candidate will not disappoint our customers and will not damage the brand's reputation - he adds.
For the GLINKOWSKI 1956 brand, aspects such as knowledge of the equestrian industry and recognition in it, experience in driving, technical competence and service and capital background, as well as business integrity and, finally, purely human features such as responsibility or commitment are decisive.
- We have built the network of authorized dealers carefully - continues Hubert Glinkowski - Most of them are partners, cooperating with us for many years, who provide the end customer with the high quality we require from them - he emphasizes.
Guarantee of quality
How to understand this "quality" in the context of sales by dealers? Above all, it is certain that if we want to buy a GLINKOWSKI 1956 horse drawn carriage, we will receive one, with all warranty obligations. And this is not always so obvious, especially in the case of a manufacturer with such a great reputation, where the benefits of impersonating its brand are tempting for unreliable traders.
- Over the years, we have encountered situations where carriages allegedly manufactured by our factory turned out to be of someone else’s production. The matter concerned both new and used horse carriages - says Hubert Glinkowski - Although the latter cases were more numerous. - he adds.
If servicing is required, it creates problems for the owner of such a carriage with the supply of spare parts and repairs, for which the brand and dealers cannot take responsibility. It is worth knowing that only dealers authorized on a given market have the right to sell brand new horse carriages and thus have the obligation to service them. Within the dealer network, it is forbidden to re-export carriages to other markets.
Owners of new carriages that go to a given market excluding a local dealer may face a refusal to provide warranty services, and at best the time to perform them will be significantly longer. Regular customers have priority status. In such situations, it is also necessary to prove the origin of the vehicle or proof of purchase. In exceptional cases, intervention at the brand headquarters is possible.
Such an owner can, of course, purchase spare parts in a Polish factory and perform or commission a repair, but the delivery costs often exceed the cost of a given part, the shipping time is longer than that of the dealer, and finally the delivery time can be very long for customers from distant countries, such as the USA or Australia. Also, you can never be sure of the quality of repairs performed by a local, unauthorized workshop. And most importantly, in the latter case, we automatically lose the factory warranty.
These problems do not occur when buying a horse drawn carriage from an authorized dealer who has a warehouse of basic parts, and also regularly receives deliveries of non-standard elements of the carriage equipment. Time will be important for professional drivers, because the technical problem just before the competition is a real headache in such a situation, but also for amateurs of horse carriage driving, waiting for several weeks for parts means a long-term resignation from the pleasure of driving. The dealer also guarantees the highest quality of service, and thus the safety of using the carriage for the driver and the horse.
The matter becomes even more complicated when buying a used horse drawn carriage of unknown origin. It happens that an "occasionally" purchased carriage, often imported from another country, requires costly adaptation to the new owner. It happens when the merchant sells the carriage regardless of the conditions of the driver or the horse. If the driver is of a different height than the first owner, it will be necessary to raise the position of the driver or add an additional floor, in the case of the horse it is often necessary to produce new shafts or change the size of the wheels. Such a client is then left alone with a given problem. Even if he/she contacts the manufacturer directly, the difficulty is the inability to adequately dimension additional accessories.
There will always be doubts as to how the carriage was used by the previous owner or owners. If it was used improperly or its service was not properly cared for (read more: Renovation of a sports carriage before the equestrian season), although it seems to be in good condition, it may pose a threat to the health of the new user and his/her horse. All these problems can be avoided when purchasing a new or used horse drawn carriage through a local dealer.
Professional advice
- Our commercial experience is such that many horse carriages buyers, apart from professional drivers, of course, are not able to properly select a carriage suitable for themselves - says Hubert Glinkowski - An experienced dealer supports the buyer also in this area - he adds.
When choosing a horse carriage, the key factors are: the purpose of the carriage, the driver skills, his/her weight, height, possible disabilities, and finally the size of the horse to be harnessed to the carriage. These elements affect the comfort, safety of driving, full use of the driving possibilities of carriages in sports competitions, and finally the welfare of horses intended for driving. As a last resort, all these elements have an impact on the technical operation of the carriage, and may, if combined incorrectly, increase the failure rate of the carriage and thus the cost of its maintenance, and cause damage to the horse's health. The dealer is also up to date with the regulations governing the use of vehicles in road traffic and during equestrian competitions.
- All our sports horse drawn carriages meet the current requirements of the International Federation for Equestrian Sports [FEI], and if necessary, we additionally adjust the carriages to specific local regulations - emphasizes Damian Glinkowski, co-owner responsible for the technical area - A very important issue for us is also the welfare of driving horses, which is primarily influenced by the weight of the carriage. We ensure full compliance with the regulations. - he adds.
Moreover, the dealer's advice is invaluable when choosing a horse drawn carriage from the GLINKOWSKI 1956 offer. An authorized dealer has thorough knowledge of the full offer and product lines. The carriages of the GLINKOWSKI 1956 brand are available in four product lines, in which the carriages differ in purpose, finishing elements, equipment level and price. For high-performance drivers, the Performance Line line is dedicated, for those who are starting their adventure with driving: NS Line, for customers looking for a cheap, solid carriage, the OtiumLine is intended, and for very wealthy customers: X-Line
- Very often, when comparing the costs of purchasing a used horse carriage of unknown origin and a new carriage from the OtiumLine or NS Line series, there is no difference in price or it is so small that it does not justify all the problems that can be acquired by purchasing a carriage outside the authorized network - says Jack Alvarez from Driving Essentials company, Authorized Dealer from the USA - It is worth noting more aspects than just being guided by the alleged opportunity and price - he adds.
It is also worth knowing that dealers can help in the purchase of a used GLINKOWSKI 1956 horse drawn carriage. Having a large customer base, they know who is planning to replace the carriage and connect the interested parties with each other. The benefit for the buyer of a used GLINKOWSKI 1956 carriage of known origin is the guarantee of quality and safety of use, professional service and the immediate availability of basic spare parts.
GLINKOWSKI 1956 dealer network
The GLINKOWSKI 1956 brand is currently the best developed global dealer network in the horse carriages sector (the list of dealers can be found on the website, in the Dealers. The brand has 35 official representatives in 21 countries, including in the key European markets: Germany, France, Spain, but also outside the European continent in the USA, Chile and Australia. It is actively looking for dealers in other markets where it is not yet represented.
- In markets where we do not have a local dealer, all issues of key importance for the safe and trouble-free use of the carriage must be remotely discussed with Customers, which is sometimes a problem due to language issues and the technical competence of the buyer. On the other hand, time differences between continents are a natural obstacle, limiting the communication rate - concludes Hubert Glinkowski - It is much easier when communication takes place between people from the same cultural, linguistic and geographical circle.- he adds.
Are you before buying a new or used horse carriage? Also read:
Why is it worth paying for a brand on the market of horse-drawn carriages?
Renovation of the sport carriage before the equestrian season