There’s never a good time for equipment to be out of commission.
“As a farmer, your equipment can easily become one of your biggest investments and one of your biggest expenses,” says Matt Nelson, who runs a corn and soybean operation with his father-in-law, Don Kaisand, near Grinnell in central Iowa.
“When you discover you’ve got a serious repair on your hands, it might cost you some downtime in the field, but it’s almost certainly going to come with a price tag you weren’t budgeting for,” Nelson adds. “You have to make sure you’re prepared for surprises.”
In late 2023, after discovering one of his primary tractors might need major repairs, Nelson turned to Bob Rabey, a certified energy specialist with Key Cooperative, for help with questions he had filing a claim through the Cenex Total Protection Plan® (TPP) warranty program.
The TPP program, which provides protection for up to eight years or 8,000 hours on used equipment and up to 10 years or 10,000 hours on new equipment, covers repairs on thousands of pieces of agricultural equipment, including tractors, combines, sprayers and more.
“We had to completely replace the engine and were facing a $25,000-plus repair job,” says Nelson. “That’s not a bill we’d be able to cover overnight. Luckily, we had enrolled in TPP and, with just a few months left on our warranty, we knew we could count on that backup to help cover the repair cost.”
Maximizing ROI
Nelson and Kaisand have enrolled their equipment in the TPP warranty program for more than a decade, adding new pieces of equipment to the program with each purchase.
“We saw firsthand just how much the plan covered and how hassle-free it was to submit a claim,” Nelson says.
He worked with the local repair shop to ensure proper documentation was submitted with the warranty claim. Nelson received a check covering repairs in weeks and his tractor was ready in time for planting season.
“The process was so smooth and painless; it just can’t get simpler than that. That allowed us to get the most out of the equipment,” he says.
Nelson says he and Kaisand invest in maintenance and repairs to keep their equipment, especially their tractors, running smoothly for the long term.
“When we buy new equipment, we take care to make sure it’s going to last because we plan to run it into the ground,” Nelson says.
“When you run your equipment for as many years as we do, you know it’s going to need repairs and you know you’re going to need a safeguard of some sort. We’ve come to see our warranty and the repairs it helps us cover as a way to maximize the investments we’ve already made in our equipment and to keep it running as long as possible.”
Certified energy specialist Bob Rabey, left, with Key Cooperative, supports Matt Nelson and other equipment owners when they have warranty questions.
Catch issues early
While the TPP warranty program has helped Nelson cover needed repairs, it also helps him catch equipment issues before they escalate and require additional downtime.
Used oil samples are lab-tested for viscosity, oxidation, alkalinity and more to detect potential equipment issues or failure. Customers receive a full analysis report detailing results, along with recommendations.
“A used oil analysis is a lot like a blood test for the human body or a soil test for your fields,” says Jon Woetzel, lubricants quality assurance manager with CHS. “When performed regularly in addition to regular required maintenance, these simple tests can catch issues like antifreeze or fuel leaks before they get out of control and cause your equipment to shut down or cause costly repairs.”
For Nelson, an early used oil sample taken before fall harvest and a second one taken at the end of the season helped flag a potential issue with his tractor that required attention.
“If we hadn’t been testing regularly, we could have been in the middle of our next spring planting season when this engine issue came to a head and left us broken down in the field,” says Nelson.
“Instead, we were able to catch the issue when it started and tackle the repairs during our regular winter maintenance cycle, so we didn’t have to worry about downtime at the busiest time of the year."
Expert advice
Support from trusted experts has also helped Nelson through each step of the warranty program, he says.
“When I have questions about submitting oil samples, about what the warranty covers or what my oil sample lab results mean, Bob’s available to talk me through next steps and help keep the process running smoothly,” says Nelson.
“We want to be sure our customers can stay focused on their operations, not on filing paperwork, especially when it comes to submitting a claim,” says Rabey. “What good is a warranty, if it’s too complicated or too cumbersome to actually use it? I’m here to make sure they can make the most of this tool and keep their operations running.”
“A warranty certainly provides insurance from financial surprises,” says Nelson, “but it also comes with some peace of mind knowing we’ve got support from the experts in our corner when we need it most.”
Make the most out of your warranty
The energy technical experts at CHS suggest the following steps to leverage warranty protection to avoid equipment issues.
Designate a used oil sample point person. To ensure used oil samples are accurately tracking equipment performance, know the proper steps for pulling a sample and identify who will own the responsibility. “We often find the person who pulled the sample is not the same person who filed the warranty claim,” says Jon Woetzel, lubricants quality assurance manager. “If we run into an issue with missing samples or the quality of the sample itself, that could disqualify a claim.”
Put used oil test results to work. “Many operators will receive their analysis results, see that no major issue have been flagged and file the report away,” says Woetzel. “If you flip a page further, you’ll find historical data and trends that show how your equipment is performing. That’s valuable information you can use to optimize equipment and product use.”
Pay attention to transmission fluid. “We often find operators are diligent when it comes to changing engine oil, but try to stretch transmission fluid too far,” says Woetzel. “You’re better off changing your transmission fluid early than risk losing compliance with warranty programs.
Check out the full Winter 2025 C magazine with this article and more.
