Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

...buying curtain rods for the living room (just had it painted...in fact, we're having just about the whole house (inside) painted...I'd do it but I just don't have the time)  and on the way out, I hear another customer arguing with one of the employees.  He had just bought a new snowblower (Troy Bilt (MTD ) 8.5 HP, $798).  Apparently, the cashier had neglected to charge the $25.00 assembly fee which the Lowes Employee was attempting to recover.  The "discussion" went on for aboutt ten minutes until the customer finally cancelled the whole deal and walked out.

On the way out, I mentioned to him that (1) it was good that he didn't pay the assembly fee since it wasn't assembled correctly (or at least not adjusted).  The scraper bar was riding on the floor while the skid shoes were raised almost an inch.  With the first use, the scraper woudl have been ruined and the edges of the housing certinaly scraped up if not bent...and open to premature rusting, and (2) he'd probalby be better off with a dealer but with 10" to 16" of snow predicted for tomorrow (which meand I'll get to use the Toro again, bringing the cost down to about $333 per use), he wanted to take one home last night (9:00 P.M.) so (3) I sent him to Home Depot down the block and told him to get the Ariens 8526 as it's a better machine and with the current Home Depot promotion, about the same price.  Also, I happened to have a Lowes 10% new mover's coupon in my pocket which I gave to him (I printed an extra to use at HD), telling him HD would honor it.

I used to prefer Lowes to HD but at least at this particluar store, it seems that service is a thing of the past.

LL

Lowes, Home Depot.. Neither have a service or parts department. Should have sent him to a Real OPE Dealer. When your spending $800-$1000, whats a few more dollars to get a product assembled and adjusted properly, that will also be supported for years to come.

i have 3 home depots within 20 minutes of my local, and they usually have several returned machines for theusual lack of proper adjustment and run in.

MM-
    i think the reason LL sent him to HD was because it's mid january and there's snow on the ground(and more coming).  IOW, there aren't any units left at local dealers.  I tried *desparately* to buy my 824 from a dealer(I went to 5 or 6 here locally, and called a few in buffalo), but none had any and they didn't know when they were going to get any. And I bought in November before any snow hit the ground.  If you need a machine hurry hurry(as it seems this fellow did) in snow season, your best bet is one of the larger stores, unfortunately.  I always plead with people to go to local dealers first and HD/lowes only as a last resort.  For airens stuff, i've taken to sending people to chase pitkins(a locally owned home center chain) as they are a dealer/service center, and they are local folks.  And surprisingly competitive.  I was there  just a day a go buying shear pins for my 824(darn retaining wall) and over heard someone buying an 8526 for the exact price you could get from HD at -10% more for opening a charge.

I'd say you did the right thing LL.  He'll now have a premium machine instead of the MTD.  The local dealers were discounting their snowthrowers, but they are probably goin' very quick. 

          Hd, here in Dover, Delaware,  HD has the Ariens 1332 LE deluxe for $ 1316.00.

Not a bad price, but to much machine for Dover!!

                                                                                Fred 

terrapin24h wrote:

OHHHHHHH, I seee.

Then Yes, He is much better with the HD. Ariens is superior product, and can always be re-adjusted once he brings it home.

Good Story. I bet lowes don't even understand why they get machines taken back all the time lol. I would have to say that everyone is better off with a dealer! When I bought my Stihl FS250R Trimmer, I bought it from a local dealer. Meaning if something goes seriously wrong with it (Which I doubt) and I can't fix it myself, I can send it to them and they will have it fixed within a week! I would not mind spending the few extra bucks to buy and service localy. Lowes is a joke. Have you ever seen the mowers they sell? L-Chepo LOL.

jubol wrote:

WHAT?????!!!!  Oh man if I was independantly wealthy I would buy that machine in a heartbeat and resell it up here, heck, I keep that monster to scare the snow away lol....

Oh what they have sitting there......

Oh well......

C

Hi Terminator,

Yeah, that's a shame people are buying from Lowes or HD and believe because they purchase assembly, they are getting a well assembled and adjusted snowblower.  That is what happens when an individual purchases a costly piece of OPE without doing appropriate research.  There is no excuse for that, thanks to the power of the internet.  Just think how many of these people would have had a much easier time of it, if they had found this forum first.  Even if they wanted to purchase from one of those stores to get a break on the price, and who wouldn't, at least they'd know what to expect ahead of time.    

Totally agree! You can buy a snow blower from a dealer for $1200.00 and will be put together properly and had a run in, and you can be guranteed great service and support! As soon as you start shopping at the big stores, you forgo all of that! In our day of age, there are not many local retailers left. And that does worry me. I don't want to be stuck buying my parts online! I rather go to my local dealer and order threw them.

One time I bought a preasure washer from Home Depot and I spent $1000.00 for it. Well, I realised I was not going to get any service a support for it unless I found a Honda Dealer around here somwhere. But that did not matter to me because I was only going to use this preasure washer for a while and then sell it. I needed a presure washer for a while with a very high preasure rate to do heavy duty jobs. But once I was done, was not going to use it anymore. Renting would have cost me alot of money too. See this way, I sold the preasure washer for $1000.00 dollars minus tax. I would have spent way over 100 to rent one of this type for that long! But I digress.

I believe in supporting my local dealer no matter what I buy. I believe that buy supporting them, I am actually helping them stay alive. We don't want to let our service dealers die out!

There is a point that you have to consider the money. The Ariens 8526LE lists for $1150 but HD is selling it for $750 and if you have a 10% coupon the price is $675 and if you buy it in Delaware, you save even more. No tax. You just have to be handy and put it together CORRECTLY yourself.  

Another thing, in North Jersey they use a lot of cheap (South of the border) help at my OPE. My 2 SBs that I purchased from my local OPE needed some minor tweeking after they were assembled and serviced. I watched them assemble 2 Ariens machines. They assembled them blower mouth down on concrete. I would not buy either one after the damage they caused to the paint.  Cheap help is not cheap sometimes and sometimes you are better off doing the job yourself.  

newjerseybt wrote:
I totaly agree! In our day of age, people don't care about you, only themselves. So, if we want something done right, we have to do it ourselves. For instance... The local dealer I go to is family run. However, there youngest sun, does crappy jobs putting things together. But, his dad and others do a great job. So, if I need any service done, I request that one of them do it besides his sun.

LL, I see your point, but even with an assembled machine the user should adjust the skid shoes and scaper bar to their conditions before the first use. That was good advice steering him toward the Ariens.