Looking for help with service; eastern region or anyone else

So I am not sure how many of you in the mid-atlantic region are having a problem with this......but.......are the repair centers starting to fall off their game? I pose this to you. How is it that if you have a RPA on a mower and it is just over the 90 days, it is not for commercial use, used 1 to 2 times a week around rain storms and it fails to start,.........How is this neglect and abuse?' Confused

' I say this because there are 14 individual cases at our store that face this problem. The common tech spec; Dirty oil, low oil, bent crankshaft. Needs short block, crank and keyway. Est. $234.' Shocked

' Uh...I thought the RPA took care of that' Rolling Eyes

' Has anyone else heard of this or experienced this? I have more on this saga that I will endulge more into after posts and thoughts are up. And it's a good one..........

TO BE CONTINUED......................

Joined: 13 Jun 2008 Posts: 161

The PA doesn't cover the crankshaft, period. I make sure to communicate that to my customers and I guess my honest face actually convinces them to buy the PA regardless. Now, if it were only one or two I could see it. 14 sounds like one of two things: a bad batch (which Sears will NEVER admit to) or lazy techs.

Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 6045

Toolgod is right. A bent crankshaft is considered abuse which is not PA covered. And Sears or Electrolux will never admit to a problem.

But I've seen this complaint alot over the last several years especially since the ESL crew got their paws into service metrics. I've even read on other complaint boards that many are complaining that since they had scorched bearings & bushings that that was a symptom of a bent shaft and the PA & warranty were voided. Never proved with an actual bent shaft but just the symptoms.

I'd guess that Eddie cheapend all his deals including the ones with Electrolux on lawnmowers and they said screw you now questioning all warranty submittals in much more detail than in the past thus incentivizing Sears to scrutinize every customer repair likewise. Throw in service techs & centers that repairED anything for job security you now have even more trouble.

But this is why the L&G RPA HAS been a joke. It is nothing but an extended manufacturers warranty. It's doesn't cover the most common problems including oil,belt,plug,filter and blade changes or something like a bent shaft. These are the most likely items that would actually need attention and yet are NOT covered by the PA. Oh you get A discount on overpriced repairs and parts-big whup.

And this is why sales associates and managers who say or want you to say things ' if anything goes wrong ' they are fracken LIARS. And if you are not a LIAR you then are wasting everyone's time by telling the customer the truth-what it DOESNT cover which in direct conflict to what they might actually need.

Joined: 14 Dec 2008 Posts: 21

again sears has shot itself in the foot. The company was built on taking care of the customer and having them deal with you decade after decade. The coverage of PA,s was always a good way to keep the customer happy and have them come back. In the past LG stuff would come in for tuneups that included the plug and oil and blades and whatever. But that was stopped and you lose a little more contact with the customer and make yourself a lot more like the competition. The price of a PA is so expensive that I am amazed anyone buys them with all the exclusions and limitations. Take a look at the price of PA,s at homedepot. It is shockingly low.

Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 6045

What's the oil change on most lawn mowers - first one 6 hours then every 50 hours after ? . How can they say dirty oil or low oil after the first 3 months. Have Craftsman myself and the original oil was clear & full well beyond 6 hours. I change oil based on color and level. It even came out over the last year and said you can raise a car oil change from 3k to 5K miles.

Are the RPA customers being charged for the diagnosis. Heard many service centers and stores want to charge for non covered diagnosises-with an RPA.

I remember one year we had a lot of mowers where the blade kept falling off. Brought it up at a Powerama and the rep got all -why the heck did you have to bring that up. Said off the record in a low tone they ' probably ' weren't tightening them at the factory: yet he knew.

Besides profit/belt tightening I think there is somekind of reimbursement issue going on here.

Joined: 03 Mar 2005 Posts: 1568 Location: Michigan

I bought a Toro at a local "mom and pop" that's big in the Detroit area, Weingartz. Mower's 10 years old now, been going there for the yearly tune-up since. Used to be $40, now $50. Got three -- yes three -- new decks, at $0 cost to me. Deck problem was a Toro manufacturing issue with rusting. Just looked over the receipts, and didn't pay full price in the years with no real service needed (minor charge for blade sharpening vs. replacement, etc.). And mower STILL starts on one pull, just like when brand new.

Guess who's getting my repeat business when I need a new mower? Guess how many folks I told to go to THEM? No overpriced "protection" agreement, knowledgeable sales and service folks, and good old-fashioned CUSTOMER service.

Certainly wouldn't get the service I've gotten over 10 years from Sears.

Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 430

My friend had a mower, and the battery starter was broken/defective. Of course, the first think they do is slap the mower on the scope, and find out the shaft is slightly bent, and reject his claim. Obviously he just cancelled the PA, and bought a new one. But I don't think most people are smart enough to know they cancel it.

Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 6045

stevie - first thing they do is put a scope on the shaft for a starter problem.

Curious was the bent shaft part of the battery starter problem?

And are all bent shafts from customer abuse and can ' A ' bent be associated with ALL lawnmower problems. If they have a bent shaft coming out of the factory or defective parts associated with the shaft wouldn't that bend the shaft or wear the parts?

The whole thing comes back to the lawn mower PA not being worth crap. And if you take the time to explain what it does and does NOT cover in a conscientious manner you are labeled as not knowing how to sell a PA -OR with hold information, misrepresent or LIE.

Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 430

I'm fairly certain the key starter just didn't work. The friend who bought it is a long term sears employee, probably 5-7 total years in a few different stints.

He just called the PA dept, told them to f off and got his check back and bought a new mower.

I dunno how a bent shaft has anything to do with a key starter, but that's just me. I don't know crap about lawn and garden.

Joined: 26 Feb 2005 Posts: 120

The bent shaft is a safety issue and nothing else. It is not a way to get out of the warranty. while on very very rare occasions I have seen it right out of the box once or twice in 9 years the overall chances of it happening are very small. Service fixed these units because there was no evidence of usage of the mower just wouldnt start. a bent shaft could in theory cause the blade to do all kinds of nasty stuff to the person using it. If someone comes in with a battery problem and the crank is bent service wont touch it with a ten foot pole. it's kind of like taking a car in for tires and when the wheels come off the mechanics find the need for new tie rods or a half shaft. If they do work on the unit they have to fix the WHOLE issue other wise it is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

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