A & J Repairs

Review: I wasted a week and a half waiting for them. "Yes, they could do the work" when I dropped off the lawn tractor. Today, "No they don't do the work".

I called in advance to be sure they work on my Craftsman lawn tractor -- and that they could fix a small leak from the transaxle seal. Yes, bring it over, they said. They called the next day to say the I needed to replace the transaxle at a cost of about $1200.

The tractor is only four years old and showing no signs of failure of the transaxle. So, I ask for a bid to replace the main components. They would call me the next day, they said. No call. So, I went back to the shop the following day to discuss the repair. Workman isn't there, won't be back for about a week. So, I wait. Today, he calls and notifies me that no he doesn't do repairs, only full replacements (apparently). Now, a week and half later, I have to find someone else who will do the work.

While I was waiting for the workman to return, I picked up the tractor because I needed to mow. When I got home, the tractor misfired badly when started up. Now, I'm fixing two problems. I don't have any proof that they did something to my tractor... I wasn't there. I only know that it ran fine when I dropped it off and even during their tests, they said. But now it doesn't. The problem only developed during their possession of the tractor. Still, no offer to look at it or help to correct the problem.

I'm not demanding anything -- that's too much fighting. But, I want potential customers to know of my experience. Too many bad things happened, unfortunately.

This was my first time using their service. They are convenient to my home so I hoped they would be a good service provider. I'm looking elsewhere now.Desired Settlement: None

Business

Response:

Business' Initial Response

This customer called ahead regarding a small leak at the transmission on his Craftsman riding mower. We do these types of repairs and work on Craftsman riding mowers all the time. He brought in his mower and we took a $35 deposit which is an estimate fee if we do not do the repairs or applies to the price of the total repair if we do the repairs. When the unit was received, we checked it out and found that the transmission had more problems than "a small leak", we provided him with an estimate for the repairs and told him that we didn't think the unit was worth the cost of this repair. At this time the mechanic that would be doing these repairs had to take some time off. The customer was upset that the mechanic was not here to discuss it further at that time. He asked if he could pick-up the mower and use it for his mowing and bring it back the following week when the mechanic returned. He explained to me (not the mechanic) that he had contacted the manufacturer of the transmission and that we "probably" only needed to replace certain parts inside the transmission. We allowed him to pick up the unit for the mowing. At this point there was not a problem (to our knowledge) with this customer and therefore his accusation that we might have done something to the unit while it was here has no basis in reality. Our understanding was that he would be bringing the unit back and discussing it with the mechanic when he returned. He came back the next week, we told him that we were not willing to tear into the transmission because the time and potential costs were not worth the time and effort. He told us that he would not be bringing the unit back and that it was not running properly. We refunded his $35 deposit even though we had provided him with the estimate, because we felt that we were denying to do these repairs for him and therefore should refund his deposit.

[redacted] - Owner

A & J Repairs

Consumer's Final Response

(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)

First, this explanation points to some interesting attitudes at their shop. I did not ask them if I could pick up my tractor, I told them that I was going to do so. They suggest that they allowed me to take my tractor...when it wasn't their decision at all.

But, as to the facts: They represented that they could REPAIR the transmission if there was a problem. If they had said that they only do complete replacements, they would not have seen my tractor in the first place. They performed a cursory examination only--they didn't do anything other than run the tractor for a short time. So, there is no way they could have known what was wrong. When they called to offer the alternatives for repair, they said it could be replaced or repaired. I asked for an estimate of the cost of repair. They promised to call me the next day with that. When I didn't hear from them, I visited their shop the following day--one day after the promised call. In the meantime, I had researched the possible problems and found that my tractor only had slight symptoms of failure, that it could be used for a substantial time still. But, if and when it failed, repairs could be made far short of total replacement. Considering the materials and mechanic time needed at that time, the cost would have been half that of full replacement. I even researched the availability of parts from the manufacturers website--all parts needed were available. So, my only contact with the transmission's manufacturer was to check their website for parts. That is the information I took to their shop the day following their promised call with hopes of speaking with [redacted], the mechanic. And, it is at that time I learned that he had left town and wouldn't be back for a week. I then informed them that I would be retrieving my tractor and would call them when their mechanic was back in town. Only when he returned did I learn that they didn't want to repair it (now, even though that was one of the options originally offered), they would only do a complete replacement. Through this I learned that they really didn't know what they were talking about in the first place and were trying to do the easy thing, for them, at my expense.

Now, here's the rest of what happened. As soon as I got the tractor back home, I tried to use it but found that the engine, now, wasn't working properly...it was misfiring. It was running perfectly when I dropped it off at their shop. I called them immediately to let them know, and also that they had cut the sidewall of the rear tire while it was there. They ([redacted]) said the mechanic would call about that too when he returned. They claimed no responsibility even though the engine problems only developed while in their care.

After trying to fix the engine with new plugs, a new carburetor, new gaskets, resetting the valves, etc--more than $350--another mechanic informed me that the engine was shot and would need new pistons and maybe more. The tractor had just 200 hours of use in over 4 years, and had been maintained religiously to the manufacturer recommendations.

By this time, more than a month had passed since I first took my tractor to A & J for a small problem that I thought I was getting out in front of by having it checked early. All the while, I was unable to mow any of my three acres. End result, I had to buy a whole new tractor at a cost of more than $2000.

I have since checked with many of my neighbors about this shop--I wish I had done so first. None of them will use A&J for similar reasons.

My net, net recommendation to any potential customers of this shop is avoid it. They took a good tractor and made it bad and gave me nothing but attitude about the situation. Caveat emptor, or you'll be sorry.

Oh, and, they returned my $35 deposit because they wouldn't work on it, not because they were gracious in any way.

I wasted a week and a half waiting for them. "Yes, they could do the work" when I dropped off the lawn tractor. Today, "No they don't do the work".

I called in advance to be sure they work on my Craftsman lawn tractor -- and that they could fix a small leak from the transaxle seal. Yes, bring it over, they said. They called the next day to say the I needed to replace the transaxle at a cost of about $1200.

The tractor is only four years old and showing no signs of failure of the transaxle. So, I ask for a bid to replace the main components. They would call me the next day, they said. No call. So, I went back to the shop the following day to discuss the repair. Workman isn't there, won't be back for about a week. So, I wait. Today, he calls and notifies me that no he doesn't do repairs, only full replacements (apparently). Now, a week and half later, I have to find someone else who will do the work.

While I was waiting for the workman to return, I picked up the tractor because I needed to mow. When I got home, the tractor misfired badly when started up. Now, I'm fixing two problems. I don't have any proof that they did something to my tractor... I wasn't there. I only know that it ran fine when I dropped it off and even during their tests, they said. But now it doesn't. The problem only developed during their possession of the tractor. Still, no offer to look at it or help to correct the problem.

I'm not demanding anything -- that's too much fighting. But, I want potential customers to know of my experience. Too many bad things happened, unfortunately.

This was my first time using their service. They are convenient to my home so I hoped they would be a good service provider. I'm looking elsewhere now.