Not the Service I Expected

John B.

Well-known Member
I took my zero turn mower in 3 weeks ago to the dealer I bought it from. I wanted to get it serviced for this spring and if it needs any warranty work it could be done. I figured January is the best time. I had them put 2 new knobby tires on the drive wheels last year. One developed a leak last fall. I told them about it when I took it in 3 weeks ago. He called yesterday and told me my mower is ready to be picked up. I asked him if they found the leak and he responded no the transmission wasn't leaking. I said no I mean the tire. He said no we didn't see any nails so we just filled it with slime. I told him I could have done that and to break the tire down and get that slime out of there, and check the tire in a tub of water. I know what slime does to rims. I'm not at all happy.
 
Sadly that is the way service is becoming today. Guys like me that really care. Are being replaced by those after the money.
 
I see it from the other side. Where I work you would check in the mower at the parts counter. They absolutely refuse to ask any questions, so its up to the customer to be specific. If our guys made out the work order it probably said:

check for leaks. or something else vague.

They also don't read what they type, so what actually prints on the work order sometimes sounds really silly.

Lastly, if it was in our shop, we probably would recommend a new tube for that tire. (If we figured out that you needed one.)
I'm no fan of 'slime' either. It is no fun at all to work on a tire that was 'slimed' and still leaks.
 
Service for L&G equipment as us old coots know it is practically a thing of the past. I truly pity those without any skills or ability to perform basic repairs and diagnostics.
 
I have been on both sides of the fence. Sometimes if you do more than asked you catch Hell and sometimes if you don't do enough you get the same. knowing you customer is everything. We had a customers tractor in this week for a clutch job. That is all the customer said. In the process we found a leak on an oil cooler and a fuel leak on the injector pump and we always check the AC on a Cab tractor before we split it. When were done we recharged the AC. I have done a lot of work for these guys over the years. They will be happy we fixed it right. They won't have to bring it back later. Some other customer may have refused to pay for the other work.
 
Service work quality is terrible on all fronts, tractors, semis, cars,appliances, all of it. I didnt do hardly any mechanic work for the public between 2009 and 2018. I had a few of my old customers pleaded with me to do some of their in depth repairs on farm tractors, dozers and motor graders. I take about 8 jobs per year from them, and made it clear that I decide what needs to be done, how it is done, and what parts go on it, and if they dont think they can deal with it like that, they can take it somewhere else. I have only had one of them tell me to go pizz up a rope as he put it, and that was fine by me as it gives me more time to go to the lake and fish.
 
I didn't realize Slime was harmful to rims, I use it in lots of tires with great success! Here in Arizona it works great in bicycle tires, with all the little thorns we have. It's water soluble so it's easy to clean up if there is a leak. I put it in my 4-wheeler tires when they were brand new, so I don't have to add air every month.
 
You were smart telling them to get the slime out of your tire. Hope that they got it all out. That garbage is no good after about two years and will cause corrosion to rims. I charge an extra $15 to change out car tires that have Fix a flat, slim etc in them. Despite what they claim. That stuff does ruin tire sensors. All it takes is for one drop to get into or cover the small hole on the sensor and its done for.
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Been thinking seriously about shutting the auto repair part of the shop down and only do oil changes, brakes and stickers. Then retool it so to speak to do some ATV, SxS tires and wheels. Most of the side x sides now are running 14 and 15" tires and most people are wanting 30-33" truck tires put on them.
 
In my line of heavy truck, trailer repair/maintenance, it's a pain to get someone who gives a rat's patootie!! We run 12 feed trucks/trailers and 12-14 hog trucks, about 20 hog trailers. Trying to keep them maintained/DOT compliant is a challenge when you have folks that don't care. We have one person that one day at work, all three of us on day shift, each had a comeback on units this individual had repaired. You can't be efficient like that!! Sorry for the rant, just tired of it. Hopefully, in mid September, I can walk out of there with ten years on my plate and retire!!
 
Unfortunately for you the service guy is absolutely certain that he is at least 3times as smart as you so your requests or instructions arent really taken all that seriously,my advice is find another dealership that actually values its customers.
 

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