Sears has changed. Apparently they want to make the Service department a profit center. I bought a battery start lawn mower with a service contract. Twice I took it in for an annual tuneup. They replaced spark plug, air filter and blade at no cost. I recently received a letter telling me that my service contract would expire in April and that I could extend it for something like $200 (I have thrown the offer away for reasons that I will explain).
I was still covered by the contract. I took the mower in for the usual spring tuneup. I was asked to sign a work order for something like $39. I asked about this and was told the consumable items such as blade, spark plug and filter were not covered. I told the manager that they were covered in the past. I was assured that they should not have been covered. I told them not to replace them, just replace the battery.
A few days later I received a telephone call to the effect that my mower had a bent crankshaft and that it would cost something like $170 to fix it. The mower had been running well when I put it away for the winter. I had not felt the vibration that would accompany a bent crankshaft. I explained that I just wanted the battery replaced. I was again asked if I declined to have my mower fixed. I said yes and was told my mower would be shipped out the next day (from Sacramento - 60 miles). Three days later I went in to pick up my mower. It was in transit. A few days later I was called to pickup my mower. There was no evidence that anything had been done to my mower.
I put gas into the mower and used the rope start. It ran like a top. I cut a large patch of weeds. There was no vibration as would be expected with a bent crankshaft.
My mower does not have a shear pin to protect the crankshaft. An earlier Sears mower had had one.
I looked at the price Sears charges for consumable items such as spark plugs. Their 458/J19LM sells for $2.99. It comes in a Champion box labeled 861 J19LM which Kragen sells for $. 69. A 650831 1/4 20 screw is $2.16. The local hardware sells a package with 4 screws for $. 69. Shipping and handling for items less than $15.00 is only $4.49. This is a bargain if your time is worth anything. I waited nearly an hour to send my mower off to not be repaired. I made three round trips. I waited 45 minutes to pick up my not repaired mower.
If I have a problem with my mower with its supposedly bent crankshaft, I will junk it. I will have my weeds cut. I will get my exercise in more pleasant ways.
I checked with two differnt Sears stores. The salesmen assured me that everything but abuse was covered. I believe that they have not been informed of the new Sears policy.
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