I was hoping someone can share their experience that they have had with JD when they needed help. Aprox. a year ago my brother purchase a JD tractor from our good friend, it had come from Home Depot. I think it was about a year old when he sold it to him. My brother then purchased the JD snow blower attachment from the local dealer. Well after the last storm we had he was returning to the garage and the connector rod snapped, fortunately it did not blow a hole in the block. He contacted JD and asked for some help since the tractor is only +/- 7 months out of warranty. He was instructed to take it to the local dealer and let them diag, which he did. After the official diag he was pretty much told to pound sand by JD. Our friend also contacted them since he was the original owner, he was told the same thing. I can稚 tell you how ticked off we all are, especially since our friend had sold the tractor to buy a X700 and I just bought a 2305. Has anyone run into this type of situation? Thanks in advance.
Blown Engine on the Box Store Tractor
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MrJimi
Elite Member, Rest in Peace
Welcome to the site
What engine was in it? B/S have a 2 year warranty
Jim
What engine was in it? B/S have a 2 year warranty
Jim
MrJimi
Elite Member, Rest in Peace
Hd got us for almost $1,000 go back to original owner and ask if he will help you, and I think it's a B&S problem not a JD problem. I do wish you lot's of luck, like I mentioned hd got us good and I won't go back. And these engines are very costly, almost cheaper to buy a different brand with same engine and put it in deere or go with other. I bought a nice Troybilt at Lowes with a 18.5 HP B&S with a 42 inch cut for less than $900
Jim
go back to original owner and ask if he will help you, and I think it's a B&S problem not a JD problem. I do wish you lot's of luck, like I mentioned hd got us good and I won't go back. And these engines are very costly, almost cheaper to buy a different brand with same engine and put it in deere or go with other. I bought a nice Troybilt at Lowes with a 18.5 HP B&S with a 42 inch cut for less than $900Jim
ToadHill
Elite Member
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- Catt county New York
- Tractor
- Kioti DK35, Ford 8N, Oliver Cletrac
Not a JD but several years ago I bought a mower at a big box store. Within the warranty period the engine blew. I took it back and the store said it was a engine mfg issue. They called sometime later and said the BS rep looked at it and the reason it blew was because a mouse nest was blocking the air circulation. I thought that was interesting since it blew within 2 minutes of starting it up after it sat all winter. I said that it couldn't have overheated in 2 minutes. The long and short was BS would not warranty the engine
I went and picked up the mower and when I examined it it was obvious no one had ever removed a nut on the engine, I had marked them before I took the tractor in. When I examined the engine I found a slight crack in the oil pan. I took a Techumsh engine off an old tractor and replaced the BS and used it that way for several years. All I had to do was shim the pully a bit.
Since then I have never purchased anything with a BS engine and I never will! I also tell this story to anyone I know who even thinks about using BS engines.
I went and picked up the mower and when I examined it it was obvious no one had ever removed a nut on the engine, I had marked them before I took the tractor in. When I examined the engine I found a slight crack in the oil pan. I took a Techumsh engine off an old tractor and replaced the BS and used it that way for several years. All I had to do was shim the pully a bit.
Since then I have never purchased anything with a BS engine and I never will! I also tell this story to anyone I know who even thinks about using BS engines.
I understand that the engine is design/built by another supplier, in this case B&S, the bottom line is it should be a JD problem. They spec'd it and they should stand behind the final product, I'm sure there is another dozen or so componets on the machine that are supplied by others. That's the name of the game these days. I didn't get into great detail in my original post but I guess the coment that went up my a@# sideways is they told my brother it was an oil consumption problem. He asked for the total volume that was drained from the engine when they looked at it. Of course they didn't have any answer, they had no idea, it was a BS response and scripted. Not to mention the oil was changed in the beginning of Nov when the snow blower went on and the machine was only used for one snow storm prior, maybe an hour or two of use. It's starting to sound that they do have an oil consumption problem and since there are no leaks, even after the failure, maybe I should contact the EPA and have them look into it. If the engine is burning oil then I can't imagine it meets the specs of the EPA. I know I sound **** but I am a field rep for an automotive company and I know engines, engine failures, and ramifications of letting something like this to get out of hand, at the moment it's about principal.
Toadhill & MrJimi, thank you for your responses.
Toadhill & MrJimi, thank you for your responses.
Mayor
Silver Member
Did you and your friend get your tractors from the dealer who looked at the HD tractor. If so go see the GM or owner with your friend and see if they can help you out in some way. I find the service managers are a waste of time.
MrJimi
Elite Member, Rest in Peace
Anytime, and when we buy a new car, the battery and tires are warrantied by their manufacture, delco battery/Goodyear tire etc. and rest of car by car maker. Food for thought
Jim
Jim
tomd999
Platinum Member
Hiya,
Power equipment from the big box stores are on sale there for one primary reason, price point. The large retailers negotiate with the manufactures to "customize" the product line so that the price will be more attractive than the other big box store around the corner.
The term "customize" in the large retail world is a misnomer, it doesn't mean a better product, in almost all cases it means a product with a bigger cup holder, fancier decals and one that the engineers were asked "where can we remove costs without effecting reliability during the guarantee period?"
The big box stores do not care about after sales service, they don't honor warranties, they rely on the individual component manufactures to handle claims. The component manufactures have also learned that price is king in the big box world, they have lowered the quality of the components and "gamble" that the equipment won't be used hard as most people that buy PE at Homer D's or Low's are simply "keeping up with the guy next door" and use a rider to cut a 12x35 foot lawn not 3 acres and they aren't looking to spend a lot more $ on equipment that has commercial engines like Kohler, Kawasaki or Robyn that will last 40 years because by then, the paint would be faded.
The "new" B&S engines have been separated into several classes, in order to get something on par with the other commercial duty stuff, you need to go to the very high end of the B&S line, far away from the "value line" offered for big box equipment.
The best example of the quality difference between big box and real commercial equipment was me and the guy next door about 20 years ago when I lived in the 'burbs, we both bought new 21" self propel mowers the same week, He got one from HD with a B&S, I bought a Snapper commercial with a Wisconson/Robyn. He paid $250, I paid $750. He cut his 1/12th acre lawn, I cut mine, my mothers, my aunts and the older couples around the corner. His lasted 3 years, I still have mine and so far the only things I have had to replace are oil, belts and blades.
OK,my soapbox has been put away,
Tom
Power equipment from the big box stores are on sale there for one primary reason, price point. The large retailers negotiate with the manufactures to "customize" the product line so that the price will be more attractive than the other big box store around the corner.
The term "customize" in the large retail world is a misnomer, it doesn't mean a better product, in almost all cases it means a product with a bigger cup holder, fancier decals and one that the engineers were asked "where can we remove costs without effecting reliability during the guarantee period?"
The big box stores do not care about after sales service, they don't honor warranties, they rely on the individual component manufactures to handle claims. The component manufactures have also learned that price is king in the big box world, they have lowered the quality of the components and "gamble" that the equipment won't be used hard as most people that buy PE at Homer D's or Low's are simply "keeping up with the guy next door" and use a rider to cut a 12x35 foot lawn not 3 acres and they aren't looking to spend a lot more $ on equipment that has commercial engines like Kohler, Kawasaki or Robyn that will last 40 years because by then, the paint would be faded.
The "new" B&S engines have been separated into several classes, in order to get something on par with the other commercial duty stuff, you need to go to the very high end of the B&S line, far away from the "value line" offered for big box equipment.
The best example of the quality difference between big box and real commercial equipment was me and the guy next door about 20 years ago when I lived in the 'burbs, we both bought new 21" self propel mowers the same week, He got one from HD with a B&S, I bought a Snapper commercial with a Wisconson/Robyn. He paid $250, I paid $750. He cut his 1/12th acre lawn, I cut mine, my mothers, my aunts and the older couples around the corner. His lasted 3 years, I still have mine and so far the only things I have had to replace are oil, belts and blades.
OK,my soapbox has been put away,
Tom
ShookFarm
Bronze Member
Caveat emptor.
I'm sure I'm rubbing salt in an open wound, but, I have a problem (and I know it's mine) with the idea that it is a manufacturer's responsibility for an item which is admittedly +/- 7 months out of warranty. Seven days, that would be a different story. A half year out, while it hurts and it hurts real bad, that's the breaks. On these types of deals, you tend to lose more than you ever win - at least I do and that's the #1 reason I refuse to support 2nd hand purchases of consumer electronics.
There is quite a bit of truth in the "you get what you pay for" mantra. Unfortunately, someone got bit by this one. We make the choice to vote for quality or price. I'm a Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowe's, Big Lots junkie and I suffer for that choice - sometimes.
My recommendation on a Kohler, B&S and/or Tecumseh, find a local, reputable small engine shop for service. You want the support of your dealer, support them with the purchase of their retail product. Taking them the cut rate equipment from HD would be like taking a Ford Taurus to a Jaguar dealership and expecting the parent company (Ford Motor Company) to service a vehicle which is 5,000 miles out of warranty.
I'm sure I'm rubbing salt in an open wound, but, I have a problem (and I know it's mine) with the idea that it is a manufacturer's responsibility for an item which is admittedly +/- 7 months out of warranty. Seven days, that would be a different story. A half year out, while it hurts and it hurts real bad, that's the breaks. On these types of deals, you tend to lose more than you ever win - at least I do and that's the #1 reason I refuse to support 2nd hand purchases of consumer electronics.
There is quite a bit of truth in the "you get what you pay for" mantra. Unfortunately, someone got bit by this one. We make the choice to vote for quality or price. I'm a Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowe's, Big Lots junkie and I suffer for that choice - sometimes.
My recommendation on a Kohler, B&S and/or Tecumseh, find a local, reputable small engine shop for service. You want the support of your dealer, support them with the purchase of their retail product. Taking them the cut rate equipment from HD would be like taking a Ford Taurus to a Jaguar dealership and expecting the parent company (Ford Motor Company) to service a vehicle which is 5,000 miles out of warranty.