I paid $40 in cash upfront to get an estimate for what it would cost to get my gas lawn mower fixed. I was told the $40 would go toward the cost of fixing the lawn mower, if I agreed to have them do the job. I waited a couple of weeks for the estimate, but was told it would likely be fixed as soon as I gave the go-ahead. They called to tell me it would cost $80, I asked them to do the repair, and four days later I received a call to say that there was an issue with the engine they hadn't realized previously, and for what it would cost to fix it, I could buy two new lawnmowers. There was a possibility I would be charged for the work that had been done already (ie. sharpening the blades--why would anyone do that before ensuring they got the mower working again?), but in the end I was told the $40 I had paid for an estimate would suffice! So, they did an incorrect diagnosis of the problem and estimate of the cost to fix it, I waited two weeks to have it not get fixed, and that cost me $40. That hardly seems fair to me.
- Approximate cost of services:
- $40.00
- Company Response
When this lawnmower was brought in to us it was not running. I repaired the carburetor and flushed out the fuel system and got the lawnmower running, but I noticed that it was not running smoothly. I then removed the cylinder head and the motor sump cover and found that the cylinder bore and piston had been damaged by insufficient lubrication (customer neglect). At that time I contacted the customer and explained that repair was not economically advisable. Considering the time invested in the diagnostic procedure I do not think that a 40.00 diagnostic fee is excessive.