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Lawn Mower Service Rip-Off

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  • 07-04-2014 11:03am
    #1
    Inspector Dhar
    Registered Users Posts: 143 ✭✭


    I left my 2 year old lawn-mower in for a service last week, and nearly had a conniption fit when I went back to collect it, and was presented with a bill for €102.00. Labour charge was €60.00, plus VAT. The maddening thing is that it was working perfectly, all I asked for was a service.


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    #2
    Hunter Mahan
    Registered Users Posts: 654 ✭✭✭Hunter Mahan


    Going in to pick up mine now for €72. But it needed a new carburetor. I haven't seen the bill so I don't know what the labour cost is yet, but I know the carburetor costs around €20.


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    #3
    Hunter Mahan
    Registered Users Posts: 654 ✭✭✭Hunter Mahan


    Labour was €29.52, plug €4, oil €4.88 and carburetor €22.36. €72 including VAT.


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    #4
    redser7
    Registered Users Posts: 2,729 ✭✭✭redser7


    Inspector Dhar wrote: »
    I left my 2 year old lawn-mower in for a service last week, and nearly had a conniption fit when I went back to collect it, and was presented with a bill for €102.00. Labour charge was €60.00, plus VAT. The maddening thing is that it was working perfectly, all I asked for was a service.

    Did he give a breakdown of how long he spent on it ie. hourly rate?


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    #5
    Inspector Dhar
    Registered Users Posts: 143 ✭✭Inspector Dhar


    redser7 wrote: »
    Did he give a breakdown of how long he spent on it ie. hourly rate?

    Diaphram €4.07 plus 23% VAT
    Spark Plug €4.17 plus 23% VAT
    EngneOil €3.30 plus 23% VAT
    Cable throttle lever asst €16.26 plus 23% VAT
    Labor €59.48 plus 13.5% VAT

    I think I might buy a goat.


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    #6
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Inspector Dhar wrote: »
    Diaphram €4.07 plus 23% VAT
    Spark Plug €4.17 plus 23% VAT
    EngneOil €3.30 plus 23% VAT
    Cable throttle lever asst €16.26 plus 23% VAT
    Labor €59.48 plus 13.5% VAT

    I think I might buy a goat.

    Labour seems a bit ridiculous. Id say ask him how long it took. I do my own mower and I can change oil, spark plug and paper air filter in about 20 minutes. no mention of an air filter on yours. i've never changed a diaphragm but there is a video of a guy on you tube doing it in 10 mins and that's with talking through it.

    I also sharpen blades and lubricate wheels and drive chain, clean the carburettor, wash the pre filter, clean the fuel line and clean out debris around engine and other places with an air compressor.

    All in all i've never spent more than an hour and a half servicing a lawn mower thoroughly and I only learned off you tube


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    #7
    vinnie13
    Registered Users Posts: 494 ✭✭vinnie13


    [Deleted User] wrote: »
    Labour seems a bit ridiculous. Id say ask him how long it took. I do my own mower and I can change oil, spark plug and paper air filter in about 20 minutes. no mention of an air filter on yours. i've never changed a diaphragm but there is a video of a guy on you tube doing it in 10 mins and that's with talking through it.

    I also sharpen blades and lubricate wheels and drive chain, clean the carburettor, wash the pre filter, clean the fuel line and clean out debris around engine and other places with an air compressor.

    All in all i've never spent more than an hour and a half servicing a lawn mower thoroughly and I only learned off you tube

    Mine takes the same to do a easy hour with a cuppa and general look over making sure everything is as it should


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    #8
    monkeynuz
    Registered Users Posts: 2,115 ✭✭✭monkeynuz


    I had full service on mower recently with, oil change, filter change, check blade, grease wheels and reset trottle/choke stop and he charged me €30.00

    Don't complain, don't question just don't go there again.

    I had a guy charge me nearly €200 for a strimmer service once, I paid it but have warned off many prospective pro clients in the meantime. He may have got me for the initial amount but I could have deprived him of thousands in purchasing and servicing.


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    #9
    celticmicky
    Registered Users Posts: 127 ✭✭celticmicky


    monkeynuz wrote: »
    I had full service on mower recently with, oil change, filter change, check blade, grease wheels and reset trottle/choke stop and he charged me €30.00

    Don't complain, don't question just don't go there again.

    I had a guy charge me nearly €200 for a strimmer service once, I paid it but have warned off many prospective pro clients in the meantime. He may have got me for the initial amount but I could have deprived him of thousands in purchasing and servicing.

    :eek: standard service or did it take any new parts? Thats ridiculous!


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    #10
    monkeynuz
    Registered Users Posts: 2,115 ✭✭✭monkeynuz


    celticmicky wrote: »
    :eek: standard service or did it take any new parts? Thats ridiculous!


    iirc it was €120 just for labour then the rest for oil, checking blade etc. it was a rip off but I know the guys and me that were warned off have subsequently spent over €30k cumulatively elsewhere on new machinery....


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    #11
    homer911
    Registered Users Posts: 5,113 ✭✭✭homer911


    Inspector Dhar wrote: »
    I left my 2 year old lawn-mower in for a service last week, and nearly had a conniption fit when I went back to collect it, and was presented with a bill for €102.00. Labour charge was €60.00, plus VAT. The maddening thing is that it was working perfectly, all I asked for was a service.

    Kind of fundamental.... What sort of Lawnmower??


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    #12
    rlady
    Registered Users Posts: 21 ✭rlady


    You paid a lot for a lawnmower repair service. I had it repaired for just $ 100 last year. What kind of lawnmower was it?


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    #13
    ruwithme
    Registered Users Posts: 1,183 ✭✭✭ruwithme


    €120 service with Honda dealer locally & same price with another independent dealer in the county . Ride on mower.


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    #14
    loyatemu
    Registered Users Posts: 14,743 ✭✭✭✭loyatemu


    rlady wrote: »
    You paid a lot for a lawnmower repair service. I had it repaired for just $ 100 last year. What kind of lawnmower was it?

    it was 7 years ago!


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    #15
    johndaman66
    Registered Users Posts: 4,095 ✭✭✭johndaman66


    monkeynuz wrote: »
    Don't complain, don't question just don't go there again.
    I don't agree with you there. As a nation we are horrendous for calling a service provider to task for poor service, inferior products or service, over charging, price gouging etc. The joke of when asked by a waiter if everything is alright and we typically say yes even though its not right at all is just that - a joke.

    Someone of Eastern European descent will most likely tell you when a service is not up to scratch or if they feel they are being fleeced - we should take a leaf out of their book on this one.


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