Walker repair bill!

[Metroman]

Does this seem right to you guy's? I had my Walker put in the shop cause it was smokeing bad (Rings right). Well a week and a half later I got my mower back and the next day I got the bill. They billed me for 20.3 hours labor ($883.00) parts were $250 almost $1200 for the repair. I was thinking it would run about $600 for the repair. Please, anyone does this sound right?:(

[Dan1944]

What would be the price for a new Motor or short block ?

If it was close to the 1200.00 then those guys would not be getting any of my business.:blob4:

[TurfGuyTX]

Same here. At that price, I'd want a new motor.

[AVRECON]

If it took them 20 hour to build an engine, they need to be in a different business. I just rebuilt mine and it took less than half a day by myself.

[Brickman]

I'm not sure what the price is for a new motor but if you buy one from a Walker dealer it will run you a lot more than $1200.

[TurfGuyTX]

The good thing about the internet is being able to find suppliers all over. Even if I had to spend a hundred or two more for a new one, that's what I would do in that situation.

[Gravely_Man]

Something is not right. Did you tell them to do whatever they needed to or to call with an estimate before beginning any work? If you gave them the go ahead and all they did was replace the rings you really need to find another dealer. Please give more details.

[trimmer]

When I just drop equipment off at my dealer to be fixed and tell them to just fix it they will still call if it is not reasonable to do so. They will call and let me know. I would go to another dealer, I know my dealer works on all types of mowers.

[Metroman]

I have allready talked with the dealer about the labor cost and he stated that it was alot to breaking down the engine and it takes time that he looked over the bill himself. I can get my invoice out and write down what all they did but i still dont get anywhere near 20.3 hours to do this job.

I just had a 25hp motor put in my other Walker that had over 2300hrs on it before it died. That moter ran me around somewhere about $1800.00, this is a 20hp that i just had fixed.
That's the point that i made to the dealer, that a new motor didnt cost much more. He also said that this is also a Walker and there are more things involed in breaking it down so I told him take away the pulley's, spring's, belt's ext... and you still have a 20hp Kolher.

[AVRECON]

You were gouged, period. Maybe it did take them 20 hours to repair it. All that means is that he has slow people doing the work. My dealer is the same way. I see folks come into his shop with the home owner trimmers and stuff, to be picked up. It amazes me how he charges some of these folks the rates that he does. And how he can tell them what the charges are with a straight face and a smile. I think of a wolf in sheeps clothing everytime I'm standing there as he's breaking one off in them.
If I were you, and you can make the time, fix it yourself. Go and buy a manual and learn it. It's not as hard as you may think. And you'll have the satisfaction of doing it yourself and a fatter wallet too!

[bubble boy]

IF (big if) it took 20 hours, that does seem fair. mechanics here charge MUCH more hourly.

but that is one long time, have you known this guy long?

ever had a fishy bill before?

[TLS]

Well, as others said, $43.50/hr is rather cheap, so .....

But 20 manhours to R+R an engine on ANY mower is just a bit high. A SMART dealer would have told you to simply go for a NEW engine! I somehow think you wouldn't have felt so ripped off if the money spent was on a NEW engine.

Maybe....there was other things that he didn't charge you for over the years, and he was trying to play "catch-up" with your wallet? Maybe you didn't buy that mower from him? Maybe he put his SLOWEST mechanic on you job?

Just seems silly, as I've R+R'ed engines in cars and trucks that took less time, and I am, most certainly not, a mechanic.

If you really feel like you got the shaft, ask to see the mechanics time log sheet for the job. This is almost 3 days of solid work that they are billing you for!!!! Investigate further!

[dlandscaping]

All I can say is ouchhhh. Man that hurts the wallet. Your dealer pr hr price is low but 20hours for rings is a joke i dont care who is doing the work. You could have done it in 10 on your own. PS. My dealer is $60hr or $19 to replace a spark plug on a brand new machine that had the wrong mix in it. I told the dealer he still gave me the bill. No more business with them ever.

[TLS]

Here we are always talking about how much to charge to mow a lawn, and to charge high and get as much as you can.

And out of the other corner of our mouths comes this post about another BUSINESS man trying to make a decent profit.

I've had customers "squeak" and question bills before. Does that make me a rip-off artist?.......Maybe, but all I'm trying to do is make the most amount of money in the least amount of time. That my friends is the name of the GAME!

Upon RE-reading the post (I tend to skim over some details!!!) I find the "RE-RING" part. Well, SURE its easier to replace an engine rather than repair it. Especially a Walker. The engine has to be removed from the mower in both cases. So, aside from the increase in the price of the new engine, a replacement is almost always the best way to go in the long run.

[AVRECON]

TLS wrote "And out of the other corner of our mouths comes this post about another BUSINESS man trying to make a decent profit."

I was thinking the same thing as yourself, butttttttt........I'd expect a little more consideration on pricing from a dealer for a commercial cutter. We buy more from our dealers than the general public. Most dealers around here usually look out for the commercial cutters on repair pricing and for parts. Usually a 10% to 15% break on the price. Not all of them but some don't try to break your arm everytime you walk in their shop.

[regnort]

Man that sounds like the Walker dealer in my town. They have shafted me on parts on two occasions (on two cycle equipment). I have told them each time, but I had to have the parts then so what do you do? I would never take a mower to them, I didn't even consider a Walker or Bunton on my last purchase because of this.

[sprout]

All mower shops over charge us, the trick is to state very loudly that you want a call and a price before work is started. I always ask my shop "whats the most it will cost ", when I drop my mower off. A good shop can tell you pretty close.

Sprout

[HOMER]

I had an engine rebuilt one time by an "equipment company". I was quoted $1900.00 to rebuild it. When I got the call that it was repaired I asked what the bill was because I figured it might fluctuate a little. I nearly hit the floor when they told me $3500.00! This was a sweeper that I had high hopes for, one that I was planning on incorporating in my commercial accounts. I fussed about it but they told me that was the price. I told them to bring it on to me. The man would not take it off the truck until he had a check in his hand.......I knew they were up to no good then. I wrote them a check for the $3500.00, he unloaded it and went on his way. I intentionally stalled them til after 5:00pm so the banks would be closed. I consulted with my Lawyer that night and although he didn't really advise me to do this I did it anyway. Next morning I was at the bank when the doors opened. I stopped payment on the check and wrote them another one for the $1900.00 they had quoted me. I wrote them a nice 2 page letter stating my position and informing them that the delivery guy gave me all the time sheets for all the work that had been done. These jokers charged me 12 hours labor just to clean the engine!!!! This was an engine no bigger than my 25HP Kohler...........12 hours........at $48.00 an hour? Many more hours were grossly inflated and they also charged me for a new crankshaft that I was not told about. I think I had em by the gonads because I never heard a word out of them.

Moral of the story: If you think you got the shaft then play dirty right along with em'!

These dealers and repair facilities should be very up front with their customers.......any "extras" should be approved by the customer before they ever get put on. Since that episode I always try and get a round about price IN WRITING before I let them do the work.

No way could I get away with something like that nor could anybody on here. I think it should work both ways.

[lohr]

I am a Walker dealer and I think What Happened to you is a crime.I could put a new 20 kohler in your mower in about 2 hours and I would charge 1600.00 for the engine and install.Sounds like he was alittle slow and needed some work for his mechanics.It is a shame how some bad apples take advantage of some people.

[Brickman]

HOMER I like that, play dirty pool right along with them. I will bet you a $10 that they thought long and hard before trying to break one off in the next guy. LOL LOL LOL

[Atlantic Lawn]

I got gaffed by my local Walker repair shop.Turf & Garden in S/E Va. Replaced a Kohler 16. In the spring they had a 16 with a 1200 price tag. I asked them how many hours to install the motor..about 2-3 hrs so I figure 1400 tops to do the entire job...guess what about $1750 when I went to pick it up !! Price of motor had gone up and so had time to install but LUCKILY I got the contracters price.I'm buying a new 23/60 Exmark now and guess who didn't get the sale.

[dlandscaping]

Toro dealer around here shafts everyone 200%+ mark up on parts. If you bring an old toro mower in for a repair or tuneup for lets say $50 (high i know) he will go and replace the wheels blade maybe even the deck or height adjustments. Total bill is $200+ and he doesnt inform clients of what is going on. Ive seen at least 50people hes screwed over. I kinda feel bad that they pay over $25 a wheel for a worn out push mower. Hell i sell them complete for under $100.
O yea and used equip haha $200 for an 80's push mower 3.5 hsp.