9/24/00

Just blame yourself.
There are other reasons, but the bottom line is, You asked for it.

Manufacturers seeing their market share dwindle, look to other sources to sell their product. The fact that they no longer make quality mid range products that are affordable when purchased in the small quantity your local full service shop orders, is something they won't take blame for. So, they make even lower quality products and surrender to the aggressive marketing schemes of the "Big Box" mass merchants such as Home Depot and Lowes. Your support of the "Big Box's" only feeds the cycle.
You asked for it.

Meanwhile, the local full service dealer can't compete with these low end products on their own sales floor. Just as bad, the low end products are no longer feasable to repair when they fail. Hey, I make a living repairing small engine powered equipment, been doing so for the better part of 20 years. I've invested a lot of money over the years in tools and time in learning and feel I do a pretty fair job. Damn right I'm going to get paid better then the burger flipper at your local fast food joint, or those wanna-be clowns off the street who work at the "Big Box" from whom you just bought that $99 mower. As a result, labor costs to get and keep the better employees who can get the job done and the overhead of operating a small sales/service business means repair costs become more than the cheap equipment is worth. A routine service will cost you a third the cost of that "Big Box" $99 special. A complete tune up about two thirds. Starts to become un-realistic to do anything but replace rather then repair doesn't it? If something more than a tune-up is needed, say you hit a stump and bent your crank, you'd pay more to repair then replace. You ain't going to do it, are you? Back to Lowes or the Depot and buy another throw away. That's what much of their equipment is these days, throw aways. Because,
You asked for it.

The larger full service shops will survive, they'll shift their focus to other product types, but lawn and garden equipment sold and serviced will be geared to just the commercial trade. The cheap consumer stuff sold at the "Big Box's" will in all probability be rejected when you need repair. Why?
You asked for it.

Break the recoil rope, you can buy a new recoil assembly and install it or repair the old one yourself. Some of you have clever ways of doing this. heheh
You asked for it.

Blade needs sharpening, buy a new one and install it or sharpen the dull blade yourself. Ever look at a new blade for an MTD mower, it ain't sharp my friend. But the shift is towards replacement, because,

YOU ASKED FOR IT!

Bob Solesbee :<=

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