Hustler - bad customer service.Be aware

[RLL]

Looking at a 48" Raptor SD. Looked at Hustler's website and NO contact phone number in case ever needed. What a crap way to run a business.

 

[Mad Mackie]

Looking at a 48" Raptor SD. Looked at Hustler's website and NO contact phone number in case ever needed. What a crap way to run a business.

Just looked at the home pages of many power equipment manufacturers, none had telephone numbers and there is a good reason for not putting a phone number on a website. Actually there are a lot of reasons, think about it!!!

 

[Micko]

Did a little digging, got onto BigDog site and looked at the Recall PDF and what do you know......Excel Industries; (800) 748-8223 from http://www.bigdogmowerco.com/docs/recalls/13704BD5-28-14.pdf
Had a look on the Hustler site and heres another.... Excel Industries, Inc. collect at (316) 327-1345 from http://www.hustlerturf.com/images/RECALL INFO/14726_HTE_5-28-14.pdf

Theres 2 numbers for you to try anyway! Good luck!

 

[RLL]

Just looked at the home pages of many power equipment manufacturers, none had telephone numbers and there is a good reason for not putting a phone number on a website. Actually there are a lot of reasons, think about it!!!

Many reasons. You don't want to be bothered, you don't want to pay for an 800 number, you don't want to hire customer service persons, you don't want to train customer service persons, you want to push problems to your dealers, you want the customer to say, screw this, I will fix it myself.

Sorry I'm old fashion. You talk to your customer!

 

[Mad Mackie]

Hustler dealers are the Excel Industries customers, Hustler owners/operators are the Hustler dealers customers.
Those who are in business, have been in business or have worked for a business are well aware of the unproductive hours spent on the phone with folks, many of which just want to complain about something that could and should have been handled at a dealership level with no problem.
Machine recalls are in a different category.

 

[Micko]

Hustler dealers are the Excel Industries customers, Hustler owners/operators are the Hustler dealers customers.
Those who are in business, have been in business or have worked for a business are well aware of the unproductive hours spent on the phone with folks, many of which just want to complain about something that could and should have been handled at a dealership level with no problem.
Machine recalls are in a different category.

If there is a design flaw in a machine, it is Hustler/Excell that needs to correct it, not the dealer. The buck stops at Hustler!
Hustler have just dropped sponsorship on another forum. A sign of the times maybe?
From reading these boards, this Raptor was put out before enough real world testing was done and you know what, Hustler does that sort of thing all the time!
Its as if they use the consumer as the R&D department and in the end, Hustler deserves to be bombarded customer complaints.

 

[Mad Mackie]

If there is a design flaw in a machine, it is Hustler/Excell that needs to correct it, not the dealer. The buck stops at Hustler!
Hustler have just dropped sponsorship on another forum. A sign of the times maybe?
From reading these boards, this Raptor was put out before enough real world testing was done and you know what, Hustler does that sort of thing all the time!
Its as if they use the consumer as the R&D department and in the end, Hustler deserves to be bombarded customer complaints.

Micko,
Does your Hustler, model (???) have a design problem? If so, what have you done about it? Has it been taken care of? Have you read all the posts in this thread? Has anyone complained about their Hustler Raptor or any other Hustler model in this thread? Do you understand why Hustler closed their sponsored section on Lawnsite? Does Facebook ring a bell with you? What does black paint on a mower blade have to do with Hustler customer service? At least Hustler paints their blades, does any other company paint their mower blades?
Speaking of design flaws, in 1995 I bought a new GMC 3500 extended cab dually diesel pickup truck and while still on warranty but 1,500 miles from home, the engine broke a connecting rod which poked out thru the side of the engine block. This truck was towed to a prize winning GMC dealer and was there for 13 months before I got it back with a new engine. Am I anti GMC? No, However I prefer another make that has been working fine for me for many years before and since the 1995 GMC which I sold several months after I finally got it back. I hired a law firm to handle this case which was finally settled in 2000.

 

[Micko]

Micko,
Does your Hustler, model (???) have a design problem? If so, what have you done about it? Has it been taken care of? Have you read all the posts in this thread? Has anyone complained about their Hustler Raptor or any other Hustler model in this thread? Do you understand why Hustler closed their sponsored section on Lawnsite? Does Facebook ring a bell with you? What does black paint on a mower blade have to do with Hustler customer service? At least Hustler paints their blades, does any other company paint their mower blades?
Speaking of design flaws, in 1995 I bought a new GMC 3500 extended cab dually diesel pickup truck and while still on warranty but 1,500 miles from home, the engine broke a connecting rod which poked out thru the side of the engine block. This truck was towed to a prize winning GMC dealer and was there for 13 months before I got it back with a new engine. Am I anti GMC? No, However I prefer another make that has been working fine for me for many years before and since the 1995 GMC which I sold several months after I finally got it back. I hired a law firm to handle this case which was finally settled in 2000.

Ive done everything possible to fix my Super Z. Hustler themselves got involved. NO, it hasnt been fixed and havent heard from Hustler in 12mths or so.
Ive spent countless (unpaid) hours trying to fix there design flaw!
Ok so no one is complaining about there Raptor in this thread (yet) but more complaining about dealers (lack of oil, delivered with 63hrs or faulty hr metre) and how hustler doesnt have a direct number on there website. Thats a big middle finger from them IMO! However , every other thread there is something wrong with the Raptor!
I missed where you posted the direct line to Hustler so maybe I didnt read the thread well enough! Actually, I know I didnt!
Do you know why Hustler closed their sponsorship? Please tell, I'd really like to know!
Facebooks for fanboys! Not many (if any) negative comments on there!
Who cares about black paint on blades? As long as they're balanced they will be fine! Talking of blades, you know Hustler doesnt make them themselves dont you? You do know that some blades are out of balance from new dont you?

I understand that its not just Hustler but, this is the Hustler forum. We're talking about Hustler not GMC!

 

[bertsmobile1]

Just looked at the home pages of many power equipment manufacturers, none had telephone numbers and there is a good reason for not putting a phone number on a website. Actually there are a lot of reasons, think about it!!!

Yes,
I have aphone number that has been on the web for a long time as the contact for a motorcycle club.
I used to get better than 300 phone calls a day from tele marketers.
That phone now sits in the charger all day and when I get home I take it out and listen to the voice messages.
Usually only 1 or 2 a day.

The company has dealers.
Dealers talk with their customers and if they get a llot of valid complaints they take it up with the reps who take it up with the management.
That is how things should work.
Anout 1/3 of the problems that roll through my front door are customers misuse.
Then we come to the personal bit.
People will happily be extreamly threatening, violent & abusive over the phone and some one has to answer that phone and they are jjust another mug employee just like you.
They get stressed out because of all the self gratification seeking abuse they get all day and go off sick.
No one wins.

The clutch problem is not an operational problem.
It does not affect the function of the mowers in any way shape or form, it s just annoying.
Now there needs to be a little play in the clutch anchor or the units will fail prematurely.
And yes it could have been done better.
They should have a resilliant mount in there ( alternative layers of metal mesh & rubber ) but that would add another $ 100 to the price.
Oddly enough you will find exactly the same mouting on a lot of machines where it is not a problem because there is so much other noise yo don't notice the clutch rattle.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Well, I got my RSD today! Couple questions:1)the blades have what looks like black paint,they don't seem particularly sharp...is this normal or do I need to take em off and sharpen? 2)my hour meter reads 63.3 however the mower appears brand new in all respects....should this be reported to make sure it doesn't interfere with warranty? I know....go ask the dealer! thanks,I'm just a might anxious with this new Z experience.:confused2: BTW...my serial is 0522.If I'm reading things correctly mine was #522 in May 2014.I would love to have that contact # mooch91 if things go south. Thanks to all and have a great holiday!

I fit about 20 sets of blades a week.
They are all painted but apparently the red ones from Toro go faster :laughing:
If they are selling so fast, good chance they are being directly delivered off the line & not crated, only take a careless knock and you have the trucking time up on your hour meter befor it gets delivered.
Don't knw how many times I have left a mower turned on in the shop & run 20-40 hours up on the meter.
I now remove all keys as a matter of course.