All kinds of people come to this forum looking for advice and help in solving their problems. Those giving advice and help can be backyard newbie DIYers all the way up to commercial manufacturer service techs. In between you get those who repair as a hobby, those with mechanical and technical skills and industry service owners and technicians. I am part of the last group and we have standards which we are required to uphold, because of manufacturers requirements, safety requirements and insurance requirements. Because 99% of the time our brains are in shop mode, our answers reflect the standards we must deal with everyday, that the rest of the don’t agree with. On top of that, how well we do our jobs determines the quality of life for ourselves and our families. If the DIY makes a mistake, they chalk it up to inexperience and go on with life. Our mistakes can cost us our livelihood.
One thing that really pisses me off are those who say most service people throw parts at repairs just to jack up their bottom line. Having worked in this industry for 50+ years with representatives the manufacturing side down to repair technicians, I can tell you that 90% of the people I have dealt with DO NOT do this. Anyone making that blanket claim has no idea what they are talking about. Yes there are the 10% that give everyone a bad rep, but we know who they are. They are the companies who we say we never recommend and the people on this forum who we call out because they give poor information. Just like anywhere when you ask for advice, before using that advice, consider the background of the advisor. Plus the advice is only worth what you paid for it and if you’re not ready to accept the answer, don’t ask the question. Read my signature.
I was talking about this bad few because they're only a few in the mower repair industry that do that. Unfortunately, and the auto repair world it's over far worse and the large majority probably 80 or 90%.
I tell people all the time that lawnmower shops aren't trying to do extra work to your machines because they frankly don't have time! They have 75 to 100 plus mowers to fix at any given time and they just need to get you done and get on to the next person.
I don't agree with you high road mentality though about standards etc at least not completely.
My standards are about doing a great job and high quality work that gets the job done for people at the lowest cost possible... keeping equipment up and running for as long as possible.
You can't talk about safety standards or liability, etc in regards to things like safety switches, blade adapters or bent crankshafts, and then talk about reusing a head gasket on a Briggs L head because that's not apples to apples.
Some people might be stuck in what you call shop mode but there is no comparison because there is no safety involved.
There is no possibility or increased risk of injury, or liability even if the head gasket fails.
The only thing it could do is aggravate and hassle the customer and possibly tarnish your reputation if you had repeat failures or comebacks often.
The other thing I do say about shops often to my customers along with that they're not trying to do extra work for you it's just for the work that's needed that they do they are far overpriced.
They also often grossly overpay for the parts they buy so of course the customer has to pay more too.
Anyone by riding more spindles, starters, carburetors, or ignition modules from a retail shop or from a local WD or supplier is absolutely crazy because they're overpaying multiple times.
Other items, it makes little difference.
Forgive me if I have a chip on my shoulder towards most of these commercial industries.
I might be part of that industry but I am a human oddity so I do it my own way and part of the reasons I continue to do this is just to buck the system.
I really don't believe in the entire theory or concept of some parts of the industry and this is the only one that I see things differently about.
I understand their argument that they need to make enough money to pay their employees and pay their overhead and make a decent living but I don't think I really agree that the whole circle of things should work the way it does.
We shouldn't have larger stores with employees and overhead etc. I would prefer a handful of small owner operator guys fixing them from a garage or pole barn on their property.
This would be a better situation as there could be enough to satisfy the need and demand and they could keep the prices lower and still make decent money.
But unfortunately, this country has decided to prevent most all of this.
They want everyone to "spin the money wheel" and force them to butter the bread of these commercial real estate companies...spending lots of money and passing that expense on to customers.
Let's just say I don't support it.
I guess I'm a supporter of the millions of independent contractors - plumbers, electricians, landscapers, photographers, painters, body guys and gals etc but I'm sad that a lot of them go along with the flow and charge what the market deems acceptable because these big companies crank up that price.
Probably just a product of size of population.
I'll go back to a tiny town size please.
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