Toro Group

[Frustrated Toro Buyer]

I'm so pissed off I could run over this mower with my truck. I bought a top-line model 21386 Heavy Duty self propelled MOWER a YEAR AGO and the self-propel has already failed. And to make matters worse, NO ONE AT TORO will answer a phone and explain to me why I have to wait 4-6 weeks for a local dealer to get to it. HOW DO I MOW MY LAWN THE NEXT MONTH AND A HALF IF ITS AT A DEALER??? Anyone else having this sort of experience? I AM NEVER BUYING THIS BRAND AGAIN! ****AVOID TORO LIKE THE PLAGUE****!!!!!

 

[Rivets]

Why did to tranny fail? Was it diagnosed as a belt failure ore tranny failure? Did you purchase from a Big Box store or the dealer you brought it to? Sounds like you have a dealer problem, not a brand problem. I would agree that if you purchased it from the dealer, six weeks is too long, but I have no idea why you are being told that. Parts not available? Dealer repair backup? Big Box purchase goes to the back of the line? You are only providing us with 25% of the total picture. We can’t make the same assumptions you are without seeing the entire picture. I’ve got the same unit and have sold that unit to at least a dozen friends and neighbors without any problems, except one widow who loves to mow her mulch, which gets caught in between the belt and pulley, burning out the belt.

 

[Frustrated Toro Buyer]

I have no idea why it failed. It's practically brand new, and it quit on me and started giving off a burning rubber smell. I did not buy from a dealer. I bought it during a pandemic-driven, global supply chain crisis where there were NO MOWERS anywhere. My 10 year old Briggs had a failed part from the previous season, and the backorder on the part extended into the start of last season, so I researched the baddest, toughest, extended warranty mower I could find and selected this mower expecting long-lasting, HD service and performance. I then called every dealer, big box and hardware store in a 100 miles and found the LAST ONE in a Tractor Supply Store an hour away. So I put it on hold, dropped everything, went and got it and rolled my still-working Briggs to the curb for the trash to pick up. You want more? I'll give you more: It ran fine until it %$#@ing FAILED. I manage an OE engine parts plant, and if ONE of my pistons fails at Briggs, GM, Ford or Nissan, all hells breaks loose and I have OE SQAs all over my plant wanting root cause analysis ASAP. This mower sh*ts the bed after ONE year of light use, and I call a 1-800 number and get HUNG UP ON if I dial 0??? Yeah. UN-&^%$-ACCEPTABLE. My only alternative? Call the local number of any of the 5-6 "authorized dealers" the 1-800 number gives me, and they all tell me they are "2-4, 4-6, 3-5, weeks" from EVEN LOOKING AT MY UNIT TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. This is not a DEALER problem. This is either an engineering issue that was insufficiently developed and tested or a quality issue that screwed the pooch the day it was assembled. If you promote and sell a premium product, and it fails prematurely, you have an obligation to protect your customer from this level of frustration and your brand from having this level of vitriol trolled on every site I can find - up to and including a call to the SVP of Customer Service at Toro if and when I can find his name. NFW this is acceptable.

 

[slomo]

I'm so pissed off I could run over this mower with my truck.

I'm sure you will be okay sir.

I bought a top-line model 21386 Heavy Duty self propelled MOWER

That is not the top of their line. You got the baby 160cc engine.

the self-propel has already failed.

What is wrong with it? These are super simple machines. I'm a Snapper freak but this Personal Pace is D' bom.

NO ONE AT TORO will answer a phone and explain to me why I have to wait 4-6 weeks for a local dealer to get to it.

How in the world do you expect Toro to provide any help from a totally different company?

HOW DO I MOW MY LAWN THE NEXT MONTH AND A HALF IF ITS AT A DEALER???

You push it like most sane people would. I use a push only mower for exercise. You should try it.

I AM NEVER BUYING THIS BRAND AGAIN! ****AVOID TORO LIKE THE PLAGUE****!!!!!

Think you are going a little overboard with the passion here sir. Toro makes great mowers. Only been around for what 10 decades now?


Should of kept your old machine. Built better than this new stuff.

 

[Rivets]

I’m willing to bet you have a belt problem and not a tranny problem. From your description a piece of debris got caught between the belt and pulley, burning out the belt. Because no dealer is going to push you to the front of the line you are trying to condemn a manufacturer’s problem. You do realize that the manufacturer has no control over how fast dealer handle repair work? In my opinion you are part of today’s generation who think the world revolves around them. Sorry to inform you that it doesn’t. I suggest you go to your local dealer and purchase a new belt. Then search the internet and find a couple of videos on ”HOW TO REPLACE A DRIVE BELT ON A TORO SUPER-RECYCLER”. Takes Less than an hour, 30 minutes for me. Plenty of them out there. I could give you the procedure and even a service manual, but your attitude toward me and my explanation tells me not to waste my time. Read my signature. Plus, with that attitude, I can understand why no one wants to talk to you. Good Luck sir, you’re going to need it.

 

[Frustrated Toro Buyer]

I'm sure you will be okay sir.

That is not the top of their line. You got the baby 160cc engine.

What is wrong with it? These are super simple machines. I'm a Snapper freak but this Personal Pace is D' bom.

How in the world do you expect Toro to provide any help from a totally different company?

You push it like most sane people would. I use a push only mower for exercise. You should try it.

Think you are going a little overboard with the passion here sir. Toro makes great mowers. Only been around for what 10 decades now?

Naw. I don't think so. When you work in a world where you're expected to deliver <5 PPM (parts per million) failure rate at your manufacturing facility, and you pay $600 for a HD lawn mower to mow a 1/4 acre flat lot and it fails? No. My company dates back more than 12 decades, and if my product failed like this, it wouldn't matter to you ONE BIT if your F-150, Silverado or Corvette suddenly sh*t the bed in the middle of a cross country trip and it was going to take 3-6 weeks for your engine to be replaced. So no, my passion is fully justified. I could have big-boxed my way to a $250 model that would have likely done better. And last time I checked - a $600 mower for a 1/4 acre lawn IS top of the line. Watch their video - they say it in their own words. And as a triathlete, I don't need the exercise. I need the time savings self-propulsion provides while dodging inclement weather, kids' sports obligations, work and darkness. So, let me decide why I need a self-propelled, OK?

 

[Frustrated Toro Buyer]

I’m willing to bet you have a belt problem and not a tranny problem. From your description a piece of debris got caught between the belt and pulley, burning out the belt. Because no dealer is going to push you to the front of the line you are trying to condemn a manufacturer’s problem. You do realize that the manufacturer has no control over how fast dealer handle repair work? In my opinion you are part of today’s generation who think the world revolves around them. Sorry to inform you that it doesn’t. I suggest you go to your local dealer and purchase a new belt. Then search the internet and find a couple of videos on ”HOW TO REPLACE A DRIVE BELT ON A TORO SUPER-RECYCLER”. Takes Less than an hour, 30 minutes for me. Plenty of them out there. I could give you the procedure and even a service manual, but your attitude toward me and my explanation tells me not to waste my time. Read my signature. Plus, with that attitude, I can understand why no one wants to talk to you. Good Luck sir, you’re going to need it.

My generation? I'm 60. I'm done here, Rivets. I just wanted to get word out that Toro mowers fail prematurely, their service sucks and you're better off going cheap often than investing in "premium Toro" once thinking it will last. I have a masters in Engineering, so I can probably disassemble, diagnose and even lathe a spare part in my tool room at the plant if I need to. But that's not the point is it? I paid $600 a year ago for a mower that failed. Get over it. All you Toro-Proud guys can lecture me all you want. My attitude comes from BEING PART OF A GENERATION where workmanship and execution mattered. 1-800 auto bot lines fail the grade in that case.

Good luck. I'm out. My opinion stands, and I have a call into Greg Janey, VP Residential at Toro to elevate my experience and demand a professional response. You on the other hand can continue to drink the Koolaid.

 

[slomo]

You still haven't told us what is wrong with your drive. All you are doing is telling us your world is on fire and Toro stinks.

Show us pictures of this traumatic failure.

 

[Rivets]

The mower did not fail, you’ve burned the drive belt when apiece of debris got caught between the belt and drive pulley. What about that don’t you understand? Make sure you explain that to Mr. Janey if you get to talk to him, wait you’ll probably not do that because then you would be telling him the mower did not fail. How are you going to turn a new one on a lathe? You may have a Masters in Engineering, but the last time I did any work on a lathe, the materials which can be machined on them are metal, wood, plastic etc. not pliable materials. As for age, I’m on the north side of 70, so don’t even try to lecture me about workmanship and execution, as I have a Doctorate in how to handle individuals who cannot accept that things happen outside of anyones control. Your Masters says if something goes wrong, find someone to blame, because it can never be your fault. I truly have sympathy for anyone of the individuals who’ve had to deal with you about this problem. My money says you are not even man enough to tell us that after you diagnosed the problem, you found it was a burnt belt.

 

[slomo]

Still waiting on his pictures.

He probably ran over something in the yard, didn't walk it prior to mowing. Too busy getting college degrees I guess. Things never fail at his house by God. LOL