ComplaintsforHartman Turf and Tractor

• Initial Complaint

  08/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Took my zero turn mower to them for service due to stopped running. They replaced a fuse and put dielectric grease on connections. Ran fine according to them. Cost almost $400. Brought back home and went to use it the next day and would not run again. Took back and they had it for over 2 months. I told the service department not to put much labor into it because mower was only worth about $2000. They finally fixed it and I took it home. They sent me a bill for $1500. They put in way to much labor into it when I specifically told them not to. I complained and they took off $250. Upon looking at the first receipt it specifically says that there's a 30 day warranty on parts and labor. The labor should of been under warranty, but I guess that they don't stand behind their work

  Business response

  08/27/2024

  Its unfortunate this complaint is being filed by **************** as this is not a warranty issue.  *************** brought his 2010 ****** zero-turn mower to be repaired stating it was not running correctly and that it was blowing fuses.  We replaced the fuse and repaired the wire connections and leveled the mower deck.  The mower was test-mowed for 30 minutes, but the technician could not replicate the problem (blowing fuses) that **************** stated was happening without putting more diagnostic labor hours into the repair.  **************** stated that he would take the mower home and mow with it and bring it back if any more problems occurred, at which time we would perform additional testing and diagnostics.  His first invoice totaled $389.05 for the initial diagnostics and repair of the fuse, wire connections, and leveling of the deck.  
  
  **************** again brought the mower back to us for similar complaints and asked us to repair the mower so he could get it sold.  After extensive diagnostics and testing, it was found that an engine module had shorted and was blown.  Three modules were installed with two of them blowing in a similar manner in an attempt to determine the problem.  (**************** was only charged for one of the modules and we assumed the loss on the other two modules at $112.97 each.)  **************** and our A-Level technician communicated on an ongoing basis, and **************** was involved in the process along the way.  Because this is a 14-year-old mower, parts for the *** Kawasaki engine were obsolete and no longer available to order from the manufacturer, so we had to search for them online and try to find them in aftermarket locations.  **************** knew the extensive diagnostics and repairs that were being put into the mower as he communicated with the technician and could have stopped the work at any point along the way.  At no time did he tell the technician to stop working on the mower.  He also knew there was not much value in the mower without completing the repairs that were needed.  The total of the discounted invoice for the second repair was $1,096.25 including parts, labor, shop supplies and tax. 
   
  In the end, the mower was repaired.  When **************** received the final invoice,he returned to our dealership to complain about the extent of the labor for the diagnostics and repairs.  **************** was told that our total labor time for the second repair was nearly 15 hours of diagnostics and repair, and we had already reduced it to a flat rate labor repair of 12 hours for that type of engine repair.  We agreed to reduce the labor time an additional two hours or $250.00 as a customer courtesy.  Including the two modules that were blown at $225.94 plus $625.00 of lost labor hours and a $200 wiring engine harness that we installed at no charge to him from our shop inventory stock, we incurred a loss of $1,050.94 in an attempt to complete the job for **************** per his request.
  
  **************** mentions that the mower was only worth $2,000,however, he told the technician that once the repair was completed, he was able to sell the mower for $5,500.  Our technician reminded *************** that he would gotten very little on the sale of the mower had we not completed the repairs that we did to get the mower in running condition.  
  
  Finally, as a measure of providing good customer service, we assured **************** that we would provide extra discounts toward the purchase of a new mower for any extra labor hours that he felt he should not have been charged.  We later found out that **************** not only went somewhere else to purchase a new mower,but then filed a BBB complaint against us. We were nothing but professional and courteous to him in getting his mower repaired.  In fact, the technician went out of his way to make sure he communicated with **************** about the repairs and even called him after the mower was picked up to make sure it was still running properly.  Our only fault was to agree to repair a 14-year-old mower with obsolete engine parts.  We are sorry **************** is dissatisfied with the service; however, he is not owed a refund for the repairs on either invoice.  

• Initial Complaint

  11/11/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a Kioti 22hp mowing tractor with a front loader bucket on 9/27/2021 in the amount of $16,261.83. The Tractor did not have the mid mower on it at the time and was promised it would be at said dealership in 7 to 10 days and they would get it mounted and delivered then. Called them 10/5/21 to find out status and was told it had not arrived yet. They then told me they would deliver tractor without the mower deck because it had some dirt work I needed to get done, and pick up the Tractor when the deck came in. I agreed to this. Called Hartmann on 10/18/21 21 days after purchase and was told mower deck had arrived on the previous friday (10/15/21) but they couldn't get it mounted on the Tractor that week but would get it done the following week of 10/25/21. Had not heard from them so I called again on 11/4/21 38 days after purchased came up with more excuses and promised to pick it up on tuesday the 4th of November in the a.m. I waited until noon and they did not show up, left the Tractor sitting out and left to get what I had to get done for a friend and didn't get done until after dark!!!!! (not real happy at that time). Called them on 11/5/21 and just told them I wanted a refund and was tired of dealing with them and was sure future warranty on the tractor would be a problem, since being a one time customer I'm not a priority with them. They refused a refund claiming it is a used Tractor now. Told them if they would have been honest to begin with I would have bought the John Deere tractor I was interested in. They then came out and picked up the Tractor and promised a a delivery on 11/12/21. I really want nothing to do with them after all this bad service. I did put 20 hours on the tractor but that would not have happened if they had been honest or at least followed through with promises!!!!

  Business response

  11/30/2021

  We've been working on the tractor, we're working with the manufacturer. Everything is completely under warranty and we are currently waiting on parts. 

  Customer response

  11/30/2021

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I received the tractor back on 11/12/21 and the tractor would not hardly come up to rpms, the tractor had no power to operate the mowing deck. This unit had plenty of power and ran perfect before. I NOTICED they had worked on engine injector system as paint was knocked off different parts. They had no permission from me to do anything to my tractor except to mount the mowing deck, do some paint touch-up and repair a hydraulic leak. I will accept a new tractor or preferably a refund.
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  ***** *******
  

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