The "Money Pit Mower". Gambling at The Repair Shop Can Cost You BIG!
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- Опубліковано 27 січ 2024
- Today I restored a 30 year old barn find! Remember when they made our products to last more than a few seasons? I do! I love to find these machines and breath life back into them again!
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My name is Bre. I took two years of small engine repair at the local college. When I left school, I fell into a wonderful job at a local small engine shop where I worked the counter for a couple years. In 2010 my husband and I opened up our own small engine shop in central Arkansas where I am able to work alongside my family and best friends. We see over 2,000 pieces of small engine equipment every year, and answer 1,000's of small engine questions. We specialize in brands such as Briggs and Stratton, Kohler, Echo and Shindaiwa, but work everyday on MANY other brands like Stihl, Husqvarna, Honda, Craftsman, Remington, Red Max, Troy Bilt, Scag, Bad Boy, Hustler, World Lawn, Poulan, Mantis, Etc.. Hopefully, my experience I share, will save you Time, Money and Frustration in the future!
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Although very informative, these videos are for entertainment purposes. Please use all possible safety precautions when repairing and operating your small engine equipment. - Навчання та стиль
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Can you add links to referenced previous videos in the comments? At least for me youtube doesn't add any video link when you say (at 1 minute 10 seconds). Thanks for the videos regardless!
12:12
There are a lot of people who will balk at the repair cost and just walk. It doesn't mean that Ms. Chickanic scammed the customer. On the contrary.
Yea, balk at these repair costs, but will spend $10 at a Starbucks or $27 at Chick-Filet on two spicy chicken combos..... I guess it's all relative....
It’s difficult to make a living repairing old equipment. You need to look at cost of new which are $1500 and up.
@@additudeobx totally agree! Personally, I would pay the price of repair, knowing that the new ones are expensive, but not made as well!! Tami F.
I love this last video it really helps put people in their place that have no idea what they’re talking about, I also have a UA-cam channel and I kind of specialize in Snapper rear engine riders. They’re very simplistic and easy to work on and very well engineered, because of the deck design they will pick up and bag anything that you will run over. They are totally amazing for picking up leaves. I get a lot of comments where people think my videos are too long, then I get other comments that tell me that my videos are very well done, and easy to follow for them to repair their machines. I guess you need to ignore the idiots and try to help the people that really need help. Jims Fixit shop.
usually labor is what costs a lot for just about everything. With Bre fixing the mower herself is just parts only and then, parts for what she pays for them NOT what she charges when she does a repair.
A mechanic repairing something for a customer and a mechanic rehabbing something to sell are two very different things.
Every body thinks you’re time is worthless but I bet they know what they’re time is worth
Chickanic, no matter what you do there will always be people who do not understand things. Most of them have never touched a tool one day in their life. Don’t sweat the haters, those of us who know you and what it actually takes love and support you and always will!
My thoughts exactly.
I have repaired my own mowers for years but when I know it is beyond my experience I take it to a shop. Once the estimate comes in, I make the decision to approve the repair or just give it to the shop for free. If they fix it with spare parts they have available that is good for them. These people are just butt hurt because they have no idea how the real world works. Take a back seat and enjoy learning new skills and do the work yourself. I love this video, great job.
*_YOU NAILED IT. They are definitely butt hurt (and they always think they are the smartest guy in the room - but it's often the opposite). LOL 👍_*
Great video. I had a friend give me a mower that had the deck belt replaced at a shop but the deck wouldn’t run.I relaced the belt to get the deck running .But the engine burned so much oil that I gave it to my neighbor who used it to chase .after parts at his lawnmower recycling yard.
@@andyroid5028ya if there mechanics them selves fix it your self or and all you'll have in it is your labor and parts costs.
😅
😅😅
@@everettparkin9795
Can't be popular without haters.... That's how you know you've made it!! Thanks for the continued awesome content, Brie.....one of my favorite channels. God bless!
Dad worked on mowers in the 80s and 90s. He got a lot of business and a great reputation. He got to where if somebody wanted to give him a mower after he diagnosed it and they didn't want to spend the money, he wrote out work tickets and would have the customer sign it. There was always those guys who would say they didn't want it, only to come back and say they wanted their machine back but thought they wouldn't have to pay the diagnostic charges. He didn't take any scrap mowers without paperwork.
The only thing you "STOLE" is your devoted viewers hearts... Love your channel!
Even at 600 its a better mower than you can get today.
Shoot, I'll pay that for it but she hasn't replied on how we can buy it. I know the area the shop was in and I go there often. I'd buy used/repaired from her any day over new crap.
Yes, I have a mower just like the one in the video. Easy to work on, so I keep working on it. I like the OLD style transmission as well. Don't trust a hydrostatic to last very long, and the price of a new replacement is what forces you to buy a new mower. I'll keep my OLD stuff, thank you!
id payed 600 for repairs better then 3k for new one want last
Some people think labor should be free and parts should be given at cost...
And it’s a fact family members are the worst about it, then you never hear from them until they need free stuff again
Hate even talking to that kind of people
Yeah and if you do people a favor by using used parts and skimp on labor cost- they are the first to badmouth you the worst when it inevitably breaks down again…those people you don’t want for customers, friends or relatives! Cheers & have a cold one!
Neighbors, friends, co-workers and family members are the absolute worst because once you either give, sell or fix something for them YOU are now obligated FOREVER to keep it maintained and running perfectly FOR FREE. They in the meanwhile abuse the equipment, ignore advice on proper operating techniques and do ZERO maintenance.
yet they complain about their own jobs how they are not paid enough money.
@g.ox: agreed. My dad did this type of stuff for a few years. He’s a very good mechanic and would not rip people off. The number of people that balked at the cost when they came to pick up their stuff was amazing. He kept invoices for everything as proof. He finally quit doing it, it wasn’t worth the headache to him.
Most of us out here get it.
You're the cheapest shop. . . and the nicest. . . AND, the prettiest !!!
Local hazardous waste in my county sends the small engine equipment to high schools for them to work on. I cringed when I saw some parts I could easily re-use, but now happy to see stuff like that go to the kids to learn on. No better experience than real-world experience. Thanks for all you do!
Good for your local waste operation! Recycle, Refurbish, and Reuse is a lost thing in this disposable time. I run old stuff because I can fix it, and I learned to fix stuff in Ag Class, and from Depression Era parents.
One man’s trash is another woman’s treasure ❤
The same holds true when people want their $69 weed eater fixed. An hours labor before parts costs more than that pos cost new.
whenever that happens i show them where the dumpster is.
Yep. They usually accuse you of being a big, rich, greedy business owner. LOL. I hate that. I've had a few over the years tho. My repair business in electronics provided the customer with a free estimate of parts and labor. We never exceeded that. But I STILL had people who declined the repair come in and yell at me for my 'estimate' that cost them NOTHING. I'd just stand there and let them vent, then remind them that most shops charge for an estimate. Theirs was free. This momentarily stunned them, as they already 'knew' this, but had temporarily lost their sanity and came unglued at me for nothing.
Some of these came back much later with a lot of their other gear, and never complained again. lol.
I just toss them at that price. When the plastic blade adapter thing on my kobalt mower breaks...I can use its 5AH battery in my leaf blower!
Ahhh such wonderful memories you dredge up in me. I used a Craftsman 10hp mower like that in the early 1960's. I maintained about 3 acres of our and the neighbor's lawns. I had the mower deck off each year to fit the snow plow. I think that is where and when I learned to swear. It is also when I used the phrase, "Like owning a helicopter,, 2 hours of maintenance for each hour of run time." When I graduated from school and moved away from home, my mother took over the mowing duties. She went right out and bought a Wheelhorse,, I think 12hp. It is still running today and used regularly. A Wheelhorse. Purchased about 1972 and still in regular service today.
This was a good program explaining how repairing old equipment can get very expensive and still have problems when the owner starts using it, it was interesting having you explain the problems and repairs on the mower deck
As a retired automotive mechanic I fix up old stuff for fun, mostly small stuff, just because I like to do it.
By the time I get them back into shape it would cost less to purchase a new unit if labor was included.
Many people do not understand this.
Yeah, parts are actually fairly cheap in comparison to labor/overhead. I installed a reman trans for a friend. He received quotes for $9k for a USED one to be installed by a shop. Parts cost came to $3k without markup plus 15 hours of labor.
I am by no means a mechanic but I do enjoy bringing back small engine equipment back to life. I'm retired and do it to keep my hands and mind busy. I work on all my friends and neighbors stuff to keep it running and save them the expense of a repair shop or a new machine. I don't charge labor, just the cost of whatever parts I have to use. Your videos have helped me more than once and I say "Thank you!!" for taking the time to make and post them. And to all of those haters I say......"Sit on it!!"
Why don't you charge labor, are you a communist?
When a reputable shop, like yourself, completely goes through a piece equipment to get it ready for resale, they do it right. No halfway fixes or rigging things. This video is a great example of what you run into on older equipment that needs repair. I do this occasionally for equipment I get donated from customers. Most of the time I am doing service and repair. When you add your real labor time into cost of repair the gross profit dries up quickly.
Howdyyawl from the land down under. You've got to weigh the cost of repairs to the age of the machine. Sometimes it's cheaper in the long run to get a new one. Keeping it real 😊
Bre, you handled the acuusations with dignity and class. Honestly, you explained the cost of parts and labor quite thoroughly in easy to understand terms for the non-mechanical public.
Impressive handling an older riding mower that still had a long life ahead with some TLC from you and Ron. Great video, repair work and class. Best of success in the final repair(s) and future sale of this beauty!! 😀
the people who made those comments about you stealing that mower are the very same people who would expect you to make repairs and then complain about the bill no matter what you charged for it. and those are the same people who abuse and neglect their equipment. most of them are not even qualified to so much as to put gas in the tank. ignore those comments. people like that will always be with us. love your videos.
You can't pay no attention to what people say. Some people are just jealous. You doing a fabulous job. Keep it up. 👍
I've had that happen to me, my customer said I didn't know what I was doing and said her boyfriend could do a better job. I said ok and 4 weeks down the road she called back and said could you get my ride on mower he doesn't know what he's doing, and bill me what ever you have to with no complaints.
At any given time, the original customer could have paid the diagnostic fee and picked up that worn out rider and took it back home. Internet Trolls are always gonna talk trash. I had to rehab the deck on My 10-year-old Cub Cadet. So much rust under the factory powder coat I decided to strip it to bare metal, weld up all thin spots and beef up all bent or broken brackets. I even went so far as to make the pivot point bolts greaseable with zerk fittings. It took forever to finish ... I was fixing 10 years of hard use, weather corrosion and just plain factory defects/poor engineering. I could have bought a whole other brand-new mower for the time and expense I invested. But it is now way better for My use than it was when it left the factory. Thank You for this episode!! ✌
Honesty is the best policy. Amazing how some people don’t understand that. Also, if I remember correctly, the owner never got back to you after numerous attempts to contact them. After so much time, possession is 90% of the law. Complete the repairs and sell it or donate it to someone who needs a mower but just can’t afford to buy one. In the end, it’s yours to do with it as you please. Keep making these informative and enjoyable videos.
Yeah , like that generator you fixed and gave to a family member. 😊
No one would take such a gamble on a mower unless they were a mechanic. Me as a customer would've bought a new one and scrapped the old one. If you could've used it then you would have been welcome to it as I ride off into the sunset with my nice shiny new machine. ❤
You ride off on a shiney new overpriced piece of junk
😂😂😂
@@wanderer418
With a plastic transaxle. 😮
We all have our places. Always buy/have new mindset people keep the bankers happy. As my father would say, in a democracy of bankers, new item mindset and repair mindset, 2 vote new/ 1 vote repair ... repair loses. It's up to you as to whether your mindset should be controlled by you or a democracy.
What I don't understand is why a new mindset person is spending time watching and commenting on a repair channel.
I do most, if not all, of my own repairs. My point was that if it was beyond my capabilities and I had to use a repair shop and the repair shop tells me it is not economically viable to repair, then I would consider replacement with a new machine. There comes a point where, like with a vehicle, you CAN keep it running, but you still have an old vehicle that will require constant maintenance as all the other parts wear out. Plus, I enjoy the channel.
It's amazing how little grease is in new bearings.
Too much greas blows seals or cooks the bearing. Learned that the hard way.
Always going to have trolls that have weird opinions! My neighbors craftsman rider is 28 years old ! I keep fixing it for him as needed. Still running well !! Thanks for sharing! 😁
Good video. Some people don't/can't understand how working on equipment/vehicles never is as simple it looks!
I work part-time for a Rancher. We didn't have time to go through the paycheck paper work ' the feed tractor was down . He just signed a blank check and told me to fill in whatever he owed me . If you and your family were in our area ' I'd have no problem doing business with you guys on the same level of trust .
Have a pig farmer locally that would do this all the time with us. Unfortunately, as we grew we stopped working on the type of equipment he was bringing in. Great guy!
Yes
Remember, deals being made on a handshake.
Remember that this feed tractor was being used to MAKE MONEY. Every day it is broken down, the owner is LOSING MONEY. So signing a "blank check" to get the tractor repaired is GOOD BUSINESS practice for the owner.
honesty goes a long way and builds trust with people and when you treat people right they will be there for you when you need them.
You are spot on!
In my shop, I very rarely repair for resale for all of the same reasons. When you add up the time and the parts required to bring to machine up to standard that you can stand behind on resale the profit margins are slim to none in many cases. Sometimes you get a diamond in the rough that is worth it, but it’s rare.
Keep up the good work chick!
I am glad to see you have success with this old mower.
And for as old as this is, if someone takes reasonable care of it, it should last another 20 years. But with a brand new mower built the way they are today, it would be lucky to last 10 years.
I love to see older stuff brought back to life.
Most people have no clue of the surprises that lurk with non running equipment. I just had a chainsaw that had not been run in three years and was brought into my shop go from looking like it was a simple service to needing a carburetor pushing the repair to $215 on a $330 saw. That is a great example of why those of us in the know council people to think hard about investing their money in a given repair. One of the other local shops where I am has stopped taking in riders because the cost to repair them gets high so quickly that customers get annoyed at estimates. We charge $55 to drop off a handheld or walk behind piece of equipment and $150 for larger pieces of equipment. It has really reduced that pile of scrap we have to get rid of each year. Bottom line is if you are not willing to put down the deposit up front then you certainly are no going to want to pay for a repair.
Anyone that makes an ignorant comment like that has no idea what they are talking about. Just as you explained how it works. Its too bad you have to see ignorance like that. Is very nice of you to take the time out to explain how it happens. Keep on wrenching and ignore the ignorant because you can't fix stupid.
If you cease to be yourself then you open the floodgates of cynicism.
I worked on small engines practically all my life. (I'm 74 years old). I really enjoyed watching everything you've done. One reason is you are blessed with common sense. I hope that you get a large enough following to be influencenìal in how machines are made. I realize that all machines have a certain amount of built-in planned obselessence but they are too expensive to be designed poorly and made of crap.
I like the storage table in the background! Kind of resembles a corvette!
A 30 year old machine is well worth it due to the poor quality of machines today.
Yep
not everyone sees it that way...
I'll assume there would be a bit more to the cost not included here, so I'd estimate $800
That could be considered an investment, if the machine was then well kept up, maintained, etc.
I wonder how many people take their equipment in to have it looked at proactively rather than waiting for problems. The spindle not being the right length might've been seen a lot sooner and prevented some further problems ... the bent rod might not have been as badly bent, but might've shown problems, before the brakes wouldn't engage...
yep, and a new mower of similar features would cost at least, $3000
Being a small engine technician myself I agree but not everyone thinks that way unfortunately. I will get a few people every year that will spend the money to get an older chainsaw repaired because they don't like m tronic carbs or fuel injectioned new technology. Or because of where I live they want to know if there Dads or grandfather's chainsaw can be repaired.
Agreed. She is also LOW on her labor costs. Zero time in there for diagnosis, and she put significantly more time into the machine than she charged for. To the people complaining... Fit it yourself! Save the money and keep mowing. I have a mower the same model as the one in the video. I just keep working on it, as I don't want to buy a new one! Mowers never truly wear out, you just finally get tired of working on them. lol With the price of new stuff, I'm not goign to get tired of working on this one for a very long time! I like the OLD style transmission. Hydrostatic units are what determine the lifespan of new mowers, and I'd rather not have that liability.
Good! Tell em Chickanic. I'm a Chopper MechaNick. Everybody, including people with cars, think you owe them. It's the other way around. If I was ever paid for all the EXTRAS I did for people over the years, I'll be a millionaire over and over. Customers are lucky to have you. Later in my life as a mechanic, I picked my customers carefully. Kind Regards. Nick
I find it interesting that some people would complain about you getting this mower for free. They don't realize how many times you have fixed something and customer never picks it up. I think your videos are great and the amount of information you put out there helps so many people. As far as this one person complaining, they have never had any type of business. But we the public so appreciate your videos and keep up the great work.
You are so right Chickanic people usually think they are being ripped off by any sort of mechanical repairs, you also forgot to add on the labour cost to even look at a mower before you can quote on repairs, this is usually refunded if the owner goes ahead with repairs needed in Australia.Great show, keep on keeping on.
Great to see the repair costs at the standard shop rate. And interesting how complicated even a 'cream puff' barn find can be. It had a harder life that it would appear at first glance. Lots of great tips in this one!
Bre
Don’t worry about the small stuff haters are gonna hate. Especially when they had no clue on the cost of labor and parts. If the customer wanted it back he would’ve came and got it in our area in Michigan. Anything left over 90 days becomes property of these you take it to.
Love your channel keep up the great work
I know, it's just the only thing I truly "hate" is a liar and a thief. I don't like people thinking I am one.
Hi Brei,
I do not own a repair shop but have worked on garden power tools for 50 years. After watching this video, you come across as an honest hard working repairer doing an amazing job explaining the intricacies of the repairs. Hats off to you and keep up the astounding skills you have for the customers. @@Chickanic
@Chickanic in the start of your video you always say your here to save your viewers time and money to show people how to fix their own equipment. I believe every word of what you have to say about helping all of us. Thanks
A great job doing the mower
Im a 53 yr. Old man. Picture good advice. I always loose my stuff n memory's. Dont help im legally 1/2 blind. Dey just took my CDL'S. Been drivisince 14 enlisted 16. Your very good at presentation . Im learning alot. Not many folks anymore do what you do. I feel blessed.!!
My father was a sears tech for 37 years doing lawn and garden and in home appliances. The frame cracking was a common issue with that era of tractor. Just happens over time and with use it seems. I’ve seen some cracked almost in half. That started in the early 90’s from what he’s told me. Great job with the welds!
The heck with them, she does not mess over anyone, totally honest about what her shop does, another great job
I worked at an electronics shop a few years ago and we constantly had customers 'abandon/donate" their equipment because the repair was going to be too high for them. We often would repair the item and offer it for sale. Nothing wrong with that.
Nice to see the shop coming along. Shed, well as we say, that's a work in progress. I have this same mower but now, it is just a lawn tractor with deck removed.
Great video that every mower owner should watch! You brought a dead mower back to life. I would have let it die. Last summer I sold a brand new Craftsman rider for $750 because I hated it so bad. lol
i enjoy when they say we rebuilt it last year, and now it wont mow....checking my records....I did a simple spring tune-up,....and they used it all year.........stay strong....
I got out of repair because of customers like that. After any repair, there's a certain customer who will come back for all subsequent problems deeming them "the same damn problem" and expect you to fix it for free. "Last year the fuel pump was bad, now the idler pulley bearing is bad ... it was FINE until you guys touched it!" I could write a book full of ways customers (especially commercial users) tried to avoid paying a penny for repair work. I fixed different equipment, but I adjusted the example to fit small engine shops.
I’m sorry there are trolls everywhere. It’s awesome that you are putting the work in to fix the mower and showing us how BUT most people aren’t going to take that risk. They would rather invest in a sure new one. I know because I had to do that myself. It’s awesome to see the ole beast come back to life. Great job!!
I knew you were going to receive these types of comments. I almost commented t6hat you needed to tell these types of people that seem not to work on things for money how much it would cost if you working on them when your shop was open. Most of us that have repaired cars, tractor, small engines etc. Thanks for you videos.
Ignore ignorant people.
Great job on the mower! The owner did the right thing by not putting any money into that mower. I would have given up working on that thing if I was trying to fix it!
A person who can fix all small engines has absolutely no need to steal them. Tons of people will happily give you old dead equipment like that if you pick it up. They're just glad they didn't have to haul it down to the dump and then pay to get rid of it.
As a dyi guy that has a bunch of tube frame Bolens that I have collected and restored. The man hours that are required are way more that you could afford to pay a shop to work on at any shop rate.
For a stamped out box store mower , you are correct. They are throw away for most people.
Great videos, keep on going.
Adapt Improvise and Overcome!
U stored it for long time & u saved it from being Chinese steel u go girl 👧 😊cheers 🥂
People can save repairs by doing it themselves. Some are just bright enough to start and mow. I had a craftsman for 23 years. I completely went through it, repainted, and installed new tires on it and gave it to my son-in-law in which he destroyed in less than 2 years. If you take care of things they will last you. Good job Bree and forget what others think. God Bless.
Bre, has anybody told you today how awesome you are! Great video!
I use a local repair shop for all my "stuff". They may not be the cheapest, but they are the best. They are 10 of 10 on the honesty scale. Sadly, there are way too many shops ripping off their customers. I owned a sporting goods store, albeit a small one, specializing in firearms. I was ALWAYS honest with people and had a policy, if it doesn't cost me, it doesn't cost you. Example....A customer buys a scope, bases and rings for their rifle, I would mount and bore sight it, no charge. One happy and a repeat customer.
I get what you’re saying but it does have a cost to you. Your time has a cost associated to it, but it may not be big enough to add onto the bill and probably creates a better relationship in the long term just to add it in for free.
That is some old world customer service. That with friendly chat would make me a dedicated customer at your establishment
Hopefully you made a profit on the rifle scope & rings. The free mounting was the reason you got to sell the package & make a profit for your BUISINESS. If your nothing making a profit it a hobby not a business
I see this so often! I try to explain exactly what is going on with the mower (zero turn or whatever else) and give an estimate of what looks like it is good, may be needing replaces now or within the next couple years. Then the customer decides, if we find anything else while we have it apart we call but with extremely older equipment you can be darn sure your going to find something big 9 times out of 10 that makes it not worth doing during the process.
@@geostawny I even did this service if the scope/rings/bases were bought elsewhere. It takes15-20 minutes and the customer skips happily out of the door. They'll be back.
What a great video ! I show this video to my friends that bring there abused equipment over for me to fix, I am poor so I've learned to fix everything, I only charge them for the cost of parts, when they ask what was wrong with there equipment, I say to them, " IT JUST NEEDS A NEW OWNER" ! , then I show them your video so they can see all the effort and time that it takes to repair equipment back to working order , then they get to see what labor would cost ! What a GREAT VIDEO ! Thanks for posting it !
A friend gave me the same mower 10 years ago. The brakes were frozen and the carb was gummed up and the tires were all flat after sitting under his deck for ten years. I cleaned the carb, put inline fuel shut-off on it, replaced the belts and got the brakes freed up and I've been using it to mow my lawn ever since it it is still running like a champ.
Bre,
I have been a huge fan of yours for a long time and I think that I have seen just about all of the videos that I can find on Facebook and UA-cam. Not ever have I been bored with your work or content ! Great job, young lady 👩 ! Mike Ross from Gilmer Texas
Wow, thank you!
Mike, I’m in Arkansas but my wheeling buddies all live in TX. For years I went down to (approximately) Gilmer to go wheeling at Barnwell Mountain. Some of the best wheeling around as close to AR as it is. I grew out of the mud stage YEARS ago, because water gets into everything. Dents are just battle scars. 😉 I’ve always loved it down there in the Gilmer area, mostly because it’s tucked away and off of the “typical” beaten path.
I just thought that you might like to hear from someone on AR that has been to your little neck of the world. 🫡
@@ChickanicDon’t listen to the haters. They are clearly not doing the math here on parts and labor. I think it wasn’t as risky for you, as you already had the parts in stock, which if they didn’t fix the problem, then you would simply remove those new parts and re-use them on a future mower. I recently bought a non-working Mantis tiller and two non-working Echo SRM-225 string trimmers, all for $130. I fixed all three for less than $20(the tiller needed a new carb, and the trimmer carbs just needed to be cleaned).
I have full & complete confidence you do all you can to help people make the best choice about their eqipment . If people tried fixing these things their selves they would have true appreciation of what you do . Its a FACT that people who never attempt repair have no clue what is involved ! ! Love watching your channel . I do my own repairs & maintenance yet my 70 year old self still likes to learn more .
GO GO girl power !!! People don't think about all the other things that a shop uses or things done.
Hey Chik, my wife and I ran a starter/alternator repair shop for 14 years and did power tool repairs also, we had many repairable power tool surrendered because folks did not want invest in an old tool, that,s why I have 7 4 1/2" grinders. I did not have a 'store' to sell out of. : )
There's no guarantee that you will actually sell anything for what you're asking. Some idiots just love to complain
Thats a great point people do not realize. I can buy thise crapsmens here in Pa in working condition for a couple hundred. Forget flipping them, I would lose my ass. I will take the good parts off and scrap the rest. Usually the rear end pays for the cost of the motor.
I really love the way you explain what you're doing. I've been watching you for a long time, just never left a comment. You've really helped a lot of people do simple things that they didn't know how to do. I've had mowers I couldn't figure out what was wrong with them, and just parked them and bought another one. Can't do that anymore, too expensive! The one I'm using now is a 2007 Craftsman 42" cut. It takes 5 hours to mow my yard, so you know I've replaced a lot of parts over the years..lol
Keep up the great videos, a lot of people are watching and appreciate the help . Thanks Bre.
What an awesome video. You convinced me: I SUBSCRIBED! My brother -in-law used to own a repair shop like yours. And I got to know a few things about fixing machinery. Not always easy. And some customers are no piece of cake, I'm telling you...
I've been in the building trades for over 30 years,and sometimes it's cheaper and more cost effective to tear a house down than it is to remodel,the same with the mower.
Great video. Most of the time, when people repair their machines and don't know what they are doing, they don't realize the expense it takes to get it running properly.
Thanks Bear!
That’s where good old UA-cam comes in. 🤪
I for one am a UA-cam certified master riding mower tech.
Got a tee shirt and everything. 👍🏼
What this shows me is how much I save by maintaining and repairing my 45 year old Montgomery Ward riding mower. Or fixing a push mower for someone in the neighborhood who just doesn't have the funds to buy a new mower. I also have a "Just come borrow my mower" policy.
Love your videos.
Oh yes! I used to run an electronics repair shop back in the 1980s. Same sort of gripes from the clueless public. And yes, I do appreciate what you do here. I troubleshot and replaced the magneto coils on a twin cylinder D160 John Deere rider that was intermittantly dying under load. Love and Light to you! I also have a 1990s Craftsman rider I maintain and a John Deere 3025E Diesel tractor I've repaired and maintain.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people think they know more about the other person's job than that person does!
But, it's the same with EVERY service-related profession.
I retired from commercial I.T.
The systems I use for myself are "Franken-Boxes" that nobody in their right mind would want for a commercial environment, and that I cobbled together from crap that would have cost a customer to dispose of through a licensed electronics-waste handler, while sipping a couple Bourbons! (...and sometimes, watching the purple smoke roll out of a power-supply or CPU!)
Hang in there, Bre!
(and tell hubby that weld job really DOES look great!)
Just like a classic car. If you can do most of the restoration yourself or have friends help it can cost effective. If you just have a restoration shop do it, most likely you can’t get your money back out of it.
i have a 17 year old zero turn i worked on last summer .replaced the spindles and drive belt i have big respect for this lady . iam a pretty good shade tree mechanic.that mower whiped my but but i got it fixed. for parts and my labor if i took it somewhere it would have cost quite a bit.
Good on you for turning trash into treasure. I have a 30yr old B and S push mower, What I like about it is when I pull the cord it starts, Unlike electronics and computers, There some times it seems the only thing that works is the off power switch.
The spring on the spindle brake doesn't go over the nub it goes behind it like the spring on the other side. The round spring goes over the head of the bolt.
I also noticed that. Spring looked a little odd compared to the other one that was not part of this video.
I noticed that also!
A very good explanation between shop repair costs for a customer’s equipment versus the shop owner rebuilding the equipment if they think it is worth the effort. You are definitely not cheating anyone.
Don't let the comments get you down, you are a hard working person, that is honest as the day is long, fun and informative to watch ,I wish you the best!
Anyone that has you work on their equipment is very lucky. I wish you were in Michigan you keep on doing what you are doing
I've worked on a ton of those exact mowers. 4 to 9 hrs of actual real Labor Hours for all that work is not uncommon. I never charged for every minute of work either.
Yup! You really can't if you want people to be able to pay for the repair.
Yup, me as well (still have a couple in the fleet). With the crappiest, new version of this machine never on sale any longer, at the big box store, for $2200, heck I would authorize up to $1K into one of these assuming a good engine, transaxle, and deck like this one has - what a clean machine that has been taken care of!
33:56 thru the remainder of the vid is why 👍❤️ we love you.
Great repair vid too.
Because so many things needed to be fixed on this ancient Craftsman, I learned some things that I can use the next time something breaks on my ancient Craftsman mower. Thanks, teacher!
Hi I people just don't think before they type 😂!! LOVE your channel have been learning lots
Thanks you!
That was a very informative breakdown of costs, but I'd bet it doesn't convince the people who made nasty comments. The fact is that most people are happy to have a place to drop off their broken junk and are happy you will take it.
Fun and informative, enjoyed watching you work and explain your costs. Keep on, thanks.
I understand the reasoning and I believe that you would never, shall we say, “take someone to the cleaners.” I have been in both your position and your customers position, and have done exactly what both of you have done, nothing wrong with it, it is what it is. I will say for a 30+ year old machine it was basically mint. Thanks for the video, I enjoyed watching and appreciate your time invested in recording, editing, and posting.
As a self employee for over 40 years and had a crew of 6 people working along side of me. I had people do the same crying about my time. They can't comprehend the cost of something to them is a simple fix. This is the reason so many people fail at self employment.
People always over look the cost of over head and liability. If they fix their own thing and then it breaks again, they simply fix it again. If they pay you to fixe it and it breaks again, they are pissed and think you ripped them off and want you to fix it again for free, including parts of course. Never mind that what broke had nothing to do with what you fixed originally.
no one thinks about it but it doesnt matter if you work for yourself or another its your time to are selling. and youre time is never worth as much as thiers.
That couldn't have been the first time someone thought you took advantage of them. A lot of people look at the price of the part and assume just because it is inexpensive installing it should be too. If you gave them all of the parts for free and sent it home for them to install they still couldn't do it. By the way you can't charge me for the time it took you to take it apart and diagnose the problem. You are doing me a favor by disposing of it for me. I'll just buy a new one. By the way I'll tell you how long it should take to repair my machine even if I have never worked on anything before.
Exactly fucking right
I've been self employed 32 years
How many times do people ask
"Hey, what do you get it for " as if , the only cost involved was buying the part.
People don't seem to understand what LEGITIMATE BUSINESS is
Even a drug dealer has the cost of fuel and time and buying the crack.
People think a Legitimate business is
Do a free quote
Buy the stock at your cost
if the client changes their mind, it's ok, because YOUR'E A BUSINESS, You're loaded and have millions.
and that you just sell them the part while doing nothing
they don't understand
Business start up costs
Registration costs
Licencing costs
Certification costs
Insurance costs
Fuel Costs
Running costs
then the actual parts
the labour
the skill required to fix the product to be able to say confidentally I CAN FIX IT FOR YOU
then if something goes wrong (which it always does) to be able to work around it to a budget
NO FUCKING CLUE AT ALL
Customers fail to understand that without business the economy doesn't survive
but most of all, even if they don't understand all that
JUST KEEP YOUR WORD AND DON'T FUCKING WHINGE
I mean, if you don't want to donate it, then don't
if someone else donated it, then YOU don't whinge because it wasn't yours or your decision
These people just walk around thinking life is unfair and it owes them something.
this comment on this video is just an excuse for that guy to have a whinge at her
why she is even explaining her costs.... WHO FUCKING KNOWS... I wouldn't !
and her labour was only $120 Jeez man, that's really cheap
what i've learned over the years is...... No matter what you tell a client is your labour charge
they will whinge
tell them it's $20 for 5 hours work and they'll say .. WHY ISN'T IT $10
tell them it's $10 and theyll say why isn't it $5
General rule of thumb.. Itemizing costs for clients is pointless.
Firstly a client does not even understand what the costs are on those parts and what is a fair price.
it's not like it's bread and milk
I would just say
this , this this and this was installed
all that including labour here is the price
that's it, itemizing is stupid
i mean.. itemize THE ITEM sure, for warranty reasons
but not the cost, there's no reason to do that
when i sell a computer
i don't say
CPU this much
case this much
motherboard this much
fan this much
that's bullshit
more like
COMPUTER AND ASSEMBLY .... THIS MUCH
computer includes
item 1
item 2
item 3
etc
that's it
Customer now decides YES or NO
and they can ask questions if they like
who is she opening books to ? FUCKING YOU TUBE COMMENTORS LOL.......... I WOULDN'T
Thats why you have someone other than the mechanic taking in the jobs.
I’m grateful you guys will use them for parts. Whatever would I do with something I picked back up?
My younger brother who had mobility problems lived in a small town. He used a Craftsman mover about the same vintage as yours. It served him well. I doubt that he ever mowed with it. (He went every place in that small town using his Craftsman.) I watched your repairs for sentimental reasons. Thank you for your video. (Years ago, we spread his ashes in a nearby mountain when he died as was his request.)
The whole reason I'm so glad my dad was a mechanic. To pass down his skills to me.
I now own and operate a lawn service business.
Which I do all the repair work myself.
It's easy to work on mowers. The real fun comes to rebuilding the hydraulic pumps on a hustler super z. 😊
Just the labor alone would of broke the customer....$120.an hour in NY
$600 bucks to go through and fix everything on a USA made mower is better money spent then $3000 on a new cheap built mower. That old Craftsman will outlast a new one any day.
That’s a fact 😊
When those Craftsman came out it was called junk and would not last!
I wish I had a mechanic like you around me. Most people don't get how the real world works. I stuck $300 into my 6 year old 54" zero turn last year and was delighted I didn't have to spend 5K to buy a new unit. But 30 years equipment, good luck getting parts. I had to buy the steering kit from ebay as it was.
Your amazing. I know exactly what you were showing. I’ve been a handyman & shade tree mechanic all my life & know exactly what you’re saying. Wish you were on the west coast I’d shake your hand.
That carb price though .
I have $15.62 for mine. 😮
The OEM prices reflect the pride that manufacturers have in their parts & wholesalers markup as parts become scarcer.
The chineseum knockoff clone parts are cheaper but are a crapshoot as far as longevity. Also there is the time factor of shipping from Asia. They can ship fentenall overnight but I’ve had chineseum parts take 4 to 5 weeks to get delivered from the time eBay claimed they were shipped. A shop can’t tie up equipment & space that long & have a happy customer & take a chance on part not working properly with that kind of lead time.
Just want to say you make outstanding videos and I want to thank you for your instructions on so many things that I have found very useful.
People will talk about you whether you’re doing good or bad. We have to just keep pushing on
Everything you said about their comment is 100% correct! keep up the great service. diy'er
You're the best small engine mechanic out there so they just jealous