As quick as I'd like to type just a one line response with my opinion, I'll give my entire experience and let you make your own opinion.
I purchased a Kubota Z700 series mower brand new, with 4 hours on it. I've had it less than three months, and have used it three times since it wasn't mowing season yet. I went to use my mower on a Saturday (April 8th) and it would not start. I'm not a mechanic, but I do know the basics. I unhooked the battery and charged it for around 4-5 hours. I hooked everything back up and it still would not do anything. It would turn over once, then start clicking. I tried different safety sensors, (i.e. parking brake, steering arms, blades engaged), and when I would do that it would not turn over at all. Next I took a new battery from another zero turn that I had access to and put it in my mower. It did the same thing. Turn over once then start clicking. (This battery worked fine before and after this in the other mower.)
I called Stanly Tractor and told them the problems I was having. The young guy on the phone said I could bring it in to have it fixed. I asked about it being under warranty being it was new and I had used it three times for residential use (had 7 hours on it). He said depending on what was wrong with the mower would depend on if it was covered by warranty. I wasn't thrilled about this, but he said they could do a $60 diagnostic test to see what the problem was then contact me. We went with that.
I took the mower to Stanly Tractor and it would not do anything. Myself and two employees rolled the lawn mower off the trailer and they took my contact information. I believe this was Tuesday, April 11th.
I was told they were a week out with service. On Wednesday the 19th I called to get an update. I called at 8:45 that morning and was told the technician working on my mower was late coming in, and would contact me back within an hour. I called back around 3:30 that afternoon to be told that the technician still wasn't there, but they'd check to see what was going on. I was told over the phone that the ticket had that there was a problem with an electrical relay and a fuse. They also told me on the phone that the ticket wasn't marked completed, so they would call me first thing Thursday morning.
Thursday morning, the owner's son, Barry calls me. He tells me my mower is ready for pickup. He then tells me that I've spent $159.
I asked him what was wrong with the mower and he said that they charged the battery, and performed diagnostic test to find nothing wrong. He said it was new and was blowing smoke when first fired up. Said sometimes the new motors need broken it so they "ran it hard" and "put it under a load". It had 9 hours on it when I picked it up.
I spoke with him for quite a while with several different questions, but none were answered.
1- I charged the battery myself, and it wouldn't start.
2- I put a battery in the mower that was working fine, and it wouldn't start.
3- Whoever I spoke to on the phone Wednesday told me there was a problem with a relay and a fuse, but magically this was no longer on the ticket.
4- The young guy told me it was a $60 diagnostic fee if it wasn't covered under warranty.
So I was charged $159 for them to charge a battery, check sensors, and pressure wash my already clean lawnmower.
Thanks for taking the time to read. If you use them, I hope you have better luck than I did. If you aren't sold on using them yet, I'd check around other places first. read more
