Here in central Florida most of the small store front shops have closed and the larger store front shops have opened looking to sell mower #1 and do repairs #2, but there are several one man repair guys scattered thru out the communities some are knowledgable honest repair guys and some are parts changers.
Has the small engine line of work hit rock bottom?
- Thread starter Auto Doc's
- Start date
While attending high school I chose to take VoAg with that the teacher saw my mechanical skills and recommended a course at Penn State that was called Farm equipment sales and service, a 2 year short course. it delt with anything that a dealer would require. A lot of that served me well during my working life. I was working part time at a machinery dealer during the course and full time over the summer. Well there was a thing called Viet Nam going on at that time and I was lucky? enough to have a low number for the lottery that was going on then. So after a 3 year hitch in the Army I returned to the dealer and over the years became the go to guy who could fix anything. After about 20 years I could no longer stand the sight nor dirt of combines so I left and went to a mobile home park to set and service mobile homes. After about another 20 years My CMT (Charcote, Marie, Tooth Disease-- not Country Music Television!) became to a point where walking on rough ground became an issue. So I left there and went to work for a small engine shop. There In slowly became kmowledgable of small engines, chain saws, trimmer, mowers, generators and etc. Over the time I was there I again became the go to guy when someone could figure out a problem. When a unit came in I would find the problem and fix it, unlike some of the other techs that thru parts at it and found it necessary to "test" it for a 1/2 hour, or more. If a unit came in with an engine issue or transmission issue that was repairable I would write up two estimates, one to repair and the other to replace. Both seemed to always just about equal the other.
Most of the update schools were watch the slides and look at the "new" upgraded parts or sit and watch the presentation on the computer. Well I do best with hands on, so it was hard for me to learn that way.
I was able to be able to teach those that wanted to learn and help those that didn't want to learn. Always trying to be fair with the customer and the shop.
Then about 5 years ago my C4 disitegrated and was replaced by a plastic block, In the mean time I lost most of my balance. Can't even go out and play in my playpen, where I had a lot of projects waiting, stll waiting.
Even at that I still get some friends calling me for "Got a quick queston for you" .
Small shops are disappearing because it usually is cheaper to replace the unit with one from a mass retailer (try replacing a jug and piston on a saw or trimmer uder the price of a new unit) and there are not enough good techs that can fix a "problem" without throwing parts at it, of course we all want paid well and the high labor rate dealers charge doesn't help.
Most of the update schools were watch the slides and look at the "new" upgraded parts or sit and watch the presentation on the computer. Well I do best with hands on, so it was hard for me to learn that way.
I was able to be able to teach those that wanted to learn and help those that didn't want to learn. Always trying to be fair with the customer and the shop.
Then about 5 years ago my C4 disitegrated and was replaced by a plastic block, In the mean time I lost most of my balance. Can't even go out and play in my playpen, where I had a lot of projects waiting, stll waiting.
Even at that I still get some friends calling me for "Got a quick queston for you" .
Small shops are disappearing because it usually is cheaper to replace the unit with one from a mass retailer (try replacing a jug and piston on a saw or trimmer uder the price of a new unit) and there are not enough good techs that can fix a "problem" without throwing parts at it, of course we all want paid well and the high labor rate dealers charge doesn't help.
Auto Doc's
Lawn Addict
Hello B.,
The difference in price for the JD repair manual/CD and an eBay repair CD clearly demonstrates their corporate greed and a crumbling customer support system. They have a high image of themselves as being "exclusive".
John Deere was a premier product for many years, but they have become self-absorbed in their prior reputation.
I don't make these comments lightly, because I worked a few years for a local JD dealer.
The difference in price for the JD repair manual/CD and an eBay repair CD clearly demonstrates their corporate greed and a crumbling customer support system. They have a high image of themselves as being "exclusive".
John Deere was a premier product for many years, but they have become self-absorbed in their prior reputation.
I don't make these comments lightly, because I worked a few years for a local JD dealer.
StarTech
Lawn Royalty
All I can say here is that the JD parts counter personal are a bunch of idiots. They listen to the customer and then ignore what they don't want to hear. I have basically stop dealing any of the Tri-Green dealers and order my parts out their monopoly area.
And why buy CD when a PDF copy is just as good at a much lower cost most times. Besides PDF can be backed up easier. I only brought one their CDs and it crashed a month later. Luckily I did manage to extract a PDF copy of the service manual before it crashed.
A lot consumers just don't understand the cost of doing business. All they see is the front end of the operation and not the back end. IE there is a lot of overhead costs they don't see. Even my small shop just barely breaks even at times. Yes other times I do good.
And why buy CD when a PDF copy is just as good at a much lower cost most times. Besides PDF can be backed up easier. I only brought one their CDs and it crashed a month later. Luckily I did manage to extract a PDF copy of the service manual before it crashed.
A lot consumers just don't understand the cost of doing business. All they see is the front end of the operation and not the back end. IE there is a lot of overhead costs they don't see. Even my small shop just barely breaks even at times. Yes other times I do good.
Boy, those green paint products are super expensive.
Auto Doc's
Lawn Addict
Hi Star Tech,
Most automotive and AG parts counter personnel anywhere you go these days are nothing more than breathing bodies who are occupying a position until something better comes along with better pay and less work. If they do not show an item on their computer screen in stock, they often go into spasms if it has to be ordered.
I have had good luck buying repair CDs off of eBay and I also keep a small library of much older books. I had to get away from PDF downloads after experiencing a hard drive crash. I was not aware of making a backup on a dedicated jump drive at the time.
I'm certain you understand the situation better than most. I've been in various parts of the repair and service industry for years and times are getting tougher. Talent is drying up at a record pace and younger folks have been brainwashed into thinking they don't have to earn a living.
Around my area I still network and have lunch (when I can) with a few of the older technicians who have worked in the service and repair industry for years. Several of them who retired say they miss the work but not dealing with the idiots that have multiplied in recent years.
Yes, many customers think that the mechanic makes all the money but fail to realize that the costs coming out of the posted shop labor pays for the entire operation.
StarTech
Lawn Royalty
This why my service manual files are backed up on 2 Google Drives and an One Drive servers. Systems crashes are common here with the old equipment. I even backup the accounting nightly to the drive so I might only lose a day's work. And I am consider a portable hard drive that can be encrypted.
Auto Doc's
Lawn Addict
Hi Star Tech,
I guess I still have a soft spot for the old manuals, but it is hard to store them and keep bugs a rodents from using them for bedding or to snack on.
I'm worried about using any of the "cloud" services for back up due to the service disruptions I deal with a few times a year.
So far, my repair CD's have saved me a lot of the informational lag time. The ones I avoid are those that break up the repair data in "chapter bundles" instead of the whole factory manual copy. People can be tricky and greedy on eBay and other seller sights, o a person has to read the fine print and ask questions.
I also have quite a few PDF downloads, but I have not grouped them yet.
I guess I still have a soft spot for the old manuals, but it is hard to store them and keep bugs a rodents from using them for bedding or to snack on.
I'm worried about using any of the "cloud" services for back up due to the service disruptions I deal with a few times a year.
So far, my repair CD's have saved me a lot of the informational lag time. The ones I avoid are those that break up the repair data in "chapter bundles" instead of the whole factory manual copy. People can be tricky and greedy on eBay and other seller sights, o a person has to read the fine print and ask questions.
I also have quite a few PDF downloads, but I have not grouped them yet.
Be careful with Cd's and manuals not purchased from Mother Deere. She gets very unhappy with those that sell copies. A few years ago Ebay sellers had no manuals to sell because she threw a temper tantrum.
I am glad I got 4 cd's for the older stuff before she got so upset.
I am glad I got 4 cd's for the older stuff before she got so upset.