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Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: St. Albans, Vermont, USA
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Local Small Engine Guy Seems Expensive--Second Opinions?
Hello! It's been a number of months since i've been on but really enjoy this site and your guys input. Actually it's about time for the snowblower forum (Vermont.)
So there is a guy down the street "Big Al's Small Engine Repair Shop" who does it all and does really good work--he just seems expensive to me; so i was hoping to get a second opinion on that. I go to him because he's right down the street and i can literally push or drive my lawnmower, lawn tractor, snowblower or dighy engine to him to be worked on. However; he is "cash only" and though he does good work, it always winds up being more than i thought it might be. I think every small town has a shop/guy like this.
Here is a recent example. I brought over my Honda push mower for an Oil change and oil change only; thinking that should be $20-$30. I have used it for light edge work on my lawn for two summers with no maintenance done. He looks underneath it and goes "the blades need to be sharpened." Okay.....didn't think they would after two years of light grass cutting. So he calls me 3 days later and goes---I changed the oil, sharpened the blades, cleaned the carb (it needed it he claimed) added some gearbox/transmission oil, oiled the gears/wheels, and did "general maintenance." He then said it would be $70; and he was giving me $10 off his labor costs. Doesn't $70 seem high for a push mower, or is that par for the course?
I'm debating finding another shop but this guy is just so close/convenient and the work he does at the very least is solid; the machines always run like a top afterwards. Thanks for your opinions!
My Garage: Cub Cadet 1028 2x Snow Blower, Honda GCV 160 Push Mower, Cub Cadet i1050 Zero Turn Lawn Tractor, Suzuki 3.5hp 4 Stroke Dinghy Motor, 1993 Sunbird 205 Corsair w/OMC 302