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Thread: What we want from honda.

  1. #61
    Senior Member bb1's Avatar
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    Default Re: What we want from honda.

    The biggest problem I see is they know they have a captive market, I have 2 dealers within reasonable distance, but both are as bad as each other. and they know the average contractor doesnt want to drive to far to get service. Time is money and they know it.

  2. #62
    Senior Member Lawn Mowing Professionals's Avatar
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    Default Re: What we want from honda.

    Slightly Offtopic... but still relevant.

    How many people on here who own a honda fix there own equipment?

    For those that don't, would you ever consider fixing it yourself?

    Simmo.
    New website coming soon...

    www.mowinglawns.com.au

  3. #63
    Senior Member bb1's Avatar
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    Default Re: What we want from honda.

    change the blades, replace wheels, other minor stuff. but when it comes to that thing they call an engine, i look and it and say yes it has one, but. Now if it was run by a computer no problems let me at it

  4. #64
    Senior Member HPM's Avatar
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    Default Re: What we want from honda.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lawn Mowing Professionals View Post
    Slightly Offtopic... but still relevant.

    How many people on here who own a honda fix there own equipment?

    For those that don't, would you ever consider fixing it yourself?

    Simmo.
    Me. Do all my repairs on all my equip inc engine and gbox rebuilds. Don't trust anyone else to touch my gear.

    On the honda dealers...I haven't found one yet that gives good service! And if you've been overseas you will know Australia is the worst country for retail/hospitality service it's not just Honda dealers...
    Hunterpropertymaintenance@gmail.com
    Work to live, life's too short..
    Specialising in small and Large area collection mowing with Walker Mowers.

  5. #65
    Senior Member fairdinkum's Avatar
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    Default Re: What we want from honda.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lawn Mowing Professionals View Post
    Slightly Offtopic... but still relevant.

    How many people on here who own a honda fix there own equipment?

    For those that don't, would you ever consider fixing it yourself?

    Simmo.
    I do my maintenance regularly and I have a crack at fixing everything first. 90% of the times some really major symptoms are the result of really minor ailments. My first consideration is always to try and fix things myself. Since I was a kid I've always loved to pull things apart and put them (mostly) back together. I like to see how things work. If a machine fails under warranty I will take it back to the dealer but I generally don't trust anyone else with my machines (except my dad). In the 3 years I have had my hondas, I have only had 1 in the shop once. That was for a gearbox that exploded when the machine was 8 months old (2 months out of warranty). Honda agreed to fix it anyway rather than charging me the $450 + labour. The gearbox was shipped from melbourne and I had my mower back and running in 2 days. That was about 2 years ago and it's still going strong.

    Jason Forrest
    Fair Dinkum Lawn & Garden Care
    Servicing St Clair, Erskine Park, Colyton, South St Marys
    0407 435 642


    fairdinkumlawns.com.au

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  6. #66
    Senior Member AJD Mowing's Avatar
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    Default Re: What we want from honda.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lawn Mowing Professionals View Post
    Slightly Offtopic... but still relevant.

    How many people on here who own a honda fix there own equipment?

    For those that don't, would you ever consider fixing it yourself?

    Simmo.
    I have heard from a lot of people the rovers are good but I have only ever had hondas. I have thought of getting one and trying it but I am going to stick with the devil I know mainly because There are not to much goes wrong that you cant fix yourself. Drive dogs, cables, bearings, springs etc and my mate greenie is a master with the gearbox.. I have a large range of spare parts in my garage and If I get say a rover I would need to learn all over and get another set of diferent spare parts. I am happy with the honda's and have headed advice from here to fix the wet grass in the catcher problem..

    What do you do Simmo do you fix your gear yourself?
    AJD Mowing Giving Back Your Life

    http://www.ajdmowing.com.au/

  7. #67
    Senior Member Lawn Mowing Professionals's Avatar
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    Default Re: What we want from honda.

    Quote Originally Posted by AJD Mowing View Post
    I have heard from a lot of people the rovers are good but I have only ever had hondas. I have thought of getting one and trying it but I am going to stick with the devil I know mainly because There are not to much goes wrong that you cant fix yourself. Drive dogs, cables, bearings, springs etc and my mate greenie is a master with the gearbox.. I have a large range of spare parts in my garage and If I get say a rover I would need to learn all over and get another set of diferent spare parts. I am happy with the honda's and have headed advice from here to fix the wet grass in the catcher problem..

    What do you do Simmo do you fix your gear yourself?
    At least your wise enough to buy a CHONDA at half the cost

    I don't fix anything... I haven't had anything go wrong that i've had to pay for repairs at this stage (a few bucks for parts). I even get the dealer to change my blades and he changes the oil at the same time... first set of blades where on the house!

    I do clean the filter!

    It's all about building relationships!

    That is why I asked this question... Most people stick to what they know and have mower deck for spares, bulk blades etc... and would need to learn over to change to another brand. As so many people have had bad customer service, i'm interested in their solution to fixing there machines.

    I wouldn't mind learning to do repairs but will be time consuming for me at this stage... I also know my local dealer will sort it out if anything minor happens (anything besides a engine replacement lol).

    I think the major problem is dealers know we only use them when something urgent is required... So why would they go out of there way? (silly business model and silly thinking i know).

    I'm also considering selling the rover at 12 months (recoup half of my investment cost) and then buying a brand spanker! Probably will only cost me $200 - $300 after trade in

    In year 2 i can do the same... and trade it in and YEAR 3 i have a FREE mower! Actually, I plan to have a fleet of them by then

    Simmo.
    New website coming soon...

    www.mowinglawns.com.au

  8. #68
    Senior Member happymowin's Avatar
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    Default Re: What we want from honda.

    yeah simmo i get what youre saying

    if you buy your consumables off the internet or from different places, and do most of your work yourself, then when something major happens or you havent got time, why WOULD the dealer drop everything to help YOU?

    the guy i use knows i buy ALL my spares/consumables from him, he does all the work except basic maintenance (i change filters, blades, have started cleaning out the drive wheels/pawls/cogs as a maintenance thing) - but anything needs fixing, i give it to him, and generally its a one to two day turnaround (i usually get them to change the oil whenever its in the shop) - i then use the honda (*shudders*) for that couple days - and it ALWAYS reaffirms my belief that honda is cr@p - on EVERY MOW !! i just HATE using the honda !!

    i only carry ONE mower around with me - about 2 times a year i have to drop the rover in for something to get done, and i just come home and load the honda in for the afternoon shift so to speak.

    actually the old rover only let me down cos i tried to fix something simple myself, re used circlips and they dropped out, buggering up the inside of the drive wheels, and the pinion gears, and i think i wore the axle out by re using wheel clips too.

    so if i had of just let them replace the $3 height adjuster, and did what i do best (mowing) maybe the 560 would still be in service

    we'll see how long the 50 lasts - if i can make it go 18 months to 2 yrs, (maintaining the drive wheels/pawl/pinions better) i will be happy to just put her in the shed as the spare and buy another new rover (then i dont EVER have to use the dang honda cr@p again)


    or for the reading impaired heres the short of it:
    "hondas are cr@p bro
    get a real mans mower cuzzy - ROVER"

  9. #69
    Senior Member Lawn Mowing Professionals's Avatar
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    Default Re: What we want from honda.

    well, i think that is a major part of the reason why honda dealers aren't willing to support us.

    I'm not saying that is always the case, but like your example, if you try to fix something and it goes wrong... Are honda dealers then expected to drop everything and then repair it under there 2 year warranty?

    There is nothing wrong with fixing stuff yourself if you are capable and can get the parts (and have the time to do so). People like Greenie do a great job and fixing problems inhouse works great for there business. I also see it wise to outsource stuff like this if you aren't prepared to learn everything about your mower... not to mention the trial and error to learn everything!

    Everyone to there own... there is no right or wrong answers.

    I am just trying to get an understanding of how many people are willing to give it a go? To me it looks like people will try as they aren't getting the back up support in the first instance and want there equipment working ASAP.

    See, Rover is honest upfront - 90 days commercial warranty and 5 year residential. Honda is giving the same 2 year warranty for contractor and residential.... That doesn't make sense to me, and probably why most struggle to get warranty claims. A time deterant (ah, that will take 2 weeks) is there way of saying, if your serious then you will bite... if your shonky, you will back down and not push it (all my opinion of course).

    As i said before, Honda are obviously giving small commissions for repairs, otherwise they would be all over it and smile everytime a contractor walks in.

    At Rovers price point, it would be insane for them to give contractors 2 years warranty! Although, would be nice

    Is there info available where you can learn to do these repairs for Honda and Rover machines?

    Simmo.
    New website coming soon...

    www.mowinglawns.com.au

  10. #70
    Senior Member Lawn Mowing Professionals's Avatar
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    Default Re: What we want from honda.

    I just checked the honda site and i have stated their wrong warranty details sorry.

    It is 3 year commercial engine, 6 months commercial frame warranty and 4 year domestic warranty.

    Dylan, i have 3 questions... (i'm sure your PR and marketing right?)

    1. What does frame warranty include?

    2. What does engine warrant include?


    3. I have just been on the Honda site and there is no promotions on your promotion page... any reason why you aren't running a promo?

    Simmo.
    New website coming soon...

    www.mowinglawns.com.au

  11. #71
    Junior Member Honda_Official_PR's Avatar
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    Default Re: What we want from honda.

    Quote Originally Posted by bb1 View Post
    So do I get this right, are you saying that Masters are selling mowers and claiming that they have Honda engines, whereas they really aren't ????
    We are aware that Masters are selling these TPE mowers. The engines that are incorporated into the mower are put together by and large by Honda in China, where they are built for the Chinese marketplace and to Chinese manufacturing standards. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that, being a developing nation, these standards are lower than Australian standards, so they are not designed for Australian conditions.

    Obviously, the fact that the engine serial number has been ground down should be of great concern to customers, especially a contractor who would rely on a TPE mower for their livelihood. It's the same as buying a car that has had it's Vehicle Identification Number ground down - I sure as hell wouldn't buy it, would you?

    We have developed a website on this - www.hondaserialoffenders.com.au - but I would be happy to answer any more questions you might have about this awareness campaign.

    Cheers,
    Dylan
    Honda - The Power of Dreams
    powerequipment.honda.com.au

  12. #72
    Junior Member Honda_Official_PR's Avatar
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    Default Re: What we want from honda.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lawn Mowing Professionals View Post
    I just checked the honda site and i have stated their wrong warranty details sorry.

    It is 3 year commercial engine, 6 months commercial frame warranty and 4 year domestic warranty.

    Dylan, i have 3 questions... (i'm sure your PR and marketing right?)

    1. What does frame warranty include?

    2. What does engine warrant include?


    3. I have just been on the Honda site and there is no promotions on your promotion page... any reason why you aren't running a promo?

    Simmo.
    Hi Lawn Mowing Professionals. I have discussed your first two points with our National Sales Manager.

    Basically, the frame warranty covers any part of the mower that isn't the actual engine.

    If your mower - or any other Honda product - contains a manufacturer's fault, and it is brought to the attention of your local dealer within the warranty period, then that should be covered by warranty. If, however, it is deemed that the issue is as a result of the operator's abuse/misuse (whether deliberate or accidental), then any repairs would not be covered by warranty. So, for instance, if you run over a star picket or something like that, then that wouldn't be covered by Honda's warranty as the mower is (understandably) not built to handle that kind of usage.

    Ultimately, what is covered by warranty, and what isn't covered by warranty, is at the discretion of your Honda dealer.

    In regards to the lack of promotions, I agree with you that, since I started at Honda anyway (September 2012), there hasn't been any major promotions. So I put it to you, and your fellow contractors, what kind of promotions/competitions would you like to see offered by Honda? Please be reasonable with your suggestions, and another point to consider is that any promotions that we post on our website - and, by association, our Facebook and Twitter pages - would be visible to domestic users as well.

    I look forward to seeing what you come back with, and speaking to our Marketing Coordinator and Sales Manager about the possibility of putting them into practice.

    Cheers,
    Dylan
    Honda - The Power of Dreams
    powerequipment.honda.com.au

  13. #73
    Member of forum SM MOWING's Avatar
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    Default Re: What we want from honda.

    ABN only prices.

    Just like they have when you buy a car ie ford falcon $40,000, ABN price $36,000. etc

    I don't think a domestic user is going to buy a 1000-1600 lawn mower to use once every blue moon.........
    Independent and i know it

  14. #74
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    Default Re: What we want from honda.

    Quote Originally Posted by PaulG View Post
    Dylan do you run/admin the Honda Facebook page as well?
    Hi PaulG,

    Yes I keep a pretty watchful eye on our the Honda Lawn Lovers Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/HondaLawnLovers - as well as the Twitter account - @Honda_HPE.

    Cheers,
    Dylan
    Honda - The Power of Dreams
    powerequipment.honda.com.au

  15. #75
    Senior Member cadase's Avatar
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    Default Re: What we want from honda.

    I don't want anything from Honda, it's their business, they can run it as they choose. But as a customer, i can choose which company i deal with. So obviously if Honda Australia want me as a customer they will design/sell a mower that is suitable for Australian contractors. If they cannot provide this, i'll try elsewhere, pretty straight forward to me.

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