I bought a used tractor from them last year. They told me at the time that they could not guarantee any second-hand mowers but he told me it was solid. I brought it home and after two uses, it started backfiring and sputtering and pouring out black smoke. I called them and they picked it up, told me they ran it and they could find nothing wrong with it. Everything I told them was happening was not happening under their watch. They dropped it off and it seemed I had imagined the whole thing. They even put a new oil filter on. It ran fine after that and they didn't charge me for the pick up, drop off, or the labor. I was happy.
This year. After one use, I start it and a loud metal popping sound stops the mower and it didn't start again. I called them to tell them I need them to pick it up and fix it and so they do. After a week of hearing nothing I call to check the status. They tell me that it will be another week before they can even look at it. Fine. I'll have to pay someone to mow my lawn until then but they have been good to me so far.
When they call me back, they say that it blew up. They may be able to fix it if they have the parts but that will bring me up to more than what I paid for it and they could not guarantee it. They offered to take $100 off of a new $2000 model. I respectfully declined that offer. I asked if they would buy mine at any price for parts, just so I could walk away with something. They respectfully declined my offer.
Now I have to find someone with a trailer who will haul this $900 chunk of metal and plastic off of their property. When I eventually found someone to go and get it, Formula K charged me $75 for the inspection and told me they "only charged me for an hour waived the other labor costs." I guess I should thank them?
I tried to reason with one of the gentlemen who kindly helped me push it onto the trailer. I told him I got less than 20 uses out of it and I could have just spent a little bit more for a new one at Home Depot. He said, "That is a shame," and told me to have a good night.
I hate to have to write this bad review. They seemed like nice folks. I knew the risks and I didn't expect a full refund. But they should not have been selling the mower to begin with in such bad condition. I am no mechanic so I had take their word that it was "solid." It started up fine in the shop when I first bought it and I wanted to help a small town business rather than give more money to the big box stores. Lesson learned. read more