DO NOT RECOMMEND TRI COUNTY TOOL RENTALS IN MOOREFIELD, WV.
I hate leaving negative reviews, especially for small businesses, because I understand equipment can break and things happen. However, our issue was not just that the excavator failed -- it was how the situation was handled afterward.
We reserved an excavator a month in advance and were told we would have it from Friday until Monday morning. Instead, it was not delivered until 5:37 PM Friday evening, costing us an entire day of work we had planned. We paid $940 for the weekend rental, which included 8 hours of machine time, and even tipped the delivery driver.
Before the machine was ever used, we documented its condition. The hour meter showed 4,146.9 hours, and the fuel gauge appeared full. On Saturday, we began working around 9:00 AM and were extremely careful with our usage, shutting the machine off anytime it wasn't actively being operated.
Around 1:30 PM, the excavator experienced what appeared to be a coolant hose failure and became unusable. Our operator has 15 years of experience in the Operators Union and immediately shut it down to prevent further damage.
After the breakdown, we repeatedly tried calling but could not reach anyone. There was no after-hours contact, and our attempts to email them also failed (which we have video documentation of). We had no choice but to secure the machine and wait until Monday.
When the excavator was picked up, we again documented the hour meter. It showed 4,150.0 hours, meaning the machine ran approximately 3.1 hours, not the 4 hours we were charged for.
We were then told they added 20 gallons of diesel fuel after pickup and attempted to charge us for it. This was a Hitachi ZX135US-6, and based on our documented runtime, that claim would mean the machine used around 6.5 gallons per hour during the short time we had it. We questioned the charge because the fuel gauge appeared full at delivery and we had photos documenting the machine before use.
Instead of simply working with us to resolve the issue, the conversation escalated to the point where the manager suggested our operator may have siphoned fuel from the excavator. That accusation was completely unacceptable. The machine never left our private property, and nobody else had access to it.
We understand equipment can fail. What we expected was communication, professionalism, and fair customer service. Instead, we lost valuable time, wasted the efforts of family and friends who had planned their weekend to help us, and felt disrespected while trying to resolve the situation.
We will never rent from Tri County Tool Rentals again and cannot recommend them based on our experience. We have photos documenting the hour meter, delivery time, and condition of the machine. read more