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Gravely home ZT1534mini, BadNews
--They literally fall and break a part
UPDATE: NOV. 2011
There is a Class Action Lawsuit, I guess that is what you would call it, but I am in the Settlement Claim, exp. 24 Jan. 2012 c/o Rust Consulting, Inc. Re: Lawnmower Engine Horsepower Marketing Sales Practice Litigation Settlement, I'm looking to get a check and/or one-year warranty certificate, for all my troubles, which will not nearly cover them. Good luck if you buy a Gravely. - Art
I would say it was just my experience but everyone I talk with says the pretty much the same about this lawnmower.
Me at the lawnmower repair shop. We were in love with each other until I made the purchase. It seems to be the place my lawnmower worked best. I have a passion for lawn and gardens! So I went to my local dealerships until I saw a nice little zero turn mower to fit my pocket.
The sales pitch was outstanding. I even looked forward to promoting Gravely products. Oh boy, how wrong I would have been. I looked forward to purchasing a nice zero turn radius lawnmower until I bought my Gravely home ZT1534 mini, w/Kohler engine, Model#915064. For a $2500, ZT lawnmower, it has given a new meaning to the term, "bad deal". From time purchase until today, I have had nothing but problems. I paid more for my junk mower than I paid for my 68 Chevy truck that runs fine plus, I can work on it.
Ariens consumer zero-turn mowers and equipment are Bad News, designed with breaking-down in mind. From operator aggravation to faulty cheap parts, Gravely has killed my morale for maintaining my yard and helping neighbors. Envy to neighborhoods, I would not wish my $2500 lawnmower problems on my worse enemy around the world.
Refuse to start in cool weather, constant steering problems, faulty and broken deck pins, faulty emergency brakes linkage, engine cover rubs and bangs on top of engine, front wheels and belt covers hardware made of plastic, safety issues...all for $2500.00
Problems addressed:
Private dealerships, like Jack's Saw Shop, "lawn mower repair rip-offs" Macon, Georgia are only concerned with making a sale and afterwards, provide poor service, long waits and high prices.
Control Sticks constantly need adjusting! Yes, those nice control sticks that make driving a zero turn mower a pleasure are now my worse frustration. Initial problems started 30 days after purchase. After a couple of cuts, every time I cranked my mower it automatically took off to the left. I thought, this has to be a safety issue. I took it to the shop and my controls needed adjusting. The dealership did the work, but failed to honor the manufacturer's warranty and charge me $25 to correct the problem. I contacted Ariens corporate headquarters and after some discussion, they refunded my money. Since it has gotten worse and it tears up the yard on every turn. It will not run without being on it or it will creep away. Safety issue.
Fail to start in cool weather? At about the third or fourth month, my new Gravely mower refused to start in cool weather, no matter how much I choked it…Georgia cool weather that is. Not cold engine starts, but refuses to start in "cool weather". After learning my battery was not the problem, I took it to the shop again. After much argument, was finally agreed upon that the choke mechanism was bad. I could not believe my brand new $2500 lawnmower would not start in cool weather and I was stuck with it. I took the problem to the corporate headquarters and they paid. I was told something about the choke, but we will correct that problem in the next series. Even today, my $2500 mower refuses to start in cool weather, unless I take a dangerous chance by using “highly volatile, flammable ether”. That is how the repairmen got it started. No more warranty or nice service department!
Deck pins too soft. Not long afterwards, I noticed a deck pin broken, went to the service people and I could not believe the cost of a new pin. I took the old to a machine shop and was told this metal is too soft to support the weight of the mower when you bottom out. By now, all my pins are broken. Safety issue!
Emergency brake linkage broke and fell apart. If you thought anything would be made of good quality, it would be the brakes. Wrong again,,,safety issue! Parts and labor cost are ridiculous.
Plastic belt covers on deck located on mower's deck to protect pulleys while providing safety to the operator easily cracks and breaks, allowing debris to be trapped and thrown about and exposing dangerous turning belt and pulleys. Be careful about removing debris during operation.
Front wheel assembly castor pivot bushings made of plastic, easy to wear-out plastic! After two years or two cutting seasons, my front wheels are hard to turn and wobble because the plastic bushings that stabilize the shaft going through the frame are worn and need replacing. I attempted to adjust the nut holding the front wheel shaft on to the body, but it seems to be maxed out. Haul my mower to the shop again or trash pile!
Engine cover rubs and bangs on top of engine during operation. The rubber mounts came off and now the turning motion of the engine has rubbed down to the bare metal on my engine cover. Plus, my $2500 mower sounds like somebody banging on pots and pans while I am cutting. Poor workmanship
This is all within the first year. Since, the time of purchase, I refuse to take my cheap mower back to Jack's and the next dealership is not so helpful because I did not buy from them. The company acts like they want to help, but their attitude is "you should have come here first". Catch 22, $2500 for a lawnmower and nobody wants to work on it, if you did not buy from them, they simply do not give a damn.
I have talked with a couple of other Gravely owners, they explained the same problems. They are very disappointed and dissatisfied with the purchase of their Gravely @home Tractor Zero Turn 1534 mini.
What satisfied customer? This elderly gentleman is dead and gone, but if he was living today, he would tell you a thing or two about Jack's Saw Shop and the service they provide for Gravely Mowers. We could probably get away with the cheap quality of Gravely mowers, if a good service program was in effect. Consequently, poor service is just another nail in Ariens' Gravely coffin. The mowers break down too much! Put me down as a Unsatisfied customer, very Unsatisfied. How about this slogan "Gravely; the next best thing to a rip-off for $2500.00 and "keeps you from" mowing the lawn. or "Next best thing to having a new problem! I mean paying $2500 for a lawnmower, would not you expect it to last a life time with good service?
My deal reminds me of being scammed by purchasing some cheaply made Chinese replica. One bad deal perpetuates another. Gravely Keeps You Cutting by cutting back on quality parts and workmanship. It works well, if you do not use it! Price range, for quality and performance, the mower is well over priced, you do not get what you pay for, unless you want junk. Especially in today’s economic conditions, you wonder why more people refuse to do business and buy American made products! What company commitment or follow-up service? What customer satisfaction?
If seeing is believing, take a look Gravely.com
