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PUBLICpublished review 8/3/14
I will never shop at any Menard's and will relentlessly encourage others to follow my lead. I had an encounter with the General Manager, CHAD DESOTO, at the Portage, Indiana store regarding a defective lawn mower. It ran once and broke down. We were given 5 shops to take the mower to be repaired but all 5 shops refused to service it. The reason was because the store doesn't pay them. When I explained to CHAD DESOTO that we couldn't find a repair shop under the warranty, he handed me a new list with the same shops! This mower was a gift to my husband and I was very embarrassed to have had it break down. When CHAD DESOTO told me there was nothing he could do for me, I asked for a number to contact someone higher. He refused to give me any number and said that he has done all he could for me...which was to give me a list of shops that would not service the mower! I asked again for the number of his direct supervisor. He refused again and called the Portage Police to come and mediate our conversation. They came and I was threatened to either be good with what he said or be arrested! This store advertises that it guarantees customer satisfaction. I was not satisfied with a product that was purchased at their store and was definitely NOT satisfied with the treatment I received! If anyone has to return anything to this store, please be aware that you could possibly have the police called on you If you aren't happy with being ripped off by defective machinery. Two officers showed up! I felt bullied and intimidated for simply wanting a number to contact someone to resolve my issue. No, this absolutely does not fall under the "satisfied customer" category. CHAD DESOTO was the most unprofessional manager I have ever encountered and has no business being in the customer service industry, whatsoever.
Menards has a reputation for selling cheap production one-offs, no matter what the tool purpose. Their people are instructed to give the ‘so sorry for your tough luck’ speech. The office doesn’t want the calls because they know they are selling defective goods, and they DON’T CARE. All they want is your money, not your business. And the dirty little secret is that because they buy from wholesalers in such huge volume, they actually set the specs for their products!
Sears and other super-retailers started this practice years ago, it’s done so you can’t comparatively shop because the model numbers are different from what the other guys buy all the time! They each tell the manufacturers of the same junk what they want and for how much, and the lowest bidder gets the manufacturing job and the retailer gets their own series of models, which they then slap a generic name decal on and put out as bait for your hard earned cash.
I’ve had problems with electrical and plumbing fixtures made by known companies as well that win spec bids for product manufacturing jobs. Everything is bid solicited, from hand tools to sheet lumber to some of their food products, even. Now, imagine that going on everywhere, from limited application in some companies, to a complete program of it in other business models like Menards. That’s our economic model now, everything is a throwaway no matter how much you spend on something, because if it lasts, you don’t buy more. This is what has put our manufacturing out of business and sent it to foreign countries, and we are left with a market brimming with crap. Menards is only too happy to use legal theft to line their pockets, and they are not alone.
My Lawn Devil issue? The pull-start pulley’s one side retainer wall cracked and completely separated from the pulley all the way around its circumference, allowing the pull cord to slip off the pulley and bind up around the clutching mechanism. Total piece of junk, a cheap plastic wheel part not even as strong as nylon and that should be beefed up if not made of metal, is instead skeletonized to its thinnest possible operating proportions. Honestly, I can’t believe it lasted three years, given how flimsy it and other parts are, and especially considering all the extra pull priming needed to start the thing every time because Menards was too cheap and stupid to spec a primer bulb in the fuel feed.
They need to be put out of business, and we need to boycott their products to do it!
The problem is not just with lawnmowers its with consumers in general now. Know one looks at who is making it, they look solely at price... You get what you pay for, buying a mower from a company that has roots in our country will be more but worth while in the long run. Know what you are buying refuse to buy products from these fly-by-night Chinese operations, invest in quality products from local businesses like Briggs and Stratton, Honda that have some skin in the game and will stand behind there product.
I have a lawn devil we have probably used it 2 seasons not that much it has bad front wheels the rod broke that attaches the 2 front wheels. read a lot of bad reviews with same issues. final drive not working now. Menards does not even carry it any longer that tells me they have a problem with the manufactuer. payed 250.00 dollars for it not very happy! I pride myself in taking care of my purchase and all my stuff car scooters snowblowers etc.
I have had the front wheel brackets bend and one wheel snap off. I put on a replacement wheel that didn't fit. Now the blade bent. The have an odd pattern and I can't find a blade that will fit it.
The Lawn Devil runs fine but like the previous comments my 2 front wheels broke off hope I can get 2 new ones.
I too have had trouble with the Lawn Devil Mower, the warranty, turns out is with the company Amerisun out of Illinois. Here is following info on this company: Amerisun-1141 W Bryn Mawr Ave. Itasca, Ill 60143. Phone # [protected] Fax # [protected]; email address is support@amerisuninc.com Had two wheels/tires literally break off, fall off, and the self propelled quit working after only useing few times. Yard being mowed is in town, small lot, NOT on acres of land. Amerisun has replaced the wheels/tires at no cost to me. Regarding the self propelled, only one company in my town, also in Indiana, is who is set up to work on these type of mowers, if take it somewhere else, the warranty is void. Amerisun said they would pay this repair shop as long as I hadn't done anything to void the warranty, fair enough. I took it over they were apprehensive said they had seen a lot of these and talked to Menards about never carrying these again, You can't find parts at the store or anywhere except thru Amerisun. Menards will no longer sell these mowers. Back to my problem, self-propelled problem repaired used twice while still useing, self propelled quit working, called Amerisun, said to call repair place since they had just worked on it, repair shop said it is Mfg. defect and to call company back, they will repair if company agrees to pay, but suggested I insist on getting my money back, Calling Amerisun today, but don't hold out much hope. Horrible product. Charged this item took me awhile to get it paid off. So UNHAPPY!