problems with Pro Lawn Petrol Mower

brenlixnaw

I bought a (Pro Lawn Plus Self Propelled Petrol Mower) (supposedly 6hp)from woodies 2 months ago its useless but that’s another storey any way is there any one on here who can get me the contact details for the lawn mower supplier as I need to get 2 new back wheels for it as the ones on it have snapped off the spindle due to the use of cheap plastic .woodies wont give me the company contact details they say, fetch it in and they’ll look at it then send it off to pro lawn whoever they may be but ill be without any way to cut the grass and when they look at it what do they think they’ll see at the mo vie fitted two old wheels from an old mower but there not really high enough
All the best bren

*Derek*

brenlixnaw wrote: »

I bought a (Pro Lawn Plus Self Propelled Petrol Mower) (supposedly 6hp)from woodies 2 months ago its useless but that’s another storey any way is there any one on here who can get me the contact details for the lawn mower supplier as I need to get 2 new back wheels for it as the ones on it have snapped off the spindle due to the use of cheap plastic .woodies wont give me the company contact details they say, fetch it in and they’ll look at it then send it off to pro lawn whoever they may be but ill be without any way to cut the grass and when they look at it what do they think they’ll see at the mo vie fitted two old wheels from an old mower but there not really high enough
All the best bren

My guess is that there probally made in China or similar for woodies and pro lawn is a brand name woodies use to sell product in european market. Either that now or there is another lawnmower manufacture producing them for woodies. They more than likely have appointed service agents around Ireland like tool hire companies to fix them. Never the less you bought it off woodies 2 months ago. Its there problem. Get them to fix it.

Galaxie390

Hi Brenlixnaw,

Assuming they aren't driven wheels, and they are there just to support the back end and give it somthing to roll on. I'd look in golden pages for a castor supplier and drop to find somthing you bolt onto the existing casing.
Alternatively, have a look at the local council recycling place as they usually have loads of small bikes, kids toys, etc that have similar sized wheels. Talk nicely to the guys and you'd prob get them for a contribution to the biscuit fund!

Good luck,

Rich

Kashkai

I was in a similar position to you in that I bought a mountfield self drive mower from B & Q and within 6 months, one wheel had snapped off and the plastic guard underneath that shields the belt that drives the wheels had come loose, gotten caught by the blades and was chopped to bits. B & Q didn't want to know even though it was only 6 months old so I dropped it into a local tool/hardware place that also sells lawnmowers and they fixed it up good and new for €20 parts and labour (which I thought was an excellent price).

However, the owner gently reminded me that the large diy outlets like B & Q, Woodies etc generally sell sh!te thats only fit for small back gardens and if you want something that will last, and also receive good back up service, you should buy from someone who knows what they're selling. Anyways, as I have an acre to cut, I dropped into him last week to look at a ride on and he did me a great deal with €1,000 off a 18.5hp ride on with a honda engine as he has surplus stock sitting around due to the lousy summer and thus poor sales.

So to sum up, perhaps you should cut the losses and buy a decent make from a reputable lawnmower dealer (assuming you have a largish garden) otherwise you'll end up with a collector's lawnmower, i.e. you'll be collecting the bits that fall off:D

Mailman

It's under one year old. Warranty is in place.

Deposit the lawnmower back with the vendor.
they'll send it back to the distributor and there is a good chance you'll get a new machine in it's place.

You bought in B&Q becuase they are handy and cheap.
The product they sell wouldn't be sold by a dealer because the dealer is expected to support the end user and handle warranty claims. a dealer wouldn't sell rubbish as it isn't in their interest to do so.

That's a no-name brand you bought there.

Kashkai

Mailman wrote: »

It's under one year old. Warranty is in place.

Deposit the lawnmower back with the vendor.
they'll send it back to the distributor and there is a good chance you'll get a new machine in it's place.

You bought in B&Q becuase they are handy and cheap.
The product they sell wouldn't be sold by a dealer because the dealer is expected to support the end user and handle warranty claims. a dealer wouldn't sell rubbish as it isn't in their interest to do so.

That's a no-name brand you bought there.

Can't argue with you there I'm afraid but I've learned my lesson and won't be buying anymore equipment through B & Q.

BTW, I knew it was still under warranty but the Manager was implying that I was abusing the machine and thus wrecking it which is a load of crap as I'm the type who cleans the lawnmower after every cut so there's hardly a blade of grass left on it anywhere. Faced with having to get a solicitor or go the small claims court, I just walked out and swore I'd never spend a cent in there again.

Mailman

Bring it back. You are entitled to warranty. The Manager is in no way qualified to make the judgement that damage is as a result of end-user abuse. Hell, they can't even assemble them correctly on the floor of local woodies/B&Q.

The process is there in place for them to get warranty and support from the distributor but they'd prefer to fob you off.

Sonnenblumen

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

I was in a similar position to you in that I bought a mountfield self drive mower from B & Q and within 6 months, one wheel had snapped off and the plastic guard underneath that shields the belt that drives the wheels had come loose, gotten caught by the blades and was chopped to bits. B & Q didn't want to know even though it was only 6 months old so I dropped it into a local tool/hardware place that also sells lawnmowers and they fixed it up good and new for €20 parts and labour (which I thought was an excellent price).

However, the owner gently reminded me that the large diy outlets like B & Q, Woodies etc generally sell sh!te thats only fit for small back gardens and if you want something that will last, and also receive good back up service, you should buy from someone who knows what they're selling. Anyways, as I have an acre to cut, I dropped into him last week to look at a ride on and he did me a great deal with €1,000 off a 18.5hp ride on with a honda engine as he has surplus stock sitting around due to the lousy summer and thus poor sales.

So to sum up, perhaps you should cut the losses and buy a decent make from a reputable lawnmower dealer (assuming you have a largish garden) otherwise you'll end up with a collector's lawnmower, i.e. you'll be collecting the bits that fall off:D

I'd be more critical of Woodies, which seem to go for lowest spec to get lowest price. However I've bought excellent Honda and Flymo (re-badged Husqvarnas) at Homebase at very competitive prices. Plenty of DIY stores sell petrol mowers with Briggs Stratton engines, which are very reputable although some tend to sell underpowered mowers.

Kashkai

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

I'd be more critical of Woodies, which seem to go for lowest spec to get lowest price. However I've bought excellent Honda and Flymo (re-badged Husqvarnas) at Homebase at very competitive prices. Plenty of DIY stores sell petrol mowers with Briggs Stratton engines, which are very reputable although some tend to sell underpowered mowers.

My mountfield mower has a briggs and stratton engine and its been reliable as hell. However the rest of the mower is cheap rubbish and bits keep falling off it (wheels, drive chain guards etc). The moral of the story is buy cheap, buy rubbish.

jessj

does any one know where to get a new blade for this, woodies dont sell them and i looked on the net-this brand doesnt seem to exist????????

brenlixnaw wrote: »

I bought a (Pro Lawn Plus Self Propelled Petrol Mower) (supposedly 6hp)from woodies 2 months ago its useless but that’s another storey any way is there any one on here who can get me the contact details for the lawn mower supplier as I need to get 2 new back wheels for it as the ones on it have snapped off the spindle due to the use of cheap plastic .woodies wont give me the company contact details they say, fetch it in and they’ll look at it then send it off to pro lawn whoever they may be but ill be without any way to cut the grass and when they look at it what do they think they’ll see at the mo vie fitted two old wheels from an old mower but there not really high enough
All the best bren

Kiniska

I also bought a Pro Lawn Plus Self Propelled Petrol Mower from Woodies and within a year one of the back wheels fell off. I searched high & low for a replacement wheel and I eventually found a 2nd hand one for a fiver that fit, but doesn't have the exact same gears so no longer Self Propelled. I was very pleased until a few weeks later the wheel broke, but it turned out it wasn't the replacement wheel but the other original wheel. I think I got lucky with the first replacement wheel and I doubt I'll be able to find another replacement. The conclusion is Woodies is crap, but I have a practically new Briggs & Stratton engine and it would be a pity to throw it out. How did you fare, did you get replacement wheels?

Theprogardener

A pro lawn mower from a DIY store! First of all when buying any equipment; be sure there is a parts back up. Most pro mowers cost from €600.00 up. You may think this is excessive but pro mowers have a tough life, pro mowers would be cutting grass 30-35 hrs. Per week in high season where as a domestic mower on average would be cutting for about 30 mins. See the difference? If you want a mower to last you have to invest some money. Another thing to look out for is a key on the shaft, this is a small piece of metal designed to break if you hit an obstacle, if you don’t have this there is a good chance you will bend the shaft. No key you may have to replace the engine. If you "really" want a pro mower but can’t afford one. Contact your local grounds maintenance company; they usually have used machines available in spring before the growing season starts. Don’t expect a guarantee. Expect to pay around €300.00 plus for a mower 1.5 seasons old, and be sure to get a maintenance catalogue book too; pro gardeners have to keep them for H&S. You should also get it fully serviced; cost about €150.00. These mowers are heavy, so you won’t be lifting them in and out of your car boot on your own. All prices above are ex vat. Parts and mowers @ 21% servicing @ 13.5%.

cjt

I had a Pro Lawn mower for about 2 years and then the grass collection box disintegrated. I tried Woodies again to see if I could get one there but no joy!! Does anyone know where I might get a replacement?

Many Thanks

Theprogardener

A Pro Mower, as in it is used by professional grounds maintenance companies. I am not sure if "Pro-mower" is a make. Furthermore from time to time you should power wash fabric grass boxes, it helps with air flow thus packing more grass in. You should never leave grass in the box, always empty at end of day. John Mckenna mowers in Glasnevin Industrial estate. www.johnmckenna.eu

cjt

Many thanks for that although my last post may not have been too clear. "Pro Lawn" is a mickey mouse brand of lawn mower that is sold by Woodies and I, like many of the contributors to this forum, have discovered this at our peril with bits falling off and disintegrating before our eyes!!
The grass box with my mower was nylon and certainly wasn't overworked (!!!!!) and only lasted 18 months before it started to tear. I continued to cover the rips with masking tape until the masking tape was all that was holding it together!!!!
When I read this forum I was hoping that I might find someone who maybe had a grass box lying in a shed and would be willing to part with it, for a small fee if necessary......
Many thanks.....

DAZOD

depending on where you are from i might be able to tell you were you'll get a second hand box, what part of the country are you in

cjt

Kildare

BraveDonut

I only have a small front and back garden, so the cheap pro lawn option suited me.
I have to say that I have not had any problems with it - except for the grass box/bag starting to disentegrate.

Has anyone had any luck in sourcing a replacement?

Thanks

regedit

Have had the same style lawnmower for the past two years and at best, it is mediocre. The quality is disastrous while the engine is great.
The blade simply snapped in half the other day. The throttle control is made of cheap plastic so it fell off too (neighbours with the same machine had the same problem).
For me, this a learning process as I knew not better when buying this mower. Bought in Woodies Newbridge so went in today asking about repairs. It took a few of them to decide that South East Lawnmowers were authorised servicemen. No phone number or address. Came home, did a search and no such company coming up.
Then rang Woodies in Naas and they suggested McLaughlins SR in Dublin so will see tomorrow

Discodog

If it were still the summer I would suggest parking your mower outside Woodies with a big sign saying "Warning Do not buy this crap". The grass isn't growing much now so I would definitely return it & let Woodies replace/repair it. It may well be replaced as the "sheds" get loads of returns.

Regarding "professional" mowers they hardly exist any more. Most manufacturers put a bumper on the front & call the machine a "Pro" model. Usually the parts are identical to the domestic model.

You can get a reasonable mower from a shed. B&Q had some Honda powered Mountfields that are ok. But you can also get some good deals online especially if you wait till November/December.

I bought a Honda on ebay that was shop soiled. It came with a full Honda warranty & was less that half the Irish dealer price even allowing for shipping.

jacob2

pro lawnmowers in woodies are made in china by shanghai warrier industrial co. the only best thing on them is the briggs&stratton engines

Discodog

jacob2 wrote: »

pro lawnmowers in woodies are made in china by shanghai warrier industrial co. the only best thing on them is the briggs&stratton engines

And the use of the name Pro implies that they are a professional use commercial grade mower which is misrepresentation.

Collie147

I'd be in agreement here. I bought one last year (the red one for 269) , did me about an hour before the belt for the self propelled drive wore through the plastic guard and caused it to jam against it, slowing down the blade. Brought it back and Woodies wanted to give me a replacement, I told them it was a design fault and wanted one with an all metal guard around the belt. I got the next model up (the silver one for 429) found it was very good for the first little while. Now it just splutters a lot and jams too much. Dry grass and it still struggles some times when the bag gets about half full. Requires regular cleaning under the deck and a strong shoulder to start it every 15 minutes. Just a point to note, the drive for these seems to be in the right wheel, yet my left one jammed up at the weekend. I took apart the wheel and found out that the left side can be rigged for drive too, and they just use a different spacer that prevents the cog from hitting the little one inch bar that goes through the drive rod that would in turn rotate the cog. I only noticed this because the little bar fell out of the rod somehow and managed to get stuck in the cog on the wheel causing it to jam whenever the cog hit it. I'm gonna try and get a different sized spacer and use it to drive both rear wheels because it's a waste not using it especially when you're on a slope or uneven soil.

I'd recommend not buying one though, not worth the money, and I'm hoping to get a ride on this time next year, so hopefully it'll do for going around the boarder, trees and narrow areas.

corcaigh1

Have a McCulloch mower about 8 years now and it has taken plenty of abuse. Only had to service the briggs & statton motor in that time. Would reccomend them. There owned by husqvarna too..

dinger123

I brought a prolawn from woodies Wexford late last year and on the 2nd cut this year the drive went. Brought it back, and they sent it away for repair - took about a week. It lasted about 4 more cuts before the drive went again. Brought it back, and it was 'fixed' again. I asked at that stage for a replacement but it was not entertained. 2 cuts later, the oil leaked, and its been in for the last 2 weeks. No calls coming back from Woodies. I would love to get my money back and go to a proper dealer for a proper lawnmower and proper level of service. Do not buy one of these - they will fail and you will not get a good response from woodies.

gandalf50

I have had a Pro lawn mower for about 5 years now. Paid €199 or €299 for it.
Have had it serviced twice and I have never had a problem until this year. It is used for about 4 hours per week on two lawns.
This year I loaned it to a relative who used it on 2`high grass. I have had trouble starting it since.
But without this incident I would be perfectly happy with the mower. It has paid for itself and there is no guarantee that a Honda or husqvarna would have lasted any longer.

Discodog

gandalf50 wrote: »

It has paid for itself and there is no guarantee that a Honda or husqvarna would have lasted any longer.

There is. The Honda could last 20 years & parts would still be available for it.

Fiskar

Discodog wrote: »

There is. The Honda could last 20 years & parts would still be available for it.

Fully agree
On my 8 or 9th year with a Honda Ezy self propelled, apart from a bad plug early this season it is the mutts nutts and I will be buying a new one again. Still on all original parts (except for said plug)
Go for the branded mower and it should last you years.

Discodog

Long term parts availability is the key. I have a professional Honda that is at least 12 years old & all the parts are still available.

Apart from the deck going on your Izy or a major engine failure, there is no reason to replace it.

irish_bhoy82

I fell very Lucky after reading this thread,I bought a Pro Lawnmower from Woodies, 2 years ago, and the only problem I have had with it is, I had to change the spark plug at the start of this year. The Grass Bag is getting abit worn but apart from that its ok...Ill keep my fingers crossed!If I get another year out of it, it should not be too bad.

sonoftom

I bought a Prolawn mower as well from Woodies and the self drive stopped working after its fourth outing.
Woodies staff were brilliant from the woman at reception to the man who had a quick look at it before taking it off to be repaired. On the second week I got a call from Woodies telling me they were giving me a new mower which they delivered. Unfortunately the self drive went again shortly after I started it up. Back up to Woodies and again they could not have been more helpful and have loaned me a mower while the other one is being repaired.
Hopefully this time!!!