[jart]

Last year we purchased a Scag "Tiger Cub" for our lawncare service. After a period of approximately 6 weeks use we decided the "Tiger Cub was not going to suit our requirements and returned to our dealer to trade it for a "Turf Tiger". At this time we found that Scag had reduced the selling price by $1000.00.

Upon contacting the factory we were told the price reduction was an effort to stimulate sales for the "Tiger Cub". My immediate responce was that you obviously don't care about your long time customers that have recently purchased another one of your products. Your price cut has killed our machine's trade-in value by the amount of $1000.00. We informed the person at Scag that the "Tiger Cub" was our third Scag machine purchase and would be our last if provisions were not made to allow relief from this price cut on our next purchase.

We feel that Scag makes very good machine but the inconsiderate business practices have left a very bad taste in our mouths.

Other commercial and residential consumers would be a great help in getting this wrong made right if you would contact Scag and let your feelings about this be known.

PLEASE give us your help.

[Stonehenge]

I want to make sure I understand the situation....

You purchased the machine and used it for 6 weeks, correct?

After the 6 weeks it looked like it wouldn't fit your needs so you wanted to trade it in.

If all that is correct, there's still a couple other things I need to ask:

What is the return/trade in policy of Scag? Is there something formal or is theirs more like a handshake deal?

I guess my thoughts at first blush are, if I purchased something from a dealer and never used it and returned it, or used for a day and realized it couldn't do what it advertised, then I'd return it and expect full credit (the amount I paid) toward something different, or a straight refund.

But if it's been used for 6 weeks, I guess I'm inclined to think that the machine is now mine, and if I want to sell it I have to bear the burden of getting a hit on resale. Again this is without knowing what return policy they have - if they have a 60 day no-hassle kind of policy, then I'd think you should be able to get the price you paid.

I hope that helps - let us know how things turn out.

Jeff

[jart]

Hello Jeff, obviously I have been completely clear about my complaint with Scag. We were not trying to return the "Tiger Cub" since we had used it several hours. We sipmply wanted to trade it in on a new "Turf Tiger" and expected to pay the price difference between the Tiger and the Cub plus depreciation, but a $1000.00 dollars was to be added to this because of the price cut by the factory.

We paid $6995.00 for the "Tiger Cub" 6 weeks later the same more was priced at $5995.00. In this short of time I have a suspicion that the dealers knew of a price cut that was coming. I feel that Scag has taken advantage of a hardworking lawncare service for the sum of $1000.00

[Stonehenge]

Hearing that, it doesn't sound like you're being unreasonable.

It's surprising to me that they would try to take that additional $1,000 - makes me wonder if they're ending that product line and don't want to take anymore hits on it. What's more it's a surprise that if you've purchased equipment from these guys in the past, that they would try to do that to a long-time customer.

$1,000 is a bit much to swallow. I wouldn't be too happy about that, either. Is your dealer telling you the same thing the factory is?

[jart]

I have been told the since all this has happened that the price cut was to stimulate sales for the "Tiger Cub". I could understand a promotioal campaign (which most companies do) but an across the board cut this soon after purchasing a new machine is unacceptable.

The dealer is saying he can do nothing about it because it was done by the factory. The factory person I spoke with is saying it should be handled at the distributor level...we are getting the run around and we are the ones out the $1000.00.

Scag has shown us they aren't concerned with developing long term relationships with their customers, only the short term bucks are their main concern.

Art (former Scag Customer)

[Stonehenge]

It seems odd that they would knock more than 10% off of something permanently, in order to stimulate sales. A temporary promotion, sure. But if they're taking almost 15% off forever, that sounds more like liquidation, not stimulation.

[jart]

I have to agree that they felt something was wrong with the product. One thing that we particularly don't like about the machine is its fuel comsumption. It has a 19 horsepower Kawasaki engine and a 48" cut , it is using approximately 2 gallons per hour. Almost twice what our Scag "Turf Tiger" uses and it is much larger machine (52" cut) with a 23 HP Kohler. With the price of gas rising this is significant.

By the way Scag slashed the price of their "Cougar" It is their rear bagging mower similar to a Walker. Sure glad we demo-ed it before thinking of purchasing it. No doubt in my mine why they cut the price on it

[Moman]

The price cut was for the cub with the 24 HP briggs motor, I think if you check, the price for your Cub is the same as when you bought it. My dealer told me the reason for the price cut was because Scag used the cheaper Briggs ELS motor, why they didn`t use a Vanguard is strange.

I think they are trying to mover more home owners with larger lawns, over into a Scag Zero turn mower, like the Briggs powered Cub.

I bought a left over Toro from this same dealer and it is powered by the 15 Kawa. motor at first the motor used more gas the my Kolher powered walk behind. But as it got more hours on the motor it got better and uses about th same as the Kohler same horse power.

I think you waited to long, thinking about returning the mower, maybe in your case, the problem is with the fuel system because 2 gallon for ever hour of use is to much. take it back for warranty work and have that corrected, before it cost you a motor.

Good luck....

[agla]

It sounds like Scag wasn't doing well with this product, or wanted to get a competitive edge over similar products by cutting the price. I would not think that is an unreasonable thing for them to do.

You happened to buy the product before it took the price cut. Whether you were to return it or not, you lost that $1,000 in value. It is just the way the chips fell.

It is no different for the dealer. The machine has a market value that is $1,000 less than he can get for it on top of it being used. His purchase price before he marked it up to sell to you was not cut. The shipping, handling, storage, and sales effort the dealer made were expenses that he had to cover while making that sale. Now he has to do the same thing with it all over again to resell it. By selling a reduced price slightly used piece of equipment, it is reasonable to believe that buyer may have bought a brand new one instead, so he has to recover the same profit margin as he would if it were the new one.

It is just like buying a computer. You buy it, bring it home, and two months later the damn thing is slower than anything else you can buy for $200 less.

What will really be aweful is if the whole market is turning and the Turf Tiger price drops by $1,200 next week.

That price cut might be a sign of a particular machine having slower sales, but it might be the indicator of a bigger slow down.

I can't see that this has anything to do with Scag being unfair. I'm sure that they would have liked to keep that Tiger Cub price up there. You just got caught in their adjustment.

[GLAN]

Use a piece of equipment 6 weeks.......it's now a used unit.

Scag is not being unfair........you, as we all would like.....are expecting to much.

[Stonehenge]

I should mention this before this thread gets rolling - the original post happened more than 3 years ago - my bet is this guy has already ironed out any issues he had, one way or another.

[GLAN]

3 years ago?


Dang........it should have been buried in the vault archives...

[Moman]

Wow!!!!! 3 years ago, why is he still compliaining ?????

Well that cancels out my theory about the Briggs ELS motor bring the price down a grand.

[Pelican]

Not for nothing Moman, but it appears you resurrected the thread....the last post before yours was over 3 years ago!

[Lanelle]

Also, in looking at the profile of the original poster---he hasn't posted since.......