In my experience, the "in home" services aren't that at all.
Before you sign it, READ the contract very carefully, from start
to finish, and get whoever answers your questions about it to put
his answers in writing. The ONE contract I ever bought, it
turned out we were "outside" the area for that service but I
could bring my mower to another city nearby (turned out it was 55
miles one way) and they'd fix it when the guy got to that area,
which no one could determine his schedule. OH, and of course, I
could have shipped it! Yeah!!
I made enough noise I got my money back; but wow, what a
hassle! Oh, and I got it fixed for $20 plus parts. It was an air
conditioner motor. One of the best things Sears does, and why I
go back to them, is provide nearly complete parts lists and
assembly diagrams.

Your mileage may vary of course, but, my advice is Read. Read
carefully.

My OPINION is, let someone local fix it if/when it breaks. If I
can't do it myself, there's usually someone around that can if I
look hard enough. Also, $150 is an awfully expensive contract
for an $1100 dollar piece of equipment. I think, anyway. I like
Sears, I hate their hype and crappy useless contracts.

Pop



"Teffy" wrote in message
om...
| The closest Honda dealer I found selling models with tracks is
an hour
| away, and the owner is not at all enthused about providing
service
| from that distance. So, I have given up on Honda.
|
| I bought the 9 hp Craftsman with tracks for $1150. Should I
get the
| 5-year in-home extended protection for $150? ??? The salesman
said
| they come to your home to repair for free whether it is a
warranty
| issue or my screw-up. I am responsible for periodiic
mantenance,
| which is fine with me.
|
| Usually I think extended agreements are a rip-off. But if this
unit,
| which is made by MTD, "lives down" to MTD's reputation, it
might be a
| good deal. What do you think?
|
| One potential downside - the delay in getting them to come out
may be
| a matter of luck. One salesman said he thought they came
around
| "about once a week."
|
| Thank you,
| Teffy
|
| (Teffy) wrote in message
. com...
| I have a 300' long gravel driveway with a 15-degree incline
at the
| end, and I want to buy a snow thrower to clear it.
|
| As I use the Honda web site "dealer locator" in search of the
beloved
| Honda HS724TA track drive 2-stage,
|
|
http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/M...elName=HS724TA
|
| it appears that they cannot be found within an hour's drive.
Driving
| that far to buy it would be fine, but is it sensible,
cost-wise, to
| have the unit transported that far (there and back twice = 4
hours) by
| a dealer for service? The Honda track sounds wonderful, as
long as
| the handles aren't too short for us 6-footers.
|
| But, I wonder if I would be better off getting a wheeled Toro
or
| Ariens (I can't find any Simplicity) that are said to be of
good
| quality and can be serviced locally. I could also get local
service
| for the tracked Craftsman or Troy-Bilt; both made by MTD. But
reports
| about MTD reliability scare me. Would you expect the
MTD/Craftsman to
| be about as reliable as the MTD/Troy-Bilt? This weekend, at
a local
| Sears, the Craftsman is on sale for $1110.
|
| http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...id=07188890000
|
| It looks like I have three choices:
|
| *** I could give up on the tracks and get a Toro or Ariens
that could
| be serviced locally after the 2-year warranty period.
|
| *** I could buy a Honda from afar or via the Internet, and
hope that
| I don't need to get it to a Honda authorized service center
while
| under warranty. Then have it serviced locally after the 2
year
| warranty.
|
| *** I could go snag that sale price on the Craftsman
tomorrow at
| Sears.
|
|
|
| What you think?
|
| Thanks for the help!
| Teffy