ANTIOCH SMALL ENGINE REPAIR

While unable to repair due to cost of parts/labor (as much as cost of item itself) he was able to diagnose problem, turn in to company under warranty and within a week I had both my depost back from him and a new trimmer from Greenworks. Great service on both their parts. I thought his hourly rate was a bit high but I have not had any repair work done lately so hesitate to comment further on this as I did not have any repair work done and he quickly returned the deposit I had left for the repair since covered under warranty.

I dropped my Snow Thrower off in February and called to follow up on the repairs a couple weeks later. I was told that parts were on back order and that I would get a call when the repairs were done. I waited another month and never heard from them. After 8 weeks total I had not heard anything. When I stopped in to check up on it (and to make sure they still had my machine) I was given a lot of attitude and was told that they would call me when It was ready. I was reminded that the part were on back order and I needed to be patient and wait for a call. A couple weeks later they called and said it was done. They asked when I would be by to pick it up. I said I didn't know but I'd try to stop by sometime next week. Because I had already waited nearly 3 months and I certainly didn't need my snow thrower in May I was in not particular hurry to go out of my way for them. I received another call a week later from them asking when I was going to pick it up. I was told that if I didn't pick it up within 3 days I was going to be charged a storage fee....after they had held onto it for 3 months. Their hours of operation are not convenient for someone who works normal hours and they are not open on Sundays (which is completely unacceptable). After arguing with her about when I could pick it up I said I would be happy to come by on Sunday if it was that important. I eventually rearranged my work schedule to pick it up. When I arrived and gave my name she immediately got an attitude with me and told me that I should be paying storage fees. I told her that I wasn't going to pay any additional fees and that keeping my machine for over 3 months was ridiculous. I reminded her how inconvenient their business hours were and that I did not appreciate her attitude. She suggested that I take my business elsewhere in the future.....as if I needed to be told that. I now happily drive way out of my way for any small engine repairs. They lady that runs this place is beyond unprofessional and is that antithesis of what a community small business owner should be. AVOID THIS PLACE!!!!

Poorly run business 5 years ago.

I think this a good company. They are polite, professional, and helpful. I like their service, and I would recommend them to anyone.

I have used Antioch Small Engine(ASE)for approximately 8 years. The first year I went into their store and bought a Toro Lawnmower and a Husqvarna. That was the only time I was in their store, to the best of my knowledge. I have called throughout the next years and had my lawnmower and husqvarna serviced. Every time I called they sent a WONDERFUL service man to come and pick up my equipment. He also would deliver it back. Each and every transaction went seamlessly. I would get a call, a lady would tell me what I owed, I would give her my credit and this WONDERFUL service man would deliver the lawnmower back. This year was an AWFUL experience. I called ASE to ask them to send someone to pick up my lawnmower. The ignition switch had completely fallen apart into pieces. When I called, I told the guy that answered, that I needed my lawnmower picked up and described the problem. I also asked him to do a tune-up to the unit. He asked if I wanted the blade changed and I replied "do whatever it needs". He asked me where I was going to put the lawnmower for pickup. I told him the same place I always put it. He said "where is that"? I replied "won't you be having the same man pick it up that has been picking it up for the last many years"? I was told "No" that "he" would pick up the lawnmower because his mother-in-law lived near my house. I asked if this man still worked there. I was told "yes", but that he wouldn't be picking it up. I was going out to get my mail when I ran into the "pick-up" man. He told me that the parts were in stock and I should have the lawnmower back in a couple of days. It took about two weeks to get the lawnmower back.I received a call from a lady, paid her $ 160.00 over the phone with my credit card (as always) and when I came home from work the next day my lawnmower was at my house. I attempted to cut the grass the next day. It was VERY long! The lawnmower kept "popping". It would work for awhile and then stop. I would start it, it would work for a while and then stop again. I was having a Memorial Day barbecue by my house so I needed to get it cut. This continued until I had half of the front lawn cut. I was getting frustrated because it kept popping and stopping. I thought maybe the grass was too long and it was getting caught up in the blades. That wasn't the problem. I then thought, maybe it is the gas! I went into the garage to get my gas that was in a canister with "stable" in it. The gas was about two weeks old. I though I had a siphon in the garage; I didn't. I left the lawnmower sitting in the front yard and went to Walmart and got a siphon. I came home, siphoned out the gas and put the gas that was in my garage in the lawnmower. The lawnmower started, popped, would work for a while and then stop, just like it had done earlier. I managed to finish the front yard and part of the back yard. Finally the lawnmower wouldn't start. I wheeled it into the garage. I had the Husqvarna, so I finished the back yard with that. I called ASE on the day after Memorial Day to tell them what happened. The guy that answered wasn't very friendly and sounded "mean" but I didn't make a big deal about it. I explained to him what happened. I asked him what would make a lawnmower "pop" and stop, he sounded irritated and answered that "he didn't know" and that he would send someone to pick it up. I told him, just before I hung up, that I thought it might have been the gas so I went to Walmart and siphoned out the gas that was in it and replaced it with gas that I had in my garage. I told him it couldn't be the gas because it popped both with the gas that it was delivered back with and also with the gas that I had in my garage. I was home when the lawnmower was picked up for the second time, a young man picked it up. He told me that I might even get the lawnmower back that day. I told him "not to hurry" because I had finished cutting the back grass with my husqvarna and wouldn't need it back till the weekend. I received a voice-mail from ASE that my lawnmower was ready to be delivered back but he wanted to talk to me first. I called and spoke to a guy (I know now that it was the owner, Greg) that was very rude and disrespectful. IT WAS THE WORST CONVERSATION I HAVE EVER HAD WITH A SERVICE ORGANIZATION IN MY LIFE! I was told that my lawnmower had a problem with the carburetor. He said the the repair would be an additional $ 13.00. I asked him why that wasn't fixed/tested before it was dropped off? I asked him what a carburetor was because I didn't know what he was talking about (and still don't) know what a carburetor is. When I asked the man on the phone what a carburetor was he got VERY MEAN! I asked him "why are you treating me this way", "what is wrong with you" all *&^&( broke loose! I was told by him that "he was a good person and his wife and kids loved him" he just started on a ranting rampage. I didn't know what to think or do so I told him "I don't think this is a good time to be talking to you about my lawnmower" I will call tomorrow and hung up the phone. I thought, since it was 7:15 a.m. when I called, that maybe I caught him before he had his coffee and I figured I would let him calm down and call the next day. He couldn't wait until the next day. He called my house numerous time, I didn't pick up the phone. About the fourth time he called, I picked up. He started yelling at me and telling me that I was "no longer a good customer" and now he was going to charge me something like $ 83.00 for the repair (I really don't know what he said as far as the charges because it was a VERY WEIRD call)! He then slammed down the phone. He was ranting something about his pastor, being a good person, mental health issues, etc. I waited until the next day, hoping things would go better. I waited until 9:30 a.m. to call because of what happened the day before. In the meanwhile I went on-line to see if this company had any complaints filed on them. It was SUCH A WEIRD EXPERIENCE I really couldn't believe what had happened and how I was treated. I typed in Antioch Small Engine Reviews. That is when I found out that this seems to be s "standard practice" of this establishment, at least for the last year or so. There were numerous complaints listed with VERY similar experiences. I went on ASE's web-site and linked the complaints to him. I was hoping he would realize that he shouldn't treat me or the other numerous people this way. Well, that didn't work. This guy SCARES ME! He is unstable! I decided that I needed to get my lawnmower back and get away from him. I called the next day and a man answered the phone. He told me to hang on and then a woman came to the phone. She put me on hold for a long while. When she came back she told me the bill was eighty something...I wanted to GET AWAY from this guy so I figured I would just pay the bill, get the lawnmower back and NEVER go back again. I also had entered my review of the Company on Yahoo, agreeing with all the other peoples experiences. I told her "whatever" and said "let me get my Credit Card". That is when it got even STRANGER! She told me that they would not accept my Credit Card, I was no longer a good customer and that I had to go down in person to pay the bill. Then and only then would they deliver my lawnmower back to me. SHE then slammed down the phone! Believe me, I though I was in the Twilight Zone! I called my sister and told her what happened. I told her that there was NO WAY I would EVER subject myself to harm by going down to this company. She told me to go to the police, I did. They said they would go down with me to pick up the lawnmower. I decided that this was "way too unbelievable" and way to much STRESS! I went and bought another lawnmower. I started receiving WEIRD emails from Greg, which I have kept "just in case". These email talk about his "mental health", his illnesses, etc, etc. VERY STRANGE!!! He also is telling me that there are storage charges accruing on the lawnmower. I ask,"Would you go to pick up a lawnmower after being subjected to such abuse?" I think not! That is why my lawnmower is still there. It appears that he continues to treat people in the SAME MANNER. There are more reviews posted on Yahoo since my experience stating similar circumstances. I thought that maybe I did something to get him mad at me. I guess not. A lot of other people thought the same as I read their reviews. Maybe I'm different than most consumers(NOT),but I believe that when a service organization is contracted to perform a service one should expect courtesy and not be treated rudely and disrespectfully. I would think that when a lawnmower is picked up by a service it should be delivered back by a service. An owner should not bully and scare people into leaving their equipment at his shop. Read the other reviews. Shyster, as one person wrote, seems an appropriate description.

I dropped off the lawnmower on 8/24/2009 for service. Handle knob was on order with expected delivery not to take longer than 7 -10 days. Lawnmower was finally finished on 9/9 which is 16 days after dropoff date. During this time, I could not get them to confirm any estimation of when I would get the lawnmower back but rather received harsh comments. Please understand that I do get along with everyone so I was not prepared for this awful experience. How dare you be so rude and charge me for it.

Lawn mower wouldn't start and hadn't been used in 2 years. Went to Antioch Small Engine Repair based on an Angie's List review. Service was quick and courteous. Both the cost and time were over-estimated. Cost was estimated at $90 and came in at $62. Time was estimated at 7 days and ended up being only 3 days.

Excellent work. Repair was minimal due to a recent long distance move, tune up and sharper did wonders. Price was less $25 less than estimated. Repair time was one week less than planned, even in the height of their seasonal work. They were pleasant and prompt. Mower works like it was brand new.