Summit Lawn Mower Co

John Wright started building the mower after he got my money. Put off completion several times. Eventually, I arranged to pick it up. First attempt at using the mower lasted just a few minutes and it stopped. Batteries died. Recharged them, same thing. Checked the alternator, found no output. Opened the alternator case to find a spring missing. Bought a new spring and inserted. Tried again, batteries died, no alternator current. Meanwhile, I was emailing and trying to call John Wright about the problems. Finally answered his phone just when I noticed black plastic electric tape hanging out of the swiveling wheel axle. He played dumb on the phone. Removed the wheel to find tape used as a bushing on the axle. That prevented the wheels from swiveling and caused drag that the batteries couldn't overcome. John stopped answering his phone. Email response said that was standard proceedure. I made new steel bushings and fit them to the wheels. Tried to mow again. Batteries died, no alternator current. Email response: John said he put too small a pulley on the engine so the alternator didn't spin fast enough to develop an output (that means he knew it the whole time). He mailed to me a package with a two part hub, large pulley, belt, etc to make the change. Fortunately, I have tools and experience, though it was still a pain to do. John stopped answering emails both from his hotmail account and his website contact account. Tried mowing again, and was good for about three minutes before one drive wheel quite working. John took down his website. Seemed to go into hiding. I found his relatives using Google and left messages, but got no response. Forgot to mention the Better Business Bureau sent two letters to his company (he's the only employee). No response. I once drove 3 1/2 hours to New Albany, but the company address had no sign of any sort or evidence of any activity. Just a closed building. Just lately I found he's at it again with a new company name: Summit Lawn Mowers. Now that he's emerged, I'm taking him to small claims court, scheduled for next week. Sheriff can't seem to deliver the notice and the hearing's been postponed, again.