U-Haul International Inc

As always, I was treating my riding lawn mower as a tank, sure that I could mow down anything that got in my way without actually having to get off the seat to move it, when ta da! I ran into a metal pole that didn?t wish to be pushed around. (By the way, I do not suggest this behavior as I tend to regularly have lawn mower issues. I too know this is not a good idea but I can?t seem to help myself, I get up there on that machine and wild abandon just seems to take over! ) So I called Allen?s Small Engine repair. We had used them for another episode of abandon on my part (I am hanging my head in shame now), but I really can?t remember that episode all that well except that I think we had caught them in a busy time and it took about a week to get the mower back, but other than that all went well, they were very polite, extremely reasonable and professional, and honest enough to fix it and then tell us that he got it running but didn?t think the mower was long for this world. He was right about that mower. In the end it conked out on us. So I got a shiny NEW tank I could treat badly!! So two weeks later?just kidding?it?s been longer than that! About a year later I got into a fight with a metal leg to a birdfeeder, and I thought I won except for the stalling thing that kept happening after I drove away. So I called Allen?s. The receptionist was very nice and even better she stated that they were coming out to my area to drop off a mower and would be by that same day to pick it up. So, about an hour later a very nice and polite gentleman showed up. I told him my tale of woe (without mentioning about using it as a tank- I have some pride!) and he jumped up there and drove it until it stalled. He said it sounded like an engine issue, and not actually from the ?tank versus bird feeder war? I had going on in my backyard. So he got the thing in his trailer and off he went as I stood there with dollar amounts running through my head. Based on my past experiences with lawn mower repairers, I was prepared to wait for a while. Most of these places are just one or two guys fixing mowers and such, so they can get pretty busy at times. But to my surprise I got a call the next day, letting me know that it was ready and he could come by today, or whenever was convenient for me, to drop it off. He said the problem was a lot of gunk in the gas tank and filter. He had to change out the filter and clean out all the gunk I had in there. I?m guessing here, but I suppose the jostling from the run in with the birdfeeder might have just moved stuff around enough to cause it to start stalling when it did. But the important thing to come away with is that Allen?s Small Engine could have very easily TOLD me it was something else and charged me a whole bunch more for what they did, but they chose to be both honest and reasonable instead. In the end the total cost was $82.43 and that was with both picking up and dropping off the mower at my front door, and I asked them to turn off the switch that doesn?t let you mow backwards and that was included in the price as well (I realize it?s a safety mechanism and something you would think I would need, but it actually wound up making me more of a daredevil trying to find ways of getting out of backing up). So, I was so grateful for the very reasonable bill I tried to tip the guy who dropped it off just to let them know how much I appreciated their service; and get this, he wouldn?t take it. He said the economy was bad enough these days, and there was no need in spending more than you had to? My husband said he had tried the last time to tip them also and they wouldn?t take it either... Some very decent folks over there at Allen?s. Definitely renewing my faith in humanity?