Lawnmower Class Action Settlement

[Zembonez]

Dave. You might get 40,000 dollars out of this suit!

 

[66nova]

 

[Bernie]

so what if i bought one that was made before then?

You're on your own then.

 

[davbell22602]

I never bought mower. I get ones that dont run for free. The only thing I bought was new was a Stihl FS85 loop handle straight shaft trimmer back in 2000 for 300 bucks.

 

[Bernie]

No interest here. I have no doubt that some companies would market engines with deceptive numbers on them... but I see no justification for joining the litigious society.

I'll pass.

It's your choice of course, but after reading through about 90% of the court documents I don't believe this is one of the frivolous lawsuits you hear about so often. For one thing, it's in conjunction with a federal anti-trust suit and federal RICO charges have been filed against the manufacturers. In addition to the monetary settlement ($35 for each walk-behind mower and $75 for each riding mower) there will also be one year warranty extensions for most engines, but you have to file your claim to get the extension.

And it's not just "some" companies, it's just about all of them. We're also not talking about small differences in HP ratings either. The court documents list hundreds of examples where manufacturers slapped HP labels on mowers that were almost twice as much as the engine actually produced, or used the same exact engine in dozens of different models with widely different HP labels on them. Personally, the idea that the 6.5hp mower I purchased has an engine in it that only produces 3.75 HP, and which was deliberately mislabled by the manufacturer so it could be sold for a higher price, makes me quite pissed off.

Sure, it's "only" a lawn mower, but how loud would some of you be screaming if you found out that the 400hp engine in your truck was really the same 250hp engine used in the cheapest model, and that the manufacturer deliberately mislabeled it? And formed not one, but four different industry-wide organizations to make sure the falsified numbers were concealed throughout the industry? And that these same groups then managed to get themselves put in charge of writing the SAE specifications and testing procedures for determining horsepower, then "amended" those specs to make them utterly meaningless? That's what this suit alleges was done with mower engines, and what the court documents support.

 

[Zembonez]

I don't disagree with your logic on this Bernie... just saying I won't be a participant in a class action suit over it. I'm glad they got caught if their sales were based on deceptive numbers.

 

[Darth Bama]

No interest here. I have no doubt that some companies would market engines with deceptive numbers on them... but I see no justification for joining the litigious society.

I'll pass.

Well said. I'll be passing as well.

I've been happy with my Deere with a Kohler engine. Been running and cutting grass fine since 2003!

 

[Stumpuller6.5]

I could maybe beleive it, my 22hp briggs didn`t hold a stick to my 22hp yanmar.

 

[Z71_Silvy]

Who the hell cares if your 21" self-propelled mower has 6.75HP or 4HP?

THIS sort of litigious garbage makes me sick.

 

[Zembonez]

I think incorrectly representing the HP is bullshit. They should have to correct it and let's move on. Paying every Joe that bought a damn mower since 1971 is just silly.