Comment posted 2010 Craftsman YT4000 42 inch 24 hp Model 28927 Review by Paul.
@Armand,
Replacing the whole tractor is up to the tech to decide. I can’t and won’t make any guesses for the techs in your area. I have seen techs replace it all and techs that just swap out tractors.
The techs in my area are quite capable of swapping out a chassis and doing it correctly. These techs have quite a few years of experience between them.
If they replace your entire tractor, they actually don’t scrap that unit. It gets fixed and then resold as a used unit. But the tech decides when to do this.
Do you have the Protection Plan?
Paul also commented
- @Armand. Golf courses use a powered plug aerator that pulls a plug of turf about the size of you index finger 2 to 4 inches deep. They put a dozen holes in every square foot of turf. The guy you hire if his machine is working right will pull a plug every four inches or so. When they are done there are “plugs” all over your lawn.
Using the 24326 you will have to run over your lawn 5 or 6 times to get the same effect. Put enough weight on it to sink the pluggers at least 2 inches. You may need more or less than 100 lbs.
- Armand, It depends how short you mow and what soil type you have. If you mow at 2 inches or less in sandy soil, you should sharpen your blades every 15 to 20 hours. If you mow at 3 1/2 inches without sandy soil the red Craftsman blades need to be sharpened every 50 hours or so.
The best way to tell if your blades need sharpening is to look at the cut grass a day after you cut your lawn. Does the cut edge have an even brown edge across the cut (or no brown edge at all?) Your blades are still sharp enough. If the edge looks torn (like you pinched it off with your fingers) then your blades could use a tune up. Really dull blades shatter the end of the grass. To see a shattered edge look at grass cut by the highway crews. Those blades chew off the grass more than they cut it and you can easily see the torn edge.
Around my area, my local hardware store gets 4 to 6 dollars a blade to sharpen them with a grinder.
I actually use a vise and hand file (flat, bastard cut) to sharpen my blades. It takes a minute or two longer per blade than using a Dremel or angle grinder but I feel I get a consistent edge that last longer than a ground edge. When using power tools to sharpen your blade it is easy to burn the edge and lose the temper in the blade. (the edge turns black)
Take the same amount of steel off of each side of the blade when you sharpen. If you take too much off on side you get the blade “off balance” and the vibration of the unbalanced blade can destroy the spindles and bearings in your deck. I have a nail in the garage that I put the blade on after I sharpen it to see if it is still balanced.
The advanced mulching blades are easy to sharpen. You just sharpen the cutting edge of the blade. The teeth don’t get sharpened.
- @Keith, The store sales associate should spend about 5 minutes going over your new mower with you. He will show you how to use all the controls and set-up’s like adjusting the gauge wheels. If he can’t answer all your questions please write back here and I’ll be glad to answer them.
Be sure to lower the tire pressure to 12-14 lbs in all the wheels. The mower will ride much smoother over the rough ground.
If your lawn is rough and hilly I suggest buying a spare set of belts and hanging them up in your garage. The YT series can go through a drive belt every other season if used on very hilly terrain.
- @ Brad,
45 inches with the chute up.
I have a 30 inch Dixon ZTR and the RZ3016 is a VAST improvement over my mower. If you just want to mow lawn the RX3016 will out mow the 42 inch in manuverabilty.
But, If I buy a new one it will be the 42 inch ZTR. I like the deck overhang from the wheels and with the many landscape beds I have the overhang will help me save time on trimming. The RX3016′s deck is right in-line with the wheels so it is harder to trim along a fence, foundation, etc.The yt4000 does have a good mowing deck and you can pull most attachments, use a snow blade and snowthrower.
I would not suggest the zero turn for you if are going to pull any yard carts with more than about 200 lbs.
- @Armand, If they chose to replace it…it will be with a new one.
I have purchased 27 new cars over my lifetime. Many of those were “ordered”. All of them had something “wrong” so I know that all manufactured goods will have issues. It doesn’t matter if it is a Honda, Dodge or Craftsman. I know Craftsman is a good brand and stands behind their products as well as the “WalMarts” of the world will let them, but I also know it is a mechanical device.
For everyone else who reads this. Be very careful of “warranties” on lawn mowers. Sears still has one of the best but most warranties today do not cover:
Fuel related problems: dirty gas, rotted fuel lines, poor starting.
Transmissions: You have to go to the trans manufacture and get the replacement. For example, Husqvarna states right in their warranty “transmissions are not covered by this warranty”
Engines: MTD does not cover engines (and most other brands) It is up to you to get any warranty work done. Most engines have less of a warranty than the mower itself. Many engines are now made outside the U.S. (snow throwers for example) and getting service may be tough.
Getting the tractor to a tech: Sears comes to you, others you have to haul the mower to a dealer. Most of the time there is a charge for this. My dads “green” dealer charges $125 for a 15 mile pickup and delivery.
Labor: MTD will give the “factory authorized service center” the repair part but they only pay for certain work and you will end up paying for additional work to get to the part, and the difference from what MTD pays and the going rate for labor in your area.Watch extended warranties: Most of them only lengthen the factory warranty and do not give you any extra benefits. A $160 dollar extended warranty may look like a better deal than the Sears Protection Plan at $369 but the extended warranty does not cover as much and the Sears plan. The Sears Protection Plan covers wear and tear items like belts and overworking the trans and includes ALL labor and trip charges. The $160 dollar warranty from another store doesn’t.
Recent comments by Paul
- Dixon 46 In. Deck 22 HP Kohler Lawn Tractor Model D22KH46 Review
@Mark, I pretty sure the Ariens name is owned by Ariens. They also own Gravely®, EverRide®, Great Dane®, Gravely® Turf, National® Mower, Locke®, Stens® and Bynorm®But they do farm out a lot of their production and that one is easily a Husqvarna made product.
- Dixon 46 In. Deck 22 HP Kohler Lawn Tractor Model D22KH46 Review
@mark, It looks like most of the tractors from all the manufactures will be getting EPA changes for next year. So they are selling off current stock and not replenishing it like they usually do. Everyone is busy making and distributing snowblowers right now so if you can’t find one at your local store…………..Comparable models are the Husqvarna YTH21K46. That has a 21 hp Kohler single, the YTH22V46 with 22 hp Briggs and the YT4000 model 28927 Craftsman. That has a 24 hp Briggs. These are all basically the same mower as the Dixon you are looking for.
- Guest Posts
@ Dennis, Everyone I have talked to who has purchased the 28980 likes their mower. The district service manager has told me there has been NO problems or complaints on the service side.I have heard no complaints about cut quality. It does have basically the same deck Consumer’s Reports rated as one of the best on the Cub Cadet.
It will have a lot more power than the 28922 and the engine is a lot smoother. (It’s a v-twin) It is a commercial motor and is the top-of-the-line Briggs. The only disadvantage is it will use more fuel than the 28922.
It seems to be a very good mower and I recommend it highly.
- Craftsman Professional Garden Tractor Model 28984 Parts, Accessories & Attachments
@Ray, No there is no difference. But the older model may be easier to install because the new model is a “universal fit” - 2010 Craftsman 28 inch 12.5 hp Model 28034 Review
@crouch,Apples for apples (in this case Snapper for Craftsman) I will always go with Sears from the service standpoint. I know I can get my Craftsman repaired no matter where I live in the U.S. The Snapper is very reliant on the local dealer. A case in point, our local Snapper dealer went out of business this year. Now the closest dealer is over 50 miles away. Sears comes to you, you never have to haul your sears tractor or riding mower anywhere.
The engine: The Intek and the Gold in the Craftsman are the same OHV motor. It is just labeled differently. By the way the Briggs splash system in the OHV Line works and you will not have the problems on hills like the old side-valve Briggs had. (The old motors if you ran them on a sidehill for too long they would run out of oil.)
There are only four different Briggs engine types that I can see. Briggs labels them differently for certain companies like Sears.
1. Intek. I/C, Silver No oil filter. Basic OHV engine with splash lube oil system.
2. Intek Plus, Gold. OHV engine with pressurized splash lube. Usually has a Black oil filter. (Some do not have filters.)
3. Platinum, OHV engine with an oil pump. Actual oil ports in motor to distribute oil to critical components. Usually has a yellow filter.
4. Pro, ELS, Commercial. Electronic Fuel management, Chrome Valves, Heavy duty bottom bearing.
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Tags: 2010 Craftsman YT4000 42 inch 24 hp Model 28927 Review, Craftsman YT 4000 24 hp 42 inch Yard Tractor
I bought the YT4000 with the 24 hp engine and 42 inch deck a month ago and I like it. I does great job of cutting and bagging – with no clogging of the chute (unlike my old 17 hp Crafstman which had a clogged bagger chute regularly). However, the transmission seams to make a lot of groaning type noises, particularly after I have shifted. I purged the transmission as the owner’s manual tells you to do before I ran it. I may all on my extended warranty to get some tech support. I don’t think it sould be making these noises. Any suggestions?
Thank you.
Peter
Concord, NH
Paul, I was thinking of aerating my lawn using #24326 by Craftsman. Looks like I could put up to 100 lbs of weight on it.
My question is, is this effective enough (I understand it may not be “as effective” as those heavy aerating machines) to be worthwhile to do? I.e. – I can hire someone to aerate my lawn for $300 or I can buy this unit for $180 and aerate my lawn as much as I want and when I want.
Thanks!!!
@Armand. Golf courses use a powered plug aerator that pulls a plug of turf about the size of you index finger 2 to 4 inches deep. They put a dozen holes in every square foot of turf. The guy you hire if his machine is working right will pull a plug every four inches or so. When they are done there are “plugs” all over your lawn.
Using the 24326 you will have to run over your lawn 5 or 6 times to get the same effect. Put enough weight on it to sink the pluggers at least 2 inches. You may need more or less than 100 lbs.
Would you have a suggestion as to how often do the standard blades need to be sharpened? Also, would you have any idea how much I should pay to have this done? I.e. – I am wondering if it’s worth it to get them sharpened or should I just buy a new set? But I’d hate to throw away that much metal.
Also, would you have a similar suggestion for the “advanced mulching blades? They seem like they would be more difficult to sharpen.
I’m tempted to just take a dremel to both of them!
Armand, It depends how short you mow and what soil type you have. If you mow at 2 inches or less in sandy soil, you should sharpen your blades every 15 to 20 hours. If you mow at 3 1/2 inches without sandy soil the red Craftsman blades need to be sharpened every 50 hours or so.
The best way to tell if your blades need sharpening is to look at the cut grass a day after you cut your lawn. Does the cut edge have an even brown edge across the cut (or no brown edge at all?) Your blades are still sharp enough. If the edge looks torn (like you pinched it off with your fingers) then your blades could use a tune up. Really dull blades shatter the end of the grass. To see a shattered edge look at grass cut by the highway crews. Those blades chew off the grass more than they cut it and you can easily see the torn edge.
Around my area, my local hardware store gets 4 to 6 dollars a blade to sharpen them with a grinder.
I actually use a vise and hand file (flat, bastard cut) to sharpen my blades. It takes a minute or two longer per blade than using a Dremel or angle grinder but I feel I get a consistent edge that last longer than a ground edge. When using power tools to sharpen your blade it is easy to burn the edge and lose the temper in the blade. (the edge turns black)
Take the same amount of steel off of each side of the blade when you sharpen. If you take too much off on side you get the blade “off balance” and the vibration of the unbalanced blade can destroy the spindles and bearings in your deck. I have a nail in the garage that I put the blade on after I sharpen it to see if it is still balanced.
The advanced mulching blades are easy to sharpen. You just sharpen the cutting edge of the blade. The teeth don’t get sharpened.
Enjoyed your review. Looking for a new mower that will cut about an acre which is rough. The current MTD has developed electrical problems and no repair man seems to want to touch it. I will be buying my mower through the store, but you should get a commission as it is your reviews that help me make a decision.
@Keith, The store sales associate should spend about 5 minutes going over your new mower with you. He will show you how to use all the controls and set-up’s like adjusting the gauge wheels. If he can’t answer all your questions please write back here and I’ll be glad to answer them.
Be sure to lower the tire pressure to 12-14 lbs in all the wheels. The mower will ride much smoother over the rough ground.
If your lawn is rough and hilly I suggest buying a spare set of belts and hanging them up in your garage. The YT series can go through a drive belt every other season if used on very hilly terrain.
What is the fully assembled width with the 42″ deck? I have a 46″ opening into my shed. Seems like you are high on both this model and the Husqvarna RZ3016…can you give me some advice on how to decide between the two?
@ Brad,
45 inches with the chute up.
I have a 30 inch Dixon ZTR and the RZ3016 is a VAST improvement over my mower. If you just want to mow lawn the RX3016 will out mow the 42 inch in manuverabilty.
But, If I buy a new one it will be the 42 inch ZTR. I like the deck overhang from the wheels and with the many landscape beds I have the overhang will help me save time on trimming. The RX3016′s deck is right in-line with the wheels so it is harder to trim along a fence, foundation, etc.
The yt4000 does have a good mowing deck and you can pull most attachments, use a snow blade and snowthrower.
I would not suggest the zero turn for you if are going to pull any yard carts with more than about 200 lbs.
Hi Paul,
I have a question regarding the durability of the 28927. I purchased a 28927 last year 7/2009 and last week it stopped running forwards/backwards. The engine and the deck still run fine. I pushed it into the garage and thought that the drive belt must have come off. It’s not even a year old with only 23 hours of runtime per the clock.
To my dismay, the drive belt did come off, but it came off since the transaxle was no longer in the right position! Looks like 2 screws #125 that connects the “Bracket Mount Torque #226″ had either come off or weren’t there to begin with. The reason I say that it wasn’t there to begin with since I don’t see any signs of screws being “stripped off”.
So now, the chassis “L” bracket that connects to the transaxle is ripped. Being a former engineer, I am a bit surprised that the transaxle is only held on to the chassis with 4 screws (6 if you include the aforementioned 2 that were potentially missing). I am under warranty and I had called for service.
So my questions are:
1) With the chassis L bracket that connects to the transaxle being ripped, is that fixable? Will they take the whole mower apart? I am worried that they will not be able to put it back together correctly.
2) Do you know if this problem has been seen before? My lawn is flat and is only about 15k sqft. The only thing I can imagine that caused this to happen is that I do “forwards and backwards” cutting versus doing “clockwise, forwards only cutting”. The only thing I tow is a Craftsman dethatcher that I used once last year and once this year.
Any thoughts?
Disappointed,
Armand
@Armand,
Yes, I have heard of at least two of these issues with the 2009 Craftsman’s. The tractor was assembled wrong and the rear axle tore off. It’s not you. I have seen the techs replace the entire frame.
If it is not right after the fix, get service out right away again. They will keep coming out until it’s right. If they don’t get it right there are alternative’s but let’s not go there yet.
Call 1-800-4MY-HOME. Tell them the problem and ask for a “seasoned tech” The seasoned tech is the most experienced lawn tractor guy in your repair district. It will probably take 10 days or so to fix this one.
What’s interesting to me is it’s not just Craftsman mowers, but I have also heard of this with a half dozen MTD made tractors with assembly issues also from last year.
Ouch… That’s comforting and troubling at the same time. My worry is that since they have to replace the entire chassis, what are the chances that they put it back together correctly the first time? I would guess not very good. I understand that they will keep coming back to fix it right, but that means I lose time from work each time also… Since the entire chassis needs to be replaced, shouldn’t Sears just replace the entire thing and save us all the trouble?
@Armand,
Replacing the whole tractor is up to the tech to decide. I can’t and won’t make any guesses for the techs in your area. I have seen techs replace it all and techs that just swap out tractors.
The techs in my area are quite capable of swapping out a chassis and doing it correctly. These techs have quite a few years of experience between them.
If they replace your entire tractor, they actually don’t scrap that unit. It gets fixed and then resold as a used unit. But the tech decides when to do this.
Do you have the Protection Plan?
No, I didn’t purchase the Protection Plan since the tractor is still under warranty (warranty is 2 years). Of course, at this point, it may be a good idea for me to consider it if this thing isn’t as reliable coming out of assembly as a “Craftsman” should be.
If they do replace the tractor, I hope that they replace it with a similar or better engine run time. I.e. – if my engine run time has only been 23 hours or so, I would assume they don’t give me something with 50 hours… at least I hope they don’t try to…
@Armand, If they chose to replace it…it will be with a new one.
I have purchased 27 new cars over my lifetime. Many of those were “ordered”. All of them had something “wrong” so I know that all manufactured goods will have issues. It doesn’t matter if it is a Honda, Dodge or Craftsman. I know Craftsman is a good brand and stands behind their products as well as the “WalMarts” of the world will let them, but I also know it is a mechanical device.
For everyone else who reads this. Be very careful of “warranties” on lawn mowers. Sears still has one of the best but most warranties today do not cover:
Fuel related problems: dirty gas, rotted fuel lines, poor starting.
Transmissions: You have to go to the trans manufacture and get the replacement. For example, Husqvarna states right in their warranty “transmissions are not covered by this warranty”
Engines: MTD does not cover engines (and most other brands) It is up to you to get any warranty work done. Most engines have less of a warranty than the mower itself. Many engines are now made outside the U.S. (snow throwers for example) and getting service may be tough.
Getting the tractor to a tech: Sears comes to you, others you have to haul the mower to a dealer. Most of the time there is a charge for this. My dads “green” dealer charges $125 for a 15 mile pickup and delivery.
Labor: MTD will give the “factory authorized service center” the repair part but they only pay for certain work and you will end up paying for additional work to get to the part, and the difference from what MTD pays and the going rate for labor in your area.
Watch extended warranties: Most of them only lengthen the factory warranty and do not give you any extra benefits. A $160 dollar extended warranty may look like a better deal than the Sears Protection Plan at $369 but the extended warranty does not cover as much and the Sears plan. The Sears Protection Plan covers wear and tear items like belts and overworking the trans and includes ALL labor and trip charges. The $160 dollar warranty from another store doesn’t.
[...] YT4000 42 inch: Craftsman YT4000 42 inch 24 hp Model 28927 Review [...]
[...] YT4000 42 inch: Craftsman YT4000 42 inch 24 hp Model 28927 Review [...]
[...] YT4000 42 inch: Craftsman YT4000 42 inch 24 hp Model 28927 Review [...]
Paul:
We mow about an acre of grass with some hills and side-hill slopes in the 25% range. There are some bumpy sections that cuse out old mower to scalp the lawn and get hung up if grass is even a little wet. Only a few trees, etc so do not need it to be super-manueverable just agile. I want a good mulching mower that can handle the hills, bumps etc for approx $1500. This seems to be a good choice but have some questions: My neighbor says he cannot push his hydro trans mower so whenever he wants to move it, he has to start the engine. Is this accurate about Hydro trans? Also, are there other Craftsman options we should consider given my situation? Thanks Don’t want anything wider as my current 54″ mower gets hung up often when the gauge wheels lift mower off ground in bumpy area or during transtion from flat to hilly
@RJ, Sorry I was out of town for the last two days.
The Craftsman tractors can all be moved when the engine is off. There is a little rod at the back of the tractor that you pull out to release the transmission.
The YT 4000 is not a bad choice for your lawn. It has plenty of power and the 42 inch deck is only a few inches wider than the tractor so you won’t have any problems with the deck digging in.
This is a tough choice, because all the manufactures only rate their tractors up to 15 degree slopes. The YT 4000 does have decent tires and a lot of people do use them on slopes as steep as yours.
I just purchased a YTS 4000 42in 24hp tractor. I love the mower but did not realize it did not come with a mulching blade. Which one do you recommend and will Sears install these blades for us? THanks.
@ Nancy,
I personally like the advanced mulching blades. Go here to read my article on them.
http://todaysmower.com/2009/cr.....g-bagging/and order them. You will have to purchase the blades and the mulch plug separately.Craftsman makes a mulch kit for your 42 inch mower that includes the plug and a set of mulching blades but I personally don’t like those blades (Sears Item# 07133742000.) The blades in the kit do not have a lot of “lift.” If you have heavy thick grass or poor grass that lays down the blades in the kit don’t lift the grass well to cut it evenly.
You will have to check with your local Sears store or call 1-800-4MY-HOME to see if they will change the blades and how much they will charge. It may be faster (and cheaper) to ask a neighbor to do it for you.
Hi Paul -
Just for a change of pace, I’m going to ask a couple questions about the tractor itself, and not the buying process.
First, is there an obvious way to know whether the 28927 I ordered is a 2009 or 2010 model? I don’t think it really matters too much either way, since the features are pretty much the same as far as I can tell.
Second (and this is the main reason I asked the first question), I want to buy the mulch plug and advanced mulching blades for my tractor. I’m not interested in the “mulch kit” that Sears sells, so I’ll have to buy the two separately. I saw the post you made last year about this, and read a lot of the comments on that post. If I find out that I have a 2009 model, I think I have the information I need to find the appropriate part numbers on Sears’ site.
But if my tractor is a 2010, would you advise that I wait until 2010-specific accessories appear on Sears.com? My guess is that the 42″ mulch plug and the advanced mulching blades would fit both the 2009 and 2010 models, but I’d rather hold off on ordering them until I’m sure. In either case, if you post the links to those products I’d be happy to purchase them through those links.
Finally, I was thinking about getting a pull-behind lawn roller to help flatten out some of the bumpy parts of my yard that appear every spring, due to frost heaves and moles/voles I’m guessing. I also tend to do some overseeding every spring and fall, and I assume the roller might help to make sure the seeds have good soil contact. Do you recommend using rollers for this purpose? If so, is there a particular roller you would suggest that would be suitable to pull behind the YT 4000? If you would otherwise recommend a heavier roller, but are concerned about the strain it would put on the YT 4000′s transmission, I also have an older GT6000 with the hi/low manual tranny that I could use for this purpose if it’s better suited to it.
As always, thanks for sharing your expertise!
@ Josh, I can’t find a difference between the 2009 and 2010, but I know most of the YT3000 and YT4000 tractors were sold out so you will most likely get a 2010.
The part numbers for the plug and advanced blades will not change for 2010. The YT’s and garden tractors are still made by Husqvarna and have the exact same decks as last year.
ONLY the LT and Professional series tractors need a different blade than last years model.
I’m not big on lawn rollers because most of the nation needs to aerate their lawn instead of pack it down. But it does make sense to roll if you have moles and pocket gophers. (By the way if you get rid of the grubs in your lawn, the moles will leave) I don’t have a suggestion on the brand to buy, but sears does have a couple. The
Steel Lawn roller&Poly Lawn rollerare 24 inch diameter heavy rollers. I prefer to find a roller that is as narrow as possible and is as large in diameter as possible. The heavier it is the better job it will do packing down the mounds and soft spots.Try to limit your pulling loads to 500 lbs or less. Your drive belt will last longer that way.
Paul -
My plan is to smooth out the bumps with the roller, scratch up the soil (and remove some of last year’s dead crabgrass plants) with the de-thatcher, poke some holes in it with the core aerator, and then throw some seed down. For the last step I’ll probably go over it with a near-empty roller just to press the seed into the soil a bit for good contact.
It’s probably overkill, but I’ve been core-aerating my lawn in both the spring and the fall.
Good point about getting rid of the grubs in order to get rid of the moles. I need to work on the grubs anyway, since those Japanese beetles tend to feast on my roses every summer.
Thanks for clearing up my uncertainty about which mulch plug and blades to get. I’m a big fan of mulching the grass, and I have high hopes for those advanced mulching blades. I used something similar in my Honda/Craftsman push mower with great success in the past.
@ Josh, I have been using Gator blades on my home mowers for many years. My 30 inch Dixon came with them installed from the factory.
The best way to find out about how often to aerate is to talk to your local golf course superintendent. He usually has the best handle when to aerate for your specific area of the country.
Instead of a roller I use a door mat made from strips of old tires. It’s heavy and gives the perfect amount of coverage and compaction for the seed.
Thanks Paul. I won’t pretend to understand why the CA model gets the fender controls while the non-CA model doesn’t.
I decided to go with the foot-pedal hydro. I’m sure I can get used to it, even though the fender-mounted hydro controls seemed more natural to me. My only concern is how the hydro will hold up on some of the steep parts of my yard. But I bought the 3 year warranty partially as a hedge against that.
I have two other points/questions. First, what difference is there — if any — between “YT” and “YTS”? I noticed that all the yard-tractor models this year and last year are YT-something. However, when I look closely at the hood both on the website pictures and at the actual tractors in my local Sears stores, they’re all “YTS”. Have the tractors always been “YTS”, and places like Sears’ website and yours refer to them as YT as some kind of marketing shorthand?
Second, I’ve had a miserable experience buying my tractor so far. The salesmen at both my local Sears stores were either condescending when I asked questions, or just didn’t know anything about the product beyond what was stated on the placard. Sometimes I was completely ignored as I kicked the tires for ten minutes, like they just didn’t want my business. I got so fed up that I decided to order online. That process has been equally frustrating. I was told I would get a call within 24 hours to arrange delivery. That didn’t happen, so I called Sears customer service. They said the problem was that I also ordered a bumper which was currently out of stock, and that was holding up the order. I told them to remove the bumper from the order and they assured me this would allow the order to proceed. I let another day pass, and I still heard nothing. Called customer service back today, explained everything, and they told me the bumper was still holding up the order and that they’d remove it (again!). I was assured that this time the order would proceed and someone would eventually call to arrange delivery. I’ll believe it when I get the call.
For Sears’ sake I hope my experience is atypical, because I can’t imagine how a company could hope to retain customers when they drop the ball so badly on a $2,000 purchase.
@Josh,
YT, YTS, stands for Yard Tractor Series. The YTS is only on the hood and is not used in the literature. In the store Master Books it is listed Series YT.
What Store, Town, State did you get the bad service?
My customers generally do not have problems with the order process through Sears.com. The website should list when an item is out of stock as you work through the order system. I’m not sure why the checkout process didn’t show that. I’ll talk to my Sears contacts about that.
Paul -
Thanks for clearing up my confusion about YT vs YTS.
I was unhappy with the service in both the Manchester, NH and Newington, NH Sears stores.
I agree that the website should not have let me add an unavailable item to my order, particularly when it’s going to hold up the rest of the order. In retrospect I think I know how it happened though. Initially I selected “deliver it” for the tractor, and “I’ll pick it up at the store” for the bumper and dethatcher. Later in the ordering process it gave me the opportunity to have the bumper and dethatcher added to the delivery at no additional charge (apparently since I was already paying for the tractor delivery). The problem is that the bumper — while available at my local Sears for pickup — is not currently in stock from whatever warehouse it is that Sears ships from. The normal “don’t let the customer check out with an item that is not available” check seems to have been bypassed in my particular situation when it gave me the opportunity to piggyback those items onto my tractor delivery.
The bumper snafu is understandable (if unfortunate), but it is frustrating to have to repeatedly call customer service and still not get a clear answer on what is going on. When a customer pays $2,000 and is told to expect a call within 24 hours to set up delivery, that call better come. If it does not, the customer is left wondering what went wrong, and not knowing when to expect the paid-for merchandise. Like I said, I hope my experience is not typical. I understand that some stores will have more knowledgeable and experienced salesmen than others, but the online process should be streamlined, consistent, and not leave the customer confused and full of doubt.
Thanks again for your insight and willingness to share information. It is very much appreciated.
@Josh,
Across Sears your experience is not typical, but there are specific stores that can be better. You are correct, individuals do vary. Sears does have a very specific and consistent training program for the store associates and it does try very hard to make your shopping experience great. Those particular stores won’t get the tractor training until April 5th. but that is no excuse for not paying attention to you.
If you want to bring the point of your poor experience to those particular stores here is the best way to get their attention. Go to the store and purchase something. (You need to change your oil after you use your tractor for the first time so go buy a quart from each store) On the receipt there is a website (www.searsfeedback.com) Go there, fill it out and at the end of the forms explain the lack of interest from the salesperson you had when you went to purchase your tractor from that store. Everyone in the store sees and reads those reports and any report with less than a 9 out of 10 average is also seen by the district managers. Your comments WILL MAKE A POSITIVE CHANGE at that store!
At my Sears store the purchase-er is called the night before the tractor is scheduled to be delivered. I am going to check and see why you didn’t get called from the website call center.
Paul -
My buying experience took a turn for the worse, if that was possible. I called customer service yesterday because the online system still indicated the bumper was on the order. Sure enough, the CS rep said the bumper was still on there, and told me she’d remove it (3rd time’s the charm, right?). Almost immediately I got an e-mail from Sears saying that an item had been removed from my order. I’m thinking, “Finally! Now things can move along through the ordering process normally.”
Not so. Today I got an e-mail saying, ” We have received your online order. However, your order did not properly process. If you would like us to replace the order for you, please call 1-800-283-6940 and a customer service representative will be happy to assist you. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you. “.
I contacted customer service one last time to try to find out what went wrong. The customer service rep — very polite like all the others — told me she doesn’t know what happened, just that the order notes indicate that removing the bumper caused the rest of the order to “to be bad”. I asked what price I would get if I re-ordered the items, since I bought the tractor during the F&F 10% sale. She said I would be charged full price, but she would add a note on my account to issue me a refund for the difference if I decided to re-order. I didn’t bother asking if I’d be eligible for the 5% online-only rebate when buying an extended warranty with a $299+ Lawn & Garden purchase (which expires today).
This whole experience was really unbelievable. Is there anyone you could suggest I talk to in order to make things right? At this point I’m less than enthusiastic about trying to place the order again, given what I’ve gone through up to this point. Craftsman offers an outstanding dollar/feature ratio, but I’m not sure that it’s worth the hassle.
@Josh,
I am going to get in contact with the Sears.com people tomorrow. It may take until Monday for them to get back to you but I know they won’t stand for this snafu.
Paul -
I don’t know if this is a result of you getting in contact with Sears.com or not, but someone from Sears customer service called while I was outside earlier. The customer service rep talked to my wife and was extremely apologetic about everything that happened. Apparently one of the three times that I tried to get the bumper canceled from the order, the CS rep accidentally canceled the entire order. It seems that it took a couple days for this to make its way through the system, so each time I called back and talked to a different CS rep, they didn’t realize that the order was canceled yet. Or at least that’s my understanding at the moment.
The Sears rep who called was very concerned about my experience, and she could see all the customer service contacts and the result of each one on the order. She was calling to try to resolve the situation and make it right for me. She left her name and phone number, so I’m going to get in touch with her and see what happens there.
I ended up going to my nearest Sears Hometown store this morning, rather than the full Sears stores I had tried before. I was treated well there, and the manager agreed to match the price I had received online (including the F&F discount). I placed an order for the same items, and should be picking it up in about a week. Hopefully that will be the end of this frustrating odyssey, and I can get onto enjoying the tractor out in the yard.
Thanks for all your advice and efforts to contact the right people at customer service on my behalf.
@Josh,
I don’t know if I was part of the solution or not. I told the right people about 1 pm central today. I did not have time to see if I had a response from them later on. I’m glad you got what you wanted. The hometown stores are very dedicated to giving you the best customer service.
Paul -
I talked to Laura S., a customer service manager based in Des Moines. She was the one who called yesterday and spoke with my wife. She specifically mentioned that you were the one to bring this matter to her attention, so I thank you for that!
Laura explained what went wrong with the order. Basically my order was “randomly” selected to not go through the automated ordering process, and instead entered the manual process. Apparently expensive online orders may be more likely to have this occur. At any rate, when in the manual process the order is handled differently, but none of the customer service reps who I spoke with realized this. In a nutshell, they were attempting to use the automated process steps on my manual order, and that just didn’t work very well. A human error resulted in one of the reps canceling the entire order when she meant to just cancel the bumper portion.
Bottom line: Laura was clearly interested in my satisfaction as a Sears customer. She took a lot of time to explain what happened, and apologized for the mistakes that were made. She wanted to make sure that I was getting the discounted F&F price. Beyond that, she wanted to make sure I would get the rebate that I had originally qualified for with the online purchase, but which I did not get when I bought the tractor from the Hometown store. To that end, she is sending me a gift card in the amount of the mail-in rebate.
Although some pretty serious mistakes were made in handling my order, and although it caused me some frustration, I’m happy with how things turned out. I ended up getting the tractor I want at a great price, and Sears made it clear to me that my satisfaction was important, and that the problems I experienced were neither typical nor acceptable. This does restore much of my confidence in Sears, and gives me hope that they’ll stand behind the product if something does go wrong with it.
@Josh,
Thanks for the update. I have been watching Sears upper management for about a year now and I am very impressed with how they are deeply committed to making and keeping “customers for life.” In cases like this they go out of their way to make you feel as comfortable as possible and to fix the situation. These women and men are very dedicated towards making Sears and all of Sears Holdings the place you will shop again and again. Sears doesn’t just want to sell you a lawn tractor today. They want to help you through the entire life of this mower ….and the next.
Like any large company there are individuals who are learning (the call center), there are individuals who don’t quite know their place (the store associates that ignored you) and there are individuals looking for a different job. But overall the commitment of the Sears people from the very top to the very bottom is some of the best I have seen in a long time. Sears is really trying hard to be the best for you.
I’m really glad that you had the chance to see Sears fix this mistake and the deep service commitment they have. They are not just here to take your money today, they are committed to seeing you come back for many years to come.
Thanks for the review. Sounds like this is pretty much the same as last year’s YT4000. I do have one question with regard to the fender-mounted controls. Maybe I’m missing it, but it looks to me like Sears took the fender-mounted hydro out of the YT4000 lineup this year. Maybe it didn’t sell very well last year. Any other insight or speculation into why it’s missing this year?
I know you mentioned the 28922 as an alternative, but I really wanted the twin-cylinder for snowblowing, and I prefer the fender-mounted hydro controls. Oh well, maybe I’ll look at the outlet store to see if I can find one of last year’s fender-mounted hydro models.
Thanks!
@ Josh
The fender control was popular with the people replacing their old Craftsman, but almost all new buyers bought the pedal control. Most of the people replacing their old Craftsman bought the YT3000.
The fender YT 4000 have been sold out since the fall so it will be hard to find a 2009 model anywhere. You may still find a 28970 pro around though with fender control.
The CA Model# 28936 does have fender controls.