Out of the office.

[KE4AVB]

I am running out of brain, I know it is weird, but I need to go for an immediate vacation, so that I can make my brain working. I hope you understand what I am saying, if not, don’t put pressure on your brain and let it be.

[Skywatcher]

Hi KE4

I'm picking up what you're laying down on this one. Time to decompress, regroup, kick back for a while and let your brain defragment for a while. Probably wouldn't hurt your brain to do some hard drive disk cleanup during your downtime. Take care and we'll see you when you get back. All the best,

Sky

[StarTech]

Boy when he disconnected this time he even left his phone behind. He must be serious about disappearing for a while.

[KE4AVB]

I back but I need another vacation. What a day it was like a bad Monday morning. First JD quote me a price on a spindle so I sold it and went to pickup it and they went from $34 to $75. Way more than I sold it for so we had a go around. They finally yielded enough that I broke even on the sale. Then an order that I have been waiting on for 2 weeks hadn't arrived so I call the vendor. Two parts had not come in so they call the vendor and was the parts were no longer available. Not good to here after I done most of the work. So I called my back-up vendor and was informed they had more than enough on hand. They charge a little more but that is why they are a back-up as they are still reliable in a pinch. Well at least I have not wasted my time there.

I have seen this problem before where a vendor will tell you a part is no longer available just because they can't get it through their sources. Jack's is one the worst at this but I wasn't ordering through Jack's this time. I reckon I am to stubborn to accept it; unless, I get multiple vendors saying NLA. Now if I can get the Magmum and the Big Boss mostly repair this weekend; maybe next week will be better.

Actually most the orders I placed before I left have not even shipped yet. I think I going to need to start stacking the equipment awaiting parts. $2000 spent and not a part one in hand.

I got a lot emails to return in the morning. Right now I just want some sleep. CUL.

[KE4AVB]

And don't you love it when a vendor tells you a part is NLA when it is available just because their distributor said so. I had one that called this morning to give me refund on the parts they took off my order that they already billed me for.

When I told him that I had ordered those supposedly NLA parts and they were already shipped he wanted to argue with me. He went on to tell who his distributor was (funny it is my distributor now too) which I already had a go around with. I informed him that they weren't carrying Cub Cadet parts as they said they were propriety parts. Funny MTD had no problem selling me the parts.

I think someone needs to get new procurement personnel.

[bgsengine]

. Funny MTD had no problem selling me the parts.

I think someone needs to get new procurement personnel.

Yeah - there's some "grey areas" with MTD parts - Troy-Bilt parts available from one distributor , if they are exclusive to Troy-Bilt/Cub Cadet can seem to be NLA from , say a White Outdoor distributor (Columbia) , Likewise with Cub Cadet parts which may or may not be available through either of the previous two distributors.. So, it does pay to check around and/or have more than one supplier for some brands.. It isn't so much the distributor's decision as it is the contract they have with MTD which can define which parts price file they can work with..

[KE4AVB]

But I just wondering how many machines get kill off just because someone doesn't check around.

I thought about trying to become a Briggs dealer but didn't like the contract as they demanded that I not to carry any aftermarket parts for the Briggs equipment which is why many the distributors of Briggs parts don't sell any aftermarket parts for them even through they say sell Oregon parts for example. As you said that what other sources are there for.

[bgsengine]

But I just wondering how many machines get kill off just because someone doesn't check around.

Yep. I think that might be the whole point.. (wink, wink)

I thought about trying to become a Briggs dealer but didn't like the contract as they demanded that I not to carry any aftermarket parts for the Briggs equipment

Must have changed it then, since last I knew, they can't legally require that you not carry (or even sell or use) aftermarket briggs parts, far as I know.. But they *CAN* Require that you ONLY use OE Briggs parts in warranty repairs, however (and of course they can call back any parts used for failure inspection) , since they are paying (so to speak) for the repair bill..

which is why many the distributors of Briggs parts don't sell any aftermarket parts for them even through they say sell Oregon parts for example. As you said that what other sources are there for.

Yep.. lucky me, having three distributors that carry Oregon - and you should have 2 by now I imagine - Gardner (for the Oregon version of Briggs parts) and PD (for the Oregon version of KOHLER parts, which Gardner will not carry) .. and just so happens my Echo distributor also carries Oregon (if the other 2 are out of stock) .. Echo distributor is also White Outdoor/Columbia distributor , while Gardner is Troy-Bilt distributor.. so only MTD's I have trouble getting parts for are the Cub Cadet units... Not surprisingly, Echo distributor does not stock the Oregon version of Echo parts... LOL!

[KE4AVB]

Yep.. lucky me, having three distributors that carry Oregon - and you should have 2 by now I imagine - Gardner (for the Oregon version of Briggs parts) and PD (for the Oregon version of KOHLER parts, which Gardner will not carry) .. and just so happens my Echo distributor also carries Oregon (if the other 2 are out of stock) .. Echo distributor is also White Outdoor/Columbia distributor , while Gardner is Troy-Bilt distributor.. so only MTD's I have trouble getting parts for are the Cub Cadet units... Not surprisingly, Echo distributor does not stock the Oregon version of Echo parts... LOL!

Yes I got both PD and Gardner along with Sunbelt that the Briggs parts. I also got RBI working on processing my application.

Tried ordering the Oregon carb kits for the 4 bolt on the opposed and got rejected at both PD and Gardner. Sunbelt once had a whole selection of Briggs aftermarket parts especially air filters and they haven't had a single one available since they start distributing Briggs OEM parts. Sunbelt was using Rotary and Stens aftermarket part for the Briggs aftermarket parts. So I was using TEW for those filters but that is gone now. I reckon I be using Amazon a little more now.

I don't have a problem getting the Cub Cadet parts just the pricing is a rough at times but most times the parts that I need are the same ones used on other MTDs. Now my current need was steering shaft kit for a 1024 and spindle shafts for a 94 Lowe's mower which apparently is Cub in disguise.

Stens claimed to had the spindle shafts in the 6 pt version for the Lowe's but sent me 3 pt version that the 6 pt blades will not even fit unless I take a die grinder to the blades. Stens is still insisting that they will fit without a problem. I awaiting my salesman to show up so I can show him in person that they don't. This mower spindles needs all the help can get from the stars as they use a bolt and Bellevue washers and of the got those dang Oregon Y blades on the mower deck and have already stripped two the three spindle stars.

I have some comments about pricing but they are appropriate to discuss openly as the end users don't need to know this as they will try to use it against us businesses.

[bgsengine]

Tried ordering the Oregon carb kits for the 4 bolt on the opposed and got rejected at both PD and Gardner..

Think Oregon discontinued them and a few others not too long ago .. Should be able to download a CSV price file for Oregon from either site,check the "status" , might be able to translate that to see if it was actually likely discontinued... You can, I believe,order OEM briggs on the trade discount from PD (as well as OEM Kohler from Gardner) .. only real reason to sign up as a dealer would be the warranty referrals and dealer-level discount.. but if you do your parts pricing markups based on your cost, no real reason to worry about it too much.... don't want the el-cheapo customers anyways (they'll just end up going to the next shade-tree guy down the road that'll "fix" things for less)