lawn mower class action suit

[ctlguy]

Anybody else seen anything on this class action suite relating to advertised hp ratings in a bunch of riding mowers and walk behinds under 30hp? Looks like the claim is mfg's mis-represented and overstated the hp of their lawn mower engines, sounds like they are all denying but are settling to the tune of 65 million total.

 

[mustangsallysdad]

Re: lawn mower class action suite

Anybody else seen anything on this class action suite relating to advertised hp ratings in a bunch of riding mowers and walk behinds under 30hp? Looks like the claim is mfg's mis-represented and overstated the hp of their lawn mower engines, sounds like they are all denying but are settling to the tune of 65 million total.

All I have is the info on a postcard I received in the mail yesterday...basic "want in/opt out".

 

[vlsfarm]

Re: lawn mower class action suite

Same here. Post cards came in the mail yesterday.
Some lawyers are running short on cash and need to make another killing at everyone elses expense!

 

[polo1665]

Re: lawn mower class action suite

Same thing here, was about to post the same thing. There is a website listed on the postcard.

Mark

 

[LostInTheWoods]

Re: lawn mower class action suite

My impression of these "opt in" class action suits is that they are designed to make a whole lot of money for a few lawyers... each person that opt's in gets 10 - 20 bucks, and the lawyers take 40% off the top. The justification is "of course, we're just doing it for the Little Guy".

Just my otherwise uneducated opinion. I stand ready to be corrected

 

[Bird]

Folks, you might want to read the thread What happened to HP ratings on small engines, especially post #35 in that thread with the link to the lawsuit website.

I think millions of people must have gotten that postcard yesterday, just as I did. It appears to me they are going through the same thing that happened to air-compressor motor manufacturers a few years ago; i.e., claiming higher horsepower than the motors/engines actually produce.

In my own case, I have a Toro walk behind lawnmower with a Briggs & Stratton engine that is clearly labelled (and the manual also states) as 6.5 hp. This mower was 3 years old day before yesterday, was the absolute top of the line Toro for homeowner walk behinds when I bought it, came with a 5 year warranty, and I'm quite happy with it. Their website no long gives horsepower ratings, but instead has some torque ratings for some of the mowers; i.e., 7 ft. lbs. for the top of the line. Their top of the line walk behind is now also listed $70 cheaper than it was 3 years ago (my usual luck:laughing.

Now I have no idea what the outcome will be; supposedly a $35 rebate or an extended warranty, depending on when the claim was filed and how many claims are filed. But since it was pretty simple, I filed a claim online this morning to see what happens.

 

[mustangsallysdad]

Well, I have 2 Craftsman mowers that would fall into the action of the suit...but, as they haven't given me any trouble other than basic maintenance, I think I'll toss the postcard with the rest of the junk mail...I guess this class action suit means that somebody must've noticed that their mower was down about 2 tenths of a HP and went to the expense to have it dyno'd:thumbsup: Realize that every "stupid" law and "you should know better" warning label means that, at some point, some jughead had to try it. I.E., "Professional stuntman, driver, etc., do not try this at home".

 

[two_bit_score]

Anybody else seen anything on this class action suite relating to advertised hp ratings in a bunch of riding mowers and walk behinds under 30hp? Looks like the claim is mfg's mis-represented and overstated the hp of their lawn mower engines, sounds like they are all denying but are settling to the tune of 65 million total.

Yeah...they are settling for $65 million but you'll probably only get a set of replacement blades and a coupon for a 10% discount off a new mower at msrp.

 

[Bird]

I have 2 Craftsman mowers that would fall into the action of the suit...but, as they haven't given me any trouble other than basic maintenance, I think I'll toss the postcard with the rest of the junk mail

That was my first thought, too, and in fact, I promptly dropped the postcard into my paper shredder yesterday. But after reading these two threads, I decided I'd play the game to see what happens.:laughing:

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

yeah got one....threw it in the trash.....

maybe there should be a class action suite against the government for misrepresenting MANY things:thumbsup:

i am a bit aggravated that kawaski 25hp engine on my ZTR might be the one that the top crank bearing is a bushing instead of an actual roller bearing.....AND that it isn't replacable! heck, it's not on a home cheapo mower, it's a ferris for crying out loud!:confused2: