OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Victa Lawn Mower Frames Victa Mustang VC 160 - Mk IV

About two years ago, my Rover ProCut 560 to have the recoil rope replaced and new front axle bushing while it was there. At the time, I was flat-out busy running my garden business, I simply left repairs to the dealer so that my time could be spent earning money. This particular dealer I had built up a relationship with over about a decade, they sold me many mowers, including the ProCut.

However, the dealer had just changed hands and this was my first interaction with the new owners. After dropping off the ProCut, I waited and waited until 3 weeks in I gave them a call, at which point I was quite sharply told that all repairs were at least a 30-day turn-around, which wasn't explained to me when I dropped off. This was never the case as the previous owners would try to get commercial customers in and out as quickly as possible. At the time, I just assumed that perhaps it was a matter of making it known I was a long-standing commercial customer. Shortly after that phone call, I had to take in my MulchMaster for a new belt.

Then, after four weeks, I was sent a text message saying my Rover was ready for collection. When I went to pick it up, I was told that the machine was deemed not worth repairing and that I was up for a $70 inspection fee. I was someone dumbfounded, how could a broken starter rope be deemed not worth repairing? I was then told that the deck was worn and would need the engine to be removed to weld the deck. Like, what? I was handed back a machine with the front axle hanging from it, but they did replace the rope. I then asked where the axle hardware had gone and was told "that's what it was like when you dropped it off....." which was complete BS, they lost the now obsolete axle brackets. When I started to question this, I got attitude from the lady behind the desk.

At the end of the day, they thought I would just buy a new mower, which wasn't going to happen as those ProCuts were no longer in production and I already had a fleet of other mowers. So, in the end, I tracked down a NOS set of brackets and axle bushings and repaired it myself. And guess what, while the chassis did have some wear, it was not as bad as they made out. Super dodgy. It also annoys me they didn't bother to call me and ask what I wanted to do, they just wrote it off.





So, while all this was happening, I still had my MulchMaster with them, so I was trying my best not to go postal on them. A few weeks later, I got a text message to say the MulchMaster was ready. Later that day, I arrived at a job with the MulchMaster, then discovered the gearbox wouldn't drive fast enough. So, off with the cover, only to discover they had put the belt on wrong and that it had already cut the belt. Did they not even test the machine before handing it back? By this point I was livid.





Thus began a too and fro argument. All the excuses under the sun, not enough staff bla bla bla, people make mistakes, basically calling me out. My argument was, I paid $220 to have a belt replaced, only to waste time fixing the fix, and that I would soon need to do it again because the belt was already worn. He asked me to provide proof they had screwed up, which I had taken photos of the right and wrong belt orientation, the cut belt and a screen shot of the owner's manual showing the correct orientation. He wanted me to bring it back, I refused to take it back as I didn't trust to touch it again. Fed up, I just said refund me the price of the belt and we'll call it good. He agreed and said that he hoped I'd do business with them again.

A few days later and still no refund. I got no replies either. In the end, I sent all of the above to Victa head office, explaining that a Victa dealer was poorly representing their brand. That despite all of the manufacturers resources available to the dealer, they still didn't know what they were doing. A day later, the funds appeared in my account.

As a busy person, I had no issue paying money to have machines repaired. But I did have a HUGE problem paying money for a service that I ended up having to do myself due to incompetence and VERY poor customer service skills. I haven't been back, in fact the above spurred me on to do my own repairs now, same with parts supply. With the previous owners, I made a point of supporting their business through repairs and parts supply because they supported me and my business. They say we should "shop local and support local"....................well it has to work both ways.

These days, my parts are all ordered online. I have owners manuals filed for quick reference, plus a data base of parts manuals and common service parts/specs. I've also set up a "parts department".













Turns out I actually enjoy working on this stuff.