Potomac Mills Lawnmower LLC

BEWARE!  I took my mower in for a few repairs before the mowing season started.  They said it was a good time as they were
slow and it would only take about a week. I put down the required $100 non-refundable deposit and was told I would
be called within the week.  After two weeks of not hearing from them, I started calling.  It took many attempts before they answered
the phone but they were too busy and would have to call me back.  No return call.  After three weeks, I went by the shop to get
my mower, whether it was ready or not.  When they began telling what they did, they completed additional work that I hadn?t
asked for.  I was specific about what I wanted completed.  A $175-$200 estimate turned into a $350 bill.  They stuck me for $100 but I wasn?t going to pay for work I didn?t ask for.  I let them keep the 12 year old mower and went to by new one.

Lied about performing some of the work (compression test). Have photos along with third party verification confirming that neither spark plug was removed.

I bought my Toro walk behind personal pace 22" mower new at Belmont Power Equipment many years ago.  Each year I returned it to Belmont for a routine tune-up but in doing so this year found the doors shut and they were out of business.  I did a quick search of an authorized Toro dealer and came up with Potomac Lawnmower and headed that way from the Belmont parking lot.  Potomac Lawnmower asked for a $75 deposit and offered a 10% discount for cash.  Kevin ran my credit card and said that the total amount due might be in the area of $100-$125 but probably at the low end because I wasn't reporting anything wrong with the mower; that it was just a routine annual tune up.  He asked it I had started the mower since last summer and noted that the ethanol in fuel really messes up the carburetors in the lawn mowers.  Being aware of this I said that I had used the lawn mower late into the season and that it ran fine. I decided to start the engine before dropping it off and it started in 2 pulls and it ran fine.  I let Kevin know that it started fine and he said he heard it running outside.  He promised a finished job in a couple weeks.  After a couple weeks I got a call that the mower was ready.  I asked if there was an additional charge beyond the $75 deposit and Kevin said it would be a total of $100 for the tune up.  Today, I went to pick up the mower and as promised, Kevin gave me a 10% discount for cash.  He refunded my credit card and accepted $90 for the fee.  When the mower was brought outside to load in the car, I decided to try and start it.  I checked the gas tank and there was gas in it but not a lot.  The engine would not start until Kevin added more gas and then it did start.  The blades appeared to have been sharpened as promised but did not have a great edge on them.  So based on previous reviews I feel like I dodged a bullet by bringing my lawnmower here for repair.  On the day that I dropped it off there and after I got home and read the Angie's List reviews of the company, I expected a worse experience.  If I had seen the reviews beforehand I would not have brought it there.  I honestly think that if I had not demonstrated that the engine ran when I dropped it off, I would have had a more expensive tune-up.  As it was, my invoice itemized the repair and one of the items was, "misc carb stuff".  Hardly descriptive.  So what I would highly recommend anyone who wants to bring thier running machine here for routine care and maintenance is; start the engine and show that it runs.  I might save you money.

unknown

Potomac Mills Lawnmower never got the core aerator.  Calls and a return visit to their shop weeks later didn't help, and then they  refused to sign for my certified mail, return receipt requested letter.  In early June - after eight weeks of waiting - I canceled my order and got my money back from my credit card company.    
On a more positive note, Kevin the shop manager apologized for the failed order and offered a free use of a core aerator they had at their shop while I waited for my delivery.

On 7/25/2014 I took my just-out-of-warranty Lawn Boy mower to  Potomac MIlls Mower because the rear drive wheels unexpectedly stopped working. The rest of the mower was okay. I paid the "nonrefundable" $75 deposit and was told to come back in a week. On 8/5/2014 I was told I could pick up the mower, but it would cost me an additional $75, for a total of $150. The only work that was done was to replace two transmission bolts. I discovered later that the Lawn Boy shop manual specifies 1.5 hours to "R&R" the transmission. Thus, Potomac Mills Mower is charging at least $100 per hour plus parts. The repair workers are paid on commission, not by the hour, so they have an incentive to inflate costs. Avoid this company.

Put $100.00 down, expecting to get some of it back. I was floored when they called to say it was ready to go and wanted another $200. No phone calls to tell me the costs ahead of time. EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE!!!! Do not use!!!

It seemed like I was always calling, leaving a message, and waiting for a call back. Finally, about 5 or 6 weeks after I brought the scooter in, I was told it was ready for pick up. The first thing the owner did when I got there was run my credit card for the balance due of $250. I had already paid $500. When he brought the scooter out to me, I noticed that the seat was torn, there were noticeable scratches on the bike, and that a different (used and partially rusted) exhaust had been attached. Kevin said he didn't know why the tech changed the exhaust pipe or how the bike got damaged..but, he was going to find out. However, if he did find out, he didn't inform me. Then, I tried starting it and it conked out a few times. After finally getting it started, I was going to drive it home but didn't make it out of the parking lot. It kept losing power and conking out like it did before I brought it in.. So, I had to leave it there and Kevin was going to get his technician to look at it again. A week later I was told (again) that it was ready. This time it started up ok and I rode it home. It did not conk out but it didn't go any faster as was promised. I talked to the owner about it and he said that it would take some time (like a few months) before it would reach its maximum speed. He said that if it wasn't going faster by JUNE to bring it back to him. Realizing I'd been had, I contested my last credit card payment to him of $250. Apparently Kevin didn't fight it because I got reimbursed the $250. Shortly after that, the scooter started losing power and conking out again. I was tired of dealing with this provider and I couldn't see taking the scooter anywhere else to spend more money on it. I finally gave it away.

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Had to get my cc company to refuse to pay

Doesn't answer phone (similar complaint on a Google review).  Business is listed as an authorized Toro repair facility but they refused to repair a recalled snowblower (fire hazard) becaiuse I did not purchase the product from them.

Shyster, scammer, rip-off artist. DO NOT TAKE YOUR LAWNMOWER TO POTMAC LAWNMOWER!!! I put down a $60.00 deposit and was told that I would get a phone call with a description and cost BEFORE they started to make any repairs. I NEVER got a phone call and when I called they told me they'd call right back and never did. Called several times over the next TWO WEEKS and got a answering machine message telling me to call back later. I finally went to Potomac Lawnmower two weeks later and was told I was being charged another $65.00 (a total of $125.00). I told them to keep the lawnmower. This "business" is where the phrase, "Let the buyer beware" comes from.  DO NOT TAKE YOUR LAWNMOWER TO POTMAC LAWNMOWER Take your lawnmower to K&E Enterprises in Woodbridge, VA.

unknown

Everything went great. They gave me cleaning equipment and everything gassed up. I have never had any breakdowns or anything. I have rented from others and have had nightmares. They bring it to your home and also come to pick it up.

Very bad experience -- When I arrived. I mentioned I thought the phone estimate was high ($300) as he was walking to the credit card machine.  When he got to the machine, he looked at the itemized bill. He saw that it was $225.00 total. I could see it too. Unbelieveably, he turned around and walked into the back and closed the door. His helper( standing next to me) said"I wonder what he's doing. I thought I knew. He didn't want to show me the bill, but I asked for it. Sure enough, he had crossed out the $225. and wrote $300 and demanded I pay. Worst retail experince of my life.

We use this company to service our lawn-mowers, and are very pleased with their work.

We have used this company for years for servicing our lawnmower, and their work is outstanding.