Robbed by Briggs & Stratton

[MI_Roger]

I bought a Briggs & Stratton OEM maintenance/service kit for my lawn mower a couple years ago. I forgot all about it last year and bought some Chinese knock-off for my pre-season engine maintenance then spotted the official kit in my parts cabinet later in the season.

Today I decided to perform the pre-season maintenance for 2012 and tore open the box. In two places on the exterior of the box the contents are identified as; a sparkplug, an air filter, an 18oz bottle of SAE 30 oil, and a vial of gas treatment.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered the box failed to contain the air filter! In years past the box was only a cardboard tray wrapped with cellophane and all contents could be seen. I guess B&S determined if they sell these kits in a full cardboard box the buyers won't know that parts are missing until it is too late.

 

[beast3300]

Ah that's not cool.

 

[Hermann]

Just more of the continued dumbing down of the Sheeple of America.

 

[tommygunn]

Sounds like a manufacturing error and not something to fret about like its "dumbing down America". Things happen. Annoying though that it couldn't be caught earlier.

 

[Hootbro]

Stuff happens. The other 99.99% probably got the full kit. I thought the same of Kellogg and General Mills when opening my cereal as a kid and the prize was missing.

Call B&S customer service and see what they say. Maybe they will replace the missing filter and/or comp you a new kit.

 

[yeehaw1960]

Briggs and Stratton robs people everyday with their high priced maintenance items. I go to Tulsa Engine Warehouse and buy the (nearly) square paper air filters that Walmart sells for 6 or 7 bucks. I get them for $1.99 a piece and buy 30 at a time. Yes, they're Chinese knockoffs. The Tecumseh round paper filters (not the oblong)are usually just 99 cents.

 

[MI_Roger]

I cleaned up the old air filter, which looked nearly new before I gently spread the pleats and brushed off the exterior side, and re-installed it.

The frustration is the price I paid for the filter which was not in the box.

 

[01rangerxl]

They probably stopped including an a/f because people thought it was packing material and threw it out (kidding). I doubt a lot of people could find the a/f on their mower if they even know it has one.

 

[Jeepster_nut]

Originally Posted By: MI_Roger

I guess B&S determined if they sell these kits in a full cardboard box the buyers won't know that parts are missing until it is too late.


I'm sure Briggs and Stratton established their business model well over 100 years ago to gyp you out of a $2 air filter...

 

[JosephHarmon]

B&Btratton stuff is so over priced why bother with that kit. Maybe get a plug(you really shouldn't need one every year) & air filter Get other oil, nothing special about BR&ST oil.

 

[Quest]

Suspect that either their package went missing with the air filter (check the box list of contents); or someone with itchy fingers just walked away with it while leaving the rest behind.

Stuff happens all the time. Call B&S and they should be able to properly compensate you on that part (so long as you are being civil about the matter).

Q.

 

[stephen9666]

To the OP-

If you had the kit so long you forgot about it, perhaps you already used the air filter and forgot about that, too.

 

[steve20]

Originally Posted By: stephen9666
To the OP-

If you had the kit so long you forgot about it, perhaps you already used the air filter and forgot about that, too.


That's it!! Give this man an ice cream cone

 

[MI_Roger]

Originally Posted By: steve20
Originally Posted By: stephen9666
To the OP-

If you had the kit so long you forgot about it, perhaps you already used the air filter and forgot about that, too.


That's it!! Give this man an ice cream cone


No, the box was glued shut. Surprisingly well.