Strikemaster customer support NG

[Dave327]

I’ve owned a lazer mag with the Tecumseh engine since 2002. This auger has been unbelievable and is still going strong today. (One pull choke on, it starts to fire, one pull choke off and it’s cutting holes.)
The wife bought me a Lazer mag 142 with the solo engine. Hardest auger ever to start. Wanted to return it but I can’t, the place of purchase went out of business. Decided to call strikemaster customer support. Wanted to send it back and exchange it for a 40V electric. (Obviously I would pay any difference in cost) After several attempts I finally got a customer rep. on the phone. 
Customer rep. said no returns or refunds, also will not exchange for a different auger. I was told to send auger back and they will service it. Told them don’t want to waste my time sending it back for warranty repair. Asked them to refund my money or exchange auger. Customer rep said the cannot refund my money and they don’t do exchanges. Told rep. I did not want the auger what can I do. He suggested sending auger back for warranty repair, if I didn’t want to do that, rep. suggested to me “sell it on Craig’s list” I told him I would not sell junk to another person. Now I have an auger that is nearly impossible  to start, and Strikemaster will not exchange or refund my money. I guess I will send it back for warranty repair, but I do not think it will be any better.
Strikemaster used to be an outstanding company with fantastic customer support. Now that it was bought by the Rapala corporation, it is my opinion that they no longer care about pleasing their customers and their reps are rude and nasty..
Anyone out there that reads this rant, my suggestion to you is to buy any other make of auger than Strikemaster. I can tell you they will never get another cent of my hard earned cash.
Just for the record,  back in 2002 before I got the lazer mag I bought a 3hp 4 stroke auger  and it didn’t run right. I called customer support and the representative had no issue exchanging my auger for a different one. The rep even threw in a 6 pack of oil, a spare set of blades and I cover for the new auger. ( lazer mag was cheaper than the original auger)
That was the old Strikemaster company, the new Strikemaster/Rapala company is a joke. 
Thoughts and opinions are welcome..

[fullThrottle]

How long have you had it for ?

[Dave327]

I think she bought it in October and gave it to me at Christmas.

[trapper2000]

give it to me  i'll fix it and  use  it 

[esox slayer]

I’ve owned a lazer mag with the Tecumseh engine since 2002. This auger has been unbelievable and is still going strong today. (One pull choke on, it starts to fire, one pull choke off and it’s cutting holes.)
The wife bought me a Lazer mag 142 with the solo engine. Hardest auger ever to start. Wanted to return it but I can’t, the place of purchase went out of business. Decided to call strikemaster customer support. Wanted to send it back and exchange it for a 40V electric. (Obviously I would pay any difference in cost) After several attempts I finally got a customer rep. on the phone. 
Customer rep. said no returns or refunds, also will not exchange for a different auger. I was told to send auger back and they will service it. Told them don’t want to waste my time sending it back for warranty repair. Asked them to refund my money or exchange auger. Customer rep said the cannot refund my money and they don’t do exchanges. Told rep. I did not want the auger what can I do. He suggested sending auger back for warranty repair, if I didn’t want to do that, rep. suggested to me “sell it on Craig’s list” I told him I would not sell junk to another person. Now I have an auger that is nearly impossible  to start, and Strikemaster will not exchange or refund my money. I guess I will send it back for warranty repair, but I do not think it will be any better.
Strikemaster used to be an outstanding company with fantastic customer support. Now that it was bought by the Rapala corporation, it is my opinion that they no longer care about pleasing their customers and their reps are rude and nasty..
Anyone out there that reads this rant, my suggestion to you is to buy any other make of auger than Strikemaster. I can tell you they will never get another cent of my hard earned cash.
Just for the record,  back in 2002 before I got the lazer mag I bought a 3hp 4 stroke auger  and it didn’t run right. I called customer support and the representative had no issue exchanging my auger for a different one. The rep even threw in a 6 pack of oil, a spare set of blades and I cover for the new auger. ( lazer mag was cheaper than the original auger)
That was the old Strikemaster company, the new Strikemaster/Rapala company is a joke. 
Thoughts and opinions are welcome..

I got one of those puker Solo SM's as well, unfortunately it was purchased the first year they switched from a true German manufactured Solo engine to a "German engineered" made in China/Vietnam/3rd world craphole country of origin.

Twice in the shop for a farked up recoil (remember the issues they had when they overfilled the recoils with grease?  I do.

Got it back, used it once or twice and the clutch snapped in half.  SM reluctantly covered that under warranty, questioning the receipt I had for it as it was a handwritten one, auger was purchased at a mom and pop store.

After months of waiting to get it repaired, got it to the ice, drilled a few holes, started it up again, engine started making a funny noise, died.  With the increased pitch to the exhaust, sounded like it snapped off a piece of the piston ring and set up the engine.
 
Gas was checked out (by a local repair shop) found to be the correct mix.

Notified SM of this latest "issue" and was pretty much told to Fark off, when I pressed them on their FB page, their answer was to block me from posting, and this is back in the day when SM was NOT affiliated with Rapala.

Absolute JUNK.  Was told by a SM rep when I asked about the country of origin on the engine if it was German "made" or outsourced and was told "every company has had to outsource to stay competitive"...that says it all right there.

Gave the pristine condition auger head to the local small engine shop for spare parts, not a single scratch on the unit (except for the seized up engine), no reason to toss the carb, recoil, handles, throttle linkage, etc...

I'll spud my holes before I give SM/Rapala one more red cent.

I feel for ya.  They talked a great game but couldn't deliver.  JUNK.

[62&done]

I bought a strike master about 4 seasons ago and have mixed emotions. I'm really happy with the auger itself as it starts , runs, and cuts fine. I had a small issue with a gas leak from a rubber grommet on the side of the gas tank. I contacted a local shop that was listed as a  warranty service center on their website. The guy said he put up with their nonsence for one season. He could not get parts and had very little support from them to pass on to his customers. I tried to purchase a replacement grommet directly from Strikemaster and they would not even answer my requests. After some searching I found a shop in Minnissota  that had the $3.50 part. it cost me $12.00 to ship it and I did the repair myself. As I said I am satisfied with the auger right now but if something goes wrong I don't believe I would buy another Strikemaster because of the lack of support.

[trapper2000]

I got the strikemaster Honda lite ,never a problem runs fantastic ,for service I would just take it back to bass pro they have done great servicing my mercury outboard I got from them ....  I sure hope things work out for you guys ....sometimes some bad publicity shakes a company up ....you should also file with the better business and  warranties are legal contracts ,I don't believe you should get legal advice from peole on the internet (especially me) but I hope this helps .....

http://blogs.findlaw.com/law_and_life/2015/04/what-can-you-do-if-a-store-wont-honor-warranty.html

good luck guys and I would go after them don't let someone rob you