Toro Toro Toro

Today is a low expectation kind of a day.

It's overcast, rainy, and just generally gray.*

On sunny days, I wake up with a ton of mental energy. I fill my head with ideas of what we can do to take advantage of the great day. I create mental to-do lists. Invariably, the sunshine creates a false sense of optimism and energy.

Days like today are realistic in that I wake up. I don't plan to do much. I was having my second cup of coffee when I remembered the lawnmower.

We bought a new lawnmower last week, a Toro self-propelled, electric start, bagging mower. Here are the specs:

Recycler 22 in. Personal Pace Variable Speed Self-Propelled Electric Start Gas Lawn Mower with Briggs & Stratton Engine. For homeowners seeking a lawn mower with high quality, a user-friendly design and excellent mulching capability. Toro products are known for Smart Features and Proven Dependability. Count On It.

• Recycler cutting system - front throw chamber and atomic blade lift, suspend and re-cut clippings into a fine mulch for a healthy, lush lawn
• 22 in. steel deck with atomic blade
• Briggs & Stratton 7.25 ft. lbs. gross torque 190cc engine with ready start - no need to prime or choke
• Electric start - eliminate the need to pull a recoil cord to start the engine, simply push the button and you're ready to mow
• Personal pace self-propel system senses and smoothly adjusts to your preferred walking pace
• 3-in-1: mulch, side discharge or bag
• Bag-o-demand - quickly switch from mulching to bagging in seconds by flipping the quick-change lever
• Rear wheel drive self propel provides better traction in all cutting conditions - let the mower do the work
• Washout port - attach a hose to the mower deck to easily clean the underside of the deck
• "Quick connect" bagging system
• 9 cutting positions with 1-4 in. cutting height range to manicure the lawn to your specifications
• 3-year guaranteed-to-start and 2-year full warranty, see retailer for details
• Gross torque of this engine was laboratory rated at 2800 rpm per SAE J1940 by the engine manufacturer, as configured to meet safety, emission, and operating requirements, the actual engine torque on this class of mower will be significantly lower

To quote Tim Allen in his old stand-up routine, “Hmow hmow hmow!”

Anyway, last night I noticed something on the bag of the bagging mower, and I said to my husband, “That looks like a hole.”

Upon further inspection, we ascertained that it was, indeed, a hole. In the bag of the lawnmower that was just 5 days old.

I called Toro customer service this morning to see if we had any recourse. The CSR with whom I spoke was the perfect level of courteous and friendly. I had to navigate through push-button menu purgatory for a bit, but once I did (maybe 2 minutes' worth of pushing buttons), I got a real live person. She wasn't distracted, but attentive to my call, she wasn't chewing gum, and I didn't have to repeat myself at all! Not even ONCE!

She asked me for my name and address, and placed an order for a new bag to be delivered to my home, free of charge. While she was entering the order into the system, she placed me on hold, where I was treated to the Muzak version of “That's What Friends Are For”. As if the original wasn't torturous enough, they had to Muzak it up.

So, contacting customer service really can be a mostly positive experience. I've heard of these this, but like a unicorn and a fairy, I've not actually been privy to personal knowledge of their existence. Until today.

*The sun is coming out now