I bought a brand new Troy Bilt snow blower on Feb.6'11. I used it once and the belt broke. I went to Canadian Tire at two nations crossing and was given another belt. I took it home and put it on. It smoked and black stuff flew out. It was the wrong belt and I had to cut it off cause it was too tight to try to remove. I then was fed up of Canadian Tire's incompetence and felt anxious that maybe I had a lemon so I took it back on Feb.14'11 for a refund or exchange and was blatantly refused. So I took it to Canadian Tire on Smythe St in Fredericton and I grew really anxious when 1) I walked in I saw other snowblowers exactly like mine that were reduced and I was told it was refunded items and 2) When I told the guy at the counter I needed an auger belt he said he had none cause he didn't expect customers would want the belts so soon. He said he had ordered some belts and that he should have them by Tuesday Feb. 15. Tuesday came, I called, he was conveniently not in for his shift. I asked when he'd be back and if the belts were in...I was told he'd call me back Thursday. Thursday came and he didn't call, I called him and he said they still hadn't come in but he was assured they'd be in by Saturday. I called Saturday since noone called me yet again. He answered and said that yes there were there and that they'd put 2 aside for me no charge. I show up, wait 10 minutes since noone had put them aside even after I told them I'd be there in an hour, I get the belts and go home. I tried to put them on a few days later...THEY WERE THE WRONG BELTS AGAIN! I called Crappy Tire to tell them what happened and the same guy who told me the belts were in and gave me 2 said "I'm sorry but unfortunately they're not in yet." So I'm to assume that he lied through his teeth and just took 2 belts that he knew were the wrong size just to shut me up so I'd leave him alone. So I asked him "What am I supposed to do when the 40-50cm snow dump comes this weekend?" His reply "I don't know what to tell you. We don't have them in yet but we were assured we'd get them." So I flipped out at him and he eventually called the service depot and MIRACULOUSLY they had one (so they say). I took it home and the neighbor put it on for me and I will be testing it tomorrow. So this drama has been going on from Feb.6 - Feb.24 (and still going strong).
I've gone through different channels trying to get my money back as I truly think it's a piece of junk. I later found out that Troy Bilt went bankrupt and that MTD bought them out and that basically some snowblowers have names like Troy Bilt and so on but it doesn't mean they were made by Troy Bilt. I've called MTD, Crappy Tire customer relations, I've even gone so far as contacting the Crappy Tire ombudsman but to no avail. Noone wants anything to do with you as soon as you walk out the door with your crappy tire item.
So BUYER BEWARE, if you want good customer service, you have to go to a full service dealer. I had to learn my expensive lesson and I hope to enlighten many other innocent consumers.