Need a Lawnmower Recommendation

[George Bokros]

I have a 21" cut Honda mower that is about 11 - 12 yrs old. Three years ago I replaced the transmission at a cost of ~$300 - $350 at 8yrs service. Okay not bad. Now three years later it needs another transmission replacement at a cost of $300 - $350. I am hesitant to put the money into a mower that old so I guess I will replace it.

With the fact that the transmission went again in 3 yrs I am somewhat reluctant to buy another Honda. I think they made good mower engines but the transmission could be another issue. I am considering a Toro 21" self propelled with personal pace but not the blade clutch. That is just another item to fail and require replacment.

What are your thoughts on brand? The Toro I am considering has a Honda engine and the entire mower has a five year warranty.

I do not want to spend more than $500 - $550 for the mower. Maybe a cheaper one would be the best alternative and when something breaks toss it and buy another. My first mower lasted about 18 yrs, my second about 11 yrs and now my third about 11 yrs.

Thanks

[Brian Elfert]

My suggestion would be another Honda. Never any problems with mine for 10 years except I think I replaced a cable. Mine is just about top of the line with the blade clutch. I didn't get the top end one with the electric start.

I don't think Toro is really that bad either. My Dad used Toro for years with very minor issues.

[Mike Cutler]

The Toro's are nice units.
I've had two Honda's, and will have no more. They are fabulous machines, but when they break they are costly to fix, if Honda will still support them at all.
My first Honda, walk behind mower, lasted about 20 years. When it finally went, Honda no longer supported any parts for it. Sad part is that mechanically it was still fine. I needed the hand safety component that was integrated into the engine sub base assembly, or a way to defeat it. My second was a Lawn Tractor. It lasted about 12 years and then the electronics went. Honda no longer supported it, wouldn't fix it, but most galling of all, wouldn't give me, or sell me, the schematics to troubleshoot it myself. These were expensive machines in their day. Honda doesn't utilize simple contact switches in their products. Many times it is a sealed Triac Load-Pak assembly, that effects a crude logic gate circuit(s) that isn't easy to defeat, and costly to replace, if at all available.
I went with a John Deere for my tractor after my Honda experience, and my walk behind came from Home Depot.

Pretty much most of what you see, other than Honda and the high end mowers, are made by MTD. The parts across the lines are very similar. Sometimes the part numbers are identical.
Grab one in the color you like, and buy the replacement carb at the same time. Most all carb's are plastic now, and when they wear out, they're not as rebuildable any longer. If it's made by MTD, it won't have the "fit" of a Honda, but it's an odds on bet you'll always be able to get replacement parts.

[Larry Frank]

I have gotten 10+ years from my Lawnboy.

[Chuck Wintle]

I would buy the cheapest lawnmower available, use it and abuse it, and when worn out get another.

[Brian Elfert]

If your Lawnboy is 10 years old then it is actually a Toro. Toro bought Lawnboy in 1989.

[Michael Weber]

Purchased the 5hp Toro personl pace mower 9 or10 years ago. When the battery went bad I never replaced it because it still starts on the first pull. I did get it from a real mower shop and not a big box store.

[Jerome Stanek]

I had a Lawn Boy that my FIL gave me when we got our first house in 1973. He had the receipt for it that was dated 1958 and I used it till 1980 when I bought a new Lawn Boy. I used that one till 2012 and it was still working but the wife wanted one for herself and I bought another. They just seem to last and last. All of them were self propelled.

[Larry Browning]

I would buy the cheapest lawnmower available, use it and abuse it, and when worn out get another.

+1 for this idea. Except I would add getting a nice used one at a pawn shop. Around here you can get a very nice mower for less that $150, or a basic one for around $75 or even less. You can buy several of those babies for the price of one Toro or Honda.
They seem to be a seasonal item even at the pawn shops, lots of them available right now, but not so much as the summer winds down.

[Wade Lippman]

I am considering a Toro 21" self propelled with personal pace but not the blade clutch.

Not sure how old mine is as I got it used 3 years ago, but it starts first pull. Only maintenance was to replace the air filter.
My only complaint is that it fights me when I try to pull it backwards; but maybe they all do that, it is the only self propelled I have ever used.

I used the buy cheap and toss on my last one; a Yardman that lasted 12 years before the shaft broke.

[Brian Elfert]

The 1970s era Lawnboys are really nice. They had magnesium decks with two cycle engine so they were very light and easy to push. They only cut 18" instead of the common 21" so they took a few extra passes to cut the grass.

I tend to use the buy once, cry once philosophy with major purchases like power equipment, appliances, furniture, and the like. I buy good stuff that costs, but it usually lasts too. For power equipment the more expensive models sometimes work better and make the job easier. I like the blade clutch on my mowers and they only put those on the expensive models typically. I don't like buying cheap stuff and replacing it every five years. It isn't good for the environment to keep throwing away cheap stuff although it helps the economy.

[Paul McGaha]

Hi George,

The Toro you have in mind sounds pretty nice. Personally, I'm really happy with my Honda and I expect I'll replace it with another Honda when it goes. I think it's 4 years old this year so I'm hoping it will last several more years. Just my $.02.

Good luck with it.

PHM

[Larry Browning]

I tend to use the buy once, cry once philosophy with major purchases like power equipment, appliances, furniture, and the like. I buy good stuff that costs, but it usually lasts too. For power equipment the more expensive models sometimes work better and make the job easier. I like the blade clutch on my mowers and they only put those on the expensive models typically. I don't like buying cheap stuff and replacing it every five years. It isn't good for the environment to keep throwing away cheap stuff although it helps the economy.

I generally agree with this philosophy, but like everything in life there are exceptions. I think a walk behind lawn mower is one of those exceptions.
What does a new top of the line Toro, Honda, or Lawnboy cost these? $500 to $700? How long with it last? 12 - 15 years? 20 years? If it needs repair during that time, you are looking at a minimum or $100 (probably more like $150-$200) to fix. A relatively nice used MTD mower can be had for around $100 to $150. It probably won't last more than 8 - 10 years, so you could buy 2 or 3 of them and still be money ahead. The cost of repair is also much lower than the "good stuff". Just sayin.
For me, however, I probably won't be doing either, I'm paying a neighborhood kid to mow mine these days. I'm just getting too old to do it myself, but mostly, I have never liked mowing and now that I can afford it, I got better things to do, like piddle in the shop!

[Pat Barry]

...now that I can afford it, I got better things to do, like piddle in the shop!

You may want to get that looked at Larry!

[Larry Browning]

You may want to get that looked at Larry!

Piddle has more than one meaning where I come from