I have a Snapper I bought about 4 years ago and I am very happy with it. The setup of the drive is more an older design than the Personal Pace you are looking at but it is tried and true. They are owned by Briggs & Stratton
Contributor
I have a Snapper I bought about 4 years ago and I am very happy with it. The setup of the drive is more an older design than the Personal Pace you are looking at but it is tried and true. They are owned by Briggs & Stratton
Member
I bought a Husqvarna last year. First use one of the driven wheels locked up. Bought a Husqvarna snow blower at the same time, about the 3rd use it wouldn't start, dealer found a hunk of what appeared to be casting flash in the carb. Luckily I've got a great dealer who went above and beyond to deal with both but kind of soured on Husqvarna.
I really like my Exmark 36" walkbehind, but that is a different class of machine all together.
Contributor
Someone mentioned not buying from a big box store. I second that recommendation. I have discussed with many in the know, and from personal experience with 2 pressure washers, that these type retailers sell to a price point. Loosely translated, use it for a couple of years and be prepared to replace again. These machines may have a well-known brand name (Honda) but they are made to sell to users who are more concerned with cost than longevity. Go to a dealer that specialized in lawn equipment and caters to the pro landscaping companies.
I once got a $99 mower from WallyWorld which lasted for 4 years cutting my own lawn and one other. Best Benjamin I ever spent.
[OP]
Contributor
Well I bought the Toro. Brought it home and it started once then would not start again. I went back they said the automatic choke system was not properly prepped prior to delivery. Started it three times in their lot and it started every time. Brought it home and it would not start. Took it back again and they guy told me the choke story again. (The automatic choke has a wax pellet that needs to melt and to do so the mower must run for at least five minutes). This time they gave a different unit of the same model and I took it home and it started on the first pull. I started it several times at home and it started each time on the first pull.
Hope all is well now.
George
Making sawdust regularly, occasionally a project is completed.
[OP]
Contributor
I had a Snapper once and the transmission housing was eaten up from me washing the mower out under neath. The shop said the acid in the grass combined with the water from washing it out eat up the housing. I stopped washing it out underneath and still had to replace the housing again. Plus the steel deck was damaged from the washing and grass acid.Originally Posted by Izzy Camire
George
Making sawdust regularly, occasionally a project is completed.
Contributor
I spent a year or two using cheap push mowers at the fairgrounds I cut grass at and they were junk. They would literally go to the Kmart a mile away and buy the cheapest Lawnboy mowers they had. The stamped steel decks would start bending within days. My second or third summer there they started buying commercial Lawnboy mowers and the difference was night and day. The commercial units weighed more, but the decks didn't bend and the greased wheels meant they were easier to push.
A good push mower can make the difference between mowing the lawn being a miserable slog or a tolerable chore. If you are happy with the cheap mowers all the more power to you.
Member
Before I ended up with my Lawn Boy I bought a Flymow it was really nice the first few times I used it but the same thing happened I could not get it started so I took it back to the dealer he started if the first pull got it home and again wouldn't start same thing took it back and it started first pull i did this 5 time luckily the dealer is just down the road on the 6th time taking it back the owner's son came out and tried to start it he worked for 10 minutes and it wouldn't start he was getting really pissed then the owner came out and he gave it a pull and it started right up. I said to the son that is what I have been complaining about. the owner said he would refund my money or I could get something else I got the Lawn Boy and never looked back
Last edited by Jerome Stanek; 05-18-2015 at 6:41 PM.
Contributor
To each his own..I like to buy good equipment and maintain it and use it for years. I have several Stihl things and have used them for years. I set aside a day or so at Thanksgiving to service all my summer use equipment and same thing in the spring to put snowblower away and get out the summer equipment. I feel so smug when things start the first pull after sitting for months. Fresh gas, check plug, oil and then a pull.....Yesssss
Contributor
George,
Perhaps looking at the used market for well kept, quality unit might be a good choice. I have a 1998 John Deere JX75 I bought new which have given me great service and it's been used hard. It has the Kawasaki engine, runs smoothly and starts 1st pull. Has a pressurized oil system with spin on filter. I cut a 1/3 acre, mulch and mulch leaves from (17) Maples in the fall. A little anal on maintenance, etc. although it runs and looks like it's a couple years old. I paid a small fortune for it although looking back, it was worth it. Good luck.
Mac
Contributor
After doing a lot of talking to repair people the consensus was that Honda engines were the gold standard. Can't even remember what brand I had but when it went I got a Toro with a Honda engine. Electric start, etc. It was heavy because of all the extras, and on my hill when I went to make a turn, it dug into the sod and made divots. So after about 4 years, I sold it for 1/4 the price to my son, and bought the lightest Toro made that was self propelled to minimize the divot problem. That was almost 10 years ago. My son is still using the Toro I sold him and I'm using the Toro I got as it's replacement. I've replaced the bag, a wire cable and a couple connectors, but nothing major.
Real American Heros don't wear Capes, they wear Dogtags.
Member
I have a Cub Cadet 4 HP 21" with the floppy front wheels that is now over 12 years old, that Tractor Supply sells for about $400. It has a Honda engine, but I think that the engine has been changed. The mower starts the first time over 95% of time, even after sitting idle for a couple of months. Maintenance has been annual oil change, spark plugs (about every 2 years), and air filters. I liked it well enough to buy one about 10 years ago for my DIL that the grandchildren (all girls) now use. The floppy front wheels make it easy to steer and I often mow with only one hand. I normally use the mulching feature, but do use the rear bagger when picking up leaves after first going over them with mulching feature to compact them. Strongly recommend if you have source in area or online.
Member
Might be good for the young generation, if you have one running a lawn mowing business. Everything seems to being built as cheap as possible nowdays. I ordered some Honda parts, and the package says "made in indonesia".
[OP]
Contributor
Lawn Boy and Toro are the same company.
George
Making sawdust regularly, occasionally a project is completed.
Member
I've had the Personal Pace mower for 12 years. The drive cable broke on year 12. I decided to go ahead and replace it with the same mower only with electric start. Now the women in my house can mow! Best money I could have spent.
Member
I bought the Toro Personal Pace about 8 years ago, still running fine and usually starts on the first pull. I do make sure to change the oil, spark plug and air filter at the beginning of each mowing season. I believe it has the Briggs and Stratton engine.
Bought it from Home Depot in Sept so it was end of season and they had it on sale to make room for Christmas decorations.
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Mark Patoka
Stafford, VA
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