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Thread: Need a Lawnmower Recommendation

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Northeast TN
    Posts
    217
    I have a Toro Personal Pace mower. About ten years old. It has the Tecumseh engine, which I didn't realize has gone out of business until I tried to buy a carburetor rebuild kit. Other than the plastic wheel hubs wearing out from a LOT of use, it has been a reliable mower. The problem with the carb--it was difficult to start (four or five pulls) when warm--was the manifold gasket. There is an on-line outfit that bought all of the old Tecumseh parts so things are available.

    Having said that, I would not buy a Toro Personal Pace again. The "Pace" part of it means that you push on the handles to make the drive engage. As you walk...your "personal pace"...the pressure which you exert against the handles engages the drive. The effect of this is constantly load your lower back as you "push" along.....and as one who has fractured that part of my body, it really starts to ache quite quickly. The Snapper or Honda (likely my next purchase) effectively "pull" you along as you engage the drive. Many (most?) people would not be bothered with this, but for me, it is a big deal.

    Honda's cost a little more, but seem well built, have a good reputation, and will likely be my next choice.

    Would NOT buy anything like a lawn mower from a big box store. They manufacture to a price point; for me, I want the units that are made to a quality standard.

  2. #32
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    SE South Dakota
    Posts
    1,538
    Alright, I guess it's my turn to chime in. The subject line of the OP was I need a lawn mower. My simple answer is to find a wife. duck and covering!

    Bruce
    Epilog TT 35W, 2 LMI SE225CV's
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    CarveWright
    paper and pencils

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Minneapolis, MN
    Posts
    5,427
    Quote Originally Posted by Val Kosmider View Post
    Would NOT buy anything like a lawn mower from a big box store. They manufacture to a price point; for me, I want the units that are made to a quality standard.
    If Home Depot and other retailers sell a Honda mower that both have the same model number they darn well better be the exact same mower! I think the FTC would be interested if the same model number was sold with different quality parts.

    When I bought my first Honda lawn mower nobody local besides Home Depot carried Honda so I bought my first one at HD. The local hardware store started carrying Honda six months later and actually had the same model for $10 less! My second Honda mower I also bought at Home Depot because I had a 10% off coupon plus I was able to buy Home Depot Gift cards for at least 20% off on Craigslist. No way was the hardware store going to give me over 30% off on a mower. (It was entirely my fault I had to buy a new one after 10 years due to not changing oil often enough.)

  4. #34
    Always had cheap ones I do two properties and they get beat to crap. PUt air tires on them and its night and day more like a hovercraft and less rolling resistance or shock back to you, two large ditches to do here. Friend got me a Toro personal pace apart from not getting the same exercise the things starts first pull and can go faster than I can walk. Second year on it and its working perfect and im spoiled now with the personal pace thing you can use one hand and have a coffee in the other. Only negative i got spoiled by the air wheels I had put on the cheap ones and was probably in better shape from the old ones

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Carrollton, TX
    Posts
    2
    I bought a Toro Super Recycler 3 years ago and love it. It's been a great mower. This is a step above what Home Depot sells and you can't find this at Home Depot. I have the electric key start, mower runs and starts great and the mulching blade works flawlessly. If memory serves me right I paid about $550 and it has a 5 year consumer warranty.Toro makes great products.

  6. #36
    I finally broke down and replaced the reel mower my wife and I bought when we got married 23 years ago — bought a Fiskars stay sharp Max w/ an 18" cut. Unfortunately the yard got away from me a bit due to a combination of work, leisure activities w/ the kid and rain, but it’s remarkably faster to cut the grass than the 12—14" mower was.

    A bit of effort to push it up the slopes and embankments which make up a significant portion of the yard though (it’s ~50lbs.)

  7. #37
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Northern UT
    Posts
    762
    Quote Originally Posted by Mac McQuinn View Post
    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
    My personal preference is the John Deere as well. I bought one about 1990, and yes, paid about $650 for it. I used that mower for many years cutting 1/3 an acre of grass, then made my kids use it. Finally, I passed it on to my son-in-law about 7 years ago. He just this year asked if I wanted it back as they had bought a new one. I didn't so he gave it to a friend as it is still running.

    On the other hand, my father bought a Cub Cadet for his last mower. He had bought a house on the Missouri river and went from 2 acres of grass to mow to about 5 acres. He didn't have much else to do, so kept planting grass. His Cub Cadet was one of the big zero radius turn with about a 60" cutting swath at a time. He loved going out an mowing the grass with that thing. He swore it would about 20 mph, and it kept the bears off the property while it was running.

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