lawnmower advice needed

[the intimidator]

hey guy's i am setting out to get a new lawn mower in a month or so and i am not to sure what to get a few things to note 1, i cut 3 small lawns and 4 good size lawns 2, riding mowers are out too expensive and hard to transport 3, i have 500$ to spend give or take 100$ or so 4, i get honda mowers at cost 5, i get honda mowers at cost

i am in need of a new mower i am getting into lawn care as a added service to my winter customers (snow removal) my old B@S powed pos wont cut it lol i want something with a 21 inch deck preferably with a self powerd drive im not lazy but it is nice when you have to cut uphill on a half ancre lot and it need's to be reliable i have been looking at the hondas i am pretty sure that is what i will get but i would like to know what else is avalible it dosent have to bag and mulch and all that **** just cut and cut reliably any suggestions thanks guys

 

[DaveL.]

I've got a Toro model 20037 21" Personal Pace mower http://www.epinions.com/content_114165452420 My lot has a pretty good slope to it and this mower works great for me. It starts first pull everytime.

 

[dboat]

I have a LawnBoy. I bought it a few years ago beause all my lawn equipment was 2 stroke and I didnt want to have to keep 4 stroke and 2 stroke fuels around. It has been dead reliable, and you dont have to do oil changes. Just change the air filter, spark plug and the occasional carb tuneup (if needed, mine hasnt). They run forever and a lot fewer moving parts.

Dana

 

[sjsfire]

Opinions are like...............well you know everyone has one. I come from a long line of Lawnboy owners. My current one is about 10 years old and other than changing the spark plug, air filter and the electronic ignition box once it has worked great. I also spent the extra $$ and went with the variable speed self propelled. The one I replaced was 25 years old and that was stolen out of my yard. Who knows that one might still be running......

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

I have an old Lawn Boy 2 cycle and love it, but I heard that between them being bought, and California's regulations, they stopped manufacturing the two cycle, two years ago.

Also keep your eye out for a used commercial mower. You'll need a smaller one, but if you don't look, you'll never find one. I found one for my boss, who hates mowing, but took on the neighbors, after one lost a spouse, and ones an elderly pastor. My friend widened his gate in his wood fence and loves this thing. $500 for a 52" cut. I passed a 36" one the other day, man was really proud of it, as he just rebuilt it.

 

[keperkey]

It will be hard to find what you want for the money you put in it. I too suggest a used commercial mower. It will save a lot of time. Check out www.lawnsite.com for more help.

 

[Mayor]

I to have a Toro 21" Personal Pace that I used at my old home (large hill). The mower was around $550 and had 5 year bumper to bumper on it. I beat that mower and never had a problem till last year. All the drive gears had to be replaced. Everything was covered. I now use a John Deere LX280 in the new yard and gave my Toro to my dad. He has a John Deere also but likes the cut on the Toro. Sound to me that you should a Honda at cost. Any Honda product is always top notch. I had to buy one again (not at cost) the Toro would still be my choice.

 

[z28toz06]

http://www.troybilt.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10001_14102_13303_39701_-1

With a couple of larger lawns you are crazy using a 21" mower!

 

[W-Cummins]

So buy a commercial model honda if you can get one for your at cost @ 5-600.00 In another life when I was working as a landscalper we used only commercial honda's and they got the hell beeeeat out of them and kept comming back for more! The only problem with them was they are heavy and on new lawns that can be a pain when they sink into the lawn

William...

 

[kartracer55]

Dont rule out Briggs Intek I/C and Intek Pro engines. Those things are built very well and are comparably priced to Honda.

These things are built VERY well, and Will last forever. My friend has a steamroller (his dad runs a paving, sweeping, striping buisness) and he FOUND this thing abandoned. The crankcase had filled with water from rain, and had FROZEN SOLID! We let it thaw in the shop, drained the oil/water mix, and filled it. I went through the carb, put it back on, and it fired up after only 3 pulls. After a bit of wire wheeling its ready to paint.

Honda Engines are reliable, but when something goes wrong its EXPENSIVE! Even general maintenace is expensive...

Honda 5.5 air filter... $17.15
Briggs 5.5 air filter... < $10

I have faith in briggs and stratton engines. The "classic" line is kinda cheesey, meant to be a light duty engine, but the Intek I/C Pros are serious engines.

Jim

 

[the intimidator]

i am looking to get this mower here cost is probabally going to be rite around 500$ http://honda.ca/PowerEng/Lawnmowers/216PremiumResidential/HRS2162SDC.htm

here is the toro 489$

http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/...19&langId=-15&partNumber=940906&storeId=10051

i was looking at the toro mowers but they have a tecsmuth engine on them i have not heard to many good things abought the tecsmuth engine any thoughts? the toro bags and mulches has a variable speed drive compared to the honda's single speed and it has a 6.5 horse compared to the 5.5 on the honda they both have a 2 year warrenty i am going to look at the toro tommorow and the honda on the weekend to get a feel for them


i have nothing against briggs and straton they make some fine engines i was refering to the mower as a whole not just the engine. i found the mower upside down at the side of the road and it has been chugging along for the past 5 years with no trouble all it asks for is more gas and i bang the air filter against the wall when it looks clogged i just dont think it would hold up cutting 6 lawns all summer long

 

[kartracer55]

Tecumseh engines **** to work on. I have never been impressed.

Toro equipment is very well built. If you recall, I got toro snowblower and it was between that and a Honda. Both had great reputations, but when I compared the two machines side by side, the toro was built heavier where it counted, and was made here.

Never buy something like this from Home Depot. Go to your local Toro dealer and see what they have to offer. Many products are specially designed for home depot so they are built a little cheaper to be sold at a lower price.

My toro snowblower has a Briggs engine. Like I said, go to a big dealer in your area and see what they have to offer. So far I have been impressed with my toro stuff and my friend runs a similar buisness to you, he has 2 toro snow blowers, and he was the one who helped steer me to the toro. He also has a larger 2 stage unit with a tecumseh Snow comander which he has yet to have a problem with, so maybe these are built better than thier standard run. If take ever dive into a tecumseh youll see that the castings are a bit rougher than briggs engines, theres a littlw more slop here and there, and thier 2 pc carb setup ***** because the mating gasket between the carb and the extension tends to leak and wind up sucking air. Ask Ed, He knows one of those carbs was giving me hell trying to get it to run right a little while back. Finally got it, but it took a hell of a lot more time to fix than Id have liked.

Jim

 

[rockwithjason]

The word is Snapper! American made and killer durability.

 

[Stuart in MN]

What kartracer said: go to a lawn equipment store instead of a big box store. The big stores will often sell their own cheap versions of the name brand mowers that aren't as good as what the dealers have.

I'm biased towards Toro as they are built here in town. They also own Lawn-Boy which is a good machine.

 

[GearHead_1]

The word is Snapper! American made and killer durability.

This would be my recommendation as well and they are abailable with Honda engines. I fix small engines part time. It's my father's retirement business. I've seen them all. Honda engines are tough to beat but I'm not at all crazy about their platforms, expecially the Harmony models. Snappers with Inteks are nice also. I would probably lean towards the Honda. Stay away from Craftsman or MTD built mowers.

 

[kartracer55]

T Stay away from Craftsman built mowers.

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