cheap lawn mower advice please

[gorb]

My 12 year old Toro crapped itself last weekend. These are my two main picks:

Husqvarna HU700H w/Honda engine:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_632476-63311-961450024___?productId=50329481&pl=1&Ntt=husqvarna+mower

Honda HRR216K9VKA:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Honda-21...s-Mower-with-Auto-Choke-HRR216K9VKA/203709643

Reviews look pretty good, but I'm open to other options. Anybody have suggestions for a sub-$400 alternative?

Thanks.

6/1/15 update: Ended up buying a Toro again

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Toro-22-...-SmartStow-20339/205026227?N=5yc1vZc5apZbwo5o

 

[paperfist]

Don't buy a John Deere push.

 

[highland145]

Husky with a Honda engine....that's not a cheap mower. $200 is a cheap mower.



I think you're on the right track for another 12 year mower though.

 

[Greenman]

Suddenly I'm seeing the Husqvarna name on a lot of different products at pretty reasonable prices. Did they go to Chinese production?

 

[NutBucket]

I think they might have for their low end models.

And I agree, $400 is not a cheap push mower. I don't consider my $250 mower to be cheap either but it was the cheapest bagging mower I could find with a Honda engine (Troy Bilt from Lowe's). Basically most sub $300 mowers these days are going to be made by MTD with different names and engines slapped on them.

 

[RagingBITCH]

Cheap is $200 for what I paid for my Troy-Bilt. That Honda is not cheap. And NutBucket hit it on the head. I'm just fine w/ my TB - at this point, over 7 years old and no issues. Yearly oil change, filter clean, spark plug change every few years.

My FIL and aunt have that Honda - FYI, no bottom drain plug. Honda recommends draining oil by turning to the side and letting it drain from the main fill hole. Never seen that before.

 

[gorb]

The lack of a drain plug on that Honda engine is weird and annoying, but not a deal breaker.

If you guys are happy with $200 Troy Bilts I'll definitely take a look at those as well.

 

[RagingBITCH]

The lack of a drain plug on that Honda engine is weird and annoying, but not a deal breaker.

If you guys are happy with $200 Troy Bilts I'll definitely take a look at those as well.

It's certainly not bad, just odd. It's self propelled so far easier to mow than the TB I have. (Not self propelled) Really in this day and age, it's just maintenance - take care of it and it'll last forever*.

 

[NutBucket]

The only downsides to the current entry-level Honda engines are timing belts and a plastic (composite) cam. Interesting, eh?

 

[olds]

How big is your yard?

 

[Greenman]

The only downsides to the current entry-level Honda engines are timing belts and a plastic (composite) cam. Interesting, eh?

Say it isn't so! Honda is the only small 4 stroke engine I'll own anymore. Those things are reliable, they start, they run forever. I can't go back to a yank it to death brigs or a starts once in a while robin. I'll have start paying two thousand dollars for a 5 horse German made engine.

This is heart breaking news.

 

[Gardener]

Say it isn't so! Honda is the only small 4 stroke engine I'll own anymore. Those things are reliable, they start, they run forever. I can't go back to a yank it to death brigs or a starts once in a while robin. I'll have start paying two thousand dollars for a 5 horse German made engine.

This is heart breaking news.

Entry level would be the GCV series...which also has the unlined aluminum cylinder.

 

[NutBucket]

I'm sure it will still last for a decade in home use....

 

[paperfist]

It's certainly not bad, just odd. It's self propelled so far easier to mow than the TB I have. (Not self propelled) Really in this day and age, it's just maintenance - take care of it and it'll last forever*.

* = John Deere?

 

[NoCreativity]

I bought a TroyBilt with a B&S motor 11 years ago. Did have to have service on it once due to starting issues when warm. Other than that it pretty much starts on the first pull.

 

[gorb]

How big is your yard?

Pretty small.

The lot is only ~7100 sq ft, not counting how much space the house takes up

However, we're planning on buying a house in the future that's got at least 0.5 acres.

 

[gorb]

Ended up buying a Toro again

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Toro-22-...-SmartStow-20339/205026227?N=5yc1vZc5apZbwo5o

 

[DrPizza]

Change the oil in the spring, run them dry before you put them away in the fall, and they should all last 12 years, if you don't run into any rocks or something.

 

[slag]

I have a husqvarna I bought cheaply as a "parts mower" from lowes. It was sitting in their garden center, back away from the other mowers. They said it was locked up. I reached underneath, rocked the blade back and forth a few times to free it up, and it fired right up on the 2nd pull. I think I posted about it here last year.

At any rate, it has a briggs and stratton engine. Super easy to start, no primer, just pull and go and has gobs of power. I think honda engines are nice, but not worth the premium when B&S are in my opinion, just as good anymore and are much cheaper.

 

[krose]

Deere doesn't make mowers anymore. Our local dealer now sells Hondas. We have one here at home and one at our cabin, both start first pull and run great.

 

[NetWareHead]

Say it isn't so! Honda is the only small 4 stroke engine I'll own anymore. Those things are reliable, they start, they run forever. I can't go back to a yank it to death brigs or a starts once in a while robin. I'll have start paying two thousand dollars for a 5 horse German made engine.

This is heart breaking news.

Honda still makes great engines. The commercial level Honda GX engines are like what you describe; reliable and dependable. The homeowner GCV engines are a competitor to Briggs & Stratton etc... Cant really comment on GCV as I have never used them.

 

[paperfist]

Change the oil in the spring, run them dry before you put them away in the fall, and they should all last 12 years, if you don't run into any rocks or something.

I follow that rule and have no luck come spring/winter. Bought a new Craftsman snowblower a few years ago and every year I have to clean out the carb to get it to run.

Bought a Deere push mower 2 or 3 years ago and the same damn thing. In both instances I should have kept the old machines they replaced as other than not looking so hot they ran great.

 

[MustISO]

Got a john deere when we bought our house 15 years ago. Never changed the plug, changed the air filter once and changed the oil twice. Still starts on the first pull. Maybe they were much better back then. When it dies I'll probably find someone to do the lawn, I hate going outside.

 

[NetWareHead]

Change the oil in the spring, run them dry before you put them away in the fall, and they should all last 12 years, if you don't run into any rocks or something.

Depends what carb type you are talking about. Running the carb dry is not always the best winterization tactic.

Any engine with a float bowl carb should be ran dry before storage. First drain the tank. Start engine and then as it begins to stall close the choke little by little until engine stop. Or you can drain the bowl, either way. Spray some wd40 or corrosion inhibiting oil in the tank if metal.

Engines with reed type carbs. Leave the fuel in them during storage, the carbs don't seem to mind stale fuel. Just prime the hell out of them when it comes starting time. The reed in this type carb benefits from you immersion in fuel and the plastic/fabric reed diaphragm becomes stiff if exposed to air and allowed to dry.

 

[paperfist]

Got a john deere when we bought our house 15 years ago. Never changed the plug, changed the air filter once and changed the oil twice. Still starts on the first pull. Maybe they were much better back then. When it dies I'll probably find someone to do the lawn, I hate going outside.

I think it's because of all the ethanol they have around here. There's not too many stations that sell pure gas.