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How long do you expect your mower to last?
#1
K
KennyV
K
KennyV
When you bought the mower you are now using...
What is the length of time you figured it would be before you needed to replace it?
I guess another way to look at it is how much money do you feel is reasonable to have tied up in lawn equipment over a 10 year period?
I am asking this because in another thread Ric mentioned.."I find that the typical home owner buys a mower.. on a yearly basis and when something goes wrong ... it becomes a throw away and they just purchase another mower .." I tend to agree with him as I have seen a lot of people do exactly that...
So I was wondering how much do you feel you need to have invested in your mower to expect It is going to last...? And what length of time is reasonable to expect?
OR was life span not in the calculation of your mower choice...?
Just curious / :smile:KennyV
What is the length of time you figured it would be before you needed to replace it?
I guess another way to look at it is how much money do you feel is reasonable to have tied up in lawn equipment over a 10 year period?
I am asking this because in another thread Ric mentioned.."I find that the typical home owner buys a mower.. on a yearly basis and when something goes wrong ... it becomes a throw away and they just purchase another mower .." I tend to agree with him as I have seen a lot of people do exactly that...
So I was wondering how much do you feel you need to have invested in your mower to expect It is going to last...? And what length of time is reasonable to expect?
OR was life span not in the calculation of your mower choice...?
Just curious / :smile:KennyV
#2
A
ae_ted
A
ae_ted
bought a used Kubota ZD21 60" diesel mower this spring with 700hrs. Now it has 730hrs and I expect it to outlast me...I am 57. At approx 60hr per year of use, it should easily go to 2000hrs. I really like this heavy built mower, it replaced a Woods front deck 6180 52" mower that was new in 1996 and lasted 705 hrs before the B&S vanguard motor blew up.
#3
BKBrown
BKBrown
I expect the Ventrac to outlast me. Even if something major goes wrong with the engine (and I don't expect that) the rest of the tractor is built well enough to just replace the engine and keep on going !
VENTRAC builds their products to last and I expect that this one will. Made in USA ! :thumbsup:
This machine was not inexpensive, but it isn't cheaply built junk ! :biggrin: :thumbsup:
VENTRAC builds their products to last and I expect that this one will. Made in USA ! :thumbsup:
This machine was not inexpensive, but it isn't cheaply built junk ! :biggrin: :thumbsup:
#4
H
Hershey
H
Hershey
In no way do I consider a lawn mower a throw away item. Maybe it is if you buy one at the old five and dime. While we don't have one right now, any mower we've owned in the past has lasted at least 10 years.
#5
JDgreen
I bought my Deere 4210 with the intention of it outlasting me, it's 8 years old, 760 hours, and I am 59 so I think it will last me my lifetime.
Self-propelled push mowers,I buy a new one every three years for a maximum of $250 and I wear them out...do a LOT of cutting with them.
JDgreen
By "mower" do you mean walk behind type, rider, garden tractor, compact utility tractor, etc?When you bought the mower you are now using...
What is the length of time you figured it would be before you needed to replace it?
I guess another way to look at it is how much money do you feel is reasonable to have tied up in lawn equipment over a 10 year period?
I am asking this because in another thread Ric mentioned.."I find that the typical home owner buys a mower.. on a yearly basis and when something goes wrong ... it becomes a throw away and they just purchase another mower .." I tend to agree with him as I have seen a lot of people do exactly that...
So I was wondering how much do you feel you need to have invested in your mower to expect It is going to last...? And what length of time is reasonable to expect?
OR was life span not in the calculation of your mower choice...?
Just curious / :smile:KennyV
I bought my Deere 4210 with the intention of it outlasting me, it's 8 years old, 760 hours, and I am 59 so I think it will last me my lifetime.
Self-propelled push mowers,I buy a new one every three years for a maximum of $250 and I wear them out...do a LOT of cutting with them.
#6
K
KennyV
Yep... if you got it to cut grass (or weeds:biggrin
I would include it as a mower...:smile:KennyV
K
KennyV
By "mower" do you mean walk behind type, rider, garden tractor, compact utility tractor, etc?
Yep... if you got it to cut grass (or weeds:biggrin
I would include it as a mower...:smile:KennyV
#7
M
Muhammad
M
Muhammad
I think if you maintain it right and don't abuse it in the field (or lawn), a good riding mower or tractor should last 20+ years without any problem. Of course, part of maintenance for long life would be routine deck cleaning and/or repainting to prevent rust, winterizing, and oil/fluid/filter/belt changes.
Push mowers, well since they're small and easy to forget about, we tend to do things like leave them in the barn all winter or under 3' of snow. Not the best conditions for a little engine. :thumbdown:
Push mowers, well since they're small and easy to forget about, we tend to do things like leave them in the barn all winter or under 3' of snow. Not the best conditions for a little engine. :thumbdown:
#8
Ric
The typical home owner property consist of a lot which is 4 to 5000 sq.ft. Now on that lot we have a house which the average is approximately 1700 to 2000 sq.ft. for most people, now add the garage and driveway and sidewalks and you end up with approximately 2000 sq.ft. left to mow. Now the typical home owner will buy a 20 or 22" mower with a 3.5 to a 5hp B&S motor, price being in the ball park of $200 and he never checks or changes the oil, changes an air filter or a spark plug, all he does is mow and when he is done it gets left or pushed into the shed until he needs to mow the lawn the next time and the mower becomes a throw away at the end of the year.
The Kubota ZD21 60" diesel, Ventrac, the John Deere 4210 although are fantastic mowers I would not classify them as a typical home owners mower:smile: I mean lets get real these mowers probably get more attention than your wives do.:laughing:
Ric
When you bought the mower you are now using...
What is the length of time you figured it would be before you needed to replace it?
I guess another way to look at it is how much money do you feel is reasonable to have tied up in lawn equipment over a 10 year period?
I am asking this because in another thread Ric mentioned.."I find that the typical home owner buys a mower.. on a yearly basis and when something goes wrong ... it becomes a throw away and they just purchase another mower .." I tend to agree with him as I have seen a lot of people do exactly that...
So I was wondering how much do you feel you need to have invested in your mower to expect It is going to last...? And what length of time is reasonable to expect?
OR was life span not in the calculation of your mower choice...?
Just curious / :smile:KennyV
The typical home owner property consist of a lot which is 4 to 5000 sq.ft. Now on that lot we have a house which the average is approximately 1700 to 2000 sq.ft. for most people, now add the garage and driveway and sidewalks and you end up with approximately 2000 sq.ft. left to mow. Now the typical home owner will buy a 20 or 22" mower with a 3.5 to a 5hp B&S motor, price being in the ball park of $200 and he never checks or changes the oil, changes an air filter or a spark plug, all he does is mow and when he is done it gets left or pushed into the shed until he needs to mow the lawn the next time and the mower becomes a throw away at the end of the year.
The Kubota ZD21 60" diesel, Ventrac, the John Deere 4210 although are fantastic mowers I would not classify them as a typical home owners mower:smile: I mean lets get real these mowers probably get more attention than your wives do.:laughing:
#9
S
stanley
S
stanley
I just bought my walk behind 4 months ago, and I plan on keeping it and maintaining it for 20 years. This is the last push lawnmower I plan on buying.
#10
BKBrown
BKBrown
The Ventrac is used for much more than just mowing and, yes it gets attention (not more than the wife) all my machinery and tools get attention. Just my opinion, but it is a waste of money to let equipment go without maintaining it. Take care of things and they work longer and better plus they are worth more if you ever want to sell them.:smile:
The Kubota ZD21 60" diesel, Ventrac, the John Deere 4210 although are fantastic mowers I would not classify them as a typical home owners mower:smile: I mean lets get real these mowers probably get more attention than your wives do.:laughing:
#11
JDgreen
You hit that one right on the head, only someone with more money than brains would buy an expensive grass cutter and neglect it. My 4210 mows 5 acres, plus several miles of ATV trails, moves huge rocks for landscaping, pulls and hauls brush and cut down trees and firewood, in the winter it clears our long driveway and five more of our neighbors driveways, I have even used the loader bucket to mix concrete a few times. It's hard to justify spending twenty grand on a CUT unless you will actually use it extensively.
Want to pass along a funny story here, when I bought my new JD I stored it up in my barn, my wife was still working part time and I was retired, it was my money that paid for it, well I made a game out of how long I could keep her from knowing about my new toy, after a few months she finally caught on. Her brother told me he could never get away with buying something like that because he didn't have enough room to hide it, I told him "if you don't have enough room to hide a tractor like mine, YOU DON'T NEED ONE IN THE FIRST PLACE" :laughing:
JDgreen
The Ventrac is used for much more than just mowing and, yes it gets attention (not more than the wife) all my machinery and tools get attention. Just my opinion, but it is a waste of money to let equipment go without maintaining it. Take care of things and they work longer and better plus they are worth more if you ever want to sell them.:smile:
You hit that one right on the head, only someone with more money than brains would buy an expensive grass cutter and neglect it. My 4210 mows 5 acres, plus several miles of ATV trails, moves huge rocks for landscaping, pulls and hauls brush and cut down trees and firewood, in the winter it clears our long driveway and five more of our neighbors driveways, I have even used the loader bucket to mix concrete a few times. It's hard to justify spending twenty grand on a CUT unless you will actually use it extensively.
Want to pass along a funny story here, when I bought my new JD I stored it up in my barn, my wife was still working part time and I was retired, it was my money that paid for it, well I made a game out of how long I could keep her from knowing about my new toy, after a few months she finally caught on. Her brother told me he could never get away with buying something like that because he didn't have enough room to hide it, I told him "if you don't have enough room to hide a tractor like mine, YOU DON'T NEED ONE IN THE FIRST PLACE" :laughing:
#12
CarlGlas
CarlGlas
If you have purchased or own your own mower, then there are a few things you should do to take care for and insure the life of your mower. Most mowers require weekly, monthly, and yearly maintenance to keep them running in optimal condition. Keep in mind that many of these things are only minor in duty but can determine the life-span of you mowers & trimmers. More: http://www.allaboutlawns.com/lawn-mowing-mowers/how-do-i-care-for-my-mower.php
#13
Sam Mac
Sam Mac
My Cub 1210 is just getting broken in at 20 plus years. I'm 59 and doubt I'll buy a new one. Beside I like the old ones because they can be rebuilt not like the new throw away crap.
#14
M
Mac 624
M
Mac 624
The price of a new mower at the wholesaler and the cheap Tecna engines makes the decission easier, to throw away a mower, as soon as problems appear. To take it to a repair shop is to exepensive, even as the most problms are minor ones, like dirt in the car or bad spark plug. This mowers can be bought cheap then...I do from time to time and sell them.
But when it coms to higher priced machinery with Aluminium Decks and the (minimum) B&S engine, it makes no sense to throw them away. When the engine quits service itｴs a way better to buy a new engine and get the mower running again.
In this way most of our mowers are older then 15 years. We own a Stiga Dino from 1985, also the SABO 43-130 with Suzuki 2stroke engine is older then 15 years. The same for our Solo. The Toro with Suzuki engine is from 1989. As You see, this are push mowers. Not sure, how old our VIKING (AYP) ride-on is, same with the MF 20-12. Our Stiga garden is from 1997.
I would say, that it depends of the care, you give to the machine, how it is equipped etc.
I had a "budget" (wholesalers brand, MTD or CCP) mower in shop, which had a rusted igniton coil and this one was from 2005. Also the Deck (pressed Steel) has started to rust. I took it to Poland for sale.
To make it short: I would expect a mower to last more then 10 years. But as I mostly buy used, some are older. Infact I had a Mountfield Emperor, 6 hp, 3 speed tranny, 52 cm wide, which only laste one year, but I had made the aluminium Deck to brake. And the Harry with varaibale Speed tranny was Junk from the beginning. We kept it for 2 years and made a lot of improvements to get it running properly, then the crankcase plate at the engine broke and I was tired to do repair again.
But when it coms to higher priced machinery with Aluminium Decks and the (minimum) B&S engine, it makes no sense to throw them away. When the engine quits service itｴs a way better to buy a new engine and get the mower running again.
In this way most of our mowers are older then 15 years. We own a Stiga Dino from 1985, also the SABO 43-130 with Suzuki 2stroke engine is older then 15 years. The same for our Solo. The Toro with Suzuki engine is from 1989. As You see, this are push mowers. Not sure, how old our VIKING (AYP) ride-on is, same with the MF 20-12. Our Stiga garden is from 1997.
I would say, that it depends of the care, you give to the machine, how it is equipped etc.
I had a "budget" (wholesalers brand, MTD or CCP) mower in shop, which had a rusted igniton coil and this one was from 2005. Also the Deck (pressed Steel) has started to rust. I took it to Poland for sale.
To make it short: I would expect a mower to last more then 10 years. But as I mostly buy used, some are older. Infact I had a Mountfield Emperor, 6 hp, 3 speed tranny, 52 cm wide, which only laste one year, but I had made the aluminium Deck to brake. And the Harry with varaibale Speed tranny was Junk from the beginning. We kept it for 2 years and made a lot of improvements to get it running properly, then the crankcase plate at the engine broke and I was tired to do repair again.
#15
Ric
I would agree with you on some of the things you've said but you are not the average home owner because you are maintaining your mowers and that would put you in the minority. 75% of the average home owners today don't mess with a mower and probably couldn't if they wanted too. They know two things, how to start the thing and how to make it go and that's where it ends.
The end of the season comes around and there definition of storage for a mower is to roll it in the shed, they never drain the gas or do anything else that needs too be done and in four months of storage guess what it doesn't run so it goes to the shop for repairs and they end up with a repair bill for two hours labor @ $60 per hour and $40 or $50 for parts and there $250 lawn mower just cost them $170 and they tell the guy behind the desk at the shop to keep the thing I'm going to Home Depot and buy another new mower, it happens all the time.
The thing that amuses me and I laugh every time I see these guys raising He** at the shop because they run to Home depot and buy another lawn mower only to go home and say here honey here is your lawn mower, you can mow the lawn now.:laughing:
Ric
The price of a new mower at the wholesaler and the cheap Tecna engines makes the decission easier, to throw away a mower, as soon as problems appear. To take it to a repair shop is to exepensive, even as the most problms are minor ones, like dirt in the car or bad spark plug. This mowers can be bought cheap then...I do from time to time and sell them.
But when it coms to higher priced machinery with Aluminium Decks and the (minimum) B&S engine, it makes no sense to throw them away. When the engine quits service itｴs a way better to buy a new engine and get the mower running again.
In this way most of our mowers are older then 15 years. We own a Stiga Dino from 1985, also the SABO 43-130 with Suzuki 2stroke engine is older then 15 years. The same for our Solo. The Toro with Suzuki engine is from 1989. As You see, this are push mowers. Not sure, how old our VIKING (AYP) ride-on is, same with the MF 20-12. Our Stiga garden is from 1997.
I would say, that it depends of the care, you give to the machine, how it is equipped etc.
I had a "budget" (wholesalers brand, MTD or CCP) mower in shop, which had a rusted igniton coil and this one was from 2005. Also the Deck (pressed Steel) has started to rust. I took it to Poland for sale.
To make it short: I would expect a mower to last more then 10 years. But as I mostly buy used, some are older. Infact I had a Mountfield Emperor, 6 hp, 3 speed tranny, 52 cm wide, which only laste one year, but I had made the aluminium Deck to brake. And the Harry with varaibale Speed tranny was Junk from the beginning. We kept it for 2 years and made a lot of improvements to get it running properly, then the crankcase plate at the engine broke and I was tired to do repair again.
I would agree with you on some of the things you've said but you are not the average home owner because you are maintaining your mowers and that would put you in the minority. 75% of the average home owners today don't mess with a mower and probably couldn't if they wanted too. They know two things, how to start the thing and how to make it go and that's where it ends.
The end of the season comes around and there definition of storage for a mower is to roll it in the shed, they never drain the gas or do anything else that needs too be done and in four months of storage guess what it doesn't run so it goes to the shop for repairs and they end up with a repair bill for two hours labor @ $60 per hour and $40 or $50 for parts and there $250 lawn mower just cost them $170 and they tell the guy behind the desk at the shop to keep the thing I'm going to Home Depot and buy another new mower, it happens all the time.
The thing that amuses me and I laugh every time I see these guys raising He** at the shop because they run to Home depot and buy another lawn mower only to go home and say here honey here is your lawn mower, you can mow the lawn now.:laughing:
#16
J
JD Man
J
JD Man
I expect my 777 JD 72" z-track to last for another 10 years. But that's not the reason I'm giving it up next spring.... just want the diesel 997. :licking:
#17
S
scooter
S
scooter
Depends on how often you cut the grass, could last for many years with good maintenance and the where the mower is stored. I would say 10 - 20 years usage out of one.
#18
F
Flossie
F
Flossie
Some really useful tips and views here. I fully understand people not doing any maintenance on their mowers as some, such as myself, may have no clue but at least we should look around for advice on the basics. I hate the thought of replacing it every year. Never mind the cost it is just a wasteful attitude.
#19
T
Thunder
T
Thunder
Another five years. I have a lot of ground to tend to, so it's gonna get pretty beat up. Preferably for the rest of my life though.:smile:
#20
B
Bethieboo
B
Bethieboo
I asked this question to my neighbor and what he told me was so funny. He said that for him having a mower was a lot like having a wife. He told me that he intends for his mower to last until death do they part! I thought I would share that with you! :biggrin:
#21
J
jtyrie
J
jtyrie
I just replaced my push mower last week. It is 12 years old. The only reason that I replaced it is because I was faced with a transmission replacement as well as engine power loss problems. I probably could have handled putting the new transmission in but just didn't want to go down the road of a possible engine rebuild. I expect to get at least 12 years out of the new one, although it has more "gadgets" that can nickel and dime me after it gets a few years on it.
#22
M
mcguirepv
M
mcguirepv
I won my current push mower off of a radio contest about 15 years ago. It is a rotary mower made by Toro. It is called a "Recycler" and there is no discharge chute at all on it nor is there a provision for one. It is one of the true, 100 % mulchers I have seen. It has a decal on it that says that it is guaranteed to start on the 1st or 2nd pull for the 1st two years of ownership. To this day it usually starts on the 1st pull although after sitting idle for a winter it may take two pulls. I don't know how long I thought it would last but it has surprised me quite a bit. It has always been garaged and it looks like I got it just a couple of years ago so it might last another 15 years with ease. I hope that I will last longer than this mower.
#23
K
KennyV
Nothing better than a FREE mower ... UNLESS it's a free mower that lasts a decade and a half, and still looking for more.
BTW welcome to this forum... it keeps growing and more good mower reports... :smile:KennyV
K
KennyV
I won my current push mower 15 years ago.
I hope that I will last longer than this mower.
Nothing better than a FREE mower ... UNLESS it's a free mower that lasts a decade and a half, and still looking for more.
BTW welcome to this forum... it keeps growing and more good mower reports... :smile:KennyV
#24
C
ccj1
C
ccj1
I have a Country Clipper res. ZTR that is about 3 years old, I will try to make it last at least 10; a ? push mower that was donated to me (? years old) I used it for a little over a year, with much abuse, and may have killed it; and a 1949(?) Jari sicklebar mower. The Jari has an old B+S engine, hasn't been started in about 10 years, but I expect will outlast me with ease. I'm sure I could start it now if I wanted to. I won't buy another B+S. The Country Clipper has one that is a sad excuse in comparison to the old Jari.
#25
Z
Zeroturn
Z
Zeroturn
Well nothing is as good as it used to be. My dad still had my gramps old lawn mower and it's still in good condition.
I expect the zero-turn to last over 15 years. I don't think that is unreasonable.
I expect the zero-turn to last over 15 years. I don't think that is unreasonable.
#26
N
noma
N
noma
hi CCJ 1
I also have a country clipper and have had it for now going on three years and have not had any problem with it. What kind of issues have you had, i think its a darn good mower ? Witch model do you have?.
I also have a country clipper and have had it for now going on three years and have not had any problem with it. What kind of issues have you had, i think its a darn good mower ? Witch model do you have?.
#27
Bruce Mowbray
Bruce Mowbray
I have a Husqvarna 54" lawn tractor with a 23 HP Kawasaki engine and I've owned it for 5 years now. I mow about 3 acres every other week on average. In the winter I use it to blow snow off the 600 foot long driveway. I have already done some minor repairs on it like fixing a broken seat bracket and a broken deck mount bar. I consider these minor repairs and with the hilly land I mow I feel that these are expected. If something major goes bad, I'll probably fix it in my shop as well. I hope to get 10 years from it but we will see. I make sure I always wash under the deck every time I mow and change the oil annually.
I also have a hand me down Lawn Boy 21" push mower from the 1970's to mow on the really steep parts. I think that one is living on borrowed time and the only part I ever changed was the blade and the pull cord.It always surprises me when I finish mowing with it another time.
I also have a hand me down Lawn Boy 21" push mower from the 1970's to mow on the really steep parts. I think that one is living on borrowed time and the only part I ever changed was the blade and the pull cord.It always surprises me when I finish mowing with it another time.
#28
C
cohen
This is scary. I couldn't believe people have to buy a mower yearly. Are these really typical home owners? or home owners in Beverly Hills 20210?
Anyhow, I look forward to have a ride-on mower one day when I retire. This forum is helping me have a good idea of what to buy and what not to buy, and what to do after I buy, etc. Thanks guys! :biggrin:
C
cohen
xxx in another thread Ric mentioned.."I find that the typical home owner buys a mower.. on a yearly basis and when something goes wrong ... it becomes a throw away and they just purchase another mower .." I tend to agree with him as I have seen a lot of people do exactly that... xxx
Just curious / :smile:KennyV
This is scary. I couldn't believe people have to buy a mower yearly. Are these really typical home owners? or home owners in Beverly Hills 20210?
Anyhow, I look forward to have a ride-on mower one day when I retire. This forum is helping me have a good idea of what to buy and what not to buy, and what to do after I buy, etc. Thanks guys! :biggrin:
#29
briggs
briggs
alot of the new stuff is made very cheap ..it also depends on how well its been looked after ...I find most people don't do maintenance ....I deal with a dealer not a box store for my mowers
#30
G
Gabi
G
Gabi
I find new stuff is disposable. Nothing is made to last anymore. The prices are still the same but the quality just isn't there. I find it's the same for appliances as well.
#31
briggs
yes i do agree
briggs
I find new stuff is disposable. Nothing is made to last anymore. The prices are still the same but the quality just isn't there. I find it's the same for appliances as well.
yes i do agree