Junk mower? Really?

[SamB]

My Husqvarna Turf Care CZ42175 is a 2005 and things do break or wear out on it from time to time. Overall,it's a solidly built well-designed mower that is easy to work on,if I need to fix something. This week,while I was mowing full steam ahead, one of the deck idler pulleys that tension the back side of the deck belt, locked up and the mower (and me) was enveloped in a huge cloud of blue smoke. My wife,who was string-trimming the edges of the yard saw it all and said "I tired of that mower breaking down every you get it out, we need a NEW mower!"! My response was, Hey,it's a 2005 so things will wear out. Besides,blades,belts and even idler pulleys are to be considered "wear items". My thoughts are,no matter how new the mower is,these items are all going to need attention, sooner or later. If you're lucky,the idler pulley is under warranty,belts and blades,not so much. I love my wife and I also love my ZTR, (although not as much as my Snapper XT) But am I wrong here?
p.s. we did NOT get in any sort of a fight over this,just good-natured running down my ZTR. LOL!

 

[350Rocket]

I agree with just fixing things as they break. We've become too much of a throw away society. People will use minor breakdowns like this as an excuse to upgrade but it doesn't make financial sense usually.
I just keep a second running mower so I can always mow the lawn with one or the other if one breaks.
I have a 2007 MTD Cub Cadet lt1050 that's in good shape. I had to have the valves adjusted and replace the starter plus do a tune up but it seems to have been taken care of. 311 hours.
My backup is a 1981 MTD lawnflite 11hp/38". Takes longer to mow the lawn but I like the nostalgia as I mowed lawns with several mowers like this one as a kid.
My fiance has already figured out that I am always going to be tinkering with either the lawnmowers, my truck or my car. She doesn't care if they break down as long as I can fix them cheaply enough. She's not into wasting money on stuff like new lawnmowers.

 

[olgeezershonda]

If it's truly breaking down that frequently then she's got a good point. OTOH preventative maintenance might be in order rather than wait for things to break.

 

[PTmowerMech]

My Husqvarna Turf Care CZ42175 is a 2005 and things do break or wear out on it from time to time. Overall,it's a solidly built well-designed mower that is easy to work on,if I need to fix something. This week,while I was mowing full steam ahead, one of the deck idler pulleys that tension the back side of the deck belt, locked up and the mower (and me) was enveloped in a huge cloud of blue smoke. My wife,who was string-trimming the edges of the yard saw it all and said "I tired of that mower breaking down every you get it out, we need a NEW mower!"! My response was, Hey,it's a 2005 so things will wear out. Besides,blades,belts and even idler pulleys are to be considered "wear items". My thoughts are,no matter how new the mower is,these items are all going to need attention, sooner or later. If you're lucky,the idler pulley is under warranty,belts and blades,not so much. I love my wife and I also love my ZTR, (although not as much as my Snapper XT) But am I wrong here?
p.s. we did NOT get in any sort of a fight over this,just good-natured running down my ZTR. LOL!

Does the ZTR make coffee? Does it cook supper? Does it make you feel better when you're sick? My dad told me something a long time ago that for some reason, I forget when it's the right time to remember. (3 marriages, 3 divorces)
"It's better to be happy, than right."

The trick to all this is when you have to repair it, regardless of how hard it is, or how much it cost, when you're done just tell her "Wow, that was an easy and inexpensive fix. If I had bought that _________ mower, I would have had to take it to shop to fix, and it would've been 100X that amount, just in parts." Or something to that effect.
Never let'm see you sweat, unless you trying to fold a fitted sheet. (that way she won't ask you to do it next time) lol

 

[PTmowerMech]

I agree with just fixing things as they break. We've become too much of a throw away society. People will use minor breakdowns like this as an excuse to upgrade but it doesn't make financial sense usually.
I just keep a second running mower so I can always mow the lawn with one or the other if one breaks.
I have a 2007 MTD Cub Cadet lt1050 that's in good shape. I had to have the valves adjusted and replace the starter plus do a tune up but it seems to have been taken care of. 311 hours.
My backup is a 1981 MTD lawnflite 11hp/38". Takes longer to mow the lawn but I like the nostalgia as I mowed lawns with several mowers like this one as a kid.
My fiance has already figured out that I am always going to be tinkering with either the lawnmowers, my truck or my car. She doesn't care if they break down as long as I can fix them cheaply enough. She's not into wasting money on stuff like new lawnmowers.

I have a 2001 Dodge ram, 1/2 ton pick up. I can afford a new (or newer) vehicle. Payment of about $500 per month. But I get to thinking, all the stuff that's wrong with my pick up now, if I put that same $500 per month into this truck for even just 6 months, it would be in awesome condition. So why spend 5 to 7 years at $500 per month on something else?

Cheaper to keeper.

 

[bkeller500]

16 years is long enough to have enjoyed that CZ42175. Trade it in and let someone else enjoy it. Even if you can fix it this time, parts are surely going to become a problem. No dealer is going to stock parts for a machine that old and Husqvarna isn't going to provide parts much longer. You got your money's worth and it led to that Snapper XT ( I have the Simplicity version of that XT) and its time to get your wife a new machine. I know it's EZ for me to spend your money but don't you deep down want a new unit? Most mfg's are offering 0% financing. And this time of years you might catch a great end-of year deal. Next spring prices will be higher. Just sayin!

 

[SamB]

Does the ZTR make coffee? Does it cook supper? Does it make you feel better when you're sick? My dad told me something a long time ago that for some reason, I forget when it's the right time to remember. (3 marriages, 3 divorces)
"It's better to be happy, than right."

The trick to all this is when you have to repair it, regardless of how hard it is, or how much it cost, when you're done just tell her "Wow, that was an easy and inexpensive fix. If I had bought that _________ mower, I would have had to take it to shop to fix, and it would've been 100X that amount, just in parts." Or something to that effect.
Never let'm see you sweat, unless you trying to fold a fitted sheet. (that way she won't ask you to do it next time) lol

Actually, SHE is the one that purchased the ZTR, as we needed something a bit bigger than my 33" Snapper rer to mow our 1,5 acres out of town.
She is just a bit disappointed that things wear out! The pulley in question cost me $14.5 total. Took 15 minutes to put it on, only one bolt.
She says, "Every time you mow with that mower, SOMETHING breaks!" and I counter with "Not every time. Look at it this way. It's slowly turning into a NEW mower!" She's ok with that. I'm a retired class 8 truck body repair tech,thus,I have more than enough tools to repair a lawnmower.
The young couple that bought the home next door did buy a new mower and financed a Skag Patriot ZTR that they paid $8600.00 for! I don't know what the interest rates were, the time it's paid off,the cost will be more than the $8600.00! For a lawnmower!?! This makes a 15 dollar pulley look pretty good in my book!
p.s. since I'm retired and my wife is a full time commercial artist, I make the coffee,and I make the meals. LOL!

 

[slomo]

$8600 for a lawn mower is totally ridiculous in my book. Buy his and hers push mowers. Great exercise and a whole lot cheaper. That's 42" worth of deck action for those missing a calculator. They are also zero turns LOL.

 

[SamB]

Does the ZTR make coffee? Does it cook supper? Does it make you feel better when you're sick? My dad told me something a long time ago that for some reason, I forget when it's the right time to remember. (3 marriages, 3 divorces)
"It's better to be happy, than right."

The trick to all this is when you have to repair it, regardless of how hard it is, or how much it cost, when you're done just tell her "Wow, that was an easy and inexpensive fix. If I had bought that _________ mower, I would have had to take it to shop to fix, and it would've been 100X that amount, just in parts." Or something to that effect.
Never let'm see you sweat, unless you trying to fold a fitted sheet. (that way she won't ask you to do it next time) lol

My wife is still working full time, graphic artist book illustrator. I'm retired. As such, I do most of the household stuff now. I cook, clean, make the coffee, do the grocery shopping, etc. I seldom try to be :right", having her happy is MUCH more important. (married 26 yrs)

 

[sgkent]

you did a good job. Now go tell your wife she is right.