I need to buy a new mower and I don't have a lot of money to spend on one. Are the less expensive mowers that places like Home Depot and Lowe's sell any good? How long will they last? I have about 1/2 acre to mow.
SallyA ... how long it will last is just as much dependent on how it is treated/mistreated and maintained as it is dependent on the manufacturers quality...
I am going to assume you are looking at a smallish walk behind, push mower... The basic no frills mower should be less than $150... With a little care it could run for years... Those little 22 inch 5 HP, engines mounted on 4 wheels don't have a lot that can go wrong...
If you are wanting more than just a basic small area grass cutter, with some bells & whistles, expect to pay more and expect a few more things could go wrong...
Do NOT be swayed by brand names that you may be familiar with... In the lower end push mowers the brand name is only a name attached to the same mower as the next, to try to persuade you to get the other one... This time of year, as the mowing season is winding down, you should be able to find some sales on basic mowers...
Always check the oil before use, run synthetic if you can (costs a little more). AND try to use fresh fuel, containing no ethanol if possible (some places thats all you will find) not a great big deal, fresh is most important... :smile:KennyV
Thank you for the information and advice. I'm curious now, though. Why do you recommend synthetic oil? What makes it better?
#4
173abn
SallyA, I bought a $100.00 push mower at T.S.C. 10yrs ago and it's still going strong.Although I only use it for areas I can't get my other mower in it still starts and cuts when I need it to.As KennyV said as long as you maintain it like regular fluid and filter changes it should last you.On the last cut of the year I usually let it run till it's out of gas before putting it up for the winter . russ
I've never thought to let it run until it's out of gas before storing it. Around here, our mowers aren't used at least 3 or 4 months out of the year, so making sure it doesn't have gas in it to get old during that time is a really good idea! Is there anything else we should do before storing them?
SallyA... regarding Synthetic oil
Air cooled engines that are typically ran in the heat of the summer AND with the probability of getting some dirt/grass in it's cooling fins... will run at times just a tad warm... with that add the fact that your gasoline is at least 10 percent ethanol, ant ethanol has a higher vapor pressure than reg gasoline, you have a good possibility that the heat has cooked off some of the octane causing the engine to run hotter...
all those reasons plus a few others will/could cause an air cooled engine to be hotter... Synthetic oil handles heat MUCH better than mineral oil. It is far superior in every way to regular oil in a air cooled engine...
Using a full synthetic you can do an annual oil change and know you are using the best lube ....
Best is better..:thumbsup:
and if you are looking to do all you can to make it last forever...:thumbsup:
:smile:KennyV
The debate on Synthetic Oil vs Reg Oil has been an issue ever since synthetic hit the market.
Most manufactures recommend the you use a reg motor oil ( 10w30 ) for at least the first 40 to 50 hours to seat the piston rings properly on any new or rebuilt engine and they also recommend changing oil at the recommended intervals. Most manufactures say to change your oil at least every 100hrs and more frequently under severe conditions. My self I change my oil and filters on all my mowers every 25 hrs.
The other debate on synthetic is whether or not it helps provide or helps the engine run cooler or not, some say yes, some say it's a load of crap and it's never been proven one way or the other and its use does not extend your time between oil changes.The one thing about synthetic is that it will provide better starting in extreme cold below (-10 degrees F )
Personally I used Synthetic in one of my mowers and never found it to be any better than the reg oil and for the price difference, IMO it's overkill and over rated, especially for a typical home owner who's going to mow his or her lawn weekly and a $150 lawn mower that doesn't have a full pressurized system w/ spin-on filter.
Now that's not to say that a $150 lawn mower isn't a decent mower for what it was designed for and if you preform the proper maintenance at the proper intervals it will last you for years.
When synthetics first came out there was a lot of discussion as to the value...
In the last decade or so, there is not much left to discuss as UOA (used oil analysis)will show how the viscosity index and additive packs stand up to heat and time in use...
In a small engine there is no reason to go extended time... most mowers see less than 100 hours a year, most see a lot less. (easy annual oil change.)
It is hard to harm any engine if you reasonably maintain it, any quality engine oil will work...
Heat stability is my main preference for synthetic:thumbsup:
:smile:KennyV
I think the biggest issues I see with most smaller mowers is the neglect, and its not always intentional but it does happen. I still have one friend who believes that his does not need to be protected from weather elements.
#10
Ric
I can agree with the biggest issues with most smaller mowers is the neglect. I find that the typical home owner buys a mower at Home Depot on a yearly basis and when something goes wrong and it doesn't start or run right it becomes a throw away and they just purchase another mower and they really don't have a choice because the mower they have isn't worth the money to fix the thing.
