the op makes a specific statement about a specific MODEL which is #88998 and NOT the entire lineup of sears mowers. he states it several times using the word 'THIS' mower in his statements. it was never raised about the entire lineup so if there is no SPECIFIC reason that model #88998 is a less than a desirable mower,then i will assume (based on my personal experiences that i 'listed' with it) that it is an acceptable mower to use on a homeowners yard using proper maintenance.:smile: