It's Official: Hell has Frozen Over

RJM62

RJM62

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Jun 15, 2007
Messages
13,157
Location
Upstate New York
Display Name
Display name:
Geek on the Hill
I bought a new lawnmower. "New" as in "Not previously used and bought at an estate sale or from some dude on Craigslist."

I bought this one, to be exact:

h310-1487.ashx

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/lawn-mowers/lc-221rh/961430130/

It was $379.95, which is almost as much as I paid for my first car. (Seriously.) I did, however, get a $50.00 rebate, so I didn't feel so bad when all was said and done.

I've heard good things about that Honda engine, and the fellow at the store (who's also a friend of mine) agreed. He owns the same mower, in fact. He steered me away from more expensive models because apparently that particular Honda engine is bulletproof. And maybe because he knows how cheap thrifty I am.

Nonetheless, even with John's recommendation, I struggled with the decision. I rarely buy new power equipment. I buy used power equipment and fix it. But no matter how much I added up the work that would be needed to get my old second-hand John Deere mower back to ship shape, the math just didn't work out. Aside from the usual maintenance items, it needed a new carb, blade, shaft bearing, a valve job, and some other odds and ends. Factoring in my own labor at my usual rates, it just didn't make sense.

I also checked Craigslist for about a hundred-mile radius for used mowers less-needful of repairs than my own, but alas, I found no deals that met my standards. People around here tend to sell their used stuff for more than it cost them new. The closest deals that looked decent were well into Massachusetts, and there's only so far I'm willing to drive to buy a lawnmower. I may be cheap, but I'm not that cheap.

Another factor I considered was that I have a Husqvarna credit card with an absurdly high credit limit that I haven't used in almost a year, which is just about how long it takes for the bank to cancel the card for lack of activity. This purchase keeps it alive for another year.

The mower works nicely:

husq-first-use.jpg


Given my tendency to be a tightwad thrifty, I suspect it will end up as a line item in my will.

Rich
 
By the way, I bought the grill in the picture five years ago for $10.00. It's still going strong.

Rich
 
RJM62 said:
Given my tendency to be a tightwad thrifty, I suspect it will end up as a line item in my will.
Click to expand...

LOL! Congrats on the new mower.

You realize that whoever gets it will be like...

"Why did he leave me this old thing? I can get a better one from China for like $50! Nobody is gonna want this!"

:)
 
denverpilot said:
LOL! Congrats on the new mower.

You realize that whoever gets it will be like...

"Why did he leave me this old thing? I can get a better one from China for like $50! Nobody is gonna want this!"

:)
Click to expand...
Good choice! I had one just like it. Sold it when I moved, later wished I hadn't. The first caller bought it.

Dave
 
What happened to the ol push mower?
 
RJM62 said:
I bought a new lawnmower. "New" as in "Not previously used and bought at an estate sale or from some dude on Craigslist."

I bought this one, to be exact:

h310-1487.ashx

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/lawn-mowers/lc-221rh/961430130/

It was $379.95, which is almost as much as I paid for my first car. (Seriously.) I did, however, get a $50.00 rebate, so I didn't feel so bad when all was said and done.

I've heard good things about that Honda engine, and the fellow at the store (who's also a friend of mine) agreed. He owns the same mower, in fact. He steered me away from more expensive models because apparently that particular Honda engine is bulletproof. And maybe because he knows how cheap thrifty I am.

Nonetheless, even with John's recommendation, I struggled with the decision. I rarely buy new power equipment. I buy used power equipment and fix it. But no matter how much I added up the work that would be needed to get my old second-hand John Deere mower back to ship shape, the math just didn't work out. Aside from the usual maintenance items, it needed a new carb, blade, shaft bearing, a valve job, and some other odds and ends. Factoring in my own labor at my usual rates, it just didn't make sense.

I also checked Craigslist for about a hundred-mile radius for used mowers less-needful of repairs than my own, but alas, I found no deals that met my standards. People around here tend to sell their used stuff for more than it cost them new. The closest deals that looked decent were well into Massachusetts, and there's only so far I'm willing to drive to buy a lawnmower. I may be cheap, but I'm not that cheap.

Another factor I considered was that I have a Husqvarna credit card with an absurdly high credit limit that I haven't used in almost a year, which is just about how long it takes for the bank to cancel the card for lack of activity. This purchase keeps it alive for another year.

The mower works nicely:

husq-first-use.jpg


Given my tendency to be a tightwad thrifty, I suspect it will end up as a line item in my will.

Rich
Click to expand...
I always buy new, I kind of treat it like getting a new toy. I just bought a new zero turn and I would have sold you my old one if you were near by. Lots of my purchases are done hastily out of frustration when something breaks or isn't working right. I don't like to be hampered by delays. I had a flat on my zero turn this spring and the starter went out. Since it was getting older, I figured it was time for a new one. I went and bought a new one and while I was waiting for it to be delivered, I fixed the starter and the flat on the old mower and now it is running great. So now I have three lawn mowers when I really only need one. I've only put three hours on the new mower because I prefer mowing on the older one. But, I got $500 off so I still think I got a good deal and it's there if I need it. Eventually, the other will wear out.
 
AggieMike88 said:
What happened to the ol push mower?
Click to expand...

I still have the reel mower and use it about half the time, and more so as the season gets later. The reel mower is actually easier to use than a power mower because it weighs practically nothing. But it has two limitations.

The first problem is that reel mowers don't handle weeds very well. Weeds just kind of flop under the reel mower's blades rather than being cut by them, and then spring back up as soon as it passes by them. I've tried adjusting the blades, but that doesn't work. So when weeds are an issue, the power mower is the tool of choice. In the spring, the weeds are abundant all over the lawn. I also have some spots that are basically all weeds all year, especially the shady areas along the driveway and the shoulder along the road.

The second problem with reel mowers is that they don't handle tall grass very well. Like the weeds, tall grass just flops under the blades. It's been raining here for about a week solid, so the grass was as high as six inches in some spots today. Trying to cut that with a reel mower would be pointless.

The first year I lived here I used herbicides to kill the weeds. The Hippie Lady soured me on that idea, though. She also tried very hard to get me to buy a cordless electric mower, but although they've come a long way, I couldn't find one that would cut the whole lawn on a single charge.

The cordless mower that got the best reviews doesn't seem to have a spare 4ah battery available. I might have given it a shot had they given me a 30-day return window and sold me a second 4ah battery, but both the dealer and the company told me that only 2ah batteries are available as spares. That makes no sense considering that it comes with a 4ah battery, but it is what it is.

Rich
 
cessna182b said:
Good choice! I had one just like it. Sold it when I moved, later wished I hadn't. The first caller bought it.

Dave
Click to expand...

Thanks, that's good to know.

Aside from the usual air filter and the like, are there any spare parts I should order in advance? An extra blade and adapter are mandatory here because of the rocks that randomly leap out of the ground. Are there any others I should buy?

Rich
 
RJM62 said:
Thanks, that's good to know.

Aside from the usual air filter and the like, are there any spare parts I should order in advance? An extra blade and adapter are mandatory here because of the rocks that randomly leap out of the ground. Are there any others I should buy?

Rich
Click to expand...

According to @Cooter you need another spare lawnmower. Or two. Ha.
 
RJM62 said:
I bought a new lawnmower. "New" as in "Not previously used and bought at an estate sale or from some dude on Craigslist."

I bought this one, to be exact:

h310-1487.ashx

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/lawn-mowers/lc-221rh/961430130/

It was $379.95, which is almost as much as I paid for my first car. (Seriously.) I did, however, get a $50.00 rebate, so I didn't feel so bad when all was said and done.

I've heard good things about that Honda engine, and the fellow at the store (who's also a friend of mine) agreed. He owns the same mower, in fact. He steered me away from more expensive models because apparently that particular Honda engine is bulletproof. And maybe because he knows how cheap thrifty I am.

Nonetheless, even with John's recommendation, I struggled with the decision. I rarely buy new power equipment. I buy used power equipment and fix it. But no matter how much I added up the work that would be needed to get my old second-hand John Deere mower back to ship shape, the math just didn't work out. Aside from the usual maintenance items, it needed a new carb, blade, shaft bearing, a valve job, and some other odds and ends. Factoring in my own labor at my usual rates, it just didn't make sense.

I also checked Craigslist for about a hundred-mile radius for used mowers less-needful of repairs than my own, but alas, I found no deals that met my standards. People around here tend to sell their used stuff for more than it cost them new. The closest deals that looked decent were well into Massachusetts, and there's only so far I'm willing to drive to buy a lawnmower. I may be cheap, but I'm not that cheap.

Another factor I considered was that I have a Husqvarna credit card with an absurdly high credit limit that I haven't used in almost a year, which is just about how long it takes for the bank to cancel the card for lack of activity. This purchase keeps it alive for another year.

The mower works nicely:

husq-first-use.jpg


Given my tendency to be a tightwad thrifty, I suspect it will end up as a line item in my will.

Rich
Click to expand...
Dibs!
 
046561162016.jpg This is the best mower I've ever owned. $140 shipped to my door. Thanks Amazon Prime!
 
RJM62 said:
I still have the reel mower and use it about half the time, and more so as the season gets later. The reel mower is actually easier to use than a power mower because it weighs practically nothing. But it has two limitations.

The first problem is that reel mowers don't handle weeds very well. Weeds just kind of flop under the reel mower's blades rather than being cut by them, and then spring back up as soon as it passes by them. I've tried adjusting the blades, but that doesn't work. So when weeds are an issue, the power mower is the tool of choice. In the spring, the weeds are abundant all over the lawn. I also have some spots that are basically all weeds all year, especially the shady areas along the driveway and the shoulder along the road.

The second problem with reel mowers is that they don't handle tall grass very well. Like the weeds, tall grass just flops under the blades. It's been raining here for about a week solid, so the grass was as high as six inches in some spots today. Trying to cut that with a reel mower would be pointless.
Click to expand...

The new house has minimal yard, so I sold all the power equipment, A reel mower, Ego cordless weed eater, and Black and Decker cordless blower now handle all the tasks. No gas, no noise, and not much more effort. I cut the grass often enough to not let it get too tall.
 
Didn't cha know, like new used mowers are great investments as they have like 0 depreciation lol

Same boat a little over a year ago, all the decent ones were the same price as just buying a new one.
 
Looks good, Rich. And they make great products. Raise your deck about 1/4" though. You and my dad...like the grass short, short, short. A bit of trivia for you, google Husqvarna and you'll see it's one of the world's oldest companies.
 
And another thing, as someone who makes a living mowing, I respect that you keep your lines straight.
 
Gerhardt said:
Looks good, Rich. And they make great products. Raise your deck about 1/4" though. You and my dad...like the grass short, short, short. A bit of trivia for you, google Husqvarna and you'll see it's one of the world's oldest companies.
Click to expand...

That picture's from Husqvarna's site. I raise the deck considerably higher than that.

My uncle had an antique gun made by Husqvarna. I don't remember exactly how old it was, but yeah, they've been around a while. I've never been dissatisfied with any of their products.

Rich
 
James331 said:
Didn't cha know, like new used mowers are great investments as they have like 0 depreciation lol

Same boat a little over a year ago, all the decent ones were the same price as just buying a new one.
Click to expand...

People around here are crazy when it comes to selling used stuff. I usually have to drive at least 75 miles East or South to find reasonable prices on used stuff on CL. People in Massachusetts and closer to New York City seem to just want the stuff gone and price it accordingly. Where I live, they don't care if they have to wait years to get their prices.

Even front-lawn sales are priced way high. There's an old Mercedes for sale a few miles from here that's been on the side of the rode with a "For Sale" sign for at least five years, and a lawn tractor on the same road in the other direction that's been sitting there for four years.

I actually inquired about the lawn tractor a few years back. The guy selling it wants $500.00 firm and says it runs great. That would be a very good price if it ran at all. But because it needs both a battery and a pull cord, it can't be started to find out whether it runs at all. I offered him $250.00 as-is. He was highly insulted. I told him to call me back and we'll talk if he ever decides to put a pull cord on it. He never did.

When I lived in The City, I furnished entire apartments from CL in a day or two. Up here, not so much.

Rich
 
I have the Honda version of that mower, it is a great mower.
 
Honda engines are good, but I don't think it matters much for the average consumer in terms of actually cutting the lawn better or being any easier to operate. What I like about Honda is that they are generally smoother/quieter than the Kohler/B&S counterparts. The best push-style mower I ever ran was more of a commercial model Honda that had a blade clutch as well as 3-spd transmission. It meant you could disengage the blade and change out the grass catcher without stopping the engine each time. Not the worst thing for a one a week mowing, but when mowing 15 yards a day, it saved a lot of time/effort not having to restart the mower just to dump grass. I believe that model today is something around $700+.
 
Zeldman said:
What's that green stuff in your yard...???? :lol::lol:
Click to expand...

I think it is called a "lawn". Something I used to have a minimal amount of. When we re-landscaped the place about 12 years ago what little lawn we had went away, and so did the lawnmower. :)
 
I used to mow a large cemetery when I was a kid. Went through a lot of mowers and in terms of push mowers I quickly learned that the best most reliable and effective mowers were always the cheapest simplest no-frills models. The absolute best are "high wheel" models with the large rear wheels and ZERO other features. Next best are the cheapest gas mower you can find. Bigger mower powerful engines(usually found on mulching mowers) are fine but don't really bring much to the party unless you have some thick grass/weeds to get through.

I don't even think brand name matters. Last one I bought was 6 years ago- a $125 el-cheapo red 20" mower with the most basic possible briggs engine. Still works great and the good thing about the basic/cheap ones is that they're light so you can just about run up and down the row as long as the grass isn't too high. Also the only maintenance you have to do is change the oil every year or two and maybe sharpen a blade. Most of the "features" they sell on these are terrible.
Self-propelled = heavy, too slow, an extra mechanism to maintain
Mulching = a good way to clog up the grass and slow you down

The one thing I'd go to a more expensive model for is the high wheel.... the ones with the large rear wheels. Really handy if you have to clear any thick grass/weeds out.
 
This was my Husqvarna.. well a picture of one that was like mine... The Swedes build some good stuff... My brother is still driving his 93 Volvo 240 wagon...

1975%20Husqvarna%20-CR250-Mikkola-Replica%202.jpg
 
Non-self-propelled mowers are great if you're on flat terrain. Not so much if you have even a slight incline.

I agree on the mulching thing. If the grass gets even a little too tall or if it's wet it's really hard on the lawn.

The problem with the large rear wheels is that every time you turn for the return pass it puts stress on wheels, washers and deck. Almost all the mfrs started making decks with thinner ga steel just a few years ago so they don't hold up as well as they used to. Hence, my welding skills have really improved since then.
 
I'm thinking about giving the old mower away to a young fellow who's come upon hard times, is handy with tools, and wants to make some money mowing lawns. I suspect that the mitzveh would be worth more than I could get for a non-running mower, especially considering that it might need a valve job.

Not that a valve job on a Briggs and Stratton is rocket surgery, but it's expensive if you have to pay someone to do it.

Rich
 
Cpt_Kirk said:
View attachment 53425 This is the best mower I've ever owned. $140 shipped to my door. Thanks Amazon Prime!
Click to expand...

I just bough one of those last weekend. Way more enjoyable to use than either my ride on or push mower (both of which are from the late 80s). A little slower, but not bad. Much quieter.
 
RJM62 said:
Thanks, that's good to know.

Aside from the usual air filter and the like, are there any spare parts I should order in advance? An extra blade and adapter are mandatory here because of the rocks that randomly leap out of the ground. Are there any others I should buy?

Rich
Click to expand...
Not that I am aware of. IIRC I never replaced anything on mine except consumables, despite it being used on tough weeds most of the time - and it never failed me.

Dave
 
I bought my husband a Husqvarna chainsaw for Christmas. He was surprised. I think he likes it.
 
What with the local Guatemalans charging $20 bucks a cut including weed whacking and edging it just doesn't make sense for me to do it anymore. What with the cost of upkeep on the equipment over time and the cost of my own time. 6 guys show up and it takes them all of 25 minutes. It's like a brown tornado !
 
You bought new?! Couldn't you find a refurbished used one? Elitist!

;):D



Looks great though. :cool:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top