I'm using a 2009 22" Toro recycler (14 seasons). Only done blade sharpening, oil changes, and maybe a sparkplug to keep it going.
Thinking about replacing the drive wheels and buying a new blade. Will be about $50 to get it all snazzy again.
Before making the investment, wanted to see if there are other "old" lawnmowers out there, or is mine a ticking time bomb just waiting for me to spend money on it so it will self-destruct.
Posted Sep 6, 2023, 2:55 PM UTC
previously using an old Honda from the 80s with a chipped blade
1985 Kubota and crushing it!
2001 B7500 still cuts mint
I have a 2015 Honda, a 1980's lawn chief push mower, and a toro push mower from probably early 2000s. I personally plan on using mine until it becomes no longer useable. Keep with oil changes and keep the filters ok and it'll last a good long while.
Same with a 14 Honda that is excellent. Sharpen blades once a year, oil changes, sparkplug changes and clean the air filter and it's all spiffy.
Gas powered lawn mowers will run a long long time with just a little maintenance. The question is when do you want to stop using them. I had a 15 year old MTD that ran fine until my son bent the shaft. I replaced it with a Husqvarna with a Honda (GCV160) engine and ran that for about five years. I just took a $100 incentive from my county to upgrade to a battery powered mower.
I went with a 80V Greenworks and can say I'm super happy with the switch. It's a better mower all the way around. It's a better deck than the Husqvarna as it rolls nicer and cuts nicer. The power seems better as well. No fumes, no oil changes, no air filter changes, no gas, etc... I liked it so much I bought their 80V string trimer and blower as well. I thought I was just going green and cleaner, but it feels like a step up to better equipment.
Time will tell if that opinion lasts, but my neighbor has been using Greenworks for several years with no complaints.
2002 Craftsman, I gotta change the blade lol.
2 decade old Craftsman too! I just do a tune up every spring and it fires up 1st pull everytime.
I have my 2008 Honda Engine Craftsman. Still works great. Working the exact same as it did the second season of using it.
Not including the first season, because that bugger was absolutely perfect for me then and nearly perfect for me now. Need to order several parts from a website I discovered. Replacement Parts
2009-ish Craftsman. One blade replacement, but other than that only spark plug replacements, oil changes and filter cleaning/replacement.
Lawn boy silver series of unknown provenance, had it since 2010. Best estimate is produced sometime around 1999-2001. Starting to make a clatter at startup, I think the main shaft bearings are failing.
2004 Honda HRZ216TDA. Just refreshed the oil, air filter, sparkplug and blades. Runs like new.
2015 Husqvarna HU700f
I’ve replaced several worn parts. Last year I thought it had laid down due to shearing of the blade adapter until I found a cure here on Reddit. Before finding the solution I had began shopping around and realized what a crap shoot new mowers seems to be (according to the internet at lease). It makes me cross my fingers for many more years of service to avoid having to pick something new.
both reels are ~2005-2010 rider is a 2015
1998 Craftsman 21". Used at least weekly it's whole life. It's had probably 3 or 4 oil changes, a couple air filters, and one spark plug replacement in that time. Runs perfectly.
Same story with my 2007 Craftsman
2007 Honda with the GCV160 engine. I think I've changed the oil twice.
Right here brother 05 Honda- Oil done once in 2015 and once in 2021
Same, original oil from 2012. Still works and sounds like new. Always a one pull start.
I use a 1 year old Milwaukee M18 cordless for the front yard and trimming. Absolutely love it, cannot recommend it highly enough.
I have a ~3 year old Deere Z730M that is used on the rest of the yard, however, I’m a little underwhelmed with the zero turn experience. YMMV, it’s just not for me for a variety of reasons. That’s why I traded it in towards an X584 Deere which has yet to be delivered. Looking forward to getting back to the “Hank Hill” experience of mowing.
I’ve got a 2020 toro 22” recycler with the personal pace. Love it. I had been looking for a gently used one in the $50-100 range and couldn’t find one, bought one new then of course the very next week there were for sale on craigslist that I’d have happily jumped on… 😂 oh well. I’ve only done oil and blades so far.
I have a 2017 Craftsman garden tractor that I beat on.
but I mow with a 2023 Honda HRX. It was missing the air cleaner cover and filter. I asked Lowes how much for it and was told $250, so I jumped on it.
16 year old Honda HRX. Runs like a champ.
Same here. She’s a beast and the cut is great!
1985
JD walk-behind mower. I was discussing with my wife how long we had it, went back to the paperwork. I bought it in 2005. To be fair, we lived in the Chicago burbs for 5 years in a house that didn’t have a lawn so it wasn’t used for that time frame.
Six months. When Home Depot will sell a $6K mower for $500, you get a new one.
2010.... half of the mowers where i live are newer and the other half are older....not many have mowers in that middle spot it seems