- Joined
- Jul 2, 2007
- Messages
- 5,294
HRR216K9VKA must be a special model for Home Depot, because it doesn't seem to appear on the Honda website. Sales guy said, "try it for 30 days, and if you don't like it bring it back." Also said it may go on sale Labor Day weekend and come back in and get a refund back of the difference between reg and sale price. So that is all good if it works out that way.
About the mower. Replacing a 10 yr old Craftsman (MTD) 21" mulch/bag/discharge w/ Briggs (6hp?) engine push model (non propelled). That one died a sudden death at the hands of it's dork owner me pranging a huge chunk of rip rap (near outlet culvert not showing in pic) and doing internal engine damage. First item of note is that as weird as this sounds, the old Craftsman/MTD put a smoother cut on the lawn. Basing this on a visual check done early morning when the sun is very low and dew is on the grass, etc. With the old mower it would look like a golf course green the next morning-- very razor pruned even cut. Yard is Bermuda by the way (came with the house, not my preferred choice of grass at all). Looking out at the yard this morning it looks well done but there is something about the cut that doesn't have the same razor smooth surface appearance. A little coarser look. In the Honda's defense, this could be due to difference in height adjustment detents of the wheels. The Honda offers six choices, with the two of interest for my lawn being 2.5" and 3". 2.5 was too short and yielded a very slight scalping effect in test areas of side yard. 3" seems just a tad taller than the Craftsman sliced it and with the way Bermuda grass grows if you cut it too tall it doesn't look even/smooth. I can't find the manual to the Craftsman but I suspect it offered a 2.75" height is what I have it on and this mere 1/4" difference may account for the difference in appearance after a fresh mowing. I am only average when it comes to lawn care, so really just shooting from the hip on causes. This lawn has a [censored] ton of slope on the side and on a small strip next to a detention pond the developer crammed in between my house and the next, and the rear drive of the Honda really did assist on manuevering some of that. Pic from earlier in season, to show slope of yard.
About the mower. Replacing a 10 yr old Craftsman (MTD) 21" mulch/bag/discharge w/ Briggs (6hp?) engine push model (non propelled). That one died a sudden death at the hands of it's dork owner me pranging a huge chunk of rip rap (near outlet culvert not showing in pic) and doing internal engine damage. First item of note is that as weird as this sounds, the old Craftsman/MTD put a smoother cut on the lawn. Basing this on a visual check done early morning when the sun is very low and dew is on the grass, etc. With the old mower it would look like a golf course green the next morning-- very razor pruned even cut. Yard is Bermuda by the way (came with the house, not my preferred choice of grass at all). Looking out at the yard this morning it looks well done but there is something about the cut that doesn't have the same razor smooth surface appearance. A little coarser look. In the Honda's defense, this could be due to difference in height adjustment detents of the wheels. The Honda offers six choices, with the two of interest for my lawn being 2.5" and 3". 2.5 was too short and yielded a very slight scalping effect in test areas of side yard. 3" seems just a tad taller than the Craftsman sliced it and with the way Bermuda grass grows if you cut it too tall it doesn't look even/smooth. I can't find the manual to the Craftsman but I suspect it offered a 2.75" height is what I have it on and this mere 1/4" difference may account for the difference in appearance after a fresh mowing. I am only average when it comes to lawn care, so really just shooting from the hip on causes. This lawn has a [censored] ton of slope on the side and on a small strip next to a detention pond the developer crammed in between my house and the next, and the rear drive of the Honda really did assist on manuevering some of that. Pic from earlier in season, to show slope of yard.
