Does anyone rent a push lawn mower for the season?

[mrsilv04]

I didn't realize that this was a thing (and maybe it isn't), but this is what my next door neighbor has done this for two seasons now. He's retired and still wants to mow the yard for exercise, but doesn't want any hassle with maintenance or repairs. His old push mower was beyond repair, and he went to the local Toro dealer to replace it with a new one.

But he didn't come home with a new Toro, he came home with a season long rental mower. The dealer takes their older Toro demo units and the nicer Toro trade-ins that they get, and put them in a rental fleet. He picks up whatever mower that they assign him in the spring, it is clean and freshly serviced with a new blade. He uses it all summer, and then takes it back in the fall when he's done with it for the season. He never has to change the oil, repair it, or sharpen the blade.

Until now, I'd never heard of this before, and was curious as to how widespread this might be.

 

[BMW Dom]

Interesting. I wonder how much something like this cost per year.

 

[FT92]

i never heard of renting a mower, must be something new for sure

 

[supton]

Never heard of it before. But why not? For all I can tell, this particular dealer might be doing this on their own. Maybe take a unit from a prior year that they couldn't sell and then rent out. Or rent with hopes that it might lead to a sale some day. Or just that it's like any other endeavor that nets a profit.

Not saying it's for me, since most of my mowers these days were free (albeit broken and needing some sweat equity, but it's been kinda fun fixing them up, a cheap hobby I guess).

 

[RhondaHonda]

I think it’d have to be real cheap to make sense. A $200 mower will last years with nothing done to it. Smart move by the dealer to make a little extra on an old demo or returned mower if they can.

 

[WylieCoyote]

Interesting. I much rather work on the mower than use it. I take it as a personal challenge to see how long I can make it last. But, our differences make the world go 'round.

 

[fsdork]

Some people place more value than others on convenience and avoiding aggravation. For most, the math on renting a mower just can't make financial sense. For others, burning a few bucks a year in order to take "service the lawnmower" off of the to-do list may look like a good deal. By renting the mower, it is also one less thing to worry about when the time comes to downsize and move into a condo or assisted living facility.

 

[Silverado12]

I get other people's junk and most of the time can get them running for the price of a carb kit. The worst one is my Toro Super Recycler that I had to put $125 into, but it's on its second season and is my favorite mower ever.

 

[BMW Dom]

I get other people's junk and most of the time can get them running for the price of a carb kit. The worst one is my Toro Super Recycler that I had to put $125 into, but it's on its second season and is my favorite mower ever.

I love the Toro Super Recycler. The Personal Pace is very nice.

 

[supton]

I get other people's junk and most of the time can get them running for the price of a carb kit. The worst one is my Toro Super Recycler that I had to put $125 into, but it's on its second season and is my favorite mower ever.

I just picked up a Cub Cadet that supposedly has a bad head gasket (seems to run ok, must be a problem under load I guess, I'm missing one part to attach the deck at the moment so I can't fully test out). I watched how to do a single cylinder engine and it looks like a lot of work--am hoping the twins are easier. If nothing else it'll be a nice weekend project.

 

[Chris Meutsch]

Around here it's $168 for 4 weeks for a push mower. Seems like investing in a cheap one would be the better option.

 

[WylieCoyote]

Around here it's $168 for 4 weeks for a push mower. Seems like investing in a cheap one would be the better option.

Pretty much just like renting an apartment. Some people prefer the low-maintenance approach to life, while we stand back and watch in amazement at their money flying out the window.

 

[MrLemonade]

It would have to be almost free to make sense. Used good mowers are practically free as it is. The last two, my two current excellent push mowers, were exactly that. Free on the side of the road. They're generally under 50 bucks for a good working one all day every day.

Or, hire a kid locally.

I find that mowing grass is more aggravation than anything else. I cannot fathom enjoying it.
If the guy wants exercise, can't he just go do exercise?

 

[supton]

If the guy wants exercise, can't he just go do exercise?

Everything costs money, last I checked. Free lawnmower and not paying for a gym membership and not paying someone else to mow my lawn? Seems to represent a nice low cost way of doing things while killing two birds with one stone. What's not to like?

 

[GSCJR]

You can even rent a shovel!

http://www.dickiemoore.com/en/catalogues/landscaping.pdf

 

[doitmyself]

If the guy wants exercise, can't he just go do exercise?

In my younger, dumber years I had somewhat an opposite opinion. I thought how foolish it was to jog, go to the gym, or otherwise just spend time exercising for the sake of exercise, without really accomplishing anything (measurable work, i.e., cutting and splitting firewood). Worse yet, "waste" your time exercising, then BUY your split firewood, LOL.

I now know better. People all walk in different moccasins, have different values, and derive different experiences from activities, thoughts, etc..

 

[ecotourist]

If the guy wants exercise, can't he just go do exercise?

I'm just the opposite. I can't imagine paying someone to mow my lawn and then heading off to the gym to exercise.

And anyway I'm too cheap to do that. To quote Mr Money Mustache, "A millionaire is made $10 at a time." Works for me.

 

[Leo99]

Around here it's $168 for 4 weeks for a push mower. Seems like investing in a cheap one would be the better option.

That's expensive. How much would it cost to pay someone to cut your grass for you? I don't pay much more than that for my landscapers to mow and edge.

 

[BMW Dom]

That's expensive. How much would it cost to pay someone to cut your grass for you? I don't pay much more than that for my landscapers to mow and edge.

Depends on the yard size and the area. Landscapers near me charge about 30-40 dollars a cut.

So it would be cheaper to just hire someone, if you didn't have a huge yard.

 

[CatCam2]

My neighbor does -- I think she was checking the gas in this pic!