Looking for a new Mower looking to simplify

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Dupree

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Ok so I am looking for a new mower. I am looking to simplify my life lol I always have too much [censored] to do, one of those items being repair my box store riding tractor. I have a lot of lawn but its a pain to use the rider with all the curves and such and the lawn always seems mowed half-way since there are always strips of lawn showing unmowed needing trimmed. I am looking to replace it with a self propelled walk behind push mower.

I have narrowed it down I think to two mowers;

http://www.costco.com/Powerstroke-21-in.-Lawn-Mower-with-Subaru-Engine.product.100241972.html


http://www.ariens.com/en-us/walk-behind-mowers/razor

model 911188


these seem to be a high end consumer grade mowers well i'm guessing more the ariens than the costco one, But I am partial to a subaru engine, what do you all think and any other suggestions ? I am wanting more reliability then what my box store riding tractor has given me, but don't really want to exceed 500-ish dollars, its a lawn mower after all not something fun like a gun lol
 
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How much mowable area do you have? I had an acre and I was spending 4 hours a day with a push mower, and was falling behind in the spring season...

I had good luck with a John Deere, flawless for 3 years then only needed new belts. Of course I did several OCs.
laugh.gif
 
Go with a wider deck if the weight isn't a problem. I used to mow my lawn with a 20in deck and then upgraded to a 22in deck and it really did save a lot of time.

And go with rear propelled wheels if you have to deal with hills.
 
I have a job so I pay a guy. It's cheaper than buying zero turn + maintenance + gas.
 
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Are Subaru small engines as reliable as a Honda?


Most small engine brands have good and bad versions/models. For instance, I would not buy a B&S unless it was their Vanguard model. I have a Subaru Robin on a pressure washer, and I would say it has been reliable, but does not run as smooth or start as easy as the good versions of Honda or Kawasaki.
 
Dupree,

Go on Craigslist and buy a used commercial walk behind with a 32", 36" or 48" deck. Most are Kawasaki powered. Buy a hydro model if you can afford it. You can pick up a belt drive model for 500 to 1000 bucks. Avoid the mower at all costs if it has a 33" deck, those are all light duty AYP mowers regardless of what brand it says it is on the mower.
 
Used commercial is a good idea.

If my choice is just the two mowers the OP listed, none of them. Defiantly NOT the Subaru. The other one is 159cc, so it's probably a Honda GX clone, a very good engine.

Find a gently used Toro Super Recycler on Craigslist for under $300 and it will be the best 21 inch mower you will ever own. Or a new one for $550. Puts those other two mowers to shame.
 
so your telling me a toro with either an entry level kohler or briggs consumer motor or for more a honda gcv entry level consumer motor superceds a subaru robin entry level commercial motor. or a chinese clone of a gx series a direct competitor to the subaru, I find there is some misinformation in this thread. I dont want opnion rather a professional with hands on experience. I have a toro recycler with a tecumseh motor, wasnt a bad chassis motor was fair went about 5 years before it was falling apart. I can buy it beating the costco as it seems off brand but have a hard time swallowing an ariens chassis with a commercial motor is inferior, short of going prograde toro which steps out of the 500 dollar cap
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Find a gently used Toro Super Recycler on Craigslist for under $300 and it will be the best 21 inch mower you will ever own. Or a new one for $550. Puts those other two mowers to shame.

I owned one of these, with the B&S engine. While the engine ran great and always started right up, the RWD system was a mixed bag. Yes, it helped it go since it was fairly heavy, but it would always leave tracks in my lawn that would not easily go away. Possibly the drive wheels were slightly ripping the grass as they were passing, so the grass had a hard time bouncing back afterwards. Not sure if this is an issue with all RWD mowers or just this Toro one. It had fairly small wheels, and maybe that was part of the problem, too. Next time I'm buying a mower, it's going to have large wheels.
 
I am not against a Honda I have owned the gcv line, it wasn't a bad mower it was on par with the Tecumseh in the Toro. But it was more of a 5 year lived mower.
I am looking for something closer to prosumer... I have a power rake I bought for my teenager and he ran a power rake business for a time so it was used fairly heavy, a Bluebird with a Subaru robin engine, it is 10 years old and still runs tops, i'm looking for better like that something less consumer.
If I was going Honda it would have to be gsx or gxv line,
I think its safe to say the Ariens superior to the Costcos mower chassis wise. I was just hoping there are some lawn care experts out there that could chime in on something competitive in that price range in a entry level commercial or prosumer ie high end consumer end of the spectrum weighing in at 500 ish. I would prefer self propelled but it isn't necessarily a deal breaker without it. front or rear drive isn't too worry some as I have only one hill I can deal with either.
 
I've owned a single 6.5 HP robin-subaru engine on a home-built generator. I found it to be as good as the honda engines, with more metal. it even had a 2-staged time ignition which retarded the spark below 1800 rpm. it was a very well-built engine. I would see the subaru as an equal or even slightly better than a honda GX. I have owned both and had no trouble from either.
 
Originally Posted By: meep
I've owned a single 6.5 HP robin-subaru engine on a home-built generator. I found it to be as good as the honda engines, with more metal. it even had a 2-staged time ignition which retarded the spark below 1800 rpm. it was a very well-built engine. I would see the subaru as an equal or even slightly better than a honda GX. I have owned both and had no trouble from either.


that's exactly my thought, the honda gx seemed smoother and easier starting but the subaru more well built. I have yet to see a honda gx powered mower for the 500 price just figured id post here and see if anyone knew of one or a good place to buy mowers online
 
If your intent is to spend up to $500 on a ~21" mower, I would not buy either listed in the fist post. Get a decent Toro, Honda, Ariens or Snapper from a dealer or mail-order.
 
I bought a nice RWD Toro from Home Depot with a 190cc Briggs on it and it's been fantastic. The personal pace self drive is a solid unit, and the engine fires up and runs very nicely. Good gas, clean oil, and a sharp blade should keep it mowing for a very long time. Also $399. I wouldn't spend more than that on a push mower, even a Honda.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Toro-Recycler...20340/206509121
 
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