s219
Super Member
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2011
- Messages
- 8,608
- Location
- Virginia USA
- Tractor
- Kubota L3200, Deere X380, Kubota RTV-X
I have a 12 year old Honda self-propelled mower that runs and works great, and has always started on the first pull. Unfortunately, the deck is rusting through in several spots quite badly, and I don't think it will last much beyond this summer (really -- it's about to start sagging under its own weight). It also needs new rear wheels and I would put a new belt on it and replace a few other parts if I have it apart to put a new deck on.
All the parts will cost about $200, and it will probably take me a few hours to tear the mower down and move everything over to a new deck. Might run into some other parts that need replacing, and I expect I'll need to get a lot of new nuts/bolts from the hardware store along the way. I'm thinking the mower probably has another 8 years left in it if I assume a 20 year life for the motor (just a guess), but who knows. I did put a new transmission in the mower three years ago for about $125.
I can get a new model of the same mower for $400, or get a better model with a plastic deck for $600 (which makes more sense given my experience with the steel deck -- if I had spent money for the plastic deck 12 years ago, we wouldn't be having this discussion!).
In terms of overall cost over the long run, all the options work out about the same, since the new mowers would buy me more years of service down the road.
I really don't know if it makes sense to put a new deck on this mower and hope I get many more years out of it, or just wait until the deck gives out and buy a new one. The motor still runs great, and I like the idea of fixing what I have, but with a parts cost that's half the price of a new mower, I am wondering. If this was a tractor, I'd use it as an excuse to get a new one, but a push mower isn't real exciting to me.
Anybody have advice?
thanks,
219
All the parts will cost about $200, and it will probably take me a few hours to tear the mower down and move everything over to a new deck. Might run into some other parts that need replacing, and I expect I'll need to get a lot of new nuts/bolts from the hardware store along the way. I'm thinking the mower probably has another 8 years left in it if I assume a 20 year life for the motor (just a guess), but who knows. I did put a new transmission in the mower three years ago for about $125.
I can get a new model of the same mower for $400, or get a better model with a plastic deck for $600 (which makes more sense given my experience with the steel deck -- if I had spent money for the plastic deck 12 years ago, we wouldn't be having this discussion!).
In terms of overall cost over the long run, all the options work out about the same, since the new mowers would buy me more years of service down the road.
I really don't know if it makes sense to put a new deck on this mower and hope I get many more years out of it, or just wait until the deck gives out and buy a new one. The motor still runs great, and I like the idea of fixing what I have, but with a parts cost that's half the price of a new mower, I am wondering. If this was a tractor, I'd use it as an excuse to get a new one, but a push mower isn't real exciting to me.
Anybody have advice?
thanks,
219
