Buying Advice Sick and tired of low quality riding lawnmowers

[D2Cat]

Interesting comments about corporations and how they focus on profits not longevity. Be interesting to see how many of the complainers look into any of their instruments of investments to see if that side of the equation suits them! They probably complain the percentage of gain isn't large enough. Can't have it both ways.

 

[ETD66SS]

Interesting comments about corporations and how they focus on profits not longevity. Be interesting to see how many of the complainers look into any of their instruments of investments to see if that side of the equation suits them! They probably complain the percentage of gain isn't large enough. Can't have it both ways.

I work in a design/manufacturing environment as a mechanical design engineer. Lately, it definitely seems the corporate bottom line/making the books look good for bankers is all that matters, delivering a quality product is slipping down the priority list. As an engineer I can only fight that so much without losing my job. The biggest problem faced lately is sourcing electrical/mechanical components like servo motors etc. All that production is being moved to China, and we are definitely seeing a huge drop in quality and reliability, which in turn affects the quality and uptime capabilities of the machines we deliver. I really hate what globalization and just-in-time manufacturing has done to the quality of products available to consumers, it's disgusting, all while gutting our middle class to support people in China, who in turn steal our IP.

That bending starter shaft on the Kohler engine is exactly what happens when a corporation prioritizes the bottom line over quality.

 

[nards444]

I work in a design/manufacturing environment as a mechanical design engineer. Lately, it definitely seems the corporate bottom line/making the books look good for bankers is all that matters, delivering a quality product is slipping down the priority list. As an engineer I can only fight that so much without losing my job. The biggest problem faced lately is sourcing electrical/mechanical components like servo motors etc. All that production is being moved to China, and we are definitely seeing a huge drop in quality and reliability, which in turn affects the quality and uptime capabilities of the machines we deliver. I really hate what globalization and just-in-time manufacturing has done to the quality of products available to consumers, it's disgusting, all while gutting our middle class to support people in China, who in turn steal our IP.

That bending starter shaft on the Kohler engine is exactly what happens when a corporation prioritizes the bottom line over quality.

Part of it is a dog chasing its tail. yes its about profit and satisfying shareholders and yes that is some of us even here on this site even though many may not know that.

The bigger thing is things simply are not made to last, but things are also made to be affordable and so everybody can have one. Part of the equation is wages have increased and wages in third world countries are increasingly rising as well, which makes products more expensive. With that said most companies will tell you they dont make things to last forever anymore, they simply can not afford nor can their customers. Customers dont want to pay 50k for a 25hp tractor they just wont. Other things to look at our electronics, TV,s washers dryers most companies if they are honest will tell you their shelf life is 5-10 years that is it. But the flip side of the coin is I can go walmart tomorrow and buy a 60in TV for 500 bucks, in the 80s my parents 30in RCA that is still alive and kicking was 1200 bucks.

 

[Teachu2]

I'm disappointed that Husqvarna seems to have parted ways with Kawasaki - I'm very happy with mine. Then again, my needs are completely different than the OP's.

For flat lawns, the K46 is enough. If Dad wears it out in 8-10 years, buy another one. Take him to Home Depot or Lowe's or Sears, get it done, and move on.

 

[searcyfarms]

the easiest way to answer that is the older garden tractors that people used for lawn mowers were all built heavier - lawn tractors are much cheaper, you used to be able to buy a craftsman/wards/gibson/ford/wheel horse/cub etc.... and they were 95% built for stout and going to last a LONG time = 20yrs if you took care of them, now you will likely get a 5 yr mower if you take care of it, many of the various bushings are metal on metal or plastic inserts - you have to spend $$$ to get better and know what you are looking at - very few are able to be lubed - steering gears cheap or the bushings holding shaft wear/frame etc....just disposable etc.....same as cheap zero turns that use inexpensive hydro motors that dont last - blah blah - even my john deere hydro is cheap, you can buy a replacement for 300bucks and it was a 5000K mower when new - you have to be in the 6 to 8K range to even sniff a descent mower these days and more like 10K if you want all the stuff an older tractor offered.

Example, 1997 Ford GT75 made by shibaura - Japan - they ran 9K back then = power steering, hydraulic lift, dual range hydro, cruise control, tilt wheel, spring loaded seat, 3cyl diesel, drive shaft from engine to hydro, drive shaft to gearbox on deck from engine, honestly they will last a lifetime - many others like it i just use it because i am familiar as i have owned one - best mower ive ever owned as far as reliability. Built like a stinkn tank but I could barely lift the 60" deck and wrestle it out from under the tractor, it was a beast truly.

you will have to search long/hard to find tractor style mowers these days like the older deere/cub/wheel horse/ford etc....and pay a premium for them most have been replaced by SCUT these days - riding mowers are mainly made disposable nowdays like washing machines/dryers/refrigerators etc......

 

[nards444]

the easiest way to answer that is the older garden tractors that people used for lawn mowers were all built heavier - lawn tractors are much cheaper, you used to be able to buy a craftsman/wards/gibson/ford/wheel horse/cub etc.... and they were 95% built for stout and going to last a LONG time = 20yrs if you took care of them, now you will likely get a 5 yr mower if you take care of it, many of the various bushings are metal on metal or plastic inserts - you have to spend $$$ to get better and know what you are looking at - very few are able to be lubed - steering gears cheap or the bushings holding shaft wear/frame etc....just disposable etc.....same as cheap zero turns that use inexpensive hydro motors that dont last - blah blah - even my john deere hydro is cheap, you can buy a replacement for 300bucks and it was a 5000K mower when new - you have to be in the 6 to 8K range to even sniff a descent mower these days and more like 10K if you want all the stuff an older tractor offered.

Example, 1997 Ford GT75 made by shibaura - Japan - they ran 9K back then = power steering, hydraulic lift, dual range hydro, cruise control, tilt wheel, spring loaded seat, 3cyl diesel, drive shaft from engine to hydro, drive shaft to gearbox on deck from engine, honestly they willView attachment 612155View attachment 612156 last a lifetime - many others like it i just use it because i am familiar as i have owned one - best mower ive ever owned as far as reliability. Built like a stinkn tank but I could barely lift the 60" deck and wrestle it out from under the tractor, it was a beast truly.

you will have to search long/hard to find tractor style mowers these days like the older deere/cub/wheel horse/ford etc....and pay a premium for them most have been replaced by SCUT these days - riding mowers are mainly made disposable nowdays like washing machines/dryers/refrigerators etc......

good bad indifferent we are a disposable economy, i think people have a hard time excepting that at times, and sometimes it can be frustrating as well. But I also think if you really think about purchases, look at the short and end game, price to purchase and cost to maintain, sometimes the disposable route can be more beneficial. Frankly most of the time the disposable stuff does the same job and sometimes better, the issue is it wont last as long.

Its all perspective. I chuckle at the guys that buy 10k lawn mowers for an acre or less of lawn or even more. I was quoted 150 bucks to do by 2 acres, my lawn probably needs to be mowed 12 times a year, thats 1800 a year. Take me well over 5 years with a 10k mower and gas, break fixes to break even rather than have somebody else do it. Then I think about the guy that could have somebody else mow the lawn for 50-100 bucks a time, your talking a decades worth of mowing to break even on the deal.

 

[ETD66SS]

I'm disappointed that Husqvarna seems to have parted ways with Kawasaki - I'm very happy with mine. Then again, my needs are completely different than the OP's.

For flat lawns, the K46 is enough. If Dad wears it out in 8-10 years, buy another one. Take him to Home Depot or Lowe's or Sears, get it done, and move on.

Thing is, it seems like Husqvarna is not the only one. Cub Cadet and Simplicity no longer offer Kawasaki's. I'm almost wondering if JD entered into some kind of exclusivity deal with Kawasaki.

 

[RickB]

Thing is, it seems like Husqvarna is not the only one. Cub Cadet and Simplicity no longer offer Kawasaki's. I'm almost wondering if JD entered into some kind of exclusivity deal with Kawasaki.

Hardly. Kubota, BobCat and others use Kawis.

 

[ETD66SS]

Hardly. Kubota, BobCat and others use Kawis.

Huh, then kinda weird that so many stopped offering them for their 2019 models.

I heard that for 2020 Husqvarna will offer Yamaha engines.

 

[cdb2]

I think it is more of an issue that corporations don't even consider delivering the kind of durability/repairability that existed in the past, whether or not consumers want it. It's just not in their best business interest. Consumers' wants/needs don't drive the market 100%, in fact I'd say corporate business practices have more of an influence over the market than consumers. If they can get away with selling disposable products, they will continue to push that and not even consider actual durability. Durability would hurt their bottom line.

That doesn't make much sense to me. These companies are all in the business of satisfying market demand while turning a profit. Speculating that there is a demand for a product with the durability/reliability that you are describing, at a price point that can be met more profitably than their current production, but that no company is interested in satisfying that demand and making that profit - that would be a pretty glaring inefficiency in the market. Seems unlikely to me.

But the beauty of the free market is that you don't have to be bound by what other people choose to produce. If you really think this market exists, then it's a golden opportunity to "put your money where you mouth is" so-to-speak and start making and selling these machines!