Should I replace my lawn mower or get it fixed?

Matteo M

My 7-year-old Toro self-propelled lawn mower's cord is off so the self-propelled part doesn't work, the engine will no longer start (it wasn't fully engaged last time I used it... it was running slow and loud with a lot of smoke and used a lot of gasoline). The last time I got my mower serviced it was over $100. The newer model Toro is $350-$400.

At this point should I just buy a new one with all those problems?

Answer
7 Years for a mower is great.

It sounds like it is time for a new mower.

If you buy the new mower will you get 7 Years out of it? That is hard to tell.

Mower Selector Helper
Answer these questions and we will help you select the Toro® mower
that is just right for you.

How big is the area you mow?
Under 1/4 acre
1/4 acre to 1/2 acre
1/2 acre or more

How often do you bag your grass clippings or bag leaves?
Never bag
Sometimes bag
Always bag

Do you prefer to push the mower or would you rather the mower be self-propelled?
Push
Self propelled
Doesn't matter

Would you prefer to pull a cord to start the mower (recoil) or an electric start?
Recoil
Electric
Doesn't matter

What type of lawn mower do you recommend?

Q. I have a small back yard (20' x 30') and love the way the grass looks once it has been cut with a gas lawn mower. However, I want to get rid of the gas mower and considering a reel or electric mower. Would the reel mower give it the same look as the gas mower does? I have Zoysia grass. Opinions?? Thanks!

Answer
I highly recommend a McLane 17" front throw reel mower. With the grass catcher. http://buyapushmower.com/2009/12/21/mclane-17-inch-7-blade-front-throw-17-ph-7/
I've been using mine for over 7 years and is without a doubt the best reel mower out there. Easy to push and maintain. I Never use a rotary mower on zoysia grass. I own a maintenance company and only mow properties with Bermuda, zoysia, or paspalum grasses. It's perfect for areas I can't get a heavy mower into. My zoysia grass is maintained at 350 mm.
You will be able to get a closer, or lower elevated cut on your zoysia, which in my opinion looks better. You will be able to scalp your grass at the lowest setting to dethatch your lawn when needed also.
The first few cuts will be a learning experience and there will be bald spots on any areas where the soil is not level under the grass. Rolling it will solve that problem.

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is this normal? or did i get a bad LAWN MOWER?

Nikon Rook

please bear with me......

last fall i bought a brand new mower, and an expensive one at that

craftsman mower, braggs & stratton with 7 foot pounds of torque self propelled

i thought my days of clumps and bagging were over

i just mowed my lawn, it has been very rainy here but the grass, though not dry, i didn't think was really saturated or anything, certainly dry enough for a mower of that power to handle it, or so i thought

it stalled out twice due to clumps of grass under the mower, even when i put the bag on it wouldn't work because it couldn't throw the grass in the bag.

i paid about $350 bucks for this thing

is that normal or did i get ripped off?

Answer
That is normal with wet grass, especially if you are using a mulching blade.

If you are going to cut wet grass often, put on a regular blade which has a much smaller cutting surface and directs the cut grass downward away from the blade.

How can someone under 16 make money?

I really want a new computer. Its going to cost me about 850$ i can probably get $350 of that from relatives/mom. I'm still $500 short and wandering how i could make that? I'm good with computers, and don't really live in place where i can mow lawns, or baby sit, or do the "stereotypical" jobs of a 14 year old. Most of which are like things you probably did as a kid and are irrelevant...(no one hires a 14 year old to mow the lawn when they can hire professional mowers that have a fancy riding lawn mower, and will do it for the same price, do a better job, and faster). Or like babysitting for example, people are so paranoid these days that there is no way they would leave their beloved child with a 14 year old for a couple hours... Just trying to kill some of the 25 replies I'm going to get saying Babysit/Chores/Mow lawns/paper boy Etc.


Any Tips/Ideas of how i can make some cash would be greatly appreciated!

Prefer something i can do online.

Answer
Check out a site called cashcrate. com. I made nearly 90 bucks with them in one month, just from filling out offers and surveys. Check it out, and sign up below if it sounds interesting.

I know I'm glad I did -- I'm on my way to over $100 in a little more than a month.

http://www.cashcrate. com/1804165
Thanks

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is it possible for me to buy a house?

caliigirrl

i am 20 yrs old..i work full time $16/hr mon-fri, ive worked there for 2.5 years. i have "good" credit. and im wondering if its possible to be qualified to buy a $350,000 house. its one of those things where if i dont try, ill never knw. but would i hurt my credit applying? is this possible?

Answer
Not only will you not qualify under today's terms, but buying a house of that price on your income could potentially wreck your entire financial future. There is no need for a house that expensive and just think of all the bills that come with a house - utilities, property taxes, repairs, more furniture, lawn mower, etc.

Do not apply as it will get rejected and a "rejection" will show on your credit history. I would say save up and make sure you have AT LEAST 20% down and don't buy a house that's more than 4 times your pre-tax income.

What expenses should I plan for when moving into a house?

nemahknatu

I am in a dorm room now, the rent is ~$5600/year. The guy with the house is asking $375/person/month (3 people) and he will cover the utilities. Cable internet/tv is extra ($80 which will be split b/t at least 2 of us=>just under $30 each up to $40 each), and it is 15 minutes from campus (@ 40mph). I get pretty good gas mileage, but even one trip to campus and back per day 5 days a week would mean an extra $32.44/month and that is using my highway mpg rather than in-town mpg (which would raise the price). I'm not sure whether he would make us keep up the lawn (mowing, etc.). Do you think he would expect that of us? If he does, then we would either have to do it ourselves (and buy gas, a lawn mower, etc.), or we would have to pay someone to do it (twice a month for 1/3 of the year means $160/year=$13.33/month). Do you think my estimations are reasonable, and what would be any other expenses that I would have to pay for (excluding groceries)? Would it be worth it?

Answer
Probably not worth it...here's the math:
$375/mo * 12 mo (unless your lease is less) = $4500
cable @ $40/mo * 12 = $480
gas @35/mo (and let's be honest, even though I live 15 min from campus, I spend closer to $70 on gas most months thanks to high prices) so assume $60/mo *12 = $720
you must specify in the lease who is respoinsble for upkeep of the house...if it is you then another $160-200/yr
also, include the cost of a commuter parking pass for the campus...usually runs about $350-400 a semester (at least from colleges I've been to) so that's another $800 a year or so
PLUS some colleges charge more tuition if you are living off campus so also consider that...

total that would be: $6700 on the high end... (plus any extra tuition)

also consider that he might mean utilities to be JUST: HOA (housing fees, taxes), water, sewage, trash and not include gas and electricity in there...

Although I love living in my apartment now, as an undergraduate living in the dorms was the smartest idea...you are close to friends for help with homework, you have fast internet, you can get to class regardless of weather issues, you don't have to deal with mail, packages, lease problems, broken things, etc...

I'd recommend living in the dorms as an undergrad and striking out on your own after that.

good luck and I hope this helped (I did consider this myself as a senior in college but I'm glad I stayed in the dorms)

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is it possible for me to buy a house?

caliigirrl

i am 20 yrs old..i work full time $16/hr mon-fri, ive worked there for 2.5 years. i have "good" credit. and im wondering if its possible to be qualified to buy a $350,000 house. its one of those things where if i dont try, ill never knw. but would i hurt my credit applying? is this possible?

Answer
Not only will you not qualify under today's terms, but buying a house of that price on your income could potentially wreck your entire financial future. There is no need for a house that expensive and just think of all the bills that come with a house - utilities, property taxes, repairs, more furniture, lawn mower, etc.

Do not apply as it will get rejected and a "rejection" will show on your credit history. I would say save up and make sure you have AT LEAST 20% down and don't buy a house that's more than 4 times your pre-tax income.

What expenses should I plan for when moving into a house?

nemahknatu

I am in a dorm room now, the rent is ~$5600/year. The guy with the house is asking $375/person/month (3 people) and he will cover the utilities. Cable internet/tv is extra ($80 which will be split b/t at least 2 of us=>just under $30 each up to $40 each), and it is 15 minutes from campus (@ 40mph). I get pretty good gas mileage, but even one trip to campus and back per day 5 days a week would mean an extra $32.44/month and that is using my highway mpg rather than in-town mpg (which would raise the price). I'm not sure whether he would make us keep up the lawn (mowing, etc.). Do you think he would expect that of us? If he does, then we would either have to do it ourselves (and buy gas, a lawn mower, etc.), or we would have to pay someone to do it (twice a month for 1/3 of the year means $160/year=$13.33/month). Do you think my estimations are reasonable, and what would be any other expenses that I would have to pay for (excluding groceries)? Would it be worth it?

Answer
Probably not worth it...here's the math:
$375/mo * 12 mo (unless your lease is less) = $4500
cable @ $40/mo * 12 = $480
gas @35/mo (and let's be honest, even though I live 15 min from campus, I spend closer to $70 on gas most months thanks to high prices) so assume $60/mo *12 = $720
you must specify in the lease who is respoinsble for upkeep of the house...if it is you then another $160-200/yr
also, include the cost of a commuter parking pass for the campus...usually runs about $350-400 a semester (at least from colleges I've been to) so that's another $800 a year or so
PLUS some colleges charge more tuition if you are living off campus so also consider that...

total that would be: $6700 on the high end... (plus any extra tuition)

also consider that he might mean utilities to be JUST: HOA (housing fees, taxes), water, sewage, trash and not include gas and electricity in there...

Although I love living in my apartment now, as an undergraduate living in the dorms was the smartest idea...you are close to friends for help with homework, you have fast internet, you can get to class regardless of weather issues, you don't have to deal with mail, packages, lease problems, broken things, etc...

I'd recommend living in the dorms as an undergrad and striking out on your own after that.

good luck and I hope this helped (I did consider this myself as a senior in college but I'm glad I stayed in the dorms)

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is this normal? or did i get a bad LAWN MOWER?

best lawn mower under $350 image

Paul O'Wee

please bear with me......

last fall i bought a brand new mower, and an expensive one at that

craftsman mower, braggs & stratton with 7 foot pounds of torque self propelled

i thought my days of clumps and bagging were over

i just mowed my lawn, it has been very rainy here but the grass, though not dry, i didn't think was really saturated or anything, certainly dry enough for a mower of that power to handle it, or so i thought

it stalled out twice due to clumps of grass under the mower, even when i put the bag on it wouldn't work because it couldn't throw the grass in the bag.

i paid about $350 bucks for this thing

is that normal or did i get ripped off?

Answer
That is normal with wet grass, especially if you are using a mulching blade.

If you are going to cut wet grass often, put on a regular blade which has a much smaller cutting surface and directs the cut grass downward away from the blade.

Buying house...needs your help?

Sasha P

Hello All,

I have upto $50000 savings with me and looking for good house worth $350,000 under FHA loan.

Can you please tell me if this is good decision to buy house with this much balance in my account. What are the initial household expenses we incur when we buy house first time?

I don't have any other debt on me apart from bills and groceries.

Thanks in advance
Hello LA boston girl,

Thanks for your response. I did the math according to your directions.

If I take house worth $350,000 under FHA then with 5% I would pay $17500, HOA $500, Insurance $1500 Annually, Closing cost $5000 which totals upto 24500. I am planning to buy a house of 1500 sq.ft.

Apart from this, is there any other legal cost that I would incur at the time of buying? Yes I would compromise on the buying stuff for house in the beginning.


Thanks again.

Answer
Depends on what lifestyle you want, where your home is located, what's your property tax rate, do you have an HOA to pay and what's the square footage of the home, do you intend on staying there more than 3-5 years? Will you be paying the mortgage on one income or two and how stable are both jobs?

Buying a home is a personal decision. What are your goals and why do you want to buy a home? Are you looking for an investment or are you needing to buy a home so you can start a family, reduce your AGI?

In today's market I would NOT buy a $350,000 home with only $50,000 on hand IF I had only one income that's under $100k annually.

Let's figure this out - If you put 10% down plus closing costs you're going to pay approx $45,000. Assuming you're not paying points. This only leaves you with $5000 in the bank. Unless you do a piggy back loan you will have to pay PMI for not putting 20% down.

Then there's furniture, do you have anything to furnish your house with or do you plan to start shopping to fill your home?

You will have to set up your utilities, security alarm company etc and of course if you haven't owned a home before you'll have to buy standard things like: lawn mower, edger, ladder, 36 gallon trash bin and all those lawn keeping tools that maybe you didn't need while living in an apartment. Also if you live in an HOA community, you will have to maintain your lawn or risk receiving "fines".

Don't forget homeowner's insurance and curtains or mini-blinds if the home is brand new. Depending on how large your house is it could cost you a few thousand dollars. Also consider if you are buying an older home - you'll want at least $5000 in the bank to do repairs once you settle into your home and notice a few critical things that require immediate fixing.

If your household income is over $100k then you could make it if you know for certain you will not become unemployed within the next few years. Just don't go crazy on furniture shopping and live frugally. Again if your job is not stable you should have 6-8 months of salary in liquid cash.

Be sure to find out if you will be paying HOA dues and how often have they increased over the past 2 years. Some locations in California charge $300 - $1000 for the monthly HOA. In Texas you also have to factor in outrageous property tax rates. On a $350k home you'd be paying about $9000 a year in property tax.

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Suggestions on a good lawn mower?

best lawn mower under $350 image

Kristen L

Hello, I need to buy a lawn mower for my yard. My yard is under an acre but is sloped in the front and has a slight hill in the back yard area. Most of the yard is grass and not tree, so there is a substantial amount of grass to mow. We now have a service that does it for us, but to cut costs and get exercise I am now looking for a new mower. my question is..what are the best brands of mowers that I can get affordably? I need one that is self propelled due to the hills and a side mulcher instead of a bagger would be helpful. I have looked into Lawnboy and craftsman and unsure of the quality. I would love to own a ride on mower however they are too pricey and my range is more like 350 and under. Also any tips if I try to find a used machine as far as what to look for? I have been looking at Home Depot, Lowes, Sears, and Walmart..unsure where it is best to buy one. Any suggestions or ideas are appreciated. Thanks!

Answer
Toro Self Pace mower is the best thing out here in my opinion. My yard is about the same size as yours and I love it. It adjusts to what ever speed you want to walk, it is a mulcher, side discharge, and bagger all in one. Everyone sells them, If you have a Costco membership, they have it now.

Also when I do my yard it is equivelent to walking 3.5 miles... great exercise...

How can someone under 16 make money?

I really want a new computer. Its going to cost me about 850$ i can probably get $350 of that from relatives/mom. I'm still $500 short and wandering how i could make that? I'm good with computers, and don't really live in place where i can mow lawns, or baby sit, or do the "stereotypical" jobs of a 14 year old. Most of which are like things you probably did as a kid and are irrelevant...(no one hires a 14 year old to mow the lawn when they can hire professional mowers that have a fancy riding lawn mower, and will do it for the same price, do a better job, and faster). Or like babysitting for example, people are so paranoid these days that there is no way they would leave their beloved child with a 14 year old for a couple hours... Just trying to kill some of the 25 replies I'm going to get saying Babysit/Chores/Mow lawns/paper boy Etc.


Any Tips/Ideas of how i can make some cash would be greatly appreciated!

Prefer something i can do online.

Answer
Check out a site called cashcrate. com. I made nearly 90 bucks with them in one month, just from filling out offers and surveys. Check it out, and sign up below if it sounds interesting.

I know I'm glad I did -- I'm on my way to over $100 in a little more than a month.

http://www.cashcrate. com/1804165
Thanks

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Should I replace my lawn mower or get it fixed?

best lawn mower under $350 image

Matteo M

My 7-year-old Toro self-propelled lawn mower's cord is off so the self-propelled part doesn't work, the engine will no longer start (it wasn't fully engaged last time I used it... it was running slow and loud with a lot of smoke and used a lot of gasoline). The last time I got my mower serviced it was over $100. The newer model Toro is $350-$400.

At this point should I just buy a new one with all those problems?

Answer
7 Years for a mower is great.

It sounds like it is time for a new mower.

If you buy the new mower will you get 7 Years out of it? That is hard to tell.

Mower Selector Helper
Answer these questions and we will help you select the Toro® mower
that is just right for you.

How big is the area you mow?
Under 1/4 acre
1/4 acre to 1/2 acre
1/2 acre or more

How often do you bag your grass clippings or bag leaves?
Never bag
Sometimes bag
Always bag

Do you prefer to push the mower or would you rather the mower be self-propelled?
Push
Self propelled
Doesn't matter

Would you prefer to pull a cord to start the mower (recoil) or an electric start?
Recoil
Electric
Doesn't matter

is it possible for me to buy a house?

caliigirrl

i am 20 yrs old..i work full time $16/hr mon-fri, ive worked there for 2.5 years. i have "good" credit. and im wondering if its possible to be qualified to buy a $350,000 house. its one of those things where if i dont try, ill never knw. but would i hurt my credit applying? is this possible?

Answer
Not only will you not qualify under today's terms, but buying a house of that price on your income could potentially wreck your entire financial future. There is no need for a house that expensive and just think of all the bills that come with a house - utilities, property taxes, repairs, more furniture, lawn mower, etc.

Do not apply as it will get rejected and a "rejection" will show on your credit history. I would say save up and make sure you have AT LEAST 20% down and don't buy a house that's more than 4 times your pre-tax income.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Buying house...needs your help?

best lawn mower under $350 image

Sasha P

Hello All,

I have upto $50000 savings with me and looking for good house worth $350,000 under FHA loan.

Can you please tell me if this is good decision to buy house with this much balance in my account. What are the initial household expenses we incur when we buy house first time?

I don't have any other debt on me apart from bills and groceries.

Thanks in advance
Hello LA boston girl,

Thanks for your response. I did the math according to your directions.

If I take house worth $350,000 under FHA then with 5% I would pay $17500, HOA $500, Insurance $1500 Annually, Closing cost $5000 which totals upto 24500. I am planning to buy a house of 1500 sq.ft.

Apart from this, is there any other legal cost that I would incur at the time of buying? Yes I would compromise on the buying stuff for house in the beginning.


Thanks again.

Answer
Depends on what lifestyle you want, where your home is located, what's your property tax rate, do you have an HOA to pay and what's the square footage of the home, do you intend on staying there more than 3-5 years? Will you be paying the mortgage on one income or two and how stable are both jobs?

Buying a home is a personal decision. What are your goals and why do you want to buy a home? Are you looking for an investment or are you needing to buy a home so you can start a family, reduce your AGI?

In today's market I would NOT buy a $350,000 home with only $50,000 on hand IF I had only one income that's under $100k annually.

Let's figure this out - If you put 10% down plus closing costs you're going to pay approx $45,000. Assuming you're not paying points. This only leaves you with $5000 in the bank. Unless you do a piggy back loan you will have to pay PMI for not putting 20% down.

Then there's furniture, do you have anything to furnish your house with or do you plan to start shopping to fill your home?

You will have to set up your utilities, security alarm company etc and of course if you haven't owned a home before you'll have to buy standard things like: lawn mower, edger, ladder, 36 gallon trash bin and all those lawn keeping tools that maybe you didn't need while living in an apartment. Also if you live in an HOA community, you will have to maintain your lawn or risk receiving "fines".

Don't forget homeowner's insurance and curtains or mini-blinds if the home is brand new. Depending on how large your house is it could cost you a few thousand dollars. Also consider if you are buying an older home - you'll want at least $5000 in the bank to do repairs once you settle into your home and notice a few critical things that require immediate fixing.

If your household income is over $100k then you could make it if you know for certain you will not become unemployed within the next few years. Just don't go crazy on furniture shopping and live frugally. Again if your job is not stable you should have 6-8 months of salary in liquid cash.

Be sure to find out if you will be paying HOA dues and how often have they increased over the past 2 years. Some locations in California charge $300 - $1000 for the monthly HOA. In Texas you also have to factor in outrageous property tax rates. On a $350k home you'd be paying about $9000 a year in property tax.

Buying a push mower: do you recommend a good one ($400-450), mid-range ($250-350), low-end (<$200), or used?

G

I've done some research on models and ratings, and this is what I'd probably buy in each category::

"Good" ($400-450): John Deere, Honda, or possibly Toro
Mid-Range ($250-350): probably a Lawn Boy
Low-End (under $200): probably a Yard Man
Used: No clue what to expect!

We're a couple in our 50s, own a Minnesota home with a yard that takes about 2 hours to mow, and we don't plan on moving anytime soon. I'm not sure how much difference there is between good models and budget models. In other words, is paying double the price worth it in the long run? What do you think?

Thanks for any advice!
Just to clear up any confusion, I will be buying a walk-behind self-propelled gasoline mower, regardless of which price range.

Answer
I bought a Toro and it was guaranteed to start and was still starting when the body rusted out because I left it out all the time and this is salty south Texas. I bought the same thing, just a new model and it is fine and starts quickly. For $319 thereabouts I got the higher back wheels, it's a three way with bag but like the mulching idea, and it is self propelled. I just have a double lot and it takes me two hours to cut it because I have planted so many things to go around. The self propelled makes it easier on my old bones. The only difference is the new one has smaller big back wheels and I prefer bigger back wheels because I mow over a lot of stuff. I've had cheaper ones and I end up having to have them serviced every year and so end up paying about the same but more hassle for the cheaper ones. They only won't start when the grass is way tall. . .I've always bought the cheap ones and threw them away but I like the self propelled and I like having a more powerful better machine. I got it at Home Depot and it was on sale. Sometimes they offer an extra year warranty on the starting but it comes with a two year guaranteed to start. It's worth the $ for the quality, the goodies and it lasts longer. . .

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Buying house...needs your help?

best lawn mower under $350 image

Sasha P

Hello All,

I have upto $50000 savings with me and looking for good house worth $350,000 under FHA loan.

Can you please tell me if this is good decision to buy house with this much balance in my account. What are the initial household expenses we incur when we buy house first time?

I don't have any other debt on me apart from bills and groceries.

Thanks in advance
Hello LA boston girl,

Thanks for your response. I did the math according to your directions.

If I take house worth $350,000 under FHA then with 5% I would pay $17500, HOA $500, Insurance $1500 Annually, Closing cost $5000 which totals upto 24500. I am planning to buy a house of 1500 sq.ft.

Apart from this, is there any other legal cost that I would incur at the time of buying? Yes I would compromise on the buying stuff for house in the beginning.


Thanks again.

Answer
Depends on what lifestyle you want, where your home is located, what's your property tax rate, do you have an HOA to pay and what's the square footage of the home, do you intend on staying there more than 3-5 years? Will you be paying the mortgage on one income or two and how stable are both jobs?

Buying a home is a personal decision. What are your goals and why do you want to buy a home? Are you looking for an investment or are you needing to buy a home so you can start a family, reduce your AGI?

In today's market I would NOT buy a $350,000 home with only $50,000 on hand IF I had only one income that's under $100k annually.

Let's figure this out - If you put 10% down plus closing costs you're going to pay approx $45,000. Assuming you're not paying points. This only leaves you with $5000 in the bank. Unless you do a piggy back loan you will have to pay PMI for not putting 20% down.

Then there's furniture, do you have anything to furnish your house with or do you plan to start shopping to fill your home?

You will have to set up your utilities, security alarm company etc and of course if you haven't owned a home before you'll have to buy standard things like: lawn mower, edger, ladder, 36 gallon trash bin and all those lawn keeping tools that maybe you didn't need while living in an apartment. Also if you live in an HOA community, you will have to maintain your lawn or risk receiving "fines".

Don't forget homeowner's insurance and curtains or mini-blinds if the home is brand new. Depending on how large your house is it could cost you a few thousand dollars. Also consider if you are buying an older home - you'll want at least $5000 in the bank to do repairs once you settle into your home and notice a few critical things that require immediate fixing.

If your household income is over $100k then you could make it if you know for certain you will not become unemployed within the next few years. Just don't go crazy on furniture shopping and live frugally. Again if your job is not stable you should have 6-8 months of salary in liquid cash.

Be sure to find out if you will be paying HOA dues and how often have they increased over the past 2 years. Some locations in California charge $300 - $1000 for the monthly HOA. In Texas you also have to factor in outrageous property tax rates. On a $350k home you'd be paying about $9000 a year in property tax.

Buying a push mower: do you recommend a good one ($400-450), mid-range ($250-350), low-end (<$200), or used?

G

I've done some research on models and ratings, and this is what I'd probably buy in each category::

"Good" ($400-450): John Deere, Honda, or possibly Toro
Mid-Range ($250-350): probably a Lawn Boy
Low-End (under $200): probably a Yard Man
Used: No clue what to expect!

We're a couple in our 50s, own a Minnesota home with a yard that takes about 2 hours to mow, and we don't plan on moving anytime soon. I'm not sure how much difference there is between good models and budget models. In other words, is paying double the price worth it in the long run? What do you think?

Thanks for any advice!
Just to clear up any confusion, I will be buying a walk-behind self-propelled gasoline mower, regardless of which price range.

Answer
I bought a Toro and it was guaranteed to start and was still starting when the body rusted out because I left it out all the time and this is salty south Texas. I bought the same thing, just a new model and it is fine and starts quickly. For $319 thereabouts I got the higher back wheels, it's a three way with bag but like the mulching idea, and it is self propelled. I just have a double lot and it takes me two hours to cut it because I have planted so many things to go around. The self propelled makes it easier on my old bones. The only difference is the new one has smaller big back wheels and I prefer bigger back wheels because I mow over a lot of stuff. I've had cheaper ones and I end up having to have them serviced every year and so end up paying about the same but more hassle for the cheaper ones. They only won't start when the grass is way tall. . .I've always bought the cheap ones and threw them away but I like the self propelled and I like having a more powerful better machine. I got it at Home Depot and it was on sale. Sometimes they offer an extra year warranty on the starting but it comes with a two year guaranteed to start. It's worth the $ for the quality, the goodies and it lasts longer. . .

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