Petrol Lawnmowers - new vs old

Hi folks

I need to get a lawnmower. I've got two "lawns" and a whole load of paths to cut. None of it is particularly flat, and it's not really a lawn as such - more just an area of grass! So no need for it to look like Wembley, no need for stripes, etc Up until not I've been doing it with a strimmer. And I might continue to use the strimmer on the paths. But for the two "lawn" areas it takes ages with a strimmer.

What are people's thoughts on old vs new? There are a few old Honda Izys about, and some old Mountfields and Kawasakis and similar. All around the £150-£200 mark. Not knowing much about such things, I'm not sure if I am better off with one of those or getting a brand new budget machine in the same price bracket.

Any thoughts from those more in the know?

Cheers

 

I have a Qualcast petrol mower with a Briggs and Stratton 148cc engine. I bought it in 2014 and it has been excellent. During the time I have had it I have cleaned and oiled the air filter once. I never touched anything otherwise.

 

I took my old one down the tip yesterday, it was at least 15 years old and was not a posh one by any means, cost about £150 I seem to remember.
It was always a problem to start, especially when hot.
I bought a cheap mountfield one last year and it's so much better, lighter for a start and starts first pull usually with none of that stupid messing around priming it.
It cost about £220 i think.

 

I have a petrol one with electric start because I don't have the knack of a pull start. However when it dies I think I'll replace with a Ryobi battery one, as I have other Ryobi tools and multiple batteries. For a small area, if you already have some battery tools (Ryobi, Bosch, Makita), it's worth buying a bare unit.

 

From my own experience, and not wishing to upset anyone, even if it might.

The first mower that I bought after moving into this house was a Hayter. A Hunter 46 Autodrive if I remember correctly. Without a doubt, this was the worst mower quality wis that I have ever owned! The self propulssion was pathetic. At the start of the 5th season, it needed quite a bit of work on it replacing parts. At the start of the 10th season, the aluminium deck had cracked badly. Even if I am capable of welding aluminium and therefore repairing it, the alloy they used was of so poor quality, it was like welding cheese. I do wonder in fact if a bit of mature cheddar was not mixed up in it! The end result was that all that could be salvaged from it was salvaged. The rest went to the tip. In other words, unless Hayter quality has improved dramatically over the past 30 years, another Hayter will not be coming here again. One other thingabout it. The cutter blades here cost back then5 times as much as replacemnts for my current mower do now!

The replacement, an American Yardman is now in its 23rd season. It still starts first pull after Winter, as well as every time I use it! The self propulsion is brilliant as well, way better than the Hayters. Even if there have been some minor things done over the years, there was nothing serious until a few weeks ago. The engine needed a lower main bearing replacing. Nothing major in my world, and at no cost as the replacement part was pulled from the old B&S in the Hayter. A couple of hours work, and it was again running perfectly.

From what I have just written, it can be understood that I have zero experience of battery mowers. The one doubt I have about them, and the reason I dont want to have any experience of them is this. Their batteries will have a limited lifetime. Apart from the fact that they are expensive, by the time they need replacing, they will probably not be available anymore. In the world of battery powered items, things move quickly!

In conclusion, forget the battery powered things, and get something that will last!

 

That might be the same for us all after 2035...if we are still alive, that is!

Having said that about batteries, there might just be a solution when they are needed. One I discovered with my cordless drill a few weeks ago!

 

I'm sure the climate change bunch will eventually get around to banning lawns altogether. Bearing in mind the fossil fuels used to cut them and the water used to irrigate them.
I wonder how much carbon could be saved if we all had some gravel instead.

 

Well I'm being really green, because it's mostly dust atm and in winter it's mostly mud.

 

No, no. The last Snotalot I met thought gravel was a drug because it got the garden stoned!

 

I had a conversation with a Stihl rep over their battery range and we chatted about the levels of charge as they offered 3 and the life span of the batteries ie. When they hold 80% of the charge.
He came back with a 2000 plus charge limit.
The forgotten bonus for battery equipment is noise level but they also have a greatly reduced vibration level. It’s just the price for the more commercial stuff that’s annoying.