They don't make things like they used to....

[lbhsbz]

I finally retired my old (probably 4th hand) Snapper Hi-Vac push mower earlier this year.....over the last 15 years, it's had a new engine, new bag, new wheels, some weld repairs, etc....was a bit long in the tooth. When the scrap folks kept trying to grab it outta the front yard while I was emptying the bag, I figured it was time.

I bought a new Troy-Bilt 23" blade deal with some whiz-bang self propelling system that goes as fast as you feel like walking. Bought in in February of this year. I think I've used it 20 times...maybe. Dumped the bag this afternoon halfway through the front grass and went to put it back in and noticed the plastic thing that holds the bag was busted on one side. Why not...grass is halfway done. I have one of the plastic melty stapler things so I patched it back together to finish the damn yard...then went and dug up the info from when I bought it. 6 month warranty.....of course.

Cleaned all the dried grass off of shit so I could find the model number and looked up the part...which is of course, this gigantic plastic thing that is effectively the rearmost 3rd of the mower....$120.

I paid $20 for that old Snapper mower at a garage sale and it lasted another 15 years....a new engine was only $89 at harbor freight.

Kid heard me yell "fuck you" at the website when I saw the price....and asked "so I guess you'll be making one out of a chunk of aluminum on the mill and I'll be building character while helping?".....sharp kid, and he's right...lol.

$600 mower doesn't last a whole year. Godammit

 

[monkeyswrench]

Artificial turf maybe?
I grew up with an old Lawn King front throw. Had the head off it once, carboned up valves. Pop bought it used about 84. I used it at the house until I moved out, 95. Mom and Pops hired Enrique, the gardener...and he ended up with the mower. It stayed in his truck...out lasted a few of them. It was relegated to being the spare by about '08 or '09.
That thing could chop a brass Champion sprinkler head right off

 

[lbhsbz]

Artificial turf maybe?
I grew up with an old Lawn King front throw. Had the head off it once, carboned up valves. Pop bought it used about 84. I used it at the house until I moved out, 95. Mom and Pops hired Enrique, the gardener...and he ended up with the mower. It stayed in his truck...out lasted a few of them. It was relegated to being the spare by about '08 or '09.
That thing could chop a brass Champion sprinkler head right off

This is the first new mower I've ever owned....didn't even know there was such a thing until I quit finding 'em in the trash. I bought this because it was a "refurb" outta state mower so it didn't have a straw sized restrictor in the carb for CA....and it was 23" instead of 18" so it reduced the lap count significantly. It also has the bigger Briggs & Scrapiron engine that requires oil changes....not the little one with no rings that just burns it and requires that you add it on occasion as it uses it. I never check or change oil in small engines, new engines are cheaper every 20 years than oil changes every year.

 

[4Waters]

Artificial turf maybe?
I grew up with an old Lawn King front throw. Had the head off it once, carboned up valves. Pop bought it used about 84. I used it at the house until I moved out, 95. Mom and Pops hired Enrique, the gardener...and he ended up with the mower. It stayed in his truck...out lasted a few of them. It was relegated to being the spare by about '08 or '09.
That thing could chop a brass Champion sprinkler head right off

I'm surprised you didn't put that engine on a mini bike or something

 

[rivermobster]

I like your kids style..

 

[Ziggy]

I finally retired my old (probably 4th hand) Snapper Hi-Vac push mower earlier this year.....over the last 15 years, it's had a new engine, new bag, new wheels, some weld repairs, etc....was a bit long in the tooth. When the scrap folks kept trying to grab it outta the front yard while I was emptying the bag, I figured it was time.

I bought a new Troy-Bilt 23" blade deal with some whiz-bang self propelling system that goes as fast as you feel like walking. Bought in in February of this year. I think I've used it 20 times...maybe. Dumped the bag this afternoon halfway through the front grass and went to put it back in and noticed the plastic thing that holds the bag was busted on one side. Why not...grass is halfway done. I have one of the plastic melty stapler things so I patched it back together to finish the damn yard...then went and dug up the info from when I bought it. 6 month warranty.....of course.

Cleaned all the dried grass off of shit so I could find the model number and looked up the part...which is of course, this gigantic plastic thing that is effectively the rearmost 3rd of the mower....$120.

I paid $20 for that old Snapper mower at a garage sale and it lasted another 15 years....a new engine was only $89 at harbor freight.

Kid heard me yell "fuck you" at the website when I saw the price....and asked "so I guess you'll be making one out of a chunk of aluminum on the mill and I'll be building character while helping?".....sharp kid, and he's right...lol.

$600 mower doesn't last a whole year. Godammit

RV builders suck too, huh?

 

[lbhsbz]

RV builders suck too, huh?

They may as well make lawnmowers

 

[oldboatsrule]

That thing could chop a brass Champion sprinkler head right off

Mom called me the other day to replace a broken sprinkler. Since when did califuckya ban brass champion spriklers?

Can't believe I need to smuggle sprinklers

 

[Willie B]

… I have solved the problem of powermowers … I no longer water my front yard… A very tan lawn area…with green shrubbery

 

[mash on it]

I grew up mowing the lawn with a wizard? reel type, rear throw mower. I believe a B&S. It didn't have a recoil pull start. Had to wrap the rope around the crank pulley? same side as a recoil pull would be. Maybe it was 3 HP? This back in the late 70s. It was wore out then, and lasted another 20 years.
The B&S was pulled from the wore out chassis, and used on a mini bike. That old B&S always purred.

Dan'l