Not another chainsaw thread... mowers this time!

[5teve]

HI Guys

As Rachaels business is getting busier and busier we see ourselves doing more and more garden tidy-ups.. our old electric mower has died... and we need to replace it.. petrol seems to be the way forward with it.. as some houses we visit have no power due to being cut off.

I have been looking at bunnings (yes i mentioned that word again) and victa and rover seem to be the fairly standard brand... but i know nothing!

Can anyone recommend a mower to go for that wont break the bank but will be fairly reliable.. and has a decent cut width.. 4 stroke would be ideal..

Thanks

Steve

[d2dave]

Steve,
You can't go past the Honda Buffalo. I own a caravan park so my mowers get a hiding and the Honda has what it takes.

Don't think that because a victa has a Honda motor it is as good. Honda make a light duty and a heavy duty engine, the light duty going on the Victa.

You will also find that the Buffalo is the mower of choice for most professional lawn mowers/gardiners.

Dave.

[austastar]

Hi,
make sure you get ball bearing wheels, not the plastic wheels running on a steel axle.
cheers

[D I]

Honda....Honda.....Honda.

I own an equipment repair business. Our bread and butter is mowers and their kin.

Yes, Honda's are very expensive....BUT...ask yourself how much money you will be making if your mower is in the shop broken.....or you are continually replacing $500 specials.

A commercial push mower in the honda range is a grand.....but look after it, you will get many many faithful years of service from it.

Feel free to PM me if you want more details.

Yes, I am a Honda dealer....:angel: but you only have to have a look at any professional outfit in your field, and Honda's are the norm.

Rover are all manufactured in China now.....we actually closed our Rover account because of this. Victa.....well, to buy a decent Victa these days, you are still spending $700 - $800.....and it's just a domestic mower.

Make the investment now.....you wont look back.

[austastar]

Hi, (again)
When my old mower (fixed up from the tip) terminally died, I was broke and sick of having to use a crappy mower.
I was lucky having two good neighbours, one who's mower was just about dead, and the other who was sick of carting his mower backwards and forwards to the shack.
Two of us have larger lawns than the third.
The arrangement we came to was:
We go 1/3 shares each in a good professional mower.
I service it and keep it in running order.
The other chap with a large lawn pays for all the parts.
The chap with the smaller lawn stores it in his shed.
We all check oil before starting and refuel and hose down after use.

A win win win deal!

cheers

[5teve]

Hi Guys

Thanks for the replies and opinions so far..

Regarding the business Rach primarily does vacate cleaning of properties, and we get asked (more and more frequently) to sort out rough foreclosures (rubbish removal, cleaning and gardening) The gardening side isnt frequent, maybe 2 a month.. but they are quite hard gardens. Most garden based people wont touch them as they seem to want to just mow lawns and the banks dont want to pay for landscapers which is where we come in.

I would go for a honda if it was the right price but a commercial one would probably be 'too good' if there is such a thing.. with maybe 2 jobs a month (and yes it may get to more) it would take a while to justify it... but its certainly something i'll have a long hard think about.. maybe a higher end honda but not a commercial one would suit if they do such a thing?

Of the more budget versions what are the picks?

Rover is chinese now.. but with a b&S engine am i assuming the engine is also chinese under license?

Victa you still need to spend good $$ on

What about Masport also?

Sorry just trying to get enough info to get a decent informed decision made :D

Thanks

Steve

[5teve]

Hi, (again)
When my old mower (fixed up from the tip) terminally died, I was broke and sick of having to use a crappy mower.
I was lucky having two good neighbours, one who's mower was just about dead, and the other who was sick of carting his mower backwards and forwards to the shack.
Two of us have larger lawns than the third.
The arrangement we came to was:
We go 1/3 shares each in a good professional mower.
I service it and keep it in running order.
The other chap with a large lawn pays for all the parts.
The chap with the smaller lawn stores it in his shed.
We all check oil before starting and refuel and hose down after use.

A win win win deal!

cheers

cant do that with a business asset...

but you cant beat good neighbours.. ours are great and i'm sure would do similar.. makes living in an area so much nicer..

Steve

[Quarks]

I'll tell you about a few of the mowers I know!

21-yr old Victa 2 stroke, went ok for 17 years, then great for 4, now kaput (ignition I think, never got round to sorting it). It was replaced with a new Victa 4 stroke. It runs well, but is nowhere near as comfortable as the old one, especially at poking in & around trees, and on slopes. Between the old & new Victas, borrowed a Masport. It went ok, but I got really annoyed at the blades being a good 10mm above the bottom of the chassis - it was awful to try and push through long grass.

On the other hand, my church has "the paddock", about the size of a suburban block which is on a mowing roster. The mower there used to be a Rover 4 stroke, which, admittedly, wasn't new when it went into the shed, but rapidly deteriorated - to the point of using the oil in the sump as fast as the petrol from the tank. It's now been replaced with a second-hand commercial Honda. It would have done somewhere between 5-10 times the amount of work the Rover ever did and still just works.

:)

[sschmez]

5teve,
a couple of tough lawns a month is more than I do and a couple of years ago I lashed out on a honda. Was a lot of money for me at the time but every time I mow now I'm glad I did it.

Took me a while to make the decision and all the time I was looking into trailers on the road to see what the mowing blokes were using ... can't remember if I actually saw anything other than a honda.

The local hire place hires out the same model as what I was thinking about buying so I spoke to them and then hired their machine for a day. It was easy to start, hot or cold .... didn't get bogged down in the rough stuff here .... and left a nice cut. Even Annette can start it easily so theres a few times that I get out of doing the grass;).

Still glad I got it.

Stevo

[Ace]

Hi Guys

Thanks for the replies and opinions so far..

Regarding the business Rach primarily does vacate cleaning of properties, and we get asked (more and more frequently) to sort out rough foreclosures (rubbish removal, cleaning and gardening) The gardening side isnt frequent, maybe 2 a month.. but they are quite hard gardens. Most garden based people wont touch them as they seem to want to just mow lawns and the banks dont want to pay for landscapers which is where we come in.

I would go for a honda if it was the right price but a commercial one would probably be 'too good' if there is such a thing.. with maybe 2 jobs a month (and yes it may get to more) it would take a while to justify it... but its certainly something i'll have a long hard think about.. maybe a higher end honda but not a commercial one would suit if they do such a thing?

Of the more budget versions what are the picks?

Rover is chinese now.. but with a b&S engine am i assuming the engine is also chinese under license?

Victa you still need to spend good $$ on

What about Masport also?

Sorry just trying to get enough info to get a decent informed decision made :D

Thanks

Steve

Hi Steve, when i worked at M10 in Wagga during uni i was flogging everyone Masport mowers over the top of victa mowers. In the end my victa died so i put my money where my mouth is and bought a massport mower. Nearly 10yrs and many lawns later it still fires up first time and the chassis is showing know signs of wear, and its still on its original set of wheels. It has a 5hp briggs and stratton motor which is excellent, and I bought the model that has a chute in the top of it to shove branches in and chip them up.

Couldnt be happier with it.

Matt

[LOVEMYRANGIE]

Stevo
Have a look at Mowfix Mower & Chainsaw Centre (http://www.mowfix.com.au)

Have used them a few times. Another very good brand to use and not because it sounds similar :angel: is Alroh mowers.
You may also be better suited to buy a serviced secondhand high quality unit than a cheapo brand new. You probably wont be able to claim much against it on tax but either way, a cheap new one really isnt going to be worth much claim wise anyway.
Do the rounds of the pro shops first as they do have the odd deal going.
I prefer to stick with the industry specialists rather than use a bulk seller/supplier for things. The specialists have the knowledge but the corporates steal all their knowledge, buy all the stock and undersell it to cut them out.....

Support your local small business people!

Cheers

Andrew

[crash]

I have a Victa Tornado with catcher and a B&s 392? engine. I originally bought it when we had a small suburban block, and now live on a small acreage. It starts on the 3 pulls or less (unless the air filter is dirty) but will not shut off without me pulling the spark plug lead off (still can not figure out how to fix it) other than that it runs great, and have had no other troubles with it in the past 6years of ownership. I cut probably twice as much lawn with it than what I originally purchased it for. It does struggle a bit in LONG grass but easy does it and since I keep the gras relatively maintained has not been an issue.
When ever lawn mowers are mentioned, Honda always seem to be mentioned first.
Some of the best advice I was given regarding purchasing equipment was buy slightly bigger than what is required, better to have over powered equipment than underpowered for a job.

[5teve]

Hi Guys

Thanks for all the help... a purchase has been made!

OK....

I went to the big B this morning and ended up purchasing a Masport morrison 490 with chip chute etc etc etc for $600 including fuel can and oil...

then the honda name was bugging me.. and the advice.. and i then noticed a specialist lawnmower shop down from where i work.. so i went in, haggled and walked out with the older model HRU196 for $865 fueled up and oiled up ready to go. So while it hasnt got any of the features of the Masport Morrison.. it aint a budget model and according to everyone this should be pretty much the last mower we need! if i need a mulching plug... i only have to buy one... but as we only cut other people lawns and generally only once... i dont think we need that... yet...

Thanks again guys... this really is the only place to go for info..

Steve

[D I]

Hi Guys

Thanks for all the help... a purchase has been made!

OK....

I went to the big B this morning and ended up purchasing a Masport morrison 490 with chip chute etc etc etc for $600 including fuel can and oil...

then the honda name was bugging me.. and the advice.. and i then noticed a specialist lawnmower shop down from where i work.. so i went in, haggled and walked out with the older model HRU196 for $865 fueled up and oiled up ready to go. So while it hasnt got any of the features of the Masport Morrison.. it aint a budget model and according to everyone this should be pretty much the last mower we need! if i need a mulching plug... i only have to buy one... but as we only cut other people lawns and generally only once... i dont think we need that... yet...

Thanks again guys... this really is the only place to go for info..

Steve

I have a 196D for my dads house, because I'm too lazy to cart the mower over all the time....plus I get it a bit cheaper than you :twisted:

As for comparing a Masport features to a Honda.....please...don't ever do that again....they're not in the same league.

That said, a $600 Masport is by no means a crappy one. The chipper chute is a bit gay....good for twigs and stuff though, but they're just mower blades, so they'll only cut 'so' much.

Congratulations on the Honda:cool:

[Sprint]

at home i've had a victa of unknown vintaghe, went well till i clipped the carby with one of the sides off my ute when i took them off and slid them under the house.....

now have a victa lawnkeeper, second hand and in near mint condition bought from one of the non mechanically minded outlaws for a bottle of rum after the guard/catcher clip spring failed and one of the front wheel E-clips disappeared..... 10 minutes later and it was sorted :D

back when i was doing it commercially, it was Honda push mowers, stihl brushcutters and kubota & toro ride-ons

[Tikirocker]

Bought a new house early this year with a large yard that was overgrown up to your nipples. Went to Bunnings and got a good deal on a Morrison 460 petrol mower ... it's a Yank mob but she's run like a charm and is very well built. I can recommend this model, take it for what that's worth.

Best, Simon.

[austastar]

Hi,
Isn't it nice when the bloke in the shop knows what he is talking about.

This morning:
Mower running a bit rough, it does need a service.
Go to shop, buy plug, filter, pre-filter, and 4 blades.
Change oil, plug, filters and dammn, the blades are wrong, and I had given an old one as a sample.

This afternoon:
Walk into the shop, put the plate, and one open and one unopened packet of blades on the counter.
Two staff are talking, not the same fellow as this morning.
One glances at my stuff and says "Hmm, you can't put Rover blades on a Greenfield plate, can you?"

Grrrrr!
Where was he this morning?

cheers

[Ace]

Hi,
Isn't it nice when the bloke in the shop knows what he is talking about.

This morning:
Mower running a bit rough, it does need a service.
Go to shop, buy plug, filter, pre-filter, and 4 blades.
Change oil, plug, filters and dammn, the blades are wrong, and I had given an old one as a sample.

This afternoon:
Walk into the shop, put the plate, and one open and one unopened packet of blades on the counter.
Two staff are talking, not the same fellow as this morning.
One glances at my stuff and says "Hmm, you can't put Rover blades on a Greenfield plate, can you?"

Grrrrr!
Where was he this morning?

cheers

Thats what you need, good customer service is worth its weight in gold. Its also not hard to hold an old blade up against packets of new ones and find a matching product either mind you.

[d2dave]

This is a bit off topic and I was going to start a new thread but I will post here and see what happens. Mods feel free to move.

I needed some new blades for my ride on mower. I went into town(about 2 kms) to the local automotive spare parts shop. As we don't have a mower store in town they sell a lot of mower spares.

They did not have my blades in stock but suggested I try the next town which has a mower shop (Mooroopna for any one who knowes the area).

So I went there and when I arrived I noticed a Defender out the front. After talking to the propieter of the shop it is his and his wifes D2 was parked out the front. Must be a top bloke. Same problem, no blades in stock but said he can get them in, price $90.

So I head to Shepparton (about another 5 km) to the shop I bought the mower from and bugger me he drives a freelander. The blades were $68.

My dilemma is this. Next time I need blades do I pay an extra $22 to support a bloke who drives real 4X4's or the bloke who drives the toy(even though it is a LR).

Dave.

[Ace]

This is a bit off topic and I was going to start a new thread but I will post here and see what happens. Mods feel free to move.

I needed some new blades for my ride on mower. I went into town(about 2 kms) to the local automotive spare parts shop. As we don't have a mower store in town they sell a lot of mower spares.

They did not have my blades in stock but suggested I try the next town which has a mower shop (Mooroopna for any one who knowes the area).

So I went there and when I arrived I noticed a Defender out the front. After talking to the propieter of the shop it is his and his wifes D2 was parked out the front. Must be a top bloke. Same problem, no blades in stock but said he can get them in, price $90.

So I head to Shepparton (about another 5 km) to the shop I bought the mower from and bugger me he drives a freelander. The blades were $68.

My dilemma is this. Next time I need blades do I pay an extra $22 to support a bloke who drives real 4X4's or the bloke who drives the toy(even though it is a LR).

Dave.

Ask the bloke who drives the real 4wd how close he can come to matching the price of the bloke who drives the toy. He might not be able to match it exactly but enough to make you happy.

[Fluids]

That HRU196 was a good choice! I also am a dealer, and I own a HRU194 .... for the last 20yrs (same mower, with the 4HP GXV engine).

When you compare service life to dollars paid, they ARE the cheapest option available ... add reliability, and parts availability ....

Mine should go easily for another 10yrs!

[waynep]

I recently bought a Victa 19" mower with a Honda 4 stroke motor on it from the Big B. just under $700. Should have gone complete Honda I guess, but this seems good anyway.

[Fluids]

$700 for a Victa/Honda ... $759 for a Honda/Honda.

You be the judge ... ;)

[digger]

backwards but

I have an old victa 18e (I think) ride on with B&Smotor...

goes pretty well, (I havent had it long) but need to replace belt soon.

Looking at it I think it would be fairly old!

I also have an old masport with the metal cast drop down "throw chute" and the metal catcher, engine controls (a knob) are on top of the motor.
(But it goes beaut!)

[Celtoid]

Hi Fluids and DI,

You both being dealers you will hopefully be able to tell me the good oil. I'm in the market for a Honda. My old neighbour had a gardening business and stated that once you've bought one you'll never go back. Had me sold on a propelled version.

Went into the local shop ready to shell out 1700 big ones and the guy talked me out of it. Said that it would be an overkill for a normal yard. It's still $800 for the non propelled mulcher plugged Honda chasis and engine, non commercial model but he did himself out of a K.

Should I take his advice?

Cheers,

Kev

[Fluids]

Hi Kev.

How big is your yard ?

Lots of obstacles, or a flat open obstructionless area ??

Do you like _pushing_ a mower ? :p

If you're pepared to spend that sort of money, and aren't going with the self propelled version, look at the HRU196M1 ... same deck (mulching), bars, wheels, as the entry level version/s but has the GXV commercial engine (cast bore, not alloy), and a blade brake system (instead of the engine brake all the lesser machines run). That should last you an easy 20-25yrs if you look after, and maintain it. (Should cost you about $987.00) .... same engine as on the self propelled machine.

The only difference in the 3x push machine ranges are the engines. Everything else is the same across all 3x ranges (and each range comes in rear catch, or, rear catch & mulch)

Any further Q?'s .... just ask!

[one_iota]

I'm disappointed with you lot...there can only be one choice in mowers:

MTD Products Australia; distributor of quality Rover Mowers lawn mowers and garden care products (http://www.rovermowers.co.nz/)

[Celtoid]

Hi Kev.

How big is your yard ?

Lots of obstacles, or a flat open obstructionless area ??

Do you like _pushing_ a mower ? :p

If you're pepared to spend that sort of money, and aren't going with the self propelled version, look at the HRU196M1 ... same deck (mulching), bars, wheels, as the entry level version/s but has the GXV commercial engine (cast bore, not alloy), and a blade brake system (instead of the engine brake all the lesser machines run). That should last you an easy 20-25yrs if you look after, and maintain it. (Should cost you about $987.00) .... same engine as on the self propelled machine.

The only difference in the 3x push machine ranges are the engines. Everything else is the same across all 3x ranges (and each range comes in rear catch, or, rear catch & mulch)

Any further Q?'s .... just ask!

Hi Fluids,

Well yard is a fair size but it's taken up by pool and house....so not much lawn....LOL.

Thanks for your advice. Appreciate it.

Regards,

Kev.

[Celtoid]

Bought the push model Honda and tried it on the weekend.....It's new lawn so was a bit lumpy and tufty....quite long in places.

Had the mulcher plug on....unbelievable......you'd swear I'd used a catcher.

:)

[Fluids]

Enjoy it !

Which model did you get ?

[dickyjoe]

Ok

now for my 2 cents worth

My folks live on a 200acre property and have a bit of grass to cut. Its up hill and down dale and their Honda cops a flogging. Now the thing is starting to give trouble after a few years. When we were looking I thought Honda as it was the mower for the Pros. It cost them a pretty penny too...

Now as a kid I used to mow the grass on the same farm. Back then I used to use a "Rover" mower with a Briggs and Stratton (briggs and struggling?) engine on it. I tell you something, I prefer the Rover and guess what? I still use it today for my 1/4 acre and it starts first pull. Now it doesn't have the fancy options but runs so reliably I wouldn't hesitate in getting another.

At the end of the day its what you prefer. My old Rover is my weapon of choice and I actually like the B&S motors, they are simply, kind of under engineered but give hundreds of hours of service at a lower cost if looked after (check the oil and change it once a year)

Cheers

Rich

[Celtoid]

Enjoy it !

Which model did you get ?

Hey Fluids,

Tried to get one of the commercially engined push jobs but the local didn't have one in stock....so I would have had to wait for a few weeks. I couldn't wait as I'd just laid the new lawn and it was at the needing cut stage. Landscape guy had warned against letting it grow too long when young (root rot or something)....and to not cut it too low either. Mower shop didn't actually have the one I ended up buying either but sourced it from another store. He offered the best price by far, specially when I bought a Still blower as well. So I rewarded his competativeness.

I wouldn't have used my old mower as it was cutting so badly. It was and Aerovac or something like that, with a B&S 5 or 5.5 horse donk. Engine was actually brilliant and started first kick, even after years of use. The chasis set up was terrible though.....would have to stop after the catcher had filled only a third of the way, always left clumps and hacked the lawn on an angle.

I know I would have got more life out of the other Honda and the extra $ wasn't really an issue for me......but I may not have lasted the 25 years that it's engine would have......LOL!!! This way I get to enjoy a new one in a decades time....maybe.

Thanks again for your advice though.

Kev.

[daniberry]

If someone highly recommends Masport morrison 490 and share their experience with me then I will surely buy this one I hope its the best electric chainsaw (http://findchainsaw.com). As makita's product are a bit costly.