# What should I do about my lawn mower?



## debodun (Aug 15, 2021)

I think I posted about this - I bent the blade on my mower and called a repair guy. He took it and called be 10 days later and said he couldn't fix it easily - this was a week ago Friday. He asked me what I wanted to do with it:

1) he could replace the motor which he didn't have on hand but could try to fit another one he did have and it would be very labor intensive and cost more that a new more for him to do that.

2) he'd keep it and scrap it.

3) he'd bring it back to me.

I requested that he return it. He said it would be sometime during the week (which is the week that has just passed). On Friday, after not seeing him or my mower, I called him and asekd to firm up a time. He said for sure on Saturday (yesterday). I still have not had it returned.


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## bowmore (Aug 15, 2021)

If it does not work and is not fixable, let him keep it. The last thing you need is more useless stuff.


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## Tish (Aug 15, 2021)

Just keep on him Deb, that's all you can do.


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## hollydolly (Aug 15, 2021)

That mower is knackered.. fuggettabout it... treat yourself to a new home present of a new mower


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## Llynn (Aug 15, 2021)

If it is simply a bent blade, that is an easy fix.  If the engine's crankshaft got bent in whatever impact bent the blade, your engine is toast and it would be cheaper to buy a new mower.  Did he tell you specifically why he can't fix it?


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## debodun (Aug 15, 2021)

He may have, but I didn't understand it and now I can't remember what he said other than what I already mentioned.


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## Aunt Bea (Aug 15, 2021)

When it rains it pours!







If the shaft is bent I would tell the man to keep it and settle up with him.

I would also ask him if he has an inexpensive old hooptie that would get you through the rest of the season.


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## Jules (Aug 15, 2021)

Why do you want it back?


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## Alligatorob (Aug 15, 2021)

Sounds like a new mower is in your future!  

Depends on how fancy you want, but mowers can be had pretty cheaply.  

I have 2, my smaller one I just plan on replacing every few years from Walmart.  I buy one of the cheapest they have, usually around $200.  I also have a riding mower, I have invested, maybe too much, in keeping it going.


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## Irwin (Aug 15, 2021)

@debodun, are you paying him for his time? If the answer to that is "no," maybe you shouldn't complain and if you want it back, go pick it up yourself or offer him something for his time.


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## fmdog44 (Aug 15, 2021)

So the blade is bent and he can't fix the motor??? If you have a flat tire do you buy new head lights?


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## Don M. (Aug 15, 2021)

debodun said:


> He may have, but I didn't understand it and now I can't remember what he said other than what I already mentioned.



In all likelihood, you damaged the engine crankshaft...in which case repairing the damage would cost as much as a new mower.  Let him keep the old mower for parts, and start shopping for a new one.  If you are planning on taking care of your yard at your new home, shop for a good mower....without stressing over "price".  If there are any "slopes" in your new yard that would be hard to push a "manual" mower up, look at something like a Toro Personal Pace.


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## John cycling (Aug 15, 2021)

Look online to see what a blade would cost for your mower.
I would get the mower back pronto, and then either sell it or get a new blade.

Corded mowers like mine are very light weight and easy to use.
If you get a new one, I like the black & decker corded and have two of them now.
Mine just needed a new switch, then a neighbor was giving his away and I repaired both of them.


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## Irwin (Aug 15, 2021)

I was given a lawnmower that wouldn't start. The guy who gave it to me thought the carburetor needed to be cleaned, but I tested it and there's no spark. I checked to make sure the kill wire wasn't shorting out or anything like that, but that's all fine, so I'm guessing it's the coil. They sell for like $15 on Amazon, but I don't want to spend any money on it, so I'm not going to try to fix it. But now I'm stuck with a junk lawnmower.


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## Knight (Aug 15, 2021)

Most are forgetting Deb is moving to a new property that appears to have significant amount of lawn to mow. I didn't read that the mower with the bent blade was powered or she had to push it.

It could be that buying a riding mower with a bagger to collect the cut grass would be her best option.


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## Murrmurr (Aug 15, 2021)

debodun said:


> He may have, but I didn't understand it and now I can't remember what he said other than what I already mentioned.


If he told you something that you didn't understand then it's probably more than just a bent blade. Still, if I were you I'd call him back (because who cares about that dude, being a no-show twice?) and tell him to explain it again. Then, if it's the crankshaft or the motor, tell him to keep it for parts. If it's just a bent blade, he might be stalling so you'll give up, and he'll have the parts he wants.


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## Gary O' (Aug 15, 2021)

Llynn said:


> If it is simply a bent blade, that is an easy fix. If the engine's crankshaft got bent in whatever impact bent the blade, your engine is toast and it would be cheaper to buy a new mower.


Yup

Quit calling the poor soul
Just hope like heck he keeps it

Buy a new one

*TORO*
Front wheel drive
Just push the handle and away you walk
Easy start
$200

Or

Hire a child
It's a new neighborhood 
They don't know you .....yet


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## Murrmurr (Aug 15, 2021)

Gary O' said:


> Yup
> 
> Quit calling the poor soul
> Just hope like heck he keeps it
> ...


He might be BSing her, though. Old mower parts are hard to come by and newer ones are expensive. I mean, it might just be a bent blade, and she's an old gal....could mean BS.


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## Gary O' (Aug 15, 2021)

Murrmurr said:


> He might be BSing her, though. Old mower parts are hard to come by and newer ones are expensive. I mean, it might just be a bent blade, and she's an old gal....could mean BS.


You could be very right
Still, a bonafide shop probably won't let her go for less than a hundred bucks

Wonder if it runs on gas, electric..... or steam


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## terry123 (Aug 16, 2021)

Call a lawn service and don't worry about it.  If I had a house I would these days.  I spent years mowing, edging and raking my yard.  At my age now I would hire someone to do it.


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## Fyrefox (Aug 16, 2021)

There comes a time in life to cut one’s losses.  If the price of repair is half or more of the price of a new item, junk it and opt for the new one as a better investment.  I had a similar situation with a riding mower that I had bought used.  It worked for a few years, then failed.  When the repairman came, he found that the item was fixable, but at a high cost.  I opted to junk it, and just paid the guy for his time.  To dispense with the old mower, I offered it for free as a non-working, parts item.  It went quickly...


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## Alligatorob (Aug 16, 2021)

Fyrefox said:


> There comes a time in life to cut one’s losses


Ashes to ashes, rust to rust...


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## Knight (Aug 16, 2021)

Murrmurr said:


> If he told you something that you didn't understand then it's probably more than just a bent blade. Still, if I were you I'd call him back (because who cares about that dude, being a no-show twice?) and tell him to explain it again. Then, if it's the crankshaft or the motor, tell him to keep it for parts. If it's just a bent blade, he might be stalling so you'll give up, and he'll have the parts he wants.


I got to thinking about "bent blade".  I've had blades become dull or chipped but never bent. Considering the strength of mower blades bending one would be really unusual & most likely as you mention destroy the crankshaft.


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## Knight (Aug 16, 2021)

terry123 said:


> Call a lawn service and don't worry about it.  If I had a house I would these days.  I spent years mowing, edging and raking my yard.  At my age now I would hire someone to do it.


Considering the size of her lawn the cost of a new mower using a lawn service could be the better option.  Then there is the long driveway that a lawn service may keep clear in heavy winter snows.


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## SmoothSeas (Aug 16, 2021)

Gary O' said:


> Yup
> 
> Quit calling the poor soul
> Just hope like heck he keeps it
> ...



or, get you some goats...


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## hollydolly (Aug 16, 2021)

Knight said:


> I got to thinking about "bent blade".  I've had blades become dull or chipped but never bent. Considering the strength of mower blades bending one would be really unusual & most likely as you mention destroy the crankshaft.


the blade is bent.. Deb did post a photo of it previously....


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## Jules (Aug 16, 2021)

Just be thankful the repair service doesn’t charge you for time spent accessing the problem &/or delivering the lawnmower back to your house.  Leave it with him and if he can recycle some parts, good for him.

The suggestion for a lawn service is good for this year.  Hire someone for your old house for now.  

Maybe lawnmowers will be on sale in the fall.  Until then, pay to have it done.  You’re too busy clearing out the inside of the house to have to deal with the outside.


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## Aneeda72 (Aug 16, 2021)

debodun said:


> I think I posted about this - I bent the blade on my mower and called a repair guy. He took it and called be 10 days later and said he couldn't fix it easily - this was a week ago Friday. He asked me what I wanted to do with it:
> 
> 1) he could replace the motor which he didn't have on hand but could try to fit another one he did have and it would be very labor intensive and cost more that a new more for him to do that.
> 
> ...


Why do you want another piece of junk to add to the pile?


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## Pinky (Aug 16, 2021)

I agree with others who've suggested a lawn service. The property is fairly large, and would take a fair bit of time and sweat to maintain.


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## helenbacque (Aug 16, 2021)

Maybe it's time to become your own best friend and treat Deb to the services of a lawn care company for both properties.  Make the call and then surprise yourself by accepting the price quoted without trying to bargain it down.


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## debodun (Aug 16, 2021)

I wouldn't be so miffed id it was an old mower, I've only had it since May 2019.

BTW - it was out in my backyard this morning. I was wheeling it over to the garage when a neighbor came over, but he couldn't get it started either. Starting cord is very hard to pull. Just sputters and poops out. My cousin said he had a mower I could borrow, but it isn't self-propelled.


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## Irwin (Aug 16, 2021)

debodun said:


> I wouldn't be so miffed id it was an old mower, I've only had it since May 2019.
> 
> BTW - it was out in my backyard this morning. I was wheeling it over to the garage when a neighbor came over, but he couldn't get it started either. Starting cord is very hard to pull. *Just sputters and poops out.* My cousin said he had a mower I could borrow, but it isn't self-propelled.



I'm no expert, but maybe it's sick with the corona virus.


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## Knight (Aug 16, 2021)

Irwin said:


> I'm no expert, but maybe it's sick with the corona virus.


The neighbor couldn't get it to start. If he could & it coughed that might be an indication of covid. At least the person that looked at it to repair it returned it. So this just might end this story of the bent mower blade.


debodun said:


> I wouldn't be so miffed id it was an old mower, I've only had it since May 2019.
> 
> BTW - it was out in my backyard this morning. I was wheeling it over to the garage when a neighbor came over, but he couldn't get it started either. Starting cord is very hard to pull. Just sputters and poops out. My cousin said he had a mower I could borrow, but it isn't self-propelled.


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## Knight (Aug 16, 2021)

Aneeda72 said:


> Why do you want another piece of junk to add to the pile?


Junk?  The pile of valuables her parents left her that she can't in good conscience give away but can try to sell at yard sales.


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## Remy (Aug 16, 2021)

Let him keep it and SCRAP IT !!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG, what are you going to do with it? 

Yes I'm yelling. Sorry.


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## Irwin (Aug 16, 2021)

I put an ad on Craigslist for my junk lawnmower and somebody picked it up. If they had a spare coil laying around or an old lawnmower they could rob one from to get it working, they now have a lawnmower worth maybe $75. That's something if you're just barely getting by.


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## Tom 86 (Aug 16, 2021)

I use to have a lawn service here about 20 years ago.  My wife & I had 30 lawns to mow a week.  40% of the ones we mowed were widows or widowers.  I gave them a great price knowing they were on a fixed income.  

  I had several big farms over 12 acres to mow around barns & their houses.  Those got charged a better price. (they could afford it)

Just let the guy have the mower for parts & check at your new place what lawn service would cost you?  

  Also never sign a contract with one.  I never had people sign one.  So when the rain stopped for a month or so. I did not mow so their grass was a little longer but still green also I never charged for those weeks.  People next to the ones I mowed that signed a contract the guys came every week to mow dust & charge them. 

I don't know how large of a lawn you're going to have but if it's small then a self-propelled walking mower would be good.  Get your exercise also.


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## OneEyedDiva (Aug 16, 2021)

Why would you want a mower that's no good. Just one more thing for you to dispose of. And what are the rules for disposing of such in your new neighborhood? I'd be happy for someone to do it for me.


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## Knight (Aug 16, 2021)

Remy said:


> Let him keep it and SCRAP IT !!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG, what are you going to do with it?
> 
> Yes I'm yelling. Sorry.


To late he returned it.  
Remy you ask
 OMG, what are you going to do with it? 

That's going to be another story with pictures if were lucky.


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## Don M. (Aug 16, 2021)

If a mower strikes something hard enough to "bend" the blade, there is a good chance that it also damaged the crankshaft.  If that happens, the cost of repair would be as much, or more, than the cost of a new mower....even a cheap mower from Walmart.  Unless a person has a "collection" of old mowers, and can salvage/use some of the parts, keeping such a damaged mower is a waste of space.


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## Llynn (Aug 17, 2021)

debodun said:


> I wouldn't be so miffed id it was an old mower, I've only had it since May 2019.
> 
> BTW - it was out in my backyard this morning. I was wheeling it over to the garage when a neighbor came over, but he couldn't get it started either. Starting cord is very hard to pull. Just sputters and poops out. My cousin said he had a mower I could borrow, but it isn't self-propelled.


Being hard to pull is another potential sign of a bent crank in the engine.


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## Aneeda72 (Aug 17, 2021)

Don M. said:


> If a mower strikes something hard enough to "bend" the blade, there is a good chance that it also damaged the crankshaft.  If that happens, the cost of repair would be as much, or more, than the cost of a new mower....even a cheap mower from Walmart.  Unless a person has a "collection" of old mowers, and can salvage/use some of the parts, keeping such a damaged mower is a waste of space.


Well, Deb can sell the mower at a yard sale for parts for 5 dollars .  She likes yard sales and money.  I just like money.


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## debodun (Aug 17, 2021)

My cousin stopped by and brought his mower for me to use until he gets back from vacation. It's not self-propelled, but seems a lot easier to push than my broken one. Maybe because it has larger back wheels?


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