This is the big question that homeowners and landscapers ask themselves when facing down any substantial repair bill. Deciding, “Should I repair or replace my lawn mower?” is all about weighing the pros and the cons to find the best long term financial value. The right choice for you depends on your mower, what it needs, and your budget — that’s what we’re digging into in today’s blog.
At PowerPro Equipment, we’re a lawn mower dealer that sells a large inventory of high-quality mowers, yet also performs repairs and preventative maintenance to keep your current mower running. Basically, we’re the company to trust whether you want to repair or upgrade. Get answers to the pressing question, “Should I repair or replace my lawn mower?” — and work with our team for whatever you decide!
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Is It Worth Repairing a Lawn Mower?
Deciding is it worth repairing a lawn mower is primarily a financial decision for both homeowners and landscapers alike. Since any heavy-duty lawn tractor or zero turn mower will be a serious investment, you want to make sure that you examine all of the angles. You don’t want to HAVE to buy a brand new machine if a critical repair can keep your current one running effectively — on the other hand, it doesn’t make sense to dump your money into an old machine that will keep needing costly repairs.
Here’s what you need to consider:
- What’s Wrong with the Mower — This is probably the single most important factor when considering is it worth repairing a lawn mower. If you are looking at a large issue with the engine or hydraulics, you should seriously consider buying a new mower. A repair of that size can come close to the price of a new unit. However, most other problems are fairly minor, and our mower repair teams can fix them quickly!
- How Much Use the Mower Gets — The number of hours you put into a mower on a regular basis also plays a role as to whether or not it is worth repairing. A professional landscaper that uses the mower for hours every week will be better off trading in their mower for credit towards an upgrade. However, if you just use it at home, a repair can last you for years.
- The Mower’s Age — There are more than a few parallels between lawn mowers and cars. The age of your mower can also dictate whether repair or replacement makes sense. On average, you can expect a heavy-duty riding mower to have a 5-year to an 8-year lifespan for residential use. For professional-grade mowers that see heavy commercial use, that lifespan is between 4 years and 5 years. The closer your mower is to those milestones, the more strongly you need to consider replacing it.
- The New Models on the Market — Another reason that an upgrade might be in order is if there’s a new model that catches your eye. If the new model year has a key feature you want to bring to your backyard, or if you want to switch brands, this can be a good opportunity. Oftentimes, homeowners want to switch from a lawn tractor riding mower to an in-demand zero turn mower.
Learn more about zero turn mowers vs riding tractors.
- The Mower’s Quality When New — In some cases the answer to, “Should I repair or replace my lawn mower?” is NO because the mower wasn’t very good even when it was new. While everything we sell at PowerPro Equipment has our endorsem*nt as a quality piece of equipment, not every store can say that. For example, some big box hardware stores sell mowers that may have a brand-name logo exterior with a second mower underneath. If that’s the story with your mower, we’ll let you know and warn you that this problem will unfortunately be the first of many!
Preventative Maintenance to Keep Your Mower Running
While most of our showrooms are open 6 days a week for test drives — and while our repair teams are ready to get to work — preventing an emergency breakdown is better than reacting to it. That’s why we encourage homeowners and landscapers alike to get preventative maintenance performed by our factory trained technicians. Just like with your car, getting your mower serviced prevents problems, extends the lifespan, and ensures you get more on a trade-in when you go to upgrade.
Our winter maintenance service is popular as it allows you to get necessary maintenance done in the off-season. Plus, if something small is wrong, you can decide on what to do long before you need to use the mower. Finally, if something unexpected does go wrong with your piece during the upcoming year, you have priority service over all other clients.
Lawn Mower Repair and Replacement Handled Here
We hope this blog helped you decide whether you should repair or replace your lawn mower. However, if you still aren’t sure, we encourage you to talk to our team. Over decades in the business, we have seen countless mowers and can give advice to save you money.
Plus, whichever you decide, you can take the next step with our team. We have a full-service repair team that can handle everything — and we have a huge inventory of elite quality equipment for sale.
Reach out today to talk to our team!
FAQs
Is it worth repairing a lawn mower? Most lawn mower repairs can be somewhat simple and inexpensive compared to replacing the lawn mower completely. Small issues like batteries, spark plugs, or belts are going to be worth the cost of repairs.
Is it better to repair or replace a lawn mower? ›
If you are looking at a large issue with the engine or hydraulics, you should seriously consider buying a new mower. A repair of that size can come close to the price of a new unit. However, most other problems are fairly minor, and our mower repair teams can fix them quickly!
What is the life expectancy of a lawn mower? ›
You can expect to get anywhere from six to ten years out of your riding mower, or longer with proper care and maintenance. Like most machines, riding lawn mower life varies depending on a number of factors including terrain, maintenance and upkeep, number of hours used, and more.
Is it worth servicing a lawn mower? ›
The general advice is that you should have your lawnmower serviced around once a year, but there are instances (particularly when your machines are doing a lot of work) that you might need additional tune ups throughout the season.
How do you tell when you need a new lawn mower? ›
Warning Signs You May Need a New Lawn Mower
- Mower is Experiencing Engine Problems. Unusual noises are never a good sign, especially when they're coming from the engine of your mower. ...
- Smoke Coming Out of the Exhaust. Where there is smoke, there is a problem. ...
- Trouble with the Transmission. ...
- Too Much Oil.
Kubota is the only brand to earn top scores across the board in Consumer Reports' new riding-mower predicted reliability and owner satisfaction ratings for 2024. The brand receives stellar marks in those key attributes for both its gas lawn tractors and zero-turn-radius mowers in CR's survey-based ratings.
What is the best month to buy a lawnmower? ›
Shop for a Lawn Mower in Early Spring for the Best Variety
Spring arrives in late March, which is when the temperatures are (usually) still low enough that your grass isn't yet growing. But that's when hardware stores will have the best stock of lawn mowers.
What is the average life of a self propelled lawn mower? ›
How Long Do Self-Propelled Lawn Mowers Last? A self-propelled mower should last eight years or more, depending on how often it's used. (Most manufacturers rate their mowers for a set number of service hours.) There's no significant difference in the service life of a self-propelled mower versus a standard push model.
Can a lawn mower last 20 years? ›
That being said, the more accurate measure of a lawn mower's life is by the hours used. According to Garden Tool Expert, some people can get as much as 10 to 20 years out of their riding lawn mowers, which evens out to anywhere from 500 to 1,000 hours of use.
What does a lawn mower tune up consist of? ›
A "basic" tune up is typically checking and replacing spark plugs and the air filter, and topping off oil levels. To get that done on a fairly new push mower might cost somewhere in the $50-$80 range.
But it's not just a good idea to clean your mower because it looks better, it's also a great idea because clumps of grass can get stuck in the blades and cause mechanical issues, which is not ideal. So yes, you can and should clean your mower regularly.
How often should I buy a new lawnmower? ›
5-10 Years Old
If you have managed five or more years out of your current riding mower, it is time to start planning on picking up its replacement. The repairs tend to become more frequent and more costly.
Are lawn mowers hard to fix? ›
Fortunately, it is easy to learn small engine repair and basic lawnmower repair when it comes to simple issues. Most problems can be remedied with a few tools, replacement lawnmower parts, and patience.
How much should I spend on a lawn mower? ›
Most homeowners with a typical-sized yard will spend $322, on average, for a walk-behind lawn mower. You don't have to spend a lot of green to keep your lawn green and trim. The cheapest lawn mower, a manual push reel mower, could cost as little as $71. The average cost of a gas-powered lawn mower is $445.
What is the best time of year to buy a new lawn mower? ›
Consumer Reports says that the best months for consumers to make a lawn mower purchase are April, May, August, September and October. One popular school of thought is that it's best to buy a mower right after mowing season ends.
When not to use a lawn mower? ›
Before mowing the lawn:
- Do not mow during bad weather, such as during a thunderstorm.
- Do not mow wet grass.
- Do not mow without enough daylight.
A 3.5 HP push mower at 30 years old , is probably worth about 10 cents as scrap metal, While a vintage riding 3 reel in mint condition may collect at about $15,000.00. That being said , if yours runs , it is probably somewhere in between.
How much does it cost to replace a lawn mower engine? ›
Motor Repair
Issues with the lawn mower motor can range in severity. Minor problems may cost only about $65 to fix, but if the mower needs a full engine replacement, it can cost more than $1,000.
Is it better to sharpen a lawn mower blade or buy a new one? ›
A dull blade will rip the grass blades, leaving ragged tears that weaken the grass and promote grass diseases. Mowing with sharp blades will also reduce your mowing time. Typically, most home owners just need to sharpen blades twice per season.
