I just purchased a 2013 Honda HRX217HZA a couple of weeks ago. It supplants a 2003 Toro 20033 SR push mower here, which still is in mint condition. After recent spine surgery, I decided to finally purchase a self-propelled mower! Here are my thoughts on the HRX217HZA which cost me $849, plus tax (high here in IL (9%) - at a local mower shop. - Versamow System... So far, I exclusively use it in the mulch position, as I always mulch here. This fall I will try it out in the partial mulch and partial discharge when the leaves begin to fall. I never bag, as I have no way to get rid of the clippings. The mower mulches very well on par with the Toro SR. - The 190cc engine starts immediately with either the recoil or electric start. NOTE: With the 2013 HRX217HZA, Honda eliminated the "wall wart" charger for the battery. The battery is now charged from the engine's electrical system when the mower is running. No engine surging is noted, either at partial or full throttle. However, I am using non-Ethanol gasoline provided by the selling dealer. I will see if any surging begins when I start using the 10% Ethanol gas sold at all gas stations in this area. I do use an additive called Star Tron Enzyme Fuel Treatment - I find it superior to Sta-Bil. - Blade Brake... the blade brake feature is very nice, especially when you need to pick up something from the yard which was overlooked prior to mowing. I know this adds to the complexity of the mower, but it's a big plus for me. When the blade brake bail is pushed in which engages the blade, or more specifically, the blades, the mower's dBA noise level increases significantly. The HRX217 is definitely a louder mower than my Toro SR 20033 with the flat-head B&S 6.5HP Quantum engine. - Nexite Deck... The Nexite deck is very nice, and rugged, but it may be more sensitive to spilled gas, fluids, etc. than a cast aluminum or steel deck. This is not confirmed, but it is noted in the HXA's owner's manual. - Ball Bearing Wheels... This mower is heavy (102 lbs.), but I honestly can't tell much of a difference between this mower with the ball bearing wheels and the Toro with sleeve bearing wheels. Granted, the Toro is only 69 lbs., but when I drop the Clutch Bail on the Honda to either trim or go back and forth around obstacles, the Honda is not necessarily easy to maneuver - ball bearing wheels or not. Not that it's hard to maneuver per se, but simply more so than my Toro push mower. - Hydrostatic Drive... The Hydrostatic drive is wonderful in operation. I can set it to its lowest setting, and it will simply crawl at a snail's pace. I will never use it at its highest speed setting, as I don't enjoy jogging when I mow the lawn! It's very nice to be able to change the speed on the go, and when you want to disengage the drive, you simply drop the Clutch Bail. You can also "feather" the drive system by partially dropping the Clutch Bail similar to a single drive or variable drive system. As to potential cost-of-repair, yes, I expect the Hydrostatic drive to be most costly to maintain, and certainly to repair than other systems. I've heard stories here on this site of high repair bills on the Hydrostatic drive, so I am a bit concerned about this myself. I understand the Toro's Personal Pace (originally designed by Lawn-Boy), and the Snapper Disc design is more simple, and thus, less-costly to repair. - Honda Warranty... The HRX comes with a 5 year warranty, but since I purchased the mower on or before May 31, Honda added a Bonus 1 year, so it has a 6 year warranty. I've also read on this site where Honda can be quite picky about some warranty claims, thus this also concerns me a bit. I never had the need to test the Toro 5 year warranty on my 20033 SR, as it never had one single problem in the 10 years I've owned it. The only negatives I've discovered so far are as follows: - When mowing laterally across a slight rise or hill, the mower wants to slide sideways down the incline a bit. This is due to its weight. It's not a significant problem, but it does occur. - The HRX217 is a complex walk-behind mower... from its OHC 190cc engine with a belt-driven cam drive to its Hydrostatic drive, it's likely the most complex walk-behind mower available for residential use. Unlike the Toro 20033 SR with the "old" B&S flat head engine which has only required annual oil changes, annual air filter replacements, and annual spark plug replacements, plus a thorough cleaning after each use, the Honda's maintenance schedule "reads more like an automobile maintenance schedule." The dealer strongly urged me to consider annual check-ups at $69+ per service, and the owner's manual directly addresses this, such as checking the valve clearance on the OHC system, as well as checking the Hydrostatic drive. Thus, this mower will certainly be more costly to maintain than the Toro I own. During the 6 year warranty period, the dealer will pick up the mower and deliver it back to my house for no charge - other than the service fee of course. Just a thought to consider, as I doubt HD would do this for you. One of the benefits of buying from a locally-owned dealer is that they generally provide excellent service. redballoon - I hope this answers some of your questions. I know this is not the exact model you are considering, but I have tried to cover most questions on the mower's features.

I have two push mowers with Kohler motors made of Chinesium junk in China. Only reason I bought them was for the Kohler engine. Big surprise and disappointment. 5 hours use and won't start. Venture capitalists have been buying up these good names (Hoover, Electrolux, Kohler) and then make them in China and undercut local made. Takes about 4 years before people wake up to the scam. These capos don't care because they've made their money and moved onto the next one. You are left with Chinesium landfill. Chinese workers get $20 for a 10 hour day, 6 days a week. No pension, no workers comp insurance. Get your arm cut off in a machine you become a beggar on the street. Henry Ford said he wanted to pay his workers enough money so they could afford to buy his cars.

My name is Patrick Perry I own ‘A Worm’s Tale’ in Jacksonville Florida, Coos Bay Oregon, Cedar City Utah, Vancouver British Columbia and other locations. We are the largest producer of organic worm castings in the world. I live in Salt Lake City, but I evaluate each location every year. I have been using WWGrinder, TroyBilt, Craftsman, MTD and other chipper shredders for over 30 years. I prefer the basic WWGrinder design that has been coppied by others. I currently have over 20 machines that work well. I like extra heavy made flails with the exit screens these machines use for reducing the size of materials. After shredding, we sift using an expensive 1/8” trommel and reshred the larger materials. A worms mouth is 1/40 of an inch, so we regrind all shredded materials after they pass through a 1/8” screen. We also have at least 10 commercial grinders; we prefer burr grinders. We stock parts and know who manufactures parts for all these shredders. We usually buy hundreds of flails, chipper knives and have 10 screens of one size custom made at a time (1.5”, .75”, .25”, 125”); they usually cost $150 each. At each location we have mechanics that overhaul and maintain our shredders. We also have HUGE custom built chipper shredders that output material smaller than 1/8” If you need advice, parts or want to sell a working or broken machine, we buy and sell them after reconditioning. Most of the chipper shredders with exit screens are no longer made in the USA. The Chinese replacements are cheaply made with inferior steel and parts; they do not work very well; parts and exact engines become unavailable very quickly. Most people throw them away when they break. We keep a bone yard of obsolete machines for parts if you want to discard one and help others to repair their machines. We believe organic nutrients are the healthiest way to live and we encourage shredding organic materials for growing nutritional foods. (385) 202-4446 texts with a picture is preferred

Here's my story: I've spent $700 bucks for 13 years of mowing. And I've been ridin' in the saddle. I mow about an acre, two or three times a month. I let the grass get a little too tall sometimes, but these mowers have had no problem cutting it down. My first was a Craftsman 14 or a 16 hp that I paid 100 bucks for. I only bought one battery in 5 years. It was probably from the 80s or 90s. The engine was still strong but the rest was shot. Time for a new one. So, I ended up calling a guy and he said "come on by, I have one for sale." He had a Murray he wanted 200 for. But I noticed a larger yard man sitting under a tree, it was a hydraulic 18 hp Yard Man that he said needed some TLC. I asked him what it needed. He said just a "little this and that." I've heard that before! Dig? I said, does it Run?" He said yes, and after some effort we got it cranked. I bought it. I just had a feeling about it. The quality stuck out. Hydraulics will last longer. I know a little something. But It was a little risky. I knew it needed a little help under the deck. I paid $225.00 for it. But 8 years later, it!'s still running. That Kohler engine is great. It's a 1996 model. It takes a little effort to get it cranked, I use a little ether and have a process, because I don't want to kill my battery with excess cranks.? I've spent $400 over the last 8 years on it. There's a pro mechanic who has put a belt on it. and some pulleys and such under the deck, batteries. I mow my lawn in 30 to 40 minutes. That saves me an hour versus the push type. Saves my back even more. My mechanic said the Kohler engine is as good as a Honda. This was a high time machine before I got it. I can just tell. But I've only put about 100 hours on it or so. I'm trying to stretch the life out by mowing only 2, maybe 3 times a month. If I mow every week, there's no need for the ether -- but I like for my grass to grow tall before cutting -- it keeps it thicker and better looking. My neighbors have a love- hate relationship with me.