Paul Lloyd-Jones
Just learning
- Local time
- 10:48 PM
- User ID
- 27214
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2023
- Messages
- 39
- Reaction score
- 55
- Location
- Inverness, FL, USA

Somehow I never saw this. I love this idea. I did get a used Honda yesterday. Great deal. Couldn’t find a new one at all, let alone with the features I wanted.Buy the cub cadet, fix it, use it a few times, then get the honda. Let your wife run them both, then sell the cub for a profit and in the listing say "my wife likes the honda better ".
Does the DeWalt mower even exist anymore?…been four days since your original post.Somehow I never saw this. I love this idea. I did get a used Honda yesterday. Great deal. Couldn’t find a new one at all, let alone with the features I wanted.
But I decided last night that I will still buy the Dewalt (“Cub Cadet”) and flip it. It’s just got too much potential to pass up.
I said my HRX217 was a last year model in an above post but I purchased it the spring of '21. Haven't had any issues with it so far and hopefully won't considering what you posted. Did you ever see how far back year-wise these GCV200's had this cam problem?BE AWARE that Honda HRX mowers currently, with the GCV200 engine, have bad cams. The decompression thing on them that allows you to pull start the engine fails, and then you can't start the engine. Same if it is electric start. Whether or not there's a recall last I knew what TBD, and Honda is getting out of the U.S. lawnmower market - there will be no new mowers after now (this year). They will still support parts for already built mowers, and will still be making mowers to be sold in Europe and elsewhere.
for > 1/2 acre to use a honda hrx217 type mower that's 21" or 22" I don't know. Unless you like the exercise walking and time spent. I have a ~2005 HRX217 with the hydro trans, and I bought a new one few years back, they are good mowers give the best cut I've seen. But being in florida, with flat land not small I'd be looking to invest in a zero turn for their speed and time and labor saved. I don't think anyone would necessarily be happy with a walk behind mower given 0.6 acres.
I don't have a zero turn, but i've seen more than a couple owned by residential folks where the hydro trans have gone out on them. Whether the commercial models that are ~$5k have better trans with cooling and which are serviceable I don't know, but the retail zero turns sold by depot/lowes they tend to not last - they cram the hydro trans for each rear wheel in, they're small, overheat, have poor cooling to begin with and then worse when packed with grass clippings that you can't easily clean away. and you want to be careful with such residential grade zero turns if you have hills. And for a machine like a zero turn you're spending > $1000 on, probably over $3k for a good one, I'd get it from a power equipment dealer that can service it and honor warranty, which depot/lowes retail type places won't do.
This! The old Snapper RER cut great, were simple to work on, and a blast to ride wheelies with as a kid! No wonder dad had to replace clutches every few years!Honda HRX217 all day long. Read reviews on Home Depot concerning the handle switch problems of the Milwaukee M18 mower and you'll soon get rid of that option. I'd leave that Dewalt right where it sits...no telling what sort of can of worms you're getting into. I'd def pull up the Dewalt and check reviews if any out there.
I have a 2021 model Honda HRX217 self-propelled bagger (GCV200) and it's a bad-ass push mower...one of the best mulchers you can get because of the twin blade design. Also have a Makita 18v x 2, 36V battery mower (XML08PT1) 21" self-propelled bagger push mower and it's a fine mower. Have an older Husqvarna 21" self-propelled bagger push mower that has a Honda GCV160 on it and it's never missed a beat in 10 years.
My advice if looking and maybe considering a rider to cut a little over half an acre...find you a good condition used Snapper rear engine rider in either 28", 30", or 33" Hi-Vac deck...nice ones can be had for $300-600 depending on overall condition and what the current owner has recently replaced. The simplicity of the drive system (since 1951 basically when they were first introduced) with the engine crankshaft drive disk and rear axle clutch disc assy is bulletproof. No costly transaxles, etc, etc to fool with. I've got a nice Series 23 Snapper 28" RER Hi-Vac w/12.5hp B&S electric start and I wouldn't trade it for nothing, and like you I'm a little less than 3/4's of an acre. Look on FB Marketplace and you'll see several Snapper RER's to look at within a 100 mile radius (actually a real nice 28" just east of Gainesville I saw day before yesterday when I looked on FB Marketplace for a buddy of mine who wants one...I'm in mid-Ga so the search results sometimes get down into Fla a little bit).