Toro self propelled 20332 on sale

[Schmoe]

Been "thinking" about getting new self propelled mower. Been looking and this particular model has gotten good reviews. On sale now at Home Depot for about 350. Guys at work are dogging me to get a Honda for a couple of hundred more, but I just can't see paying more than 350 for a mower. The top dog Honda, HRX, is something like around 7-8 hundred bucks....OUCH. http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-Lawn-M...catalogId=10053

Also, it seems lately that folks are dogging the B&S engines. I've had nothing but good luck with them. Anything I should know about???

 

[SrDriver]

Great mower! Much better than Troy Built and others. Love the walk behind speed controls.

Just follow the service recommendations in the owners manual.

 

[Johnny248]

I used to be fine with the B&S or Techumseh engines on my mowers. But then I bought a Honda mower, and I'd never switch back. They run so much smoother, are quiter, and I think are just built better. OHC, no vibration, quite, doesn't smoke at all. Great.

 

[bigmike]

I have a Toro I bought in 07. Had to have the trans gearbox changed out 2 years later under warranty. Otherwise it's a beast and no problem. I believe this was before the B&S engine switch.

 

[Schmoe]

YOU guys are leaning me towards the Honda......I'm trying to convince myself the Toro is just as good...My yard, flat, average lot size, Bermuda grass.

 

[hate2work]

I bought a Honda HRX217 with the hydrostatic drive from HD last Fall. Best mower I've ever owned. Started second pull after sitting all Winter. Bags great, mulches great. Time will tell if it was money well spent or not, but in the meantime I sure like using it. I bought a 10% off coupon for Lowes( HD honored it ) off e-bay for $5, which gave me a $70 savings.

 

[Johnny]

Is that Toro steel or aluminum deck? Toro makes an aluminum decked recycler with the Honda engine, but I doubt you can get it at Home Depot. You won't find a better mower than a good Toro.

 

[TTK]

I have the same mower under the Lawn Boy name, bought at Home Depot, about the same price, but with the tecumseh engine. I have had it for about 4 years. Love the "personal pace", drive system and it still starts on the first pull after the 3 pushes on the primer bulb. I do think the Honda engine is a little quieter.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Schmoe
Been "thinking" about getting new self propelled mower. Been looking and this particular model has gotten good reviews. On sale now at Home Depot for about 350. Guys at work are dogging me to get a Honda for a couple of hundred more, but I just can't see paying more than 350 for a mower. The top dog Honda, HRX, is something like around 7-8 hundred bucks....OUCH. http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-Lawn-M...catalogId=10053


I got the Toro 20333 (same as 20332 except the 20333 has blade over-ride feature) from HD last year for $350. So far it's been fine. Started on a second pull after the winter.

Go to your local post office and pick up a change of address/welcome to the neighborhood packet... it contains a bunch of coupons including 10% off Lowes purcahse. HD will honor it.

 

[MNgopher]

I you have your heart set on a Toro and want a Honda Engine, look for a Super Bagger, models 20192 or 20194. Aluminum decked with a Honda 160 engine. My local retailer wanted $550 for 20192 or $600 for the 20194 that has the system that stops the blade, not the engine. You won't find those at HD or Lowes - find a local shop instead.

I ended up with a 20092 and couldn't be happier.

 

[yeehaw1960]

The Toros that are rear-wheel-drive with Briggs engines on them are great mowers. You may have to clear the debris away from the self choking mechanism every couple years, but that's a small price to pay for the power you get from the Briggs (Quantum) engine. Don't let fear sell you on a much, much more expensive mower, unless you find a trunk full of cash buried in your back yard to buy one.

The Toro you're looking at will only make you cry when you hit the water meter cover and bend the shaft, the high-end Honda will make you hang yourself.

The front-wheel-drive Toros (drive mechanism) will last about the same as a Troy Bilt (Murray/Yardman/Yardking/MTD, same diff).

 

[lexus114]

I have one just like that w/key start and I have no complaints at all.Also I believe they corrected the trans.gear box malfunction. I highly recommend this mower.

 

[occity79]

I have a 2002 Honda HRB216TDA, the only (other) mower I've seen (not including 2 stroke Lawn-Boys) that I would like to own is the TORO 22197 commercial- 8.7 lb-ft torque Kawasaki, alum deck, zone start - great job on this TORO.

 

[Schmoe]

Neighbors have been telling me that they have had problems with the Toro transmissions. Their models are around the 04 time frame, that claim they were all plastic. Any truth to that?

 

[Johnny]

I think they might have been back then and they did have some problems, but Toro fixed the problem. Probably did away with the plastic.

 

[bigmike]

I have an 07 model and the transmission died/broke. It was fixed under warranty. Toro extended the warranty to several models in that timeframe from 2 years to 3 because of it. Part was made in Mexico and that's what they replaced it with. My local shop that did the repair (and it an authorized repair center) told me that they have replaced hundreds of them. The guy repaired it and had it ready for me within minutes.

They claim it is fixed on newer models, whatever the problem was.

 

[Hokiefyd]

I never appreciated a real quality mower until I bought a Honda Masters HR215SXA used. This mower was over $1000 new. Full cast aluminum deck, GXV140 commercial engine, 3-speed transmission, shaft drive, etc. It's heavy, but the level of quality is so much higher than I've ever experienced. I paid $300 for it used a few years ago (it's an '01 model). It runs fantastic. Couldn't be happier with it.

I do ocassionally mow a neighbor's lawn with their HRX-series mower, and the plastic deck is nice. The mower is very light. True, the GCV-series engines are not "commercial grade", but I'm not really sure I've seen many that are failing either. On paper, they don't have the steel cylinder bores or full ball bearings and such, but the longevity appears to be there nonetheless.

I've owned most major engine brands (B&S, Tecumseh, Lawn-Boy F-series, etc), and wouldn't trade the Honda for any of them. I don't really care for Honda's cars, but their small engines are really nice in my opinion. I would like to have a John Deere walk-behind with the Kawasaki engine.

 

[Schmoe]

Interesting....I wouldn't want to own a plastic deck mower, but I may not have a choice when my current mower goes to the big lawn in the sky. You don't like Honda cars????

 

[Hokiefyd]

I have nothing against Honda's cars, just never really had an affinity for them. I also have a moderate objection to timing belts, and that's pretty much all Honda uses (even in their GCV-160!). When I was small car shopping, none of the domestics really had anything I cared for, and it was really between the Corolla and Civic. The Corolla got the nod for having a timing chain vs. a belt, having more conventional styling (especially in the interior), and having a quieter and smoother ride. Certainly nothing wrong with the Civic, just didn't fit my tastes/needs. (Same with the Odyssey when we were minivan shopping a few years ago.)

 

[Oil_Can_Harry]

I have a Toro Model 20481 with the Briggs OHV engine and it has given me zero problems in the 11 years I have owned the mower. The mower only gets routine maintenance ( yearly oil and spark plug changes) and the occasional greasing of rear wheel drive.

Toro puts together some fine equipment. I have a Toro CCR 2450 snowblower which has given me good service. I think that has a Briggs engine.

If you like the Toro then go ahead and buy it. I suspect my Toro will outlive me.