For the first time since February I ventured out around 10 am on a beautiful Sunday, 70 degrees, sunny, light breeze and walked 5 car lots, including CarMax, Honda, BMW, VW. So nice to just browse and have no one bothering me. I was struck by the thin inventory, both new and used. CarMax seemed to be 2/3 of what it normally is with many vacant spots. That lot is generally stacked with vehicles. I didn’t see anything that I must have which is just as well. I don’t think I’ve driven 700 total miles in all our vehicles since mid March.
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
The hood ornament makes a good "sight", if you know what I mean
To me, sport grille = coupe, hood star = sedan, so to mix them makes me feel a little uneasy. But as you mentioned, I might be a bit of a traditionalist, and that doesn't seem to be the group MB is chasing right now. Sport = youth = competing with BMW.
I like the sports grill....and you are more of a classic guy. The sports grill outsells the classic grill by a wide margin. I wish they would keep the 3 point star on the hood though....I like that.
About 3 years ago my Toro was needing major repair so I was in the market for a new mower. I was thinking of another Toro or perhaps a Honda. I needed to run to Sears to get a replacement blade for my electric edger. It had just been announced that location was closing. While I was in the garden section I gave a quick look at the mowers. On the end was a mower that had been returned and was almost half priced. It looked absolutely new, not a scratch, all attachments manuals, etc. For less than $300, I have a black Craftsman 22 inch rear drive mower with a Briggs & Stratton Titanium OHV engine. I did some research on it and it was made by Husqvarna. My only complaint is the deck clogs easily when mulching damp grass. That is a pain because it forces me to stop and turn it on its side to scrape the stuck grass loose. Otherwise it’s been a good mower and a good purchase.
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
My Toro clogs with moist grass. The bumps on the underside of the housing that make the air mix to ensure the grass blades getting cut up multiple times get packed full. It's the aluminum housing that the real Toros had. Later Toro either started making steel decks on small mowers or someone bought that part of the naming rights.
The hood ornament makes a good "sight", if you know what I mean
To me, sport grille = coupe, hood star = sedan, so to mix them makes me feel a little uneasy. But as you mentioned, I might be a bit of a traditionalist, and that doesn't seem to be the group MB is chasing right now. Sport = youth = competing with BMW.
I like the sports grill....and you are more of a classic guy. The sports grill outsells the classic grill by a wide margin. I wish they would keep the 3 point star on the hood though....I like that.
Exactly! Do not forget, the sport grill adds .02 seconds to 0 to 60 too!
However, I still don’t know what a cabin air filter looks like with 50K miles on it.
jmonroe
Not pretty... that's all I can say! I change the filters on our cars annually, which means they have somewhere around 15,000 miles on them, and they are straight up nasty. In our Subarus in particular, which don't have any sort of a pre-filter or guard to catch some of the larger stuff, the filters are just full of birch seeds, insects, etc. It actually surprises me that so much air still flows into the cars, but flow is much noticeably better immediately after the change.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
My only complaint is the deck clogs easily when mulching damp grass. That is a pain because it forces me to stop and turn it on its side to scrape the stuck grass loose. Otherwise it’s been a good mower and a good purchase.
That is probably why the last guy brought it back.
I have a Craftsman made by Husqvarna, great mower. I just changed the self propel belt and it needed new front tires since the gears stripped for the self propel otherwise been going strong for a good number of years.
I didn’t know vehicles are gendered. I’ll have to make sure I only look in my part of the car lot. Seriously, I thought CRVs are generally for families.
About 3 years ago my Toro was needing major repair so I was in the market for a new mower. I was thinking of another Toro or perhaps a Honda. I needed to run to Sears to get a replacement blade for my electric edger. It had just been announced that location was closing. While I was in the garden section I gave a quick look at the mowers. On the end was a mower that had been returned and was almost half priced. It looked absolutely new, not a scratch, all attachments manuals, etc. For less than $300, I have a black Craftsman 22 inch rear drive mower with a Briggs & Stratton Titanium OHV engine. I did some research on it and it was made by Husqvarna. My only complaint is the deck clogs easily when mulching damp grass. That is a pain because it forces me to stop and turn it on its side to scrape the stuck grass loose. Otherwise it’s been a good mower and a good purchase.
I borrowed a Craftsman mower about twenty years ago, and I found it to be the worst mower I ever used for that very reason: The deck design was just awful and it would get grass stuck in there, after which the effectiveness of cutting plummeted. Every time I looked at mowers since then, Craftsman always had the same desk design, so I just never bothered with them.
I much prefer basic, high-wheel push mowers with simple (yet effective) deck design. Price tends to be around $200-250, and they have very little to break on them.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
Bought my first Honda self-propelled in 1991. My wife made me get a new one in 2016. It's better than the first one (which someone is probably still using).
1991: everything was extra, including the rear bag. Didn't mulch. $900 2016: everything was included, mulches. $700.
By the time I need another one, I'll probably be paying someone to cut the lawn.
I seem to recall that back in the '60s/'70s Lawn-Boy was the home lawnmower to have if you had the $$$. I think back then they featured 2-stroke engines and aluminum decks. My dad didn't like them though - he said they were too noisy and hard to start. He ended up with a Jacobsen with an electric starter.
I still have my Lawn Boy that I bought in 1985. Years later, i remember seeing a used one for sale at the place I bought mine. They were asking more than I paid new. Despite a cast aluminum desk, it is very heavy mower and it just sits in the shed as the backup's backup.
2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
Couple of observations. First is this new E-Mustang from Ford. While I‘ll never forgive them for diluting the nameplate I’m hearing a 3.5 sec. 0-60. That’s impressive if true for something that looks like a SUV.
Also, contrary to my assumptions and internet wisdom, I’m hearing that used car prices are rising steeply. This is due, they say, to the coming shortage of new cars because of shutdowns around the world. Dealers are now paying higher prices at auction for used cars. These same sources were saying a few weeks ago that dealers were overflowing with used cars and would be giving them away by now. What gives?
I’m not seeing it just yet. Where did you “hear” such a thing.
The country is re-starting, but it will be a whole new ballgame. Folks still won’t be driving as much, plus you have all the newly unemployed. OTOH, you have those who have been cooped up and maybe looking for a release in the form of a big purchase. I still think any call right now is nothing more than a guess.
For the first time since February I ventured out around 10 am on a beautiful Sunday, 70 degrees, sunny, light breeze and walked 5 car lots, including CarMax, Honda, BMW, VW. So nice to just browse and have no one bothering me. I was struck by the thin inventory, both new and used. CarMax seemed to be 2/3 of what it normally is with many vacant spots. That lot is generally stacked with vehicles. I didn’t see anything that I must have which is just as well. I don’t think I’ve driven 700 total miles in all our vehicles since mid March.
Only 10 new Accords on Honda World's lot. Mostly either the base model LX or the high end 2.0. Only 1 certified pre-owned Accord. Dealership still offering decent discounts though.
Borrowed a Honda mower from a friend 20+ years ago. It had a blade clutch that would stop and start the blade while the engine was running. The engine was very quite when the clutch was engaged. Would seem to be safer to stop blade without having to turn the engine off.
Regarding Lawn Boys a late friend and fan of them said, "You either have a Lawn Boy or you need one".
Borrowed a Honda mower from a friend 20+ years ago. It had a blade clutch that would stop and start the blade while the engine was running. The engine was very quite when the clutch was engaged. Would seem to be safer to stop blade without having to turn the engine off.
Regarding Lawn Boys a late friend and fan of them said, "You either have a Lawn Boy or you need one".
Blade brake/clutch. It's a great feature, and one of the reasons for a higher price. I can't imagine having a mower without that feature.
For the first time since February I ventured out around 10 am on a beautiful Sunday, 70 degrees, sunny, light breeze and walked 5 car lots, including CarMax, Honda, BMW, VW. So nice to just browse and have no one bothering me. I was struck by the thin inventory, both new and used. CarMax seemed to be 2/3 of what it normally is with many vacant spots. That lot is generally stacked with vehicles. I didn’t see anything that I must have which is just as well. I don’t think I’ve driven 700 total miles in all our vehicles since mid March.
Only 10 new Accords on Honda World's lot. Mostly either the base model LX or the high end 2.0. Only 1 certified pre-owned Accord. Dealership still offering decent discounts though.
The Chevy dealer we shopped this week had a full used lot across the street. Their new car show room had just a single 2019 Impala. Maybe they had more in back but I wasn’t looking.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I'm out of touch with lawn mowers, have had a townhouse for just over 20 years. May have mentioned this before, but the first night we spent at the townhouse after a hard week of moving, I was awakened to the sound of a gas weedeater below the bedroom window. I was pissed for a moment until I realized I would not need to run one again.
I still have my Lawn Boy that I bought in 1985. Years later, i remember seeing a used one for sale at the place I bought mine. They were asking more than I paid new. Despite a cast aluminum desk, it is very heavy mower and it just sits in the shed as the backup's backup.
I used to have Lawn Boys until they stopped making the 2 cycle engines. Right now I have a Toro with a Honda engine. No complaints.
I'm out of touch with lawn mowers, have had a townhouse for just over 20 years. May have mentioned this before, but the first night we spent at the townhouse after a hard week of moving, I was awakened to the sound of a gas weedeater below the bedroom window. I was pissed for a moment until I realized I would not need to run one again.
Borrowed a Honda mower from a friend 20+ years ago. It had a blade clutch that would stop and start the blade while the engine was running. The engine was very quite when the clutch was engaged. Would seem to be safer to stop blade without having to turn the engine off.
Regarding Lawn Boys a late friend and fan of them said, "You either have a Lawn Boy or you need one".
Blade brake/clutch. It's a great feature, and one of the reasons for a higher price. I can't imagine having a mower without that feature.
I had that feature on the Toro and miss it on my current mower. One feature I do like on my Craftsman is a single lever changes the mowing height, no need to do each wheel individually.
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
My neighbor keeps trying to get me to use his self-propelled 22 inch mower. It has a hose attachment on the deck. You connect a garden hose and turn on the water while running the blade, and voila, everything is cleaned off. No scraping.
My 21 inch Toro with the cast aluminum deck is a push mower. I figured I needed the exercise it offers.
Mike, your grandson left the school in Wisconsin? Or Iowa? Whatever cold midwestern state he was in!
He was in Nebraska on a full scholarship where he couldn't handle the cold weather. Remember, he was born and raised in the low desert where it was mild and dry in the winter (60-70) and hot in Spring, Fall and Summer (104-117). So he transferred to a 2-year community college well known for its baseball. He is going to transfer to a CA State University and get his degree and play on their Varsity baseball team as a starting pitcher.
Hopefully he will get drafted in 2022 after graduation.
However, I still don’t know what a cabin air filter looks like with 50K miles on it.
jmonroe
Not pretty... that's all I can say! I change the filters on our cars annually, which means they have somewhere around 15,000 miles on them, and they are straight up nasty. In our Subarus in particular, which don't have any sort of a pre-filter or guard to catch some of the larger stuff, the filters are just full of birch seeds, insects, etc. It actually surprises me that so much air still flows into the cars, but flow is much noticeably better immediately after the change.
Changing the cabin filter in the Mini is a five minute job. When I changed it I estimated it hadn’t been changed for several years, but then the PO paid a shop $35 to change a headlamp bulb- which is a five minute job to do both.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Borrowed a Honda mower from a friend 20+ years ago. It had a blade clutch that would stop and start the blade while the engine was running. The engine was very quite when the clutch was engaged. Would seem to be safer to stop blade without having to turn the engine off.
Regarding Lawn Boys a late friend and fan of them said, "You either have a Lawn Boy or you need one".
Blade brake/clutch. It's a great feature, and one of the reasons for a higher price. I can't imagine having a mower without that feature.
My Cub Cadet ZTR is supposed to turn off the blades when it is reversing. The selling dealer knew I wasn’t happy about it so they “forgot” to hook up the cutout harness before they delivered my mower.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I still have my Lawn Boy that I bought in 1985. Years later, i remember seeing a used one for sale at the place I bought mine. They were asking more than I paid new. Despite a cast aluminum desk, it is very heavy mower and it just sits in the shed as the backup's backup.
I used to have Lawn Boys until they stopped making the 2 cycle engines. Right now I have a Toro with a Honda engine. No complaints.
Well the original Jmonroe had a car with a nice classy burgundy color... this new impostor has some grey color wannabe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comments
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
To me, sport grille = coupe, hood star = sedan, so to mix them makes me feel a little uneasy. But as you mentioned, I might be a bit of a traditionalist, and that doesn't seem to be the group MB is chasing right now. Sport = youth = competing with BMW.
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
'24 Chevy Blazer EV 2LT
I much prefer basic, high-wheel push mowers with simple (yet effective) deck design. Price tends to be around $200-250, and they have very little to break on them.
It's better than the first one (which someone is probably still using).
1991: everything was extra, including the rear bag. Didn't mulch. $900
2016: everything was included, mulches. $700.
By the time I need another one, I'll probably be paying someone to cut the lawn.
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2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
Years later, i remember seeing a used one for sale at the place I bought mine.
They were asking more than I paid new.
Despite a cast aluminum desk, it is very heavy mower and it just sits in the shed as the backup's backup.
They could be full of prunes but wasn’t somebody’s sister having problems getting a dealer to discount a used Subie?
On the Mustang electric SUV
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/19/mustang-mach-e-five-things-to-know-about-fords-first-all-electric-suv.html
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Only 1 certified pre-owned Accord. Dealership still offering decent discounts though.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Regarding Lawn Boys a late friend and fan of them said, "You either have a Lawn Boy or you need one".
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Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!
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2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2025 Forester Limited, 2024 Subaru Legacy Sport
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
My 21 inch Toro with the cast aluminum deck is a push mower. I figured I needed the exercise it offers.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Hopefully he will get drafted in 2022 after graduation.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
Do you not like eating the skin part?
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
a bell sound.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250