Honda Lawnmower HRX217HZA-Awesome!!

[Wolfepack88]

Ok, I read Honda is getting out of the gas lawnmower biz after California imposed too strict of emissions standards from what I understand. So I went out and picked up a Honda HRX217HZA today since Honda's are known to be built like tanks. I had an ego for 7 years and the batteries are expensive as heck and slowly but surely it required more recharges to complete my backyard cut (two full batteries plus half of a third to mow a little less than a half acre 7 years later). When I started I could mow the whole back on the one battery with limited self propel use. So I said I'm going back to gas since my yard is about a full acre with the front added in. For smaller lawns I think you can definitely go electric if you want and be fine. Anyhow, the first mow today on one tank of gas on full mulch with full self propel and it looks like a carpet. Best looking cut I ever had on a lawn. Was blown away on how nice it looked. So thumbs up on the mower.

 

[Mdragger88]

We have one from the 90’s - still rocking! I did have to sew up some holes on the bag a couple years back.

 

[JJ_Tex]

Wait what? I love my 20 year old Honda mower. Can someone remind Honda that there are 49 other states?

Electric is the future for many things, but legislating change annoys me. Build a better product and let the market change on its own.

I’m also certainly not convinced that a gas mower that last 20+ years is less environmentally friendly than multiple batteries and electric mowers ending up in the landfill in that 20 year span.

 

[PoolGate]

I have been using the same Troybuilt gas push mower for over 20+ years. I have never even changed the oil. Starts right up on 1 pull every single time. For the past 10 it has just been used for the pool area and a few sections that I can't reach with my JD tractor. Old house (1/4 acre) it was used for the entire lawn.

I can't imagine how anyone with an acre plus or even a 1/2 acre would ever get that done with battery powered mowers/tractors. I have 1.4 acres that are hillly there is no chance I could cut this with a battery powered tractor. Well, I guess I could do it 1/4 acre a day . What are commercial lawn care services supposed to do? Just permanently shut down? The only battery powered tractor I have seen is 3x-4x as much as a comparable gas tractor and real world use says it goes for around an hour on a full charge.

 

[Wolfepack88]

A quick update, went to start up the mower today to warm up the oil and drain it. It wouldn't start and it sounded like it was seized. The pull start practically ripped out of my hand when I went to pull it. Called the dealer up and they told me to bring it over (2pm). Drove over 20 minutes later I was walking out with a brand new mower. They said it had a bent cam shaft (it literally was used for one hour to mow my backyard) and the cam shafts were on backorder. I think because I just purchased the mower this week they decided to give me a brand new one. So take 2 and I shall see how this goes. Ironically I just had written an excellent initial review on the Honda website. My last John Deers that I had purchased in 2001 ran for 14 years just with an annual service until the Ego experiment. Honda let me down but the dealer didn't.

 

[jark87]

During COVID, I decided to start mowing my lawn again instead of using a service. Ended up with a Toro electric mower, which uses the same steel housing and blade as their gas model. Absolutely love it! And while I’m glad to contribute to cleaner air, that really wasn’t my motivation for going with electric. It was eliminating trips to the gas station with a gas container that I also had to store in the garage. And no more oil changes. Kinda like replacing liquid chlorine with a SWCG. Bonus: the handle folds up and I can store it on end since it doesn’t contain any liquids, which allows me to store it against the wall with plenty of room to park my car.

 

[Mdragger88]

During COVID, I decided to start mowing my lawn again instead of using a service. Ended up with a Toro electric mower, which uses the same steel housing and blade as their gas model. Absolutely love it! And while I’m glad to contribute to cleaner air, that really wasn’t my motivation for going with electric. It was eliminating trips to the gas station with a gas container that I also had to store in the garage. And no more oil changes. Kinda like replacing liquid chlorine with a SWCG. Bonus: the handle folds up and I can store it on end since it doesn’t contain any liquids, which allows me to store it against the wall with plenty of room to park my car.

The no oil changes/checking & winterizing is not really something I thought about before. Only really thought about losing the gas ️ & that dang pull rope! Great points!

 

[Newdude]

Kinda like replacing liquid chlorine with a SWCG

You sir just spoke to my soul.

You had me for a second.

 

[H-12 1/2 Mike]

My experience with battery powered mowers was disappinting. I purchased a Stihl battery mower, edger and string trimmer and purchased 3 batteries. The battery cost was $200.00 each or $600.00. All three batteries lasted about 3 years, they were charged after every use. So two years ago I gave my grandson the battery powered equipment and purchased a new Honda HRX 217 for the cost of the replacement batteries.

 

[Methuselah]

A quick update, went to start up the mower today to warm up the oil and drain it. It wouldn't start and it sounded like it was seized. The pull start practically ripped out of my hand when I went to pull it. Called the dealer up and they told me to bring it over (2pm). Drove over 20 minutes later I was walking out with a brand new mower. They said it had a bent cam shaft (it literally was used for one hour to mow my backyard) and the cam shafts were on backorder. I think because I just purchased the mower this week they decided to give me a brand new one. So take 2 and I shall see how this goes. Ironically I just had written an excellent initial review on the Honda website. My last John Deers that I had purchased in 2001 ran for 14 years just with an annual service until the Ego experiment. Honda let me down but the dealer didn't.

All the manufacturers seem to be going to plastic gears on the camshaft. They crack then rotate (throws off valve timing).

All the older mowers I've pulled out of trash piles and fixed ran for years, but not the new ones...

 

[Flying Tivo]

I have a Lowes Kobalt 80V mower for the house (5 year warranty on batteries)but got the badboy rambler for the lake house.

MZ Rambler Zero Turn Lawn Mower | Bad Boy Mowers

Offering rock-solid, all welded-steel construction Bad Boy Mowers is known for, the MZ Rambler is the perfect zero turn mower for smaller yards.

www.badboymowers.com

 

[Wolfepack88]

I have a Lowes Kobalt 80V mower for the house (5 year warranty on batteries)but got the badboy rambler for the lake house.

MZ Rambler Zero Turn Lawn Mower | Bad Boy Mowers

Offering rock-solid, all welded-steel construction Bad Boy Mowers is known for, the MZ Rambler is the perfect zero turn mower for smaller yards.

www.badboymowers.com

That looks awesome. I never heard of them, I wish my shed doors were wide enough (only 6 ft wide). These look really well built.

 

[Wolfepack88]

BTW, the brand new replacement mower given to me by the dealer, another HRX217HZA, failed exactly like the first on in the same way. Day 1 mowing fine. 4 days later wouldn't start either by electric starter or by hand pull which was impossible to pull. Clearly a cam issue not allowing the automatic compression release to function properly. Back to my ego until I figure out either a zero turn or a toro super recycler.

 

[Newdude]

Quality control went to crud for *anything* these days. I don't know how any company can afford such a failure rate. With 2 in a row, it not a one off issue.

 

[Mdragger88]

BTW, the brand new replacement mower given to me by the dealer, another HRX217HZA, failed exactly like the first on in the same way. Day 1 mowing fine. 4 days later wouldn't start either by electric starter or by hand pull which was impossible to pull. Clearly a cam issue not allowing the automatic compression release to function properly. Back to my ego until I figure out either a zero turn or a toro super recycler.

Disappointing
Perhaps Facebook marketplace for an oldie but goodie? I have seen a few in my area lately.

 

[PoolGate]

BTW, the brand new replacement mower given to me by the dealer, another HRX217HZA, failed exactly like the first on in the same way. Day 1 mowing fine. 4 days later wouldn't start either by electric starter or by hand pull which was impossible to pull. Clearly a cam issue not allowing the automatic compression release to function properly. Back to my ego until I figure out either a zero turn or a toro super recycler.

I just looked this up. Are you saying you paid $1k for a push mower?

 

[Wolfepack88]

Quality control went to crud for *anything* these days. I don't know how any company can afford such a failure rate. With 2 in a row, it not a one off issue.

I spoke to a Honda mechanic and he said their quality control is so maniacal that he's betting this will be a systemic issue. I found on a lawn forum site someone with the exact same issue, as if I wrote his story as well, and he is on mower #3. I asked for a refund and the dealer said yes. I won't try another Honda just cant trust it now which is crazy. A $1100 mower. Today I found a youtube video with someone else with the same issue so it's definitely not isolated.

 

[Wolfepack88]

I just looked this up. Are you saying you paid $1k for a push mower?

Yeah crazy me I bought the top of the line Honda self propelled because Honda is supposed to be bullet proof. Not so much. Looking at a Toro now.

 

[Newdude]

I found on a lawn forum site someone with the exact same issue, as if I wrote his story as well, and he is on mower #3

Yeah. So it's a widespread issue. If the last couple of years has taught me anything, it's not the only widespread issue.

 

[PoolGate]

Yeah crazy me I bought the top of the line Honda self propelled because Honda is supposed to be bullet proof. Not so much. Looking at a Toro now.

For 1/2 acre you are probably fine with a no frills push mower without power drive. My Troybuilt is 7hp and light as a feather to push. I tried one experiment once with a power drive and it broke within 3 years. On the other end you could get an entry level riding mower for about what you paid for that Honda.