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There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of mowing the lawn and realizing your old reliable is starting to show signs of serious wear. It raises that difficult question homeowners know all too well: Is it worth repairing this old thing, or is it time to buy a new one? One of the most expensive components to replace is, of course, the mower deck — the metal housing that surrounds the blades and directs the flow of cut grass.
Whether it be damage from rust, too many impacts, or years of exposure to the elements, life can really leave the deck compromised after enough time goes by. It forces you to really think about the cost of replacement versus the price of an entirely new mower. And while some mower problems can be solved with simple, inexpensive fixes such as changing out old gasoline for fresh, structural damage to the deck is a much larger repair. In those situations, the decision often comes down to economics. You need to consider factors like the age of the mower, the original purchase price, and the estimated repair bill. All will play an important part in whether a repair makes more financial sense than a replacement.
Deck replacement often (but not always) costs less
For riding mowers, a replacement deck is usually much cheaper than a brand-new mower. Take the replacement deck for a 42-inch John Deere riding mower, for example. A replacement on John Deere’s site goes for around $700 at time of writing. However, the cheapest new 42-inch John Deere at Home Depot costs $2,299. That means the replacement is about one-third the cost of a new mower. So long as the engine runs fine, the transmission functions as expected, and there aren’t any other major mechanical issues, a new deck could help you maintain your lawn mower for years.
But for push mowers, the math gets a little trickier. For instance: On Amazon, a replacement deck for a 21-inch Troy-Bilt push mower sells for about $126. But a brand-new mower of similar size, design, and appearance is available from Home Depot for about $269. By that math, the replacement deck alone would cost closer to half as much as an entirely new mower. If you’re doing the repair yourself, it seems more worth it to order the part than to replace the mower. But if you have a repair service take care of it, the cost of labor could come close to the cost of a new machine. Think about how long you’ve owned the mower, whether or not the engine needs to be replaced, and the estimated repair expense before deciding for sure one way or the other.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
