Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - Honda Lawn Mowers

I need to purchase a new mower. My 22 yr old Honda has died. I'm looking at a Honda HRR216VKA for $399 at Home Depot and A Honda HRR216K5VKA for $479 at the local Honda dealer. In comparing the specs they seem to be the same mower, but the specs are written in a way that it's impossible to compare apples to apples.

Does anyone know if the $479 mower has any features that make it worth considering over the $399 mower.

Thanks,

Sherm

If you know & trust the honda dealer, Ask them,, They may have some answers as at least the model #'s mean... I'm thinking the different models would be different in some way, but someone told me once that the dealer can tell if you bought it from a box store... Maybe this is how???? Let us know what you find.... Roger

It is quite possible, that the home depot has a GCV (domestic engine - avoid like the plague), whereas the proper one has a GXV professional engine. The stuff in larger 'diy' stores tends to be spec'd down.

Here are links to both mowers. I only gave them a cursory look but I don't see the difference.

Honda Power Equipment - HRR216K5VKA (http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/products/modeldetail.aspx?page=modeldetail&section=P2LM&modelname=HRR216K5VKA&modelid=HRR2165VKA)


Honda 21 In. Steel, Variable Speed Smart Drive 4 IN 1 Capable Walk Behind Mower - HRR216VKA at The Home Depot (http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100617092&categoryID=528374)

It is quite possible, that the home depot has a GCV (domestic engine - avoid like the plague), whereas the proper one has a GXV professional engine. The stuff in larger 'diy' stores tends to be spec'd down.

What's wrong with Honda's GCV engine? I bought my new mower specifically for the quality of a Honda engine verses a Briggs or Tecumseh.

I wouldn't avoid them like the plague. I'd much rather have one of them than most of the briggs engines you see on consumer equipment. It's a good consumer grade engine.

I've got a Honda GCV190 on my 3000 psi Husky pressure washer. It replaces a 2100 psi Excel unit that had a 6.5 hp Briggs on it. The Briggs/Excel served me well for 15 yrs until the pump finally failed. The Briggs engine still seems strong. The first Husky I got was tough to start but ran well once started. Took it back after a couple weeks, Home Depot swapped it out for a new unit no problem. The new one starts and runs fine. The engine seems to labor some but the output/cleaning power is great. It does seem to use a lot of fuel though compared to my old Briggs?

I've used two stroke Lawnboy mowers since the early 1960's, so when the EPA outlawed two stroke engines recently, my new Lawnboy with the Honda GCV160 engine has been my first foray into the world of four stroke lawnmower engines. I can say I'm impressed with the way the Honda OHV engine starts on the first pull, even after sitting all winter, and it seems to use half the gasoline of the Lawnboy two strokers. I noticed that towards the end of the summer this year, my Honda engine was running way too rich, using twice the fuel as normal. I changed the air filter, which didn't seem all that dirty and that seemed to help, but I may still have a shop look at the carb this winter.

I will say that my next mower will probably be a Honda unit, rather than just a Honda-powered mower of another brand. I assume Honda's self-propelled mechanism is a bit better than other manufacturers, just due to Honda's engineering proficiency.

Actually hondas self propel tranny has had some issues in the past. I don't know if they have improved the design recently or not, but there were problems with it.

I've got a 13yo Lawn Boy 10310 model with the 4.5hp Tecumseh. It still runs good after 13 seasons. I did have to clean the carb some at the beginning of this season but its started first pull since then. The Lawn Boys now are made by Toro I believe.