NJ Lawns Community

Anyone else dealing with this? My old Toro gas mower (probably 10+ years old) is being an absolute nightmare this spring. I've had it since we moved to Ramsey and it's been okay over the years, but now I'm pulling and pulling and getting nothing. Changed the spark plug last year, tried starting fluid, fresh gas - nothing. I'm honestly over it. I've got a quarter acre with tall fescue and some KBG mixed in. Is it finally time to go battery or should I just fix what I have? My neighbor swears by his Ego but I want to hear from locals first. What's everyone running in Bergen County these days?

Ooh, 10 years is about the max I'd expect from a gas mower. You might already be past the point of no return. What model Toro do you have? If it's one of the old recycled steel decks, I'd say cut your losses. That said, before you go full battery, check the carburetor - they get gummed up and that's usually the culprit. I had a similar issue with my Honda a few years back and it was just junk in the carb. Cleaned it out and she ran like new for another 3 seasons. Worth a shot before spending $400+ on a new battery mower.

Go battery! I switched to the Ryobi 40V two years ago and I'll never go back to gas. No more mixing oil with gas, no pull cord shoulder pain, nothing. I got mine from the Home Depot in Paramus and they've always got good deals. It handles my front lawn in Englewood Cliffs fine with the tall fescue. Only downside is if you have a big property you'll need a second battery. For a quarter acre honestly you'd probably be fine with one charge. Plus it's way quieter so I can mow early Saturday mornings without waking the whole neighborhood lol.

Hold on - not so fast. I've got nothing against battery mowers but you gotta be realistic. I tried an Ego last season on my in-law's place in Tenafly and struggled with KBG - it would stall out in thicker spots and the battery died halfway through their smaller lawn. Tall fescue is tougher but KBG can be thick in late spring. If you're mowing weekly like you should be in Bergen County, a cheap battery mower might leave you stranded mid-job. I'd say either spend the money on a quality ego or just fix the Toro. Local shop in Hackensack used to do carb cleanings for like $80. Might be cheaper than you think and you'd also support a local business.

Thanks both - that's really helpful. Didn't think about the carb issue. The model is a Toro Recycler from like 2015 I think? Deck is still solid but yeah it might be done. @WeedWarrior what's the local shop name in Hack? I might try that first. @CompostQueen I might come your direction on the Ryobi eventually lol. Just trying to time it right - I hate spending money on weekends when I could be prepping beds for the season. You guys already started your spring prep or waiting for the weather to stabilize?

Oh I've been in the beds for weeks now lol - turned my compost pile last weekend and I've got arugula and spinach seedlings hardening off. My soil test came back low on nitrogen so I'm doing that this week. Bought some organic stuff from Fair Lawn Garden Center. Anyway back to your mower drama - maybe check Craigslist or FB marketplace first? People in Bergen County always getting rid of barely used mowers when they move to battery. Could find a cheap backup to try out the battery life before committing. That's what I basically did before going full Ryobi!