While I am no expert, I have been buying consumer goods for a long time. Just because a single corporation sells a low end discount house grade, does not mean every product they make is falling apart crap. I would never expect a $109.00 mower to be the same quality as a $399.00 mower, no matter what brand sticker is on the box.
Remember it was the same General Motors who made the 1972 "falling apart" Vega, as made the 1972 Trans AM and the 1972 coupe deVille. Corporate diversification is not a unique. Generally, when you pay the least, you get the least.
If Lawnboy still made real mowers (mag or alum decks, a real Lawnboy 2 cycle engine) I'd recommend them. Mine just finally died after 20 years. I'm at a loss now.
I will look at the Toro. Thank you.
Father In Law had a Troy Bilt mower. Complete junk. He tried to give it to me because he wouldn't use it.
CountryBoy is exactly right. MTD is the parent corporation of many other names now. Years ago, I worked for a company which was the nationwide service provider for many retail chains on this type of equipment as the area supervisor. Our guys specifically built and repaired these machines either under warranty or for customers who bought them depending on circumstances.Troybilt and many other names are all owned by MTD, a huge OPE conglomerate... I suggest you research which ones are NOT made by MTD and limit your purchase to those...
ETA
List of MTD OWNED brands:
Also, of note, Toro and Craftsman product (among many others) are made by MTD. MTD is renowned for it's junk that fails within a year or so of manufacture, typically just months outside of the warranty...
- Bolens
- Columbia
- Cub Cadet
- Cub Cadet Commercial
- Cub Cadet Yanmar (joint with Yanmar)
- Farm King
- GardenWay
- Gold Series
- Gutbrod
- Gutbrod-Kehrer
- Lawnflite
- Mastercut
- Mow Master
- Mow Master Mastercut
- MTD
- MTD Black Edition
- MTD Silver Edition
- MTD Gold
- MTD Mowmaster
- MTD Platinum Pro
- MTD Platinum SD
- MTD Pro
- MTD Super
- MTD Taral
- MTD Tradesman
- MTD Turbomax
- MTD 2000 Elite
- Novotrac
- Ranch King
- Rasentrac
- Remington
- Ryobi (sold at Costco)
- Troy-Bilt
- Ventzki
- Ventzki MTD
- White Outdoor]
- Yard Machines
- Yard-Man
- Yard-Man Elite
- Yard-Man Select
- YardWorks
ETA2, link to more complete list of who MTD makes OPE products for: Brands Manufactured by MTD
Those are the best! Can't beat 'em.If Lawnboy still made real mowers (mag or alum decks, a real Lawnboy 2 cycle engine) I'd recommend them. Mine just finally died after 20 years. I'm at a loss now.
Those are the best! Can't beat 'em.