Do you mow on slopes? If so, you might be buying the wrong type of mowers entirely. We had to buy a particular kind of mower because a lot of our yard is sloped. It is a two stroke.

If you have slopes and don't have a two stroke, the oil doesn't circulate through the mower well enough (it shifts to the side when you are on the slopes) because there is no oil pump. With a two stroke, you mix the gas and the oil so it gets all through the system. My husband said the only way around that is if you buy a four stroke that has an oil pump. I guess those are really expensive.

He said a two stroke Lawn Boy would last a long time! Actually, he said it would probably be the last lawn mower you would have to buy if it was maintained properly.