In 2006, a Reddit user picked up a Honda lawn mower left by the road with a "free" sign and spent less than $10 on a replacement pull cord. Twenty years later, the piece of equipment is still going strong.
Here's what to know
The Redditor's post resonated with visitors on the r/BuyItForLife subreddit. They shared an image of the mower and noted that when they picked it up, "The only thing it didn't have was an intact pull cord."
"We have logged some serious mileage since then," they remarked in the title.
Plenty of commenters said their own Honda mowers had lasted just as well. One person wrote, "I bought one of these new in 2009 and still use it. With basic maintenance and repairs, they'll run well for a long time."
That same owner noted the original carburetor made it a decade before failing and added that replacement parts seem "lower quality nowadays."
Long lifespans came up again and again. Another commenter, who said they had owned the same mower since 2006, reported that it "started on first pull" after replacing only the tires and pull string.
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For many readers, the machine's reputation was captured by one short remark: "That little red engine just won't quit."
More background
The r/BuyItForLife community often celebrates curbside rescues, low-cost repairs, and years of continued use from everyday household tools. In this case, the item was unglamorous, but it was still doing regular work after being found in 2006.
"Twenty years from a 'free' sign and a ten dollar pull cord, that is the most buy it for life story ever told, lol," a Reddit user reacted.
A recurring theme in the thread was that older original parts may hold up better than some newer replacements.
Examples of extreme wear also surfaced in the comments. One person said that they finally replaced a Honda mower only after a wheel had "literally wore through" on a machine that was already roughly 20 years old when they got it.
Someone else added they had seen Honda mowers used until "the tread on the tires is gone."
What can be done?
Small, targeted fixes can keep working equipment out of the trash.
Several commenters also pointed to ordinary maintenance. One commenter credited "basic maintenance and repairs" for their mower's longevity, while the original poster gently warned a different user who had never changed the oil: "I would advise changing the oil at least once every 10 years."
Not everyone will find a Honda mower on the side of the road, but the same thrift-minded approach applies to shopping at thrift stores, where everyday necessities can cost far less than buying new, and the occasional especially durable find can turn out to be much more valuable than its price suggests.
Learning repair skills was the next step for some readers. One commenter with a similar mower that takes "under 20 pulls" to start said, "I keep meaning to grab a small engine book and learn how to fix it."
Where can I learn more?
There are many more examples of old equipment getting a second life with a large payoff.
• As one family cleaned out their grandparents' garage, the 20-year-old generator still looked salvageable.
• On Reddit, frugal repair tips kept furnaces, car fobs, and other basics working.
• With just two tiny repairs, a 90-year-old Emerson fan hummed back to life.
• One owner learned his Speed Queen dryer was decades old and still running.
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