Hi All,
It certainly has become quite the craze, hasn't it? I remember when paying 3 figures was considered 'overs' for one of these machines. While the positive aspect is parts being readily available and some are cheaper than they used to be, it's also an opening for sellers to have massive mark-ups. This includes 'restorers'. I know of a friend who bought a restored mower and there were so many issues it was almost laughable. Having said that, there are some people out there who are making a go of it and their machines are top quality. Similarly, there only ever used to be one or two places to get a front roller shaft, which would set you back $75 + postage. They're now around $35-$40. I'm also a big fan of the upgrade items that have been made to improve the machine rather than rebuild it.
When you look at it, the cheapest reel mower you can get would be either the Masport or the newer Supaswift which I imagine will increase in popularity over Spring. They're around $1500 or so from memory. The Masport's do not have a great reputation, so many overlook them. My next door neighbour has one and hates it. It's light and in his words, 'flimsy'. I feel as though the Supaswift may play a part in slowing down the Model 45 market in the near future. Previously, your options were to either spend $300 to get a second hand 45 back in service and cutting/running nicely or a good $800-$1000 to do a full restoration of a Model 45 with all the bells and whistles. The other option was spending $2500 on a Protea. In my opinion, this is why people started going crazy for the 45 - it's totally customisable to their taste. A good, solid (or fractured if a twin) blank canvas to work from...
I do not see the interest in home lawns slowing down anytime soon, which means more and more people will be interested in reel mowers as a result. It's just whether or not the humble 45 will be able to compete with some of the more recent additions to the market. It can't keep going the way it has been if you're able to fork out just as much on a brand new mower with warranty.
There is also a 'unicorn' craze regarding the solid 20" machine. I'll admit I 'had to have one' also and secured it a few years ago. Now that I've tried quite a few versions of the 45, I'm not so sure it's even the one I want to keep.
Just my 2 cents...
