Mountfield Mascot

Petrol Lawnmower

Mascot Type 85017

460p

3.7hp

Serial Number 85017 002019

Motor 2900

Hi, I just wanted to give some positive feedback on my lawnmower which I think has probably been the best value purchase that I have ever made !

I bought my mower through a catalogue in 1993 and from memory it should have been £180, although getting 25% off my first catalogue order it ended up costing me £120.

I have just used it today and again it has done the job it was designed to do after 18 years.

It has travelled with me to the three homes I have lived in during this time and has been used throughout each summer on the lawns at each house. It has always started each time and after the winter in particular, even after a good few years just being kept in e damp shed !

I know that I should have changed the oil each year - I think I did this once during the first 5 years of ownership and maybe one more time about another 5 years later.  In other words I have not treated it that well !

Over the 18 years I have had it bits have gradually broken off it (but nothing to make it terminal !!):

-The throttle lever on the cable broke off after about 7 years.

-The cable itself (attached to the throttle) came off altogether a couple of years later (I now operate it on the engine with my boot).

-The exhaust cover fell off a few years after this.

-The pull rope wore out and broke after about 14 years (I just tied it back together and carried on using it)

-I have to tip the mower in a circle (to presumably remove air bubbles) when I first start it now, but again it always starts.

-The under side of the fuel cap broke off (which somehow allowed air in to replace fuel used), and I just drilled a small hole in the top of the cap to resolve this.

I am sure it is coming to the end of its useful life, but thought I would share the feedback with you.

A good advert for one of your mowers !

Obviously I think this has been a great purchase and would recommend Mountfield to anyone

M3

I have just mowed my lawn for the first time this year, my mountfield started 2nd pull, not bad considering its was purchased in 1976 -thought you might like to share this information . M3 model serial 53513. It has probably been serviced less than 6 times in its life!!! What a bargain.

Empress 16

I have great pleasure in writing to you to tell you how pleased we have been with the lawn mower we bought in 1987.

At our previous house we had a 100ft garden and each year I would have to buy a new electric lawn mower, after several years I decided to invest my money in a Mountfield petrol mower, I paid approximately £300 and purchased it from Freeman’s mail order catalogue.  The mower is still going today even with unleaded petrol and I wanted you to know it is the best value for money I have ever invested in.  We are now going to replace it soon as it is becoming hard work for my husband to pull the cord to start it.  So regrettably we are now looking to buy an electric lawn mower.  The house where we now live has a 70ft garden and we were hoping you could recommend a mower for us. I have also attached the pictures of our lawn mower and the info slip we received when we bought our Mountfield mower, again many thanks and we look forward to hearing your response regarding new mower.

Many thanks

Mrs Tina Houghton

MOUNTFIELD SP505R

Stripes on the lawn are quintessentially British and something most important to us when we chose our Mountfield SP505R. There are a few manufacturers of 'Roller' mowers around, we looked at most of them but kept returning to the Mountfield it's got a very sturdy steel roller on the back, heavy enough to give those pleasing stripes and also stops the machine from going off the edge of the lawn into the flower borders. The engine (a Honda) starts easily and the controls are simple to operate. The four speed transmission offers ground speeds to suit all cutting conditions and the grass collector works extremely well on dry or damp grass. Of course we were swayed by the fact the Mountfield was around £200 cheaper than it's nearest equivalent competitor plus there is a free 20 year anti corrosion warranty on the cutter deck and 5 years on the rest of the machine. It does all we need of it.

SP555

I really think my mountfield SP555 mower is great value for money; it has a powerful honda engine and a 22" cutting width which allows me to mow the lawn at a fast rate. the grass collector works really well in dry or damp conditions leaving a nice trim finish with little or no clippings left around. if the grass gets a little out of hand or I want to trim the rougher areas the mountfield does it with ease just by removing the grass box; I also use the simple to convert mulching system which means I don't have to get rid of the grass clippings and the lawn looks just as tidy as when I collect. Price was important to me and when I shopped around and compared the Mountfield with other makes I found my machine was by far the best value offering a 5 year warranty plus a free 20 year anti corrosion warranty on the cutter deck.

MOUNTFIELD SP505

I scrapped my dad's 25 year Mountfield M4 last year and bought a new Mountfield SP505; the new one has a Honda engine, an aluminium cutter deck that comes with a free 20 year anti corrosion warranty. The handles fold down for winter storage or putting in the boot of the car; it also mulches as well as collects grass, plus it can be used without the collector for cutting long rough grass. I've found mulching the lawn much quicker than having to empty the box every time but the option of grass collection is great especially at the beginning of the season when the grass is really thick. the SP505 certainly appears as sturdy as dad's old mountfield and hopefully it will last just as long. Great value, especially with the 5 year warranty.

Ride on Lawn Mowers Advice and Essential Information

Compact Lawn Riders

If you think your garden is too small for a ride-on mower think again! They can be small enough to drive through a standard garden gate, Lawn riders are Ride on Mowers ideal for gardens of around half an acre.

They are Powered by an electric key start engine which runs on unleaded petrol they can have a Varispeed gearbox or manual gear box. With Varispeed there’s no need to change gear simply move the control lever forward or back to adjust your ground speed.
Lawn Riders can come with a  offset cutter deck allows you to cut right up to edges. Normally a lever on the console engages or disengages the cutting blade.

Grass is cut and discharged cleanly and efficiently into the rear mounted capacity collector. When the collector is full it can be emptied without having to get off the mower, alternatively you can remove the collector and tip the clippings on a compost heap or into a trailer.

Certain models have an optional mulching kit which can be fitted when conditions are suitable. This allows you to recycle grass clippings instead of collecting them.

To ensure operator safety compact riders have many integral features. Before you can start the engine it would need to be neutral. The blade will not operate without the grass collector in position. A safety cut-out switch under the seat means all controls must be in neutral and the parking brake applied if you want to get off the machine but leave the engine running.

To summarise, these stylish compact lawn riders are highly manoeuvrable and whether you have a number of small areas with borders, trees and garden furniture to negotiate or your lawn is a regular shape of about half an acre you’ll find mowing your grass is easier, quicker and much more fun.

Lawn Tractors

Do you have a large garden with 2 or more acres of grass to cut? Then a lawn tractor is what you need

You find models powered by single or twin cylinder engines, with manual or hydrostatic transmissions and cutting widths from 92cm to 122cm – and if you have areas in your garden where extra traction would be an advantage there are four wheel drive models avialable.

Manual transmissions have 5 forward gears and reverse. There’s no need to change gear on the move, just select the gear which best suits your working conditions before you start mowing and off you go.

A hydrostatic transmission takes your mowing experience to a new level and gives you the same convenience as an automatic car. Press the front section of the foot pedal to move forward, the harder you press it the faster you will move. To reverse simply use the rear section of the pedal. Manoeuvring around obstacles or into tight corners is so simple it’s no wonder owners of hydrostatic tractors don’t want to go back to a manual version.

Lawn tractors can have cutting systems with twin contra-rotating blades which cut outside the wheel width of the tractor so you can mow really close to fences and over edges. Cutting heights and the number of preset positions vary according to model. it’s worth noting that you can change the cutting height while on the move. Electronic cutter blade engagement is can come as a standard feature.

Clippings are discharged into the large capacity rear mounted collector which can be emptied very easily from the driving seat.

You can make life even easier by fitting an optional mulching kit which is available through some brands. This device stops grass being discharged into the collector. Clippings are circulated beneath the cutter deck being cut and re-cut into small particles which are dispersed into the base of the turf to return valuable nutrients to the soil. Recycling clippings in this way saves you time, money and effort – and you won’t have all that grass to dispose of.

Front Cuts

Did you know that a half acre lawn can product more the 4 tons of grass clippings in a single season? Do you really want to collect and dispose of all that grass? If not a front cut ride on mower is ideal.
The innovative design of the Multiclip Combi cutter decks fitted to this range of ride-on mowers retains grass within the deck area where it is cut and re-cut into small particles. The particles are then blown down into the turf, out of sight, where micro-organisms speed their decomposition. Valuable nutrients are returned to the soil providing you with free fertiliser.

It’s quicker too! Mowing time is significantly reduced compared to traditional cut and collect systems as there’s no need to stop work in order to dispose of grass clippings.

Raise the deck for easy cleaning or servicing.
 

With the deck in the transport position select the height using the preset settings, position one will give you the lowest cutting height. Remember not to take more than a third off the length of the grass at any one time; this ensures there is enough space left in the standing grass for efficient distribution of the cut grass particles. Move the deck into the working position and engage the blades to start cutting.

These front mounted cutter decks not only give a superb finish, they let you see exactly where you are cutting, and you don’t drive over the grass before you mow it! Another major advantage is their ability to access places which machines with mid-mounted decks cannot reach, such as into corners and under bushes. Multiclip Combi decks are available in a choice of cutting widths so you can tailor the machine to suit your garden.

Rear wheel drive and genuine articulated steering means that the rear wheels follow precisely in the tracks of the front wheels so you won’t have to worry about the back of your mower bumping into anything the front section has already negotiated. Another great benefit is their tight turning circle – you’ll have no trouble cutting close around trees and other obstacles with these mowers.

There are manual or hydrostatic transmission models to choose . Hydrostatic transmissions so are as easy to drive as an automatic car just press the pedal to regulate your ground speed. There is also a four wheel drive option if you need the additional traction this provides on inclines or damp, slippery grass.
.
Mountfield Multiclip ride-on mowers take cutting grass to a new level. You’ll get the work done 30% quicker, have no grass clippings to dispose of and reduce the need for artificial fertilisers. But they don’t just cut grass – take a look at the range of accessories we have available and see what else they can do for you.
See our full range of Ride on Mowers

Buy Lawn Riders
Buy Tractor Mowers
Buy Front Cut Mower

Petrol Lawn Mower Advice and Essential Information

Petrol mowers are ideal for larger gardens.  They are more powerful than mains electric models and aren’t restricted by a cable.  Four wheel machines like this are highly manoeuvrable and give and excellent finish on all types of lawn.  If you want a striped effect finish you’ll need a machine with a rear roller.

The chassis, or cutter deck, as it is commonly known is often made from steel with a powder coated paint finish.  Mowers with stainless steel or aluminium cutter decks may cost a little more but you won’t have to worry about corrosion.

Petrol lawnmower chassis houses a cutter blade and determines the working width of the mower. Walk behind lawn mowers generally have working widths from 41 to 53cm.  For gardens of half an acre or more a ride-on mower would be a more appropriate choice.

Modern petrol engines are easy to start.  Set the throttle control to the choke position, hold the operator presence control lever against the handlebar to release the engine brake and pull the starter cord.  The operator presence control lever is a safety device, release it and the engine stops in seconds.  For ultimate ease of use choose a model with electric key start; then you’ll just have to turn a key to start the engine.

Some models have to be pushed to make them move forward, these are known as hand propelled or push mowers; the engine is only used to drive the cutter blade.  On power driven or self propelled models the engine also drives a transmission.  These mowers require less effort to use; just engage the drive lever and the mower will move forward.  Some have a four speed transmission so you can select a forward speed to suit your conditions.

Conventional mowers collect the grass clippings.  Large capacity grass collectors reduce the time and effort spent disposing of those clippings.  Some mowers can be fitted with a clip-in mulching plug.  This device blocks the discharge chute so that clippings are circulated underneath the deck until they have been chopped into small particles which are blown deep into the base of the turf.  Recycling clipping in this way saves time and effort without sacrificing the standard of finish.  If you never want to collect your clippings again you need one of our Multiclip mulching mowers.

Buy a Petrol Lawn Mower - Free Next Day Delivery

Petrol Roller Mower Advice and Essential Information

Although 4 wheel mowers give an excellent finish on all types of lawn you may be the owner of a fine lawn and want those classic stripes.  If so you’ll need a mower with a rear roller mower.

The chassis, or cutter deck, may be made from steel with a powder coated paint finish or aluminium chassis. The chassis houses the cutter blade and determines the working width of the mower.  Genrally rear roller models with working widths up to 53cm.

The full width rear rollers not only leave those fabulous stripes they provide you with additional control when you’re working around beds, paths or up to edges.

Modern petrol engines are easy to start.  Set the throttle control to the choke position, hold the operator presence control lever against the handlebar to release the engine brake and pull the starter cord.  Releasing the operator presence control lever engages the brake stopping the engine in seconds.  An engine with electric key start makes life even easier; simply turn a key to start the engine.

Some models have to be pushed to make them move forward, these are known as hand propelled or push mowers; the engine is only used to drive the cutter blade.  On power driven models the engine also drives a transmission; just engage the drive lever and the mower will move forward.  Some models have a four speed transmission so you can select an ideal forward speed from a stroll to a brisker pace depending on your conditions.  Once you’ve tried power drive you’ll wonder how you managed without it – especially if you have inclines or a large garden.

    

Fabric grass collectors don’t impede the flow of air generated by the cutter blade ensuring clippings are collected cleanly and efficiently.  All roller mowers have large capacity grass collectors to reduce the time and effort expended disposing of your clippings.

Buy Petrol Roller Lawn Mowers - Free Next Day Delivery

---

Mulching Lawnmower Advice and Essential Information

Did you know that a lawn the size of a tennis court can produce over a ton of grass clippings in a season?  If you don’t want to collect and dispose of your grass clippings you need a mulching lawnmower.

The secret of our Multiclip technology lies in the geometry of the cutter deck and blade.  Instead of cut grass being discharged into a collector it circulates beneath the cutter deck to be chopped into tiny particles.  These particles are then blown right down into the base of the turf out of sight where micro-organisms aid their rapid decomposition.

Recycling clippings in this way returns nitrogen and other valuable nutrients to the soil.  You’ll save money on artificial fertilisers but still have a healthy, attractive lawn.  You’ll save time and effort too.  With no collector to empty you’ll find you can cut your lawn up to 30% quicker than with a conventional mower.  Multiclip mowers are quieter too.  Typically they have less than half the apparent noise level of a conventional petrol mower thanks to the revolutionary design of the cutter deck.

To get the best results don’t take more than a third off the length of the grass when mowing.  This leaves enough room in the standing grass for optimum dispersal of the recycled clippings. The Multiclip system also improves moisture retention so you won’t need to water your lawn as often.

Hand propelled models have to be pushed forward - the engine only drives the cutter blade.  Power drive takes the effort out of mowing your grass.  Engage the drive and the mower will move forward on its own, a huge advantage if you have inclines or a large garden.  Some power driven models have a four speed transmission so you can vary the speed to suit your working conditions.

Do you need to mow alongside hedges, walls or other barriers?  If so choose a Multiclip with handles which can be offset like this then you’ll be able to cut your grass without battling brambles or scraping your arms.  Do you really want to collect your grass?  For an excellent finish which saves you time, money and effort look no further than a Multiclip mower.

Buy Mulching Lawnmowers - Free Next Day Delivery

Need more information on the benefits of Mulching Mowers?  Visit www.mulching.co.uk

Electric Mower Advice and Essential Information

Mains electric mowers are quiet, lightweight and easy to use.  They are ideal for smaller gardens with a power supply located near the lawn.  We recommend using a Residual Current Device that will disconnect the power if the cable is cut accidentally.

Unlike hover mowers, electric mowers collect the grass clippings and leave a clean, neat finish to the lawn.

Four wheel mowers are very easy to manoeuvre but if you want a stripped finish on your lawn you’ll need a machine with a rear roller.  The roller flattens the grass as you mow; this is what creates the stripes.  A roller also helps balance the mower when you are cutting close to paths or borders.

Electric lawnmowers have simple controls which feature a safety cut out switch.  When you let go of the control lever the motor cuts out in seconds.

On some models cutting height is adjusted by changing the wheel position.  Simply unscrew each wheel and move it to the desired setting.  More commonly, the cutting height is adjusted using a control lever.


Buy Electric Lawn Mowers - Free Next Day Delivery

Why Scarify

Scarification is a very important part of lawn care. Scarifying improves the quality of your lawn in several ways.  It will remove organic layers of thatch, moss and dead grass whilst breaking up the surface of compacted soil and retarding the growth of weeds.  Removing thatch and weeds in this way allows water, air and nutrients to reach grass roots more easily, resulting in lush growth. It will also offer better conditions for top dressing and fertilising. Scarifying can be done with a hand lawn rake but to make the job easier and get top results a powered scarifier is a great solution

Scarifying is best done in the spring but can be beneficial during the summer as well. Do not scarify too early, it is important to make sure the grass is growing well so that any space made by scarifying is filled with desirable grasses. If grass is not growing well scarifying can give space for weeds to grow. It can be a good idea to follow scarifying with a lawn fertiliser to aid growth.

To sum up : Scarifying imporves the quality  of your lawn in serveral ways.

It Will:

• remove organic layers of thatch, moss and dead grass
• break up the surface of compacted soils
• retard the growth of weeds like dandelions and plantains
• help to remove clover, pearlwort and similar weeds