Is your robotic lawn mower due for replacement after all these years?
Your robotic lawn mower has been faithfully doing its rounds for years. New blades now and then, a service, and off it goes again. Why replace it if it still works? A fair question.
A robotic lawn mower doesn’t need to go just because a newer model has come out in the meantime. As long as it mows reliably and does what you need, replacing it is often not necessary at all.
But sometimes that gradually changes. It needs to come in for repairs more often. The battery doesn’t last as long anymore. Or you mainly start noticing how many tasks you still do yourself that more recent robotic lawn mowers can handle automatically.
So when does repairing it still make sense? And when does it become more worthwhile to replace your old robotic lawn mower?
Age alone doesn’t tell the whole story
There is no birthday on which every robotic lawn mower must suddenly retire.
How long a device remains usable depends, among other things, on how it is used, how it is maintained, and the conditions in which it has operated over the years. So a robot that still does its job without any problems does not need to be replaced simply because a certain number of years have passed.
Instead, look at the bigger picture. Does it still start reliably? Does it mow its entire working area without constantly needing help? Are repairs limited? And does it still suit the garden you have today? Four times yes? Then there is little reason to say goodbye. If the answer is increasingly no, the story changes.
Sign 1: your robot keeps demanding more attention
The whole idea behind a robotic mower is that you should have to spend as little time as possible dealing with mowing. That is why not only a defect matters. The amount of attention an older robot requires also says a lot.
Do you regularly have to set it back on its way? Does it lose its route more often? Are there recurring malfunctions? Or do you feel like, before every mowing session, you first have to check whether everything is still in order?
One repair does not, of course, mean that a robotic mower is worn out. But when small problems keep following one another, it is wise not to focus only on the next repair.
The better question is: how reliable is this machine still over an entire mowing season?
Signal 2: the battery starts to determine your mowing schedule
A battery gradually loses capacity over its lifetime. In an older robot, this can become noticeable because it needs charging more often or can mow for less time continuously. That in itself does not have to be a reason to replace the entire robotic mower. When the rest of the device is still technically sound, a new battery can be a logical solution.
But with an older machine, it is wise to look a little further. Is it only the battery that needs attention? Or are other wear points or repairs also coming up at the same time? Investing in a new battery for a machine that can otherwise keep going for years is different from carrying out an expensive repair while several parts have already had their best days.
That is why it is best not to look at the costs separately, but together.
Signal 3: repairs are gradually becoming routine
Every machine needs maintenance. There is nothing unusual about that. The difference lies between normal maintenance and having to repair it over and over again.
Replacing blades, cleaning, or carrying out a periodic check are part of using a robotic mower. When regular technical repairs are added on top of that, the balance between repairing and replacing can start to shift. So add up what work you have had done on your robot over the past two or three seasons. Not to buy a new machine at the first expense, but to avoid investing year after year in a device that is becoming less and less reliable.
Sometimes the cheapest repair today is not the cheapest solution in the long term.
Signal 4: it’s not your robot, but your garden that has changed
There is another reason to replace a robotic mower that has nothing to do with wear and tear. Your garden may no longer be the same as when you bought it. Perhaps the lawn was expanded. A patio was added. A trampoline was moved. Part of the garden was redesigned or different grass areas were connected. As a result, a robotic mower that was a perfect fit for your garden eight years ago may be less practical today. That is an important distinction. The machine is not necessarily worn out. It’s just that the combination of machine and garden is no longer such a good match.
In that case, it makes little sense to look only at the technical condition of your current device. Take another look at which robotic mower suits the way your garden is laid out today.
And in the meantime, technology has changed too
Anyone who has been using the same robotic mower for years will especially notice the difference in this area compared with more recent generations.
In modern models, physical boundaries can, for example, be replaced by virtual boundaries. As a result, adjustments to the mowing area can be made digitally, without having to reposition a cable in the garden. In addition, there are models that combine satellite navigation with camera technology and smart object detection. In the current Husqvarna range, for example, the Automower 308V and 312V are equipped with wireless navigation and AI Vision.
That does not automatically mean you need to replace your existing robot. Do you have a simple garden, is your boundary wire properly placed, and does your current device do what it is supposed to without any problems? In that case, new technology may mainly offer extra convenience. But if you regularly run into the limitations of your older setup today, that difference suddenly becomes a lot more relevant.
Repair or replace? Consider these three questions
Not sure? Then above all, don’t make the decision more difficult than necessary.
Ask yourself three questions:
1. Is my robot still doing its main job reliably?
A robotic mower that is technically sound and continues to maintain your lawn independently does not need to be replaced just because it is old.
2. How much do I expect to invest in the coming years?
One targeted repair can make perfect sense. Several recurring costs make a new machine more worth considering.
3. Would I choose the same solution again today?
Has your garden changed, or are you missing features that have since become important to you? Then it is better to first compare what is possible today before investing in your old machine again.
Have your robotic lawn mower checked by Dekens. Together, we will determine whether repair is still the best option or whether a new robotic lawn mower would be more suitable.
