On 11 May 2003 04:25:33 -0700, (Olavi Akerman) wrote:

I'm currently undecided between getting a steel deck mower or more
expensive aluminium one. I rains a lot where I live, so the grass will
be quite wet.

In your experience - how long can I expect the steel mower to last
before it rusts through or becomes othewise unsafe to operate due to
rust?

There is no definite answer. I had a Toro last 9 years and have had
cheaper brands rust in 4. There are lot of factors to take into
consideration. Do you fertilize your lawn? Use weed controls? How
often do you clean under the deck, spray with water and use something
like WD-40 to coat the underside?

FWIW, I'm now into my 3rd season with a John Deere aluminum deck mower
and it shows no sign of corrosion.