I have had my hayter spirit for three years, I have serviced it every year before the cutting season, I have a large back lawn, average front lawn and also cut my aged neighbours, so as you may have gathered my mower does a lot of work, On servicing my mower ready for the fourth season I found the bearings on the roller had worn out and consequently had worn the shaft, I purchased new bearings and made a new shaft in my own workshop, I decided to strip the hydro gearbox to change the oil and look for any wear on the drive cogs but there was no wear, So I think the work I have had to do to my mower is nothing compared to the work it does, One of the good points in the hayter spirit as far as i am concerned is the plastic under carriage as all my Honda mowers I have owned have been metal and corroded away, So I must add that my mower starts first pull and considering the work it does I am personally very pleased.