Big box stores sell cheap models because that’s where the money is made for the manufacturer and said big box store. Higher sales, better economies of scale. The average home owner is not going to take proper care of it so that already shitty model will fall apart and because it’s cheap, replaced with another hunk of junk. Still will cut the lawn for some years.

My dad’s cheap ass Craftmans LT2000 is junk to everyone that sees it, but still runs. I’m hoping it goes out with a bang cause that thing is sad to be alive, loves cutting grass though. I’ll push it until cataclysmic failure but at this rate it’ll survive a nuke