Congrats on your purchase! I think that you will be very pleased with your Ariens mower for many years. I still love mine and I have had it for 16 years. I keep mine clean give it a tune-up about every 18 months... still looks and works like new. Know a guy that owns a mower repair shop that has been trying to buy it for some time now... says will give me $400 for it... again, it is 16 years old! Best of luck with yours...