older husky vs newer cub vs newer troy

Hello
I am trying to get a riding mower, just tired of spending hrs pushing. i'm looking at used riders specifically a newer then 2010 troy 17.5hp pony, a 2006 cub 1550 25hp , and a 2004 21hp husky. Problem is I know nothing about mowers so I'm wondering with would last me the longest the troy is the best conditioned just serviced and the husky says it has some new parts. just shy of an acre to mow so i'm sure all of them would do just fine just looking for reliability.

I'm no expert but my understanding is that the "Pony" isn't in the same league as the other two. So the fact that it's newer and/or in better shape means little. I think it's a basic rider, whereas the bigger engines on the others strongly suggest they are more serious machines. You did supply one model number, 1550. That's not an entry-level machine from Cub. Troy's Pony is.

But ... so what? With only 1/2 acre to mow, that Troy will last a good long while.

Get model numbers, Google 'em to get an idea of what they cost new; what features they have. Then, Google the features and so on.

It's my guess the Cub and Husky you see cost more to repair/update, and will need service sooner, but will otherwise satisfy longer. Your call.

[Edit: for any used mower, ask how many hours are on it. Some machines will have hour meters on them stock. Some (few ...) may have had an hour meter installed by the owner. Most (cheaper ones) have nothing, and the owner won't have a clue how hard it's been run.)

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My rider experience is limited to 3 machines:

- the rear-engine Snapper my grandfather let me mow with in the '70s. Ran over a small bush, the less said the better there.

- the Craftsman something-or-other my inlaws have
- the Scotts (by John Deere) my inlaws have

Both machines are over 15 years old and in various states of indecipherable decrepitude. I much prefer the Craftsman. It has a hydrostatic transmission, sits lower and is more comfortable over bumps.

The first means infinitely variable speeds on-the-fly. The middle feature means I don't feel like it's gonna tip over on me on hills. The last characteristic, well, helps old bones.

Go to product review , whirlpool and similar forums where irate owners can vent their spleens.
Try to ignore that 99% of these idiots bought the cheapest item they could find then found it would not do the job, durr !
However if you can manage o read all of the posts about the machines you are thinking of without throwing up, laughing your head off, or jumping off the nearest bridge, you can get a rough idea of the weak spots on these mowers that need looking at ( as distinct from the weak heads of the posters which definately need looking at ).
Just remember that these are all the bad examples and not a random sample of all of the production.

Thanks guys I actually found a 2011 Husqvarna GTH26v52ls for a good price.