New house - looking to upgrade to a Riding Lawn Mower

Shughes717 · Apr 14, 2015

gtduck said:
Ok, so if I were to instead spend $2k-$3200, what would people recommend?

Thanks.

gtduck, if your budget is $1800 or $2k-$3200 and you know you can't afford anything more expensive, don't let people's opinions on this or any other site convince you to spend $4k on a mower. You will get many different opinions about what to buy and what to stay away from. Yes, mowers under $2k are going to be lower quality than the higher end mowers. Manufacturers cut corners to get the price down so people on a tight budget can afford a rider. That doesn't mean those mowers won't last long if properly maintained. There will be some repairs needed eventually for anything you purchase. Drive train and deck build (thickness and # of gauge wheels) is what I would focus on if I were in your shoes. Get the best combination you can find in your budget. Kawasaki engines have a great reputation. I have owned a mower with the kohler command engine and it held up fine as well. Look at every brand available to you in your area and compare the mowers. Make your decision based on what you liked the best.

Cubby_Cadet007 · Apr 20, 2015

gtduck said:
Ok, so if I were to instead spend $2k-$3200, what would people recommend?

Thanks.

If you keep your original budget of $1800-ish and whatever rider-mower that amount got you, and it lasts you 5 years, it will have cost you less than $400 a year if it is a total loss at that point.

chetanw · Apr 20, 2015

I read through the whole thread and have the same dilemma as the OP. I have about 1 acre to mow (and to mow only - no tilling, snow blowing and so on) - few trees or other obstacles to worry about.

Now, I know the majority of riding mowers in the big-box stores classify as junk, but ... I don't have the resources (time and vehicle) to drive miles and miles of countryside looking for a "real" John Deere / Simplicity etc. I don't have a trailer to tow it back. I don't have a mechanic friend who can look at the used tractor and tell me what fixes it needs and I am quite mechanically challenged - unfortunately!

In a case such as this, I did consult with several friends (on the phone) and they agreed I was better off buying from a big box store.

Anyone have thoughts before I pull the trigger?

1striper1 · Apr 20, 2015

chetanw said:
I read through the whole thread and have the same dilemma as the OP. I have about 1 acre to mow (and to mow only - no tilling, snow blowing and so on) - few trees or other obstacles to worry about.

Now, I know the majority of riding mowers in the big-box stores classify as junk, but ... I don't have the resources (time and vehicle) to drive miles and miles of countryside looking for a "real" John Deere / Simplicity etc. I don't have a trailer to tow it back. I don't have a mechanic friend who can look at the used tractor and tell me what fixes it needs and I am quite mechanically challenged - unfortunately!

In a case such as this, I did consult with several friends (on the phone) and they agreed I was better off buying from a big box store.

Anyone have thoughts before I pull the trigger?

What about this......don't know where in PA you live but in my neck of the woods many farm implement dealers sell Cub Cadet and other similar lines of lawn tractors and ZTR's. If you bought something from them at least you'll know who's servicing your mower plus you should be able to negotiate delivery and pickup for a nominal fee. One local Case-NH dealer picks up and delivers for free during year #1.

bertsmobile1 · Apr 20, 2015

chetanw said:
I read through the whole thread and have the same dilemma as the OP. I have about 1 acre to mow (and to mow only - no tilling, snow blowing and so on) - few trees or other obstacles to worry about.

Now, I know the majority of riding mowers in the big-box stores classify as junk, but ... I don't have the resources (time and vehicle) to drive miles and miles of countryside looking for a "real" John Deere / Simplicity etc. I don't have a trailer to tow it back. I don't have a mechanic friend who can look at the used tractor and tell me what fixes it needs and I am quite mechanically challenged - unfortunately!

In a case such as this, I did consult with several friends (on the phone) and they agreed I was better off buying from a big box store.

Anyone have thoughts before I pull the trigger?

So you buy a mower from a big box store, they deliver it unassembled you put it together and it does not work properly .
Where do you go from there ?
I am a mobile mower mechanic for just that reason and sell about 1/2 dozen used mowers a year . Because used mowers have such a bad name, I warrant my used mowers same as a new one. My predecessor gave 6 months but he was an old junk yard man and treated this business the same.
This can be done because I have serviced most of these mowers that I sell because the big box stores don't trade in & the dealers won't trade in domestic mowers.

So look in your local newspaper for a local repair guy and give him a ring. If you are not mechanical there is a good chance you will be needing one and buying a mower from him will establish a relationship, You could do no worse than buying some thing from Lowes , Wallys etc.
Ring your local dealers and ask them is they have any trade ins, usually they will be good mowers.
Some where along the line you will have to trust some one and trusting some one who you will be dealing with regularly is good for both of you.
What you get as an ex trade in might not be optimal for your situation but the vendor then has a vested interest in keeping it running & you happy.

Ric · Apr 20, 2015

bertsmobile1 said:
So you buy a mower from a big box store, they deliver it unassembled you put it together and it does not work properly .
Where do you go from there ?
I am a mobile mower mechanic for just that reason and sell about 1/2 dozen used mowers a year . Because used mowers have such a bad name, I warrant my used mowers same as a new one. My predecessor gave 6 months but he was an old junk yard man and treated this business the same.
This can be done because I have serviced most of these mowers that I sell because the big box stores don't trade in & the dealers won't trade in domestic mowers.

So look in your local newspaper for a local repair guy and give him a ring. If you are not mechanical there is a good chance you will be needing one and buying a mower from him will establish a relationship, You could do no worse than buying some thing from Lowes , Wallys etc.
Ring your local dealers and ask them is they have any trade ins, usually they will be good mowers.
Some where along the line you will have to trust some one and trusting some one who you will be dealing with regularly is good for both of you.
What you get as an ex trade in might not be optimal for your situation but the vendor then has a vested interest in keeping it running & you happy.

I don't know how things work there but the last mower I had delivered from a big box store was delivered ready to mow my lawn in fact the delivery guy mowed a few passes on my lawn to check the mower out to make sure everything was working correctly before I signed the paper work. I never heard of a mower being delivered from a big box store unassembled.

zmister11 · Apr 20, 2015

Ric said:
I don't know how things work there but the last mower I had delivered from a big box store was delivered ready to mow my lawn in fact the delivery guy mowed a few passes on my lawn to check the mower out to make sure everything was working correctly before I signed the paper work. I never heard of a mower being delivered from a big box store unassembled.

Yeah I've never heard of it being unassembled either. That would suck if you have to put it all together lol

Ric · Apr 20, 2015

zmister11 said:
Yeah I've never heard of it being unassembled either. That would suck if you have to put it all together lol

I don't think they even sell them out of a box store unassembled. The only mower that you may buy in a box would be a push mower and it's basically assembled, the only thing you have to do is put the handle on other than that it's assembled.

zmister11 · Apr 21, 2015

Ric said:
I don't think they even sell them out of a box store unassembled. The only mower that you may buy in a box would be a push mower and it's basically assembled, the only thing you have to do is put the handle on other than that it's assembled.

Yeah that would be crazy

bertsmobile1 · Apr 21, 2015

Down here, unless you take the floor machine you get them in the box the shop got them in.
For an extra fee they will assemble it and for another extra fee the will take the old packaging away..
We of course get them in the export crate, so you have to fit the wheels, steering wheel seat & deck and to make matters worse some times the tyres are flat and of course there is no oil in the engine.
Have been called out a couple of times usually by an elderly couple with English as a second language who did not understand the $ 1999 price did not incluge assembly

New house - looking to upgrade to a Riding Lawn Mower

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