Mower buying advice

First, hello to all, as this is my first post.

I need advice on which mower to buy. My situation... I have a place at the beach and only a single garage. I have a golf cart in there, along with all the tools and other misc stuff, so storage is severely limited. I do have a small storage shed, but it is fairly full as well. I've been debating a very small rider vs a self propelled. Space wise, I should go with the self propelled. But it gets so hot and humid during the summer, I dread mowing with the self propelled. However, not sure sitting on top of the engine with a small rider would help that situation any.

I have just a very small patch of St Augustine to mow, but also mow the two shoulders of the road (I'm on a corner lot) as the town does a terrible job of keeping that mowed. The shoulder is flat, but my St Augustine is on basically a sand dune. So I need something that will do a small bit of hilly terrain without scalping the grass.

I found a used JD GX85 here locally that I'm considering. It looks to be in EC. Thoughts on that rider? If not that one, which one? I would only be looking at used riders, not new. I'm only wanting t spend in the $300-450 price range. Also recc. on a self propelled? I probably would want new if I get a self propelled. The Toro SmartStow seems to be a great idea for my situation, but I've heard nothing (good or bad) about that system.

Here are some advantages and disadvantages of each:

Rider Type:
Pros: Potential time savings assuming that you can easily maneuver around your lot without too much forward/reverse turns, less potential of experiencing heat stress on those hot days.
Cons: You would be buying used and you just never know what you are getting, more storage space required, more fuel consumption, more expensive maintenance/more to go wrong.

Self-Propelled:
Pros: New equipment with warranty, exercise which we all can use, less fuel consumption, bag/discharge/mulch capabilities, less space required to store, simple maintenance
Cons: More time to mow, more potential of experiencing heat stress on those hot days.

With all things considered, if you are in well enough shape to walk behind a mower, and you truly have the time to do it, I would recommend the self-propelled. You mentioned Toro and they make a handful of models that store nicely; either with an upright handle position or tipping the mower upright against the wall. I cannot recommend a used rider since I do not feel that this is the way to go, but if money were no option the Hustler Dash 34" would be your best bet.

Regardless of what you do, invest in a low lift blade. You mentioned sandy conditions which will tear up your deck and blades if you are using a regular "high-lift" blade that usually comes with the mower.

I'm on BP medicine now, and that stuff just makes me very sensitive to heat. Using the self propelled is no problem at a ll until it gets hot out. That's why I'm so torn between the small rider and the self propelled. That, and wondering if one would scalp the grass worse than the other.

I don't have too much to maneuver around, so that isn't an issue. But buying a used JD GX85 (it's a 2000 model) does concern me. Was that a good model? This example looks to be in really good shape. I did find out that the motor was changed out back in 2006. But the seller seems honest and is more than willing to let me check it out and try it out on a hilly area.

Obviously I'd be far better off with a self propelled as to storage space. Are there any new self propels you'd recommend? Again, looking in the $300-450 price range. I thought maybe I should go with a 4WD model like the Husqvarna, due to the hilly area. But that Toro SmartStow thing is attractive.

Your health should always come first. I am not familiar with the GX but they look a lot like the Ariens rear engine rider I grew up with. If you are going to consider the Deere you just need to check it out and be as thorough as possible, being sure to look at the belts, check the clutch/gears for smooth operation, look at the oil and see if it's dirty or has any foam in it after it runs. Otherwise look for things that are loose and should be right like wheel bearings, steering, seat mounts and so on.

As for the Toro mowers, you can choose any recycler model that is rear wheel wheel drive and it should do okay on the hills. If you bag your grass and it gets loaded you may have some issues with the front wheels coming up while on hills but the bag would have to be quite full or have wet clippings. I am not too familiar with the Husqvarna models with all wheel drive, but I did just see a model at Lowe's yesterday that was on sale. It is a little out of your budget at $500 but it has the 190cc Honda engine which is a very good motor. If possible you could always go to a dealer that sells Toro or Husqvarna and try the models out that you are considering and that might help persuade you either way?

It is a little out of your budget at $500 but it has the 190cc Honda engine which is a very good motor. If possible you could always go to a dealer that sells Toro or Husqvarna and try the models out that you are considering and that might help persuade you either way?

That Husqvarna you mention was the other self propel I had on my list, as I thought about the AWD for the hilly terrain. However, I think the Toro with rear wheel drive would be OK, and it is a good bit cheaper and has the SmartStow feature.

Do you think the GX85 rider would scalp the grass more or less than a self propelled?