Scotts 42589X8 16hp 42" Kohler Engine

[armour248]

New here so not exactly sure what the protocol is for posting craigslist links, etc. I have a half acre lot and am looking to get a riding mower. The backyard has a bit of a hill down and then is relatively flat. Budget is pretty tight so I've been looking for decent deals nearby on CL. Found a Scotts 16HP 42 inch 42589X8 mower that looks to be in very good condition and comes with a new battery. The seller is currently asking $600...I feel like that's a bit steep for a 15+ year old mower without knowing exactly how it runs...but I also have no experience with mowers/tractors so I could be completely wrong. I saw that most of the Scotts models were made by JD in the late 90s/early 2000s which I would assume is a good thing. Any thoughts on this mower and the price? Thank you.

 

[NorthBama]

42589X8 mower looks like that one is made by Murray. Some were made by john Deere and usually have sticker with John Deere label
http://www.tractordata.com/lawn-tractors/tractor-brands/scotts/scotts-lawn-tractors.html

 

[Boobala]

Price would really depend on amount of riders usually available in the area, you didn't mention a more precise area of location.... here in central Florida ,( Ocala area ) avg. price for a used rider say around ... 12 to 18 years old is about
250.00 --550.00 depending on condition and size of cutting deck and engine ( most popular these days in this area
is a 42 inch cut / 13-18 HP ) .. 4 years ago I paid 300.00 for a 21 HP 46 inch cut ... FAIR cond. BUT I wound up spending
approx 350.00 in PARTS ... to rebuild it myself , SO now I have a new mower , that looks old !! THEE deck is important to check because being underneath it's hard to see any rust-through or damage... count on replacing parts on ANY used machine .... belts, blades , battery , tires , ... be sure whatever you decide ... see it demonstrated !!! ALL gears fwd & REV , cutting height adjustment, turning radius,
Personally I would avoid a machine that's really dirty or nasty looking ( from sitting outside not covered at the very least )
also ask for the owners & parts manuals ... (you WILL need them sooner or later ) but most are available on-line
try to talk to some friends/neighbors if they have one ... DON'T RUSH into a purchase !!! .. best of luck in your hunting...Boobala

 

[armour248]

Thanks guys. That Murray bit is probably accurate. I saw another that had the "made by John Deere" on the sticker...this one does not. I am in the Chicago area so lots aren't as big and riders probably aren't as common as some other areas of the country. It seems like most used ones have asking prices between $400-$800. Wondering If at this point I'd be better off getting a new one in that $1000-$1500 range. I don't need anything special but I'd like to have something that I'm sure I will get 5+ years out of.

 

[NorthBama]

Boo has some real good information which I agree with. I have found that people selling mowers on Craigslist don't always tell the whole story about their mowers they are selling.

 

[armour248]

Boo has some real good information which I agree with. I have found that people selling mowers on Craigslist don't always tell the whole story about their mowers they are selling.

Yeah that's definitely a concern. It could have been bought and re-sold several times for all I know. I'm leaning toward just getting something simple that I can maintain and keep running solidly long term. I'll probably swing by a Menard's or Home Depot later and see what I find.

 

[NorthBama]

It may be good mower if it was a one owner and well taken care of and maintained. If you want to buy used try to find a one owner with maintenance records.

 

[Boobala]

Thanks guys. That Murray bit is probably accurate. I saw another that had the "made by John Deere" on the sticker...this one does not. I am in the Chicago area so lots aren't as big and riders probably aren't as common as some other areas of the country. It seems like most used ones have asking prices between $400-$800. Wondering If at this point I'd be better off getting a new one in that $1000-$1500 range. I don't need anything special but I'd like to have something that I'm sure I will get 5+ years out of.

Just doing a quick look a Home Depot ... IF I were to buy a NEW mower today .. knowing what I now know ( presently I own 3 Murray Riders .. A 46" & 2 42"s ) I would seriously consider this mower by Poulan....

REASONS : No Electric PTO clutch ...( expensive repair)
: Non Auto Transmission ( I personally don't think this "plastic" CVT trans is fully "field-tested" )
and your foot gets tired keeping pressure on the speed control pedal ..( the other 6 speed is very good ).
: 16 inch (tight) turning radius
: Price is fair for what you're getting these days

Drawback.. I'm pretty sure H.D. does NOT service this equipment ..?? you need a dealer for maintenance if
you cannot fix it yourself.

And clik on these links for some info..on this machine, you can even get the owners manuals @ the Poulan site
It's your money .. remember it is just for cutting grass .. you DON'T need all fancy bells & whistles , Don't be conned into ALLthe "extras" they offer ( should you decide to buy new )

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Poulan-P...Front-Engine-Riding-Mower-960460075/206463185

http://www.poulanpro.com/us/products/riding-mowers/pp175g42/960460075/#specifications

Good Luck & Please keep us up-dated.. Boobala ..:thumbsup:

 

[Boobala]

Got curios to see what is around in your neck of the woods ... I know Chi-town is HUGE ( had an aunt lived there)
anyway .... I found these .. I don't know how close they are ... even though the Red Murray has a smaller eng.. it should do fine for a first time rider ... Your call !!

https://swmi.craigslist.org/grd/6026366973.html

https://milwaukee.craigslist.org/grd/6035995830.html

https://rockford.craigslist.org/grd/6026544374.html

https://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/grd/5989877031.html

 

[JT1]

I have a Scotts Model 42589X8. Belt broke. I put a new belt on, but the unit does not engage correctly. The blades turn, but the belt slips, or the unit, in neutral, periodically semi-engages the blades.
Looking under the unit, photos attached, I see that the clutch pulley appears out of alignment. What do I do to fix it?