Riding Lawn Mower

[bfrikken]

Looking over Riding Lawn mowers right now. Seeing some pretty decent deals pop up on a few models I'm looking at.

My budget is around 1200; however, my wife is flexible if I'm really seeing a great value. I don't see us moving anytime soon, so I don't expect to outgrow the mower. I don't plan on using for snowblowing at all, and I don't expect to do any thing other then mowing with it.

I'm looking at a Snapper LT125 at Sears. It's on sale online right now for around 1425 (tax and s/h puts me over 1550ish but the local sears has one in stock and he says he can match the online price)and I am considering the pitch to the wife for the extra budget. I feel I'm pushing it a little, but it is a hydrostatic automatic mower. I compared them side by side to the craftsman in the store, and because the controls are foot pedals mostly compared to the levers of the craftsman, I think it makes more sense for my hilly property.


I'm looking for suggestions in mowers you may have that I may be able to get a deal on right now.

I looked used for much of the summer. I've started looking again, and inquired on a few. Looked at a Toro last night for 800 that was decent. But I'm not finding a lot of value used to be quite honest. Mostly ends up in dead ends. And decent deals are too far away or sold immediately.

[Shep]

Call me old school, country, or a cheapskate, but I've always been a fan of buying a used lawn mower for $100-200 and keeping it till it dies. Of course I grew up on a farm with 6 acres to mow, and never had too much money, but I felt our mowers were great. We had an old Mountgomery Ward with 3 speeds that cut like a dream. I always cut in third gear, which was more like trying to drive a go-cart to cut the grass. We had that for 10+ years which was a good ROI for $100.

I know that this doesn't help you too much, and maybe that new lawn tractor is what you need, but for me, if I'm only cutting grass, used works great.

[bfrikken]

Call me old school, country, or a cheapskate, but I've always been a fan of buying a used lawn mower for $100-200 and keeping it till it dies. Of course I grew up on a farm with 6 acres to mow, and never had too much money, but I felt our mowers were great. We had an old Mountgomery Ward with 3 speeds that cut like a dream. I always cut in third gear, which was more like trying to drive a go-cart to cut the grass. We had that for 10+ years which was a good ROI for $100.

I know that this doesn't help you too much, and maybe that new lawn tractor is what you need, but for me, if I'm only cutting grass, used works great.

I've looked at those types on CL, and honestly, you are going to find operational ones that are approx 300-500. For me, it has to run. I'm not mechanically inclined. I've looked at a few that are around 400 or so and IF they started they ran like a beast, and I had almost no confidence in them going up and down my hills. However, I keep watching CL right now and hope to still find one before I buy one. That Snapper sort of is calling my name though

[Thalermade]

Hilly property? Research the type of engine oil lubrication system - splash or oil pump.
It was recommended to me years ago to get an engine that has the oil pump for yards with hills. My 7 year old craftsman has a Kohler engine with an oil pump

my 2 cents
have fun choosing
Russ

[sscherin]

I have to admit I love my Hydrostatic drive mower..

Doubt you want to take my route to a cheep riding mower..
I bought 1 rusted but good runner for $60 and one nice hydrostatic w bagger but with a blown engine for $125..

Spent a weekend swapping engines and now I have a nice runner
I was really surprised how swappable these things are..
ripped out a blown Kohler swapped the pulley onto a Tecumseh and dropped the engine in using the existing bolt holes in the chassis...
Exhaust bolted on with some filing and extra washers but no drilling or welding was involved.

[bfrikken]

Hilly property? Research the type of engine oil lubrication system - splash or oil pump.
It was recommended to me years ago to get an engine that has the oil pump for yards with hills. My 7 year old craftsman has a Kohler engine with an oil pump

my 2 cents
have fun choosing
Russ

Thanks for that observation. One of the other models at Sears I was looking at is really a last years model. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...w+All+Tractors

It is 1169 and has the Kohler motor that I understand is an upgrade over another model. I think the retail upgrade price was 50-75 bucks over the Briggs and Stratton model.

[messmaker]

All riding mowers I have owned have had a workable engine. I have had the tranny go out on two of them. I feel it is the weak link on most mowers. Hills,ruts and tree roots can be the killer for a transmission as well as the deck. A used garden tractor(Huskvarna,Craftsman,C Cadet,Symplicity and John Deere are all pretty good) with a hydrostatic is a good choice. It will probably last you at least 10 years. Buying a riding lawn mower by weight is a good rule of thumb. More steel and heavier parts are a good thing. I would stay away from any entry level MTD machines unless you plan on replacing in 4-5 years.