Riding Lawnmowers

[legion]

This weekend while my wife was picking out flowers to spruce up the house, I went and looked at riding lawnmowers. Should we buy the house with the 4-acre lot, it would be a necessity.

Anyway, I noticed a huge disparity in price between "hardware store" and "dealer" mowers, even of the same brand.

For example, a 3-blade, 50" John Deere mower was $2,900 at Lowe's. A similar mower was $9,000 at a dealer. I realize they are different mowers and built differently.

My question is, do I really need to spend 3x as much to get the "professional" mower for one that will be used once a week (as opposed to once a day)?

Which brands are okay? Which are crap. Are any okay to buy at a hardware store? I looked at Cub Cadet, John Deere, and Troy Bilt.

[porsche4life]

I wouldn't buy one sold at HD, lowes, etc.... There is that much price difference for a reason... Its all in the quality... Go look at the deck on a Cub at lowes and then go look at the deck on at a dealer... Much heavier.

Watch CL... You will be much better off buying a used good one than a new cheapie....

[schamp]

I purchased a husky a few years ago and have been happy with it. Cost around 3500.00 I think. I don't think the mowers at lowes and home depot are the same quality as what you see in other stores. I remember the snapper ceo telling wallmart he didn't want their business cause they wanted him to build his mower with cheaper stuff to meet their price. One of the only people to tell wallmart no. My husky is the zero turn with two blades not three. If you just want one to last a few years go get a club cadet from sears.

[legion]

If I buy this house, it will be the last one I ever own.

I just want to make sure that a $9,000 lasts three times as long as a $2,900 one.

[lane912]

replace "professional" with "race" and "lawn mower" with applicable Porsche model number.

[enzo1]

I would take Troybilt off the list. 1 of the problems with box store is customer service and I"ve heard they pick the lawn mower up with a fork lift bending the deck and they don't go over the mower tightening screws and bolts... I'd go with JD Troybilt mowers -- I DO NOT suggest - Lawn Mowers Forum - GardenWeb

[porsche4life]

Originally Posted by legion

If I buy this house, it will be the last one I ever own.

I just want to make sure that a $9,000 lasts three times as long as a $2,900 one.

What were you looking at BTW?

Unless stuff has SERIOUSLY gone up in the last few years...

My dad bought a CUB Tank M48 Professional ZTR for ~6900OTD with 0% for 36 months a few years ago.... Its a serious mower....

[MotoSook]

Chris,

I would watch Craigslist. Mower, like cars, can be bought used for best bang for the buck. Heck I bought a used Craftman with 42" deck for $300 and it's been going strong for 5 yrs I think. They're simple machines and I can keep this one running for another 5 years with minimal cash into it. Matter of fact the start solenoid failed on mine and I'm too lazy to fix it, so I just jump start it (direct to the starter) with my spare Odyssey battery LOL.

[peppy]

$9K is a lot for a lawn tractor. High end zero turn mowers are less than that (Toro, Dixie Chopper, Bad Boy) I got a Dixie Chopper this spring and cut the mowing time from 3+hrs to about and hour and ten minutes. And I get a breeze in a straight line.

[porsche4life]

Oh and a word of warning.... You have to pay extra if you want a green or orange one.... They really aren't any better... but they charge like they are.....

[VINMAN]

My 18 yo, 42" Craftsman tractor still kicks azz.

[MotoSook]

I just did a quick search on the Chicago CL.

Ariens zero turn 42" deck - $1050, if I walk up with $900 cash it'd probably be sold

Craftsman 48" 25HP hydro - $950

John Deere $1150

Cub Cadet with roller and trailer 60hrs $1500


There's a couple of older Craftsmans on there that I might pick up just because it would cost me more to fix mine than the $200-300 that those others would cost me

Also, I welded a hitch receiver on my Craftsman. With the hitch from my Jeep installed in the receiver, I can pull my empty 18' aluminum car trailer out of (and back it into) the yard without having to fuss with the tight side driveway.

[legion]

I have a friend who has welded a trailer hitch to the FRONT of his pickup truck. He words as a boat mechanic and says it is much easier for positioning boats in the shop and on the lot.

[tcar]

Originally Posted by legion

Which brands are okay? Which are crap. Are any okay to buy at a hardware store? I looked at Cub Cadet, John Deere, and Troy Bilt.

Buy used. Get a pro model. Depreciation is big.

[Chocaholic]

Bought a 15.5 HP Craftsman (Kohler engine) new 12 years ago for about $800. Use is weekly and have had to do nothing but sharpen/replace worn blades, clean the air filter and change the oil. $9k? Is there a hole in the dash for....well....never mind.

[legion]

This is the JD with the most similar feature to the $2,900 Lowe's Mower:

http://www.deere.com/en_US/ProductCatalog/HO/servlet/com.deere.u90785.cce.productcatalog.view.servlets. ProdCatProduct?pNbr=SKU21819&tM=HO&link=enav

This is the $2900 one from Lowe's:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_288821-573-BG20559_4294821016_4294937087?productId=3137025&Ns=p_product_price

[Teutonics]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

Bought a 15.5 HP Craftsman (Kohler engine) new 12 years ago for about $800. Use is weekly and have had to do nothing but sharpen/replace worn blades, clean the air filter and change the oil. $9k? Is there a hole in the dash for....well....never mind.

LOL! +1

I picked up a non-running Crapsman (misnomer) off of freecycle that had been absolutely ABUSED. It was probably 6-7 years old when I got it, and the teenage boy of the family had ridden it hard... even flipped it while mowing. it had scrapes on the top of the engine from sliding across the concrete. More of a testament to Briggs engines than Crapsman, but every bolt holding the case halves was loose or missing and splashed oil out the sides, but it still kept running. What finally killed it was when the boy had put the wrong sparkplug in it and the piston hit the plug and punched it out of the head.

I put a used head on it, helicoiled the stripped case holes, and put it all back together. Ran like a champ for five more years until I sold it and bought a new one three years ago... which has also been flawless.

From what I've read, all of the Craftsman, Husqy, Poulan, and some of the others use the same frame... from the bottom model all the way to the top. Features and gadgets are the only difference. And at the price (I paid right at $1100 for mine), you could buy several over the years and still end up paying less!

[Heel n Toe]

Chris, go talk to some guys at some different mower repair shops... ask them what the differences are and if you need the extra heavy duty aspects that the pro versions of these different mowers provide.

My guess is that the $9000 version might last 3 times as long, but since they're made to put in 5-7 hours a day, maybe around 200 days a year, you would be ill-advised to buy it because you won't live long enough to get all those extra hours out of it.

[74-911]

Originally Posted by peppy

$9K is a lot for a lawn tractor. High end zero turn mowers are less than that (Toro, Dixie Chopper, Bad Boy) I got a Dixie Chopper this spring and cut the mowing time from 3+hrs to about and hour and ten minutes. And I get a breeze in a straight line.

Neighbor has the contract to mow a local cemetary. He and his partner both now have Dixie Choppers and said it cut their mowing time in 1/2 from when they used lawn tractors. If you are looking at mowing 4 acres, that is the way to go.

[LakeCleElum]

You need to poke around here and ask your questions:

MyTractorForum.com - Tractor Forum & information, Discussion Board and Heavy Equipment Information (Just don't trust that Lake Cle Elum guy on the John Deere section).

I have 2 - A John Deere Riding mower and an old JD 316 to plow snow, blow snow and rototill with.......I'm sure other brands are good to.....