Any reason not to buy a used lawn mower?

[cantdrv55]

I've been looking at a few ads online (craigslist). There are several under $100 for supposedly newish mowers. Name brands like Craftsman and Toro but others not so well known too. Most are 22" blade and 4.5 hp with bag catcher. Will make sure of course that it starts right up but other than that, what else should I look for or ask about? I have two small patches of grass but both are on an incline. I have a push/reel mower too which I use once in a while but I get lazy.

[nota]

get a honda


but for real small area
electric are handy

[Jim Richards]

Lose the grass and the money saved by not buying a mower can be used to by car parts &/or beer.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by cantdrv55

I've been looking at a few ads online (craigslist). There are several under $100 for supposedly newish mowers. Name brands like Craftsman and Toro but others not so well known too. Most are 22" blade and 4.5 hp with bag catcher. Will make sure of course that it starts right up but other than that, what else should I look for or ask about? I have two small patches of grass but both are on an incline. I have a push/reel mower too which I use once in a while but I get lazy.

I have a situation at my commercial building where I have a couple of small patches to mow. I got sick of the hassle of keeping gas, oil changes, trying to hire it done, etc etc and sold my gas mower. I got a Neuton ://www.neutonpower.com/TwoStepModels.aspx?Name=cemnewmodel&Chap=CEM6Models
The price has gone up a lot since I got mine. I think I spent $279 for the CE5 model. They aren't built as substantially as a gas mower and I think they are over priced, but it sure is nice to just pull the handle and mow.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Lose the grass and the money saved by not buying a mower can be used to by car parts &/or beer.

+1

Hardscape, gravel, wood chips, sand and planters are great for cutting down on the amount of grass one needs to deal with - you get a much more dynamic and visually interesting space too.

Life is way too short to waste time being beholden to lawn care every weekend.

Nothing wrong with a used mower, but you can get a brand new John Deere for like 300 bucks so I'm not sure why you'd bother.

Worst case the used one dies and you have a go-kart project!

[red-beard]

I bought a used GoodAll mower in Highschool to do neighborhood lawns. It had a cast aluminum deck and wheels with greased wheelbearings, on a push mover.

After College, when I bought my first house, I got it back. The Briggs and stratton gave out at some point, and I put on a free used one. That used mower went 20 years for me.

It would not have worked down here in Texas. You need powered wheels to handle St Augistine. Great mower.

[ODDJOB UNO]

there are (2) known exalted, egotistic, primma donna,douche nozzle, porsche wrenches here local i wouldnt LET TOUCH MY LAWNMOWER EVAR AGAIN!


now does that answer yer question?



when i moved to my 1.5 acres of hell here in the dez, i ditched my (2) gas mowers(toro and a sensation) and a push type moron mower. i traded grass for granite rock and cactus.


let me give ya (2) honda stories:

1) a 1985 XR-350-RF went 14 years 364 days non stop from 14,000 ft in the rockies to below sea level in baja, had the snot beat out of it, and all i did was adjust the valves and dump the oil/filter every 200 miles.

2) a honda EX2000 generator sat on my poop deck of my 26ft boat and ran my lights blender a/c heat. every time i chopped the throttle(EVERY TIME!), it was POOPED with WATER! as in completely DOUCHED COVERED IN WATER!

when hunting season came around, i would pull generator from poop deck and it would sit outside hunt trailer purring away in rain snow sleet powering our lil heater and lights.


would start choked within 3 pulls of the cord every time no matter what.................and still DOES and i bought the damn thing in 1990!

all we did was run av gas, clean air filter and dump the oil.



so yeah i would buy a honda lawn mower if i had to again.

[1990C4S]

I have two Lawn-Boy 2-strokes. Both over 20 years old, both pulled from someones garbage.

They run flawlessly. The old 2-strokes smoke a bit but run forever.

I would never buy a new mower. Waste of cash.

[fastfredracing]

I am still running the honda lawn mower my parents bought new in 1985. Just now starting to smoke a little, and consume a small amount of oil. But to answer your question, I see no problem in buying a used mower. especially if you only have a small patch of grass to mow. A penny saved is a penny earned right?

[asphaltgambler]

This is an easy one................you guys know I had MY lawnmower stolen recently. I decided to minimize the overall cost of that situation by NOT buying retail. I looked at all the local big box stores return/refurbished mowers....some good deals but still not cheap enough.

Looked through C/L and found a guy near me who takes mowers and fixes them. As in change the oil, sharpen the blades, lube the cables, etc. At that time he had 5-6 different ones. The one I chose was 1/4 the price of retail, was clean and starts right up. Brought it home and have been satisfied since. Except now it stays in the garage!

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

I have two Lawn-Boy 2-strokes. Both over 20 years old, both pulled from someones garbage.
I would never buy a new mower. Waste of cash.

They last a long time because you probably use your mower as often as I use my ice skates

[dad911]

If you're buying used, make sure the shaft is not bent.......

[vash]

it would bum me out to buy some stolen merchandise.

lawn tools get stolen all the time. i've lost 3 line trimmers and one chainsaw. i cable lock them now.

[juanbenae]

the lower end mowers are very susceptible to the california gas ingredients. i have one that was just a click over $200 new and in less than a year the carb was shot. granted it was a cast plastic carb painted black like the briggs & strat motor so when i bought it i did not notice the plastic construction. the gas ate it to the point it would no longer run a lick. found the carb on line for like $25 bucks and bought one but the lawn needed mowing prior to arrival and was able to get another at a lawn/garden joint and install it to mow while waiting for the other. now i have a spare.. the guys at the mow shop said this is a VERY common issue with the CA gas additives.

so id say no, pony up for a new one and look for quality, or higher a gardener...

[A930Rocket]

Our last two John Deere's (one riding and one walk behind) were nothing but a POS. I went with a Toro using a Honda engine.

[1990C4S]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

They last a long time because you probably use your mower as often as I use my ice skates

Every week all spring, summer, and into fall. They are good rugged lawnmowers. Cast deck and the engines run forever provided you add oil to the gas. The only failure I have ever had was an ignition unit.

[Bill Douglas]

If the lawns are small buy an electric mower. They are so cheap you might as well buy new. They always start, the clyinder doesn't fill up with sump oil because you stored it upright against the wall. No one will steal it because no self respecting lawn mower thief would want to be seen with a nerdy electric mower.

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by dad911

If you're buying used, make sure the shaft is not bent.......

How do you do that?
1990C4S: I figured as much but I couldn't resist the Canuck weather joke...

[dentist90]

Make sure when you check out the potential mower that it is cold when you test start it (some sellers will run it before you get there so you don't find out that it takes 14 pulls to start until you get it home). Check oil level. Also ask the seller if they have ever changed the oil. I'm amazed at how many owners do not realize that these things have oil in them (4 stroke, that is). Also check the condition of the blade. If it is dull and chipped the mower has probably not been well cared for. A bent, dull blade also makes the engine work harder than a sharp one.
If your lawn is small and on a slope you may want to look for the lightest weight mower you can find. I have two, one 4hp and one 6.25hp. The 6hp is quite a bit heavier and harder to push than the 4hp.
Then buy the shiniest one!

[cantdrv55]

Great advice as always guys. Thanks!