Printable View
Another option is to check with the guys in big business in lawn care. They are always selling off their older mowers and buying new ones. Even theyre old mowers would last a long time for just mowing your own lawn but them guys cant afford the wait should anything go wrong with them. Time costs them money when their hired help is standing around.
I had a Craftsman before, cost me 1800 for it, 18 hp, 42 inch cut, we cut less than a 1/4 acre with it for 4 seasons and it blew the seals inside the motor and I had to change 3 pullys during that time. I don't feel like I got my money out of it and won't buy another one... I have a friend that has the John Deere zero turn and what took almost 3.5 hours to cut with a regular riding mower or a small tractor with a grooming mower attatchment, he can now cut in about 45 minutes to an hour. Another friend has a Bushhog brand zero turn and he has been cutting about 5 acres with it for the last 4 years and only problem was a flat tire, and several thousand cheaper then the Deere... When you are looking at them, like someone said earlier, get it from a dealer. Lowe's and such sell alot cheaper built mowers. Look at the thickness of the deck and if the spindles and pullys and such have grease zerts on them. The biggest problem that I know of with mowers are the pully bearings going out due to lack of lube.
I have 2 Craftsman's one is a 50" garden tractor with 22.5 hp Koler engine, it has over 1200 hours on it. I have only had to change belts about every 2 yrs and the deck once in 12 yrs. The other one is a 42" also with a Koler 18 hp engine, I just picked it used a few months back gave $400 for it, it seems to be in great shape. LOL it even came with a snow plow, I know I will really get lots of use out of that plow in South Louisiana. I found it on Craigs List in Lafayette.