buying my first used lawnmower what do I need to know?

[holden j caufield]

first time doing my own lawn work and I'll be buying a used one. Is there anything I need to know cause I'm know nothing about them. thanks. Oh I like golf so one that cuts it near fairway or greens length would be great

 

[RossMAN]

What's your budget?

I would highly recommend checking out a Honda lawn mower at your local Home Depot or CostoCo, they're around $250 - $369.

 

[Deeko]

Get one of the ghetto style manual ones. Can't beat it for fuel economy or portability.

 

[RossMAN]

Here are some lawn mower reviews.

 

[PsychoAndy]

Get a riding mower. Spend the $1000. You'll thank me later.

-PAB

 

[PeeluckyDuckee]

dumb question, but is there gas/brake pedals on those riding lawn mowers? Can you control how fast your lawn mover go or is it a set speed? How fast are they in general, in terms of MPH?

 

[JC]

If you really wanna cut green length, a reel mower is the ticket...shears the grass, doesn't beat into submission like a rotary mower.

JC

 

[Yzzim]

Originally posted by: PeeluckyDuckee
dumb question, but is there gas/brake pedals on those riding lawn mowers? Can you control how fast your lawn mover go or is it a set speed? How fast are they in general, in terms of MPH?

My parents work at a local Toro factory in town which builds walk behind lawn mowers, riding lawn mowers and snowblowers depending on the season.

Most of the riding lawn mowers just have a gas pedal, in which the harder you press the faster you go. When you let up on the gas the mower comes to a stop almost immediately....guess it depends on how fast you're going.
There are different gears just like their are with self propelled lawnmowers. First gear is the slowest (duh) and is good for mulching the lawn and making it look the best. Second gear is for normal mowing and (if you have the accessory) blowing/pushing snow, thatching the lawn, bagging leaves, etc. Some riding mowers have third gear which is fun to chase after the dog or run down the annoying neighbor kid.

If you have the money, go for a Toro Personal Pace lawn mower. It's self propelled and allows you to set your own pace without having to select a gear which may be too slow/fast for what you want it for. The mower also mulches and recycles the grass so you don't have to worry about bagging it or raking it up when you're done mowing. It's a very good lawn mower and one of the best in the industry.

Toro also makes LawnBoy lawn mowers which use the same basic parts and still do a good job. AFAIK the LawnBoy line doesn't have the Personal Pace type lawn mower, they are more for the budget minded.

 

[fatbaby]

honda or a john deere if you're getting a riding one, if you are a n00b, get one with a hydrostatic drive!

 

[amdskip]

If you want a push mower, just get your briggs and stration yard machine for like $150-200 and that will be more than good enough.

 

[PsychoAndy]

Originally posted by: PeeluckyDuckee
dumb question, but is there gas/brake pedals on those riding lawn mowers? Can you control how fast your lawn mover go or is it a set speed? How fast are they in general, in terms of MPH?

You have an accelerator and a brake like in a car. Clutch and gear selector can also be found. Some models are completely automatic.

-PAB

 

[thedarkwolf]

Does it start and run good? If yes then it works. I bought a beat up red one , can't even remember the brand, for $15 and used it for a year without a problem. My dad bought a riding mower and I traded my mower for his nicer self propelled deal but he still uses my crappy old one for the tight areas. The only thing I can remember for sure is it was a 3.5hp model.

 

[charrison]

Get a mulching one...no need to rake afterward.

 

[Eli]

lol....

If it starts and runs for you(before you buy it..), it's probably okay. Listen for any strange noises..


You can find them for 10-25 bucks if you lookaround. If you want something that will last you the rest of your life(given you actually bother to change the oil...), buy a brand new Honda machine.

 

[holden j caufield]

how short do most/standard lawnmowers cut the grass?

 

[PsychoAndy]

Originally posted by: holden j caufield
how short do most/standard lawnmowers cut the grass?

They cut at the level you adjust it at. You move the wheels up and down to determine the cut.

-PAB

 

[murphy55d]

Just go to Sears and pick one out. They will give you a free tune-up(new plugs, blade, general fix up) every year as long as you're under warranty.

You can get a Craftsman riding mower for ~$1,000 and a standard push power for ~$200. Probably a lot less for the push mower, but I know for a fact that they have 1k riding mowers.

 

[Linflas]

I would avoid any propelled mowers that use belt drive. I have had 2 now and they are both essentially worthless on any type of slope.

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

Cutting your grass too short isn't healthy for the lawn.


Do whay i just did. BUY A NEW MOWER. Since i couldn't find one for 40$ or less, I decided I should just buy a new one. Got a push 4.5 HP from sears (craftsman) for $135.

 

[Ornery]

If you can't afford a New Snapper Rear Engine Rider, buy a used one. 20 years from now you'll still be able to get parts for it. I've had my Wheelhorse Rider since 1986 and I can still easily get parts for it. I'd still recommend the Wheelhorse if Toro hadn't bought the company. Now their line of Rear Engine Riders just isn't the same.

Never been sorry that I coughed up a few bucks for a decent machine. Find a dealer that sells and repairs these Snappers and get acquainted. He can set you up with decent used one now, and trade you for a new one later. Any accessories you buy for the used one can transfer to the new one later.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: fatbaby
honda or a john deere if you're getting a riding one, if you are a n00b, get one with a hydrostatic drive!

Don't touch any small equipment made by John Deere. I've got plenty of experience with JD's small equipment and it's nothing but trouble, plus the parts are far more expensive than they need to be. That green paint must be expensive.

For riding mowers, Cub Cadet and Simplicity remain among my favorites. Honda's are OK, but they are strictly residential duty.

ZV

EDIT: For walk-behinds, Toro makes some of the best.

 

[Bluefront]

I love my two-cycle, self--propelled Lawn Boy. 100% reliable, and I never have to change the oil...heh.
It has to be the lightest self-propelled mower around. If you have tight, hilly areas to cut, you'll see what I mean (like when you have to pull backwards). It's belt drive...strong enough to pull me up hills. I leave it on mulch all the time. It's the 6.5 hp version.

 

[prontospyder]

I also recommend a Honda mower or a mower with a Honda engine (Craftsman). It starts up after one pull unlike my old Murray.

Also, it's better to not cut the grass too low. I have my mower at the highest setting with mulch. It's extremely helpful since we're in a drought here in Colorado. The grass stays green and I don't have to water that much.

 

[wyvrn]

Honda. We have a lot of land with fairly high grasses (waiste high sometimes), and have had many other brands of mowers crap out after a couple of years. We had a 2HP Honda that mowed this stuff for over 10 years before it gave out. We recently bought two more Honda's, one is a 6HP self-propelled and the other is what I call a PowerWagon (11HP). It is basically a sled with wheels on the back, with a huge blade up front. This thing eats thick tree branches for breakfast and I even snapped a metal water sprinkler without any damage to the blades. The PW has never, I mean NEVER been choked or stopped by even the highest grass. I will always think Honda first when buying a mower for myself.

 

[Ornery]

Just for the hell of it, I thought I'd mention this unit I glanced at this summer. It's a Wheel Horse® 260 Series lawn tractor with quite a few decent features:

• Quality Kohler engine
• Hydrostatic Transmission
• Cast iron front axel
• Wheelhorse lineage (great quality history and support)

All that for about $2,400.00. Don't hold me to it, because it's been a while, but I'm pretty sure that's right. Quite a bargain compared to the competition.