How to choose a riding lawn mower?

[mcvickj]

So my wife and I moved into a new house this past December that has a little over 3 acres of land. I would estimate maybe a little over half of it will need to be mowed. I would like to stay below $1500 but might be able to talk my wife into $2000.

What kind of questions do I need to be asking? What things should I look out for? Is it worth buying from a big box store or should I look at a dealership? Any particular brand to stay away from? I'm assuming each brand has their good, better and best categories. I need it to be reliable and easy to use for my wife if she wants to mow.

I have been keeping my eye on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist for used options and the prices are all over the place. I'm a little hesitant on buying used without knowing the service history.

I'm not necessarily looking for a project but I'm handy enough to work on small things when they crop up.

 

[NutBucket]

Maybe get a few goats? LOL

Anyway, for that budget I'd go used IMHO. Hell, get a used big-box rider for a few hundred and see how that goes.

 

[Raizinman]

Depending on how many trees, bushes, and other obsticales you might want to consider getting a zero turn. When we moved onto a 5 acre lot I got a John Deere 54 inch cutting path rider. After we planted lots of trees and other things I decided to get a zero turn which saved me a lot of time with the weed eater. You might consider investing a bit more money as you do tend to get what you pay for. I purchased a Gravely Commercial Zero Turn, but that would be 3 to 4 times your budget. You might try Tractor Supply and look for a sale.

 

[mindless1]

I wouldn't hesitate to buy used, just put it through its paces, test mow with it. It might need a new belt sooner, new tires or whatever. You can buy a higher end make and "maybe" go a little longer between repairs, and have a deck that's easier to level, but even something low end like a Murray will do the job, and there are some benefits to getting something lower end that has a shared design with many brand-rebadges, that parts are easier to find cheap, IF you DIY the repairs.

If this were a landscaping service instead of residential use then I'd recommend something with a commercial engine at least, but otherwise the things you should look out for are similar to a used car purchase, except most issues less expensive to fix. Does it start good cold? Does it shift gears smoothly (very important), though "gears" is a generic concept since many just rely on belt slippage/tension? Is there excessive rust under the deck? Engine making funny sounds?

Keep in mind that various parts on a mower can rattle and mean nothing, ironically mine was a lot quieter before the last time I comprehensively cleaned and lubed every moving part on it. Gunked up grass dampens vibrations a lot more than slippery metal does.

If you do buy used, do clean and lube everything, including things that some people overlook like the steering bearings or bushings, not just areas that have a grease fitting, but definitely do grease the deck spindles and L/R axles and wheels.