I'll hopefully be closing on my house in about a month and will need to purchase some lawn equipment. I've got just over an acre.

I'll need a riding mower, push mower (optional), weed eater, and blower. Some accessories for the riding mower I'd probably like are: aerator, spreader, dethatcher, and trailer.

I was hoping to avoid the cost of new equipment, so I've look at craigslist a few times and was surprised by the prices (at least for riding lawn mowers) compared to a new mower price (were pretty high).

I'd like any suggestions on what to look for/get/age/brand/features/etc; how to evaluate equipment (other than starting up, it actually moving, and seeming to work); maintenance I should perform right away, unless it's obviously that it has been recently performed (oil, air, spark plugs, blades/blade sharpening, etc.)? I also just don't know what's a good deal and not.

Thanks.

7/30/2012 8:31:13 AM

Pretty big investment based on your desires. Do you have lots of trees (blower)? Lots of perimeter edge (trimmer)?

I'd get a decent blower and trimmer from your local lawn & garden dealer, IMHO, as they both can be long-term investments. I've had an Echo SRM-260S since my junior year of HS (10yrs), and have used it constantly when the season's been in.

As for the rest, I have no idea how to accurately advise - I've seen good deals on cheap mowers and bad deals on good mowers. The cheaper mowers are harder to buy replacement parts for, but sometimes you get a decent one and it lasts for 6-8yrs with no breakage.

7/30/2012 12:57:15 PM

I just shopped around for a used riding mower and accessories as well. I was surprised to find that it's damn near impossible to find anything in good working condition that is less than 8 years old for <$500.

One thing to keep in mind is whether or not you want a bagger attachment. I have a bunch of hardwoods on my acre and wanted to be able to clean up the leaves easier and faster than via leaf blower. Bagger attachments are typically very expensive, $100-$400 depending upon the mower. It's likely cheaper to find a used mower that already has one.

I found a 6 year old John Deer 22hp 42" cut mower (a mainstream Lowe's/Home Depot model that many folks say isn't a "real" John Deere) with a bagger, tow behind aerator, dethatcher, and broadcast spreader for ~$900. It was more than I wanted to spend, but once I added up all the individual components and what my needs/wants were, I think it was an OK deal.

Good luck, be patient, but if you find a good deal don't hesitate because they disappear quickly.

7/30/2012 1:26:47 PM

I will have trees mostly around my property line and most of those are pines; however, I think there will be enough other trees to warrant a decent blower. I have a large drainage ditch and pipe in the front of the lot that will require weed eating instead of mowing, so a very good weed eater/trimmer will come in handy. I'll also have a pretty long fence (possibly up to 650' long) so that's even more trimming. So if I go top of the line/new/etc. on anything, this would certainly be the item.

I hope to fill that ditch with some type of rock eventually.

Is a local store better than one of the big box stores for these items?

Yeh, I was seeing mowers from $500-$1500 and at that price range, I'd rather just get a new one for peace of mind (well maybe not at the $500 mark, but >$1,000 probably). And I will need the accessories too, so that's something I've got to keep in mind.

I won't require a bagger; however, it would be nice so I could add the clippings to my future composter.



[Edited on July 30, 2012 at 1:38 PM. Reason : Damn. The grammar in my first post is horrid. My brain must have still been asleep.]

7/30/2012 1:28:39 PM

Quote :

"a mainstream Lowe's/Home Depot model that many folks say isn't a "real" John Deere"

I'd avoid entry level John Deere products. They aren't "real" John Deere because they don't have the same quality as higher end models. When I was looking for a new mower about 18 months ago, I noticed a lot of complaints about those mainstream John Deeres, and they aren't cheap to fix.

You may want to look into a Bolens, Yardman, Murray, or any other MTD branded models. They are easy to work on, parts are readily available for a reasonable price, and they get the job done reliably. I would call them to the Toyota Corolla of Mowers; Reliable, GIT-R-DUN capable, a bit soul-less


Just my 2 cents.

I enjoy my Troy Bilt weedeater. It's a 23cc 4 stroke, and is capable, though you do notice the torque difference between a 2 stroke when going through very tall, thick brush. It has a detachable end so you can change it to a trimmer, etc. Not a bad $100 weedeater, gets the light duty job done easily. Anything more than light duty might require a 2 stroke or a larger 4 stroke motor.


Or nitrous.


This is what I have. Great lawn mower. I got it for $900 OTD last fall. Bagger attachment was $340 shipped IIRC. There are 42" deck models branded as bolens, yardmachines, yardman, etc. Just have to look at Home Depot, Lowes, Northern Tool, etc inventories.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_317737-270-13W1762F065_0__?productId=3306250


[Edited on July 30, 2012 at 2:01 PM. Reason : .]

7/30/2012 1:52:18 PM

Interesting case here -

My dad bought an L120 John Deere from Home Depot ~2003 to use as a back-up mower for my summer lawn-mowing job. I've had it since 2009 when I bought my house, and the only parts I have replaced were the front spindles, which had worn down significantly from the front wheel bushings. it's got ~280hrs on it at the moment.

7/30/2012 2:10:14 PM

Yeah I did a lot of research before pulling the trigger on my used L118. I agree that the mainstream JD's are NOT the same quality as real JD equipment, but I also don't believe that they're crappy either. I wouldn't buy one new because they're fetching a ridiculous premium for the brand name, but most are pretty good mowers.

There are a plenty of negative reviews and horror stories, but you have to keep in mind the sheer volume of these JD mowers which have been sold since they became available through Lowe's and Depot and remember how many are still working well after many years of use.

I would agree to stay away from entry level JD's if you're buying new, but I wouldn't ignore them if you're looking for a used mower. They're at least on par with the other brands that Hiro mentioned, and parts are actually pretty readily available even at home improvement stores.

7/30/2012 3:40:07 PM

also another interesting fact, my local Deere dealership carries replacement parts for those mowers (there should be a sticker on the mower itself noting a local dealer)


fwiw, I would never buy a deere mower

7/30/2012 4:01:26 PM

A friend of mine just buys a $1000 riding mower and uses it for ~4 years, until something breaks. Then he fixes it, and sells it for $500 and invests it into a new $1000 mower.

7/30/2012 5:23:04 PM

From someone in the industry,
Your best bet for longevity, maintainability,
And depreciation is a mid 90s and up Deere
300, 400, or GX series or even Some of the higher end
Lx series. They will maintain there value for many
Years.

[Edited on July 30, 2012 at 6:25 PM. Reason : .]

7/30/2012 6:08:57 PM

the "not a real john deere" john deeres are fine. if you service it and keep things greased like you're supposed to, not much is gonna break on it. belts, blades, filters, oil changes are pretty much gonna be it. they are much better than the troy bilts and such. the husqvarnas and cub cadets are ok too. i wouldn't buy a used one unless it's obvious it's been well cared for. there are too many jacklegs flipping broken down junk mowers on craigslist.

do not buy a 4-stroke trimmer or blower. i've never seen one that wasn't crap when compared to a 2-stroke. for your trimmer and blower, look at stihl, husqvarna, echo, and shindaiwa. i use stihl. whatever you get, make sure it's a straight shaft. unless you're clearing brush with a saw blade on it, you don't need those crazy handlebars and shoulder straps and shit. get a backpack blower. if you get a handheld that actually has enough power, it'll wear your arm out quick.

a nice big 2-wheel wheelbarrow is much more useful than one of those little trailers you pull behind a mower. you can't maneuver them b/c they're a bitch to back up.

best piece of advice i can give you is at the end of the season, drain the fuel out of every piece of equipment, crank it up, and run it wide open until it shuts off. otherwise, ethanol will fuck your shit up and you'll be de-gunking carburetors or paying someone else to do it.

7/30/2012 6:24:06 PM

one thing to think about is to buy a lightly used pro mower (ferris, hustler, walker etc...) one of these will last a home owner a lifetime and give you a great cut quality. With the nationwide drought and rapidly growing number of people who entered the landscape business thinking they'd get rich and should be finding out this and next month that they won't you can sometimes get a great deal. Even a dual-hydo walkbehind will be a great machine for you and you can get a sulky to ride behind it.

7/30/2012 8:18:38 PM

7/30/2012 10:43:38 PM

backpack blowers are just a tad overkill for everyday blowing


however when the leafs fall, nothing like strappin' up with the stihl and blowing those fuckers to kingdom come!

7/31/2012 8:22:14 AM

Backpack blowers aren't overkill. Why would you want to hold 10 lbs when you can just throw 15 lbs on your back and get twice the power?

Quote :

"Is a local store better than one of the big box stores for these items?"

I used to think big box stores were good until I found a really good mom and pop dealer (stickland's in Nashville).
You should support the dealer if there's a good one reasonably close. Strickland's is actually cheaper than lowes for husqvarna products. Their stihl chainsaw chain (the best on the market) is actually cheaper than the husqvarna (rebadged Oregon) at lowes. They stock enough parts to build entire machines from scratch and they know the products well. I like how theyll share other customers' feedback with me. The last reason you should buy from a mom and pop place is warranty service. If you buy from lowes and you have a problem then you bring the product back to lowes, they ship it to their repair shop which probably isn't local, your machine sits on the shelf for three months while the shop fixes the machines that we're purchased at the shop, then it's sent back to lowes.
If you buy it from the mom and pop dealer you just bring it back and they'll fix it within a day or two.

7/31/2012 1:43:36 PM

Fumbler, no argument to start, but are you sure about the 10# vs 15# thing? My father has both stihl backpack and standard blower, and the weight difference feels significant


edit: appears to be 10# vs 22# from website


regardless, if you have money, id get both

[Edited on July 31, 2012 at 2:06 PM. Reason : - MAN TOOL INVESTMENTS]

7/31/2012 2:03:36 PM

thanks for the input. I'll check out the local store near my house soon.

8/1/2012 8:15:20 AM

^^ depends on what models you're looking at. That was an exaggeration but still, carrying all the weight by hand sucks in my lazy opinion. Unless I had a tiny yard/driveway and only blew grass clippings I'd go with the backpack. Lots of people with too small blowers complain about not having enough power but I don't think I've ever heard of anyone with a backpack blower saying they wish they got a smaller one.

[Edited on August 1, 2012 at 5:30 PM. Reason : Btw, I have a husqvarna 130bt. It's not powerful but it's less than 15 lbs. I'd like a 50-55 cc. ]

8/1/2012 5:25:47 PM

So I may be able to get a pretty good discount at sears... how's craftsman these days? Sears also has some Husqvarna equipment, which has been recommended here.

8/2/2012 9:44:22 AM

picked up a Husqvarna reel mower yesterday (my yard is tiny tiny). Curious to see how well this thing will cut my grass.

I was planning to pick up a Hitachi 21 cc 2 stroke trimmer. Everything I've seen online says good things about it. Anyone on here feel differently?

8/2/2012 10:04:44 AM

AFAIK, craftsman brand is still made by MTD, which makes most of the cheap mowers. it'll get the job done and parts are relatively cheap and easy to find.

8/2/2012 10:12:09 AM

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2001-JACOBSEN-TRI-KING-1900D-Diesel-Riding-Golf-Course-Fair-Way-REEL-MOWER-/320941666036?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ab99d2ef4

WANT!

i used one of these about 10 hours a day 5 days a week when i was 17-22

8/2/2012 10:30:47 AM

I bought a 4 stroke Craftsman leaf blower the year I bought my house. Great for cleaning gutters, driveways, walkways, etc., but when the leaves really start to come down in the fall it is inadequate. It just doesn't have enough juice to move big piles of leaves like a 2-stroke backpack blower.

8/2/2012 5:55:56 PM

Quote :

"I was planning to pick up a Hitachi 21 cc 2 stroke trimmer. Everything I've seen online says good things about it. Anyone on here feel differently?"

Are you getting the straight or curved shaft? I bought the straight shaft off slickdeals few months ago and it works great so far. I also bought a curved shaft 2 years ago, and it broke after 10 uses. Just make sure there's a Hitachi service center locally and they service gas engine. There isn't one in FL where I live and I had to take it to Atlanta to get it fixed.

8/2/2012 6:27:15 PM

I bough a curved shaft 25cc homelite when I was 12 or so. That thing was well used when I got it. It stood up to an adolescent's abuse for 5 or 6 years. Don't know where it is now

do they just make them out of junk now? 10 uses is pretty unacceptable. I literally beat the shit out of that thing

8/2/2012 6:38:53 PM

^yes, residential lawn-care equipment has gone to the shitter after about yera 2000 IMO

8/3/2012 7:35:34 AM

^ agreed.

I had a 90s homelite that survived my landscaping business for 6 years and then died because my lazy dad used starter fluid to kick it every time he started it when i was in college..

We used lesco at the golfcourse which i think was actually made by echo or stihl or something but those things took one hell of a beating and ran great...

I mean we modded a golfcart to go ~25-30 and when we took the sharp turns at the course the weed eaters would go flying out the back and the worst damage they took were broken muffler covers which hurt us more then they did the string trimmer.

8/3/2012 7:48:28 AM

Quote :

"Are you getting the straight or curved shaft? I bought the straight shaft off slickdeals few months ago and it works great so far. I also bought a curved shaft 2 years ago, and it broke after 10 uses. Just make sure there's a Hitachi service center locally and they service gas engine. There isn't one in FL where I live and I had to take it to Atlanta to get it fixed."

I was looking at the curved one. All the reviews raved about it, however I don't think any of the reviewers had owned it for over a year.

8/3/2012 9:38:02 AM

I wouldn't ever own a curve shaft weed eater again.

the cable drive setup just sucks...it induces more vibration and is usually the weak link.

8/3/2012 9:47:07 AM

not to mention that you end up trimming pretty much right on your feet

8/3/2012 9:49:15 AM

alright I'll get a straight shaft. appreciate the advice!

8/3/2012 9:53:45 AM

this is the one I bought couple months ago, no complaint so far. If you're willing to wait, there will be a sale every now and then. I got mine for $119+shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-CG24EKSL-2-Stroke-Commercial-Compliant/dp/B003JTGNN2

8/3/2012 5:39:03 PM

My troy bilt curved shaft has lasted 2 years so far. No issues. I like the ergo-nomics of a curved better. :/ Works for me.

8/3/2012 7:58:58 PM

Quote :

"backpack blowers are just a tad overkill for everyday blowing however when the leafs fall, nothing like strappin' up with the stihl and blowing those fuckers to kingdom come!"

I tried blowing the leaves of the three mature oaks off my property with a shitty corded blower and it didn't work. I then borrowed a co-worker's contractor grade backpack and it made all the difference in the world.

Even though it's a tool you'll maybe use for a total of 12 hours out of the year, it's a tool that will be extremely useful when you really need it.

8/5/2012 8:50:52 AM

So I can get about $400-$600 of craftsman yard tractors (depending on model) and for the models I'd likely be looking at, that means $1,300-$1,400 for a new one...

8/17/2012 8:29:47 PM

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/grd/3211950698.html

Get this and be done with it. One of the best mowers on the planet. Power steering, hydraulic deck, 3pt hitch...

8/17/2012 11:27:32 PM

talk about overkill

for no more grass than he'll be cutting, a hydraulic system is more (possible) trouble than it's worth.

8/18/2012 2:21:23 PM

^Hell no, its only a 50" deck. Quality older tractor-like machine at a comparable cost to new riding mowers. Plus, you have the option for bigger accessories should the need arise.

That being said, I use a $150 Toro Recycler (and my 140).

8/18/2012 2:52:46 PM

hell yeah i'll inherit a 130 from my grandaddy and first order of business will be locating a belly mower for it

8/18/2012 3:08:31 PM

God I love the front wheels and emblems on the 130's.

Back on track...you need that 318.

8/18/2012 3:23:04 PM

it would definitely win him the neighborhood lawn care equipment pissing contest

8/18/2012 3:47:55 PM

I cant top a NOS 318, but I did bring home my dead uncles 1979 317 yesterday, and got it running today. Side panels are off in teh pics, but I have them. I mowed the backyard with it tonight, and the only issue so far is that the crankcase vent is plugged, so oil blows out of the dipstick tube. after doing some reading ive seen this is a common problem and an easy fix, so i will deal with cleaning the breather tomorrow.

I know the series 1 KT17 kohler is a real turd, but this one appears to run perfectly.



Under all the dirt, it is really fairly pristine for a 33 year old mower.

8/18/2012 8:38:28 PM

^DROOOOOLLLLLLLLL. Love the ag tires on the back!

8/18/2012 9:37:29 PM

^^awesome find. a few months ago i picked up a mid 80's bolens st120 with hydrostatic drive and a tilling transmission. thing is a beast with 1" axle tubes. it has a pto for the 3-point hitch. i only use it to carry trailers from the back of the house to the front. carries my 18' equipment trailer with ease.

8/19/2012 10:33:30 PM

Anybody knows anything about the John Deere-built Scotts mower? I'm looking at an 8 year old one that's supposedly has a bad starter, and the owner wants $125 for it. What should I look at when I go check it out?

8/19/2012 11:46:04 PM

they're just like all the other cheap mowers. my dad got one that wasn't running, fixed it up and flipped it not long ago. if it's really just a starter and everything else is in good shape then it's not a bad deal.

8/20/2012 12:01:15 AM

definitely dont get one of the entry level john deere's, craftsman is split, most are made by husqvarna and a handfull are made by mtd, the aesthetics show which ones are which, the square ones are mtd and "rounder" hoods are husqvarna's. if your looking for a good mower under $1500 the husqvarna's and craftsman's with a tuff torque hyrdo trans and 46" deck (best cut quality) are great mowers, if by some chance you decide you want a ballin ass mower get one of the john deeres from a jd dealer, but they will run you ~$5000

just my .02$

8/21/2012 6:53:27 PM

^thanks, I'll keep an eye out for those craftsmen styles. Not quite ready to drop $5k on a mower yet.

And several people have asked me if I'm getting a zero-turn mower, like that's what I need/should be getting... are these really worth it (for my needs)?

[Edited on August 22, 2012 at 8:32 AM. Reason : .]

8/22/2012 8:29:26 AM

a 'residential' model zero turn is a viable solution for a flat yard where you would not be pulling any trailers/loads. They have poor power transmission because of their hydrostatic wheel motors, so speed/torque delivery is not there (BTDT).

The real-deal zero turn mowers usually have a separate pump & wheel motor for each wheel, however, there are some that have a singular unit (not to be confused with a hydrostatic unit) - like Scag brand. AFAIK, these generally have much higher top speeds than the hydrostatic models.

8/22/2012 9:06:39 AM

lol i miss my 72" jacobsen i swear that thing went 20 which on something with rear steering is scary as fuck.

We had our mechanic over drive the pumps... shortened pump life buy ~20% but aslo time to mow the course.

8/22/2012 11:08:33 AM