Buying Advice: 1997 Grasshopper 725

   / Buying Advice: 1997 Grasshopper 725 #1  

Olympus

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Location
Cape Girardeau, MO
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LS R3039
I need some advice on buying a new mower. I have about 4 acres of yard to mow. I currently use a JD 750 tractor with a 60" finish mower. My tractor is in mint condition and extremely low hours for its age. I hate to put a ton of hours on it. And it mows great for flat areas, but sucks for trim work and uneven ground. I had a very small Dixon that I used for trim work, but it but the dust last summer. I want to replace it with a decent Grasshopper that is big enough to mow the whole yard and will be faster than my tractor.

I found what looks like a very nice used 1997 725 model with 1775 hours. Seller says its a one owner and never used commercially. Says its always beeb garaged and does look very clean. No rust at all. Seat looks brand new. Seller says it burns no oil and that he changes the oil every 90hrs. Says it has a new alternator, water pump, belts, and hoses put on last year. Tires look about half worn.

The seller wants $4000, but I have no idea if that's a decent price or if there are some concerns with this model. Any help and advice would be appreciated.
 
   / Buying Advice: 1997 Grasshopper 725 #2  
Price sounds very hight to me. I ran a little landscaping company in HS and university and the dealer let me try one out for the day (can't remember the model, but same vintage). Going down a hill, it started to bounce as I was trying to control my speed and ended up throwing me over the front. Scared the poop out of me with the running mower stopping right above me. It may have been operator error, but I found it was very difficult to control on hills, a problem I don't currently have with my Ferris IS3000.
 
   / Buying Advice: 1997 Grasshopper 725
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Price sounds very hight to me. I ran a little landscaping company in HS and university and the dealer let me try one out for the day (can't remember the model, but same vintage). Going down a hill, it started to bounce as I was trying to control my speed and ended up throwing me over the front. Scared the poop out of me with the running mower stopping right above me. It may have been operator error, but I found it was very difficult to control on hills, a problem I don't currently have with my Ferris IS3000.

Ok. What do you estimate would be a realistic price that I could use as a counter offer?
 
   / Buying Advice: 1997 Grasshopper 725 #4  
Sorry, every market is different and Grasshopper is near non existant around me so I just don't know what a good price would be. I regularly see Kubota, Exmark & JD ZTR's around the $4000 mark with fewer hours, although there are plenty who are asking more for them as well. That price might be high in my area because it's almost a no name mower, but it may be much better represented around you and maybe it's not such a bad price, I'm not sure.
 
   / Buying Advice: 1997 Grasshopper 725 #5  
I have heard that the dtive motors go out after a while. check into that.
 
   / Buying Advice: 1997 Grasshopper 725
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Yep, I will put that on my list of questions to ask. Thanks.
 
   / Buying Advice: 1997 Grasshopper 725 #7  
I have a 1999 725 g2 with a 61" deck and a 3cylinder kubota gas engine, the clutch and deck needed some work which I took care of but I paid 2200 for it and have put about 600 in it. It mows like a dream and is very fast, it has cut my mowing time about 2/3 or more.
John
 
   / Buying Advice: 1997 Grasshopper 725 #8  
Here in Ok, that price would be about a grand to high. I have bought a few of these over the years now. I think they are the best mower out there for hills, and general ride comfort. The front mount makes the foot print very long which means a smoother ride, and great hill stability. If the mower is really pristine, I would not have a problem with $3000. Which size is the mower?
Dave
 
   / Buying Advice: 1997 Grasshopper 725
  • Thread Starter
#9  
The guy ended up selling the mower before I could make a decision.

However, I did just buy a 321D today with 875 hours. Very clean mower and I really like the diesel.
 
 
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