Grandma needs a new riding mower

[Diggin It]

We don't know anything about how much area/lawn, terrain (sloped or flat), climate, how often she mows or anything else. That Ryobi rider above is $3600 and not everybody has arm function to use a ZTR. My very petite mid 70's neighbor tried one and hated it.

There is also a battery RER with a steering wheel for $2600 ( RYOBI 48V Brushless 38 in. 75 Ah Battery Electric Rear Engine Riding Lawn Mower-RY48110 - The Home Depot ) that may be more suitable. No messing with gasoline and less maintenance (usually). Just plug it in to charge and maybe replace the battery in a few years.

 

[kenmbz]

My neighbor when we were in MA, used a full sized AG tractor (IH) to mow the front 10 acres or so.
Would see her out there every week.
When we left the area, she was 93 and still going.

Today we have power steering, so that should be high on the list and easy to figure out.
The Electric mowers have quite a few buttons, take her shopping with you to sit on a few types and see which seems to fit her better.

 

[RalphVa]

Get her a Ryobi battery riding motor. No start problems.

 

[Handloader109]

Off topic reply, If you haven't seen problems with ethanol flavores gasoline, then you haven't been using ethanol gasoline. Every one of my gasoline powered pieces of equipment has damage from ethanol. I hate the stuff, and at least I can easily buy pure gasoline easily right now.
And I've used Briggs engines and really never had a problem, but would like a Kawasaki on my next mower.
On topic, I would probably buy her a small mower that had a steering wheel, not true zero turn. Easier to work, smaller is easier to get on and off. And if electric would handle the area, maybe one of those.

 

[jaxs]

For those on the fence and wondering who to believe about ethanol. When I bought my string trimmer Husqvarna gave me 2 additional years of warranty if I bought 3 quarts of pre-mix fuel. I bought the fuel and have bought it since. This is the ONLY 2 cycle I've owned in years that didn't have carburator problems. I think you can give more weight to Husqvarna's position on ethanol than I Heard and They Said.

 

[marhar]

I went through this with my 90 year old (at the time) Mother. I think I looked at every mower made trying to find the right fit for her. I bought her the Toro version of this: Cub Cadet 42 in. 679 cc Fuel Injected (EFI) V-Twin Engine Dual Hydro Gas ZeroTurn Riding Mower with Steering Wheel Control-RZT-SX 42 EFI - The Home Depot

She loved it. She could see everything in front of her and have a mower that would zero turn but has a steering wheel. Mom is gone now but she got some enjoyment out of her mower for a few years.

Toro Pony, They are easy to maintain, easy to use and are relatively cheap. They are not zero turn and they are traditional gasoline engines.

 

[sparksbbr]

A good friend's Mom of 83, needs a new riding mower. She is not quite 5 feet tall.
He has a new apartment ready for her when she gives up the single life but she is not close by so a used one is probably out of the question.

Hoping someone here has a good answer and guessing it needs to be a traditional tractor-type mower.
Any and all ideas are greatly appreciated.

Stay away from the big chain hardware store versions of any mower even major name brands, they all have flimsy cheap decks and they cut other corners too.

Check out low end commercial mowers or tractors at the dealerships, most likely a ZTR will be easiest to operate and definitely cuts down the cutting time. Take her along to make sure she can operate it along with to raising and lowering the deck, some have hydraulic deck lifts. Lots of good brands out there, spend the extra coin and get the high end seat if she's going to be on it for any length of time.

Also use the "Pure Gas" app to find your local gas station locations for non-ethanol gas.

 

[JBF43]

I think it's from leaving them sitting with it in them. I sent several landscape crews out each day. Never had Carb trouble ever. I ran the shop so I'd know. Sent 14 zero turns out each day. I have a mower 22 years old and never had trouble. I clear land with that mower. But, I use it year round. Near time to pull deck out for winter activities.

I totally agree with this. I find I can use regular, (containing ethanol) gasoline in all my small engines so long as I start them on a regular and frequent basis. Bi-weekly to monthly at the longest stretch between runs. Especially for engines in storage. 5- 10 minutes run time just to move the gas through the carbs is all it takes.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I totally agree with this. I find I can use regular, (containing ethanol) gasoline in all my small engines so long as I start them on a regular and frequent basis. Bi-weekly to monthly at the longest stretch between runs. Especially for engines in storage. 5- 10 minutes run time just to move the gas through the carbs is all it takes.

Tornado came through. My Chain saw been setting 2 maybe 3 years. Busted right off and cut all day. But elvabody just keep thinking I don't know. No problem.

 

[Cub gt 2544=best]

Tornado came through. My Chain saw been setting 2 maybe 3 years. Busted right off and cut all day. But elvabody just keep thinking I don't know. No problem.

My GT 2544 sat for 3 years. We eventually got it running and it surged all the time eventually to where it would die in 15 minutes of me mowing. Replaced the fuel filter ran for 45. Came out the next week and ran for 15 and dies couldn’t get it to run right after it died and sometimes not at all. So went and rebuilt my carb and it has ethanol damage in it. The gaskets were all shriveled up and corroded. Even found hard ethanol plugging up the needle and seat not allowing it to have any fuel and even a little bit of grass and plastic bits from the old fuel filter because the ethanol fuel ate it away. So now I only use non ethanol and never had a problem since.