Need Buying Advice!

[Cheese70]

Hi Folks,

First time poster here.

I currently have a dying PoulanXt (cheap piece of junk) rider I got on the cheap a couple of years ago. I have about 1/3 of an Acre on a corner residential/suburban lot. I don't "need" a rider for this size property, in fact I use a walk-behind about half the time. A rider just cuts my mowing time in half (from 1.5 hours down to 45 minutes) and I just like things with motors and enjoy using the rider, it's just time to upgrade to something nicer.

I'm a bit of a lawn nut so a clean cut is fairly important to me (something that my Poulan doesn't deliver--and I end up using my walk behind on this portion more often). The front elevation is sloped at what I would guess is 7% from the front of my house down to the street. There are some other hills around the sides of the house, but a clean cut there isn't as important to me as it isn't super visible.

I've been researching non-stop over the past week and my head is spinning! I don't know what is best for me. I hate to spend the money on a tractor and find out it's not a good fit for my property.

Am I better off looking at a RER for this size property? How do those do on slopes, is the cut pretty clean because they are only a single blade? I find with my 42 poulan, when mowing the slope the low side always scalps and I have the deck at the highest setting.

I ran across a used Husquevarna Rider 155 (the front mount articulating mower) for sale about an hour away from me for $1000. What an interesting little machine, price seems a bit out of range--I think it's 15 years old. Does anyone have experience with these machines? I love the easy deck maintenance on this machine.

Are there any other small 42" and under front mount mowers out there for sale new (it looks like Husq discontinued these in the USA several years back)?

What about RERs? Should I just get a nice 42" standard rider?

Budget is $3k and under (with a heavy tilt toward under).


Thank you everyone!

 

[5030]

Whatever you decide, I'd buy it soon as the rate of inflation will adversely impact the price.

 

[Cheese70]

Hi Folks,

I apologize, I didn't realize this forum was more geared toward heavy duty/commercial type equipment as opposed to residential. Mods--feel free to delete this posting. Have a great weekend, warriors!

 

[2manyrocks]

I briefly had a Troy Bilt rear engine rider. I decided to get rid of it pretty quickly because in my personal experience it didn't have the traction on the slope in my yard that that my Poulan rider has. I think my Poulan is an XT also, but it is a backup to my ZTR.

 

[5030]

Keep in mid that 99% of the smaller riders are all built by the same outfit, MTD. Only the color changes and the badging.

 

[Cheese70]

Keep in mid that 99% of the smaller riders are all built by the same outfit, MTD. Only the color changes and the badging.

That's what I had figured. They all look exactly the same--expect with different plastics.

That's why I'm tilting towards something bigger (even though my property doesn't necessarily warrant it). It's more of a "hobby" for me so I wouldn't mind having something nice or interesting to play around with.

Any thoughts on the old Husq. R155 front mount?

In any event, I appreciate the replies--especially given my posts isn't exactly in the spirit of this forum.

 

[2manyrocks]

I don't know anything about the Husq R155. If you do an internet search, there might or might not be more information about it.

Besides the usual local want ads, you might search tractorhouse.com for used lawn mowers. You might find a used diesel John Deere or something in your price range.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

That's what I had figured. They all look exactly the same--expect with different plastics.

That's why I'm tilting towards something bigger (even though my property doesn't necessarily warrant it). It's more of a "hobby" for me so I wouldn't mind having something nice or interesting to play around with.

Any thoughts on the old Husq. R155 front mount?

In any event, I appreciate the replies--especially given my posts isn't exactly in the spirit of this forum.

No worries about posting here.... you can also scroll down to the 'lawn and garden' thread. That's where you'll get more specific answers.

Have you thought about the big box store riders or even one of the zero turns they sell? They would be close to your budget.

 

[dodge man]

I wish I could help with recommending a rider but am not a lot of help. You can easily spend over $10,000 on a nice riding mower or zero turn. When I first moved to our property, I mow about 2 acres, I bought a cheap riding mower. It basically just fell apart due to my hills a rougher ground. In your case your not mowing that much maybe a bigger push mower woukd work for you.

A lot of people on this forum, myself included are rural land owners but smaller properties, just a few acres, so you posting here is not out of line.

 

[JJT]

If I were you, I'd be looking at an electric zero turn. The neighbors will appreciate the low noise. You'll appreciate the low maintenance. I'm trimming and edging with battery power and would switch to an electric ztr in a heart beat if I was mowing less than an acre. I see a few available for under $3,000.