New or Used?

[TigerfaninAR]

This is the week I have to make a decision on a finish mower. Need a four footer and have looked online at Everything Attachments and the one Ken Sweet has. I appreciate Ken answering my questions. Just saw locally someone is selling a King Kutter, just a couple years old and in excellent condition (so he says). Selling it for about 300 less than a new one but not sure about buying a used mower. Wouldn't have to put it together but I've had so so luck with used things in the past. Don't know how the King Kutter brand stacks up to the Sicma (sp?) mowers.

If the used one looks good do you pocket your savings or go with the peace of mind knowing you have a good one and 300 isn't that much difference in the big picture?

 

[clemsonfor]

4 foot is a really small finish mower. A tractor can usually turn more finish mower than bushhog, due to the lighter load created by cutting shorter grass with sharp blades. How much pto power do you have 13-15 hp?

 

[TigerfaninAR]

Tractor data says 12. The dealer where I got it (was used) said 13.

I know yesterday I used the bush hog in pretty thick grass/weeds about 3 feet high and it handled it with no problem.

I've read here where some have used a 5 footer with similar tractors and wouldn't change where others really say to stay with the four footer. I've went back and forth and just decided to play it safe.

 

[CharlieS]

something to think about, a 2 year old mower for a $300 price cut in my opinion isnt a good deal. My rule of thumb on something like this used is "half of new" price. I can always go up a little if i think its a good buy.

 

[CCOUGHRAN1]

Have you considered purchasing the 5' mower, and only mowing 3-4' in the thick stuff, but using the entire 5' in the easy stuff?

As to the original question, I would pay the additional $300.00 for a new one. Bearings, spindles, belts, tires...too many wear items for me to be concerned with the small savings. If this question was about a solid object like a box blade, I would have a different opinion.

 

[sweettractors]

Quote Wouldn't have to put it together but I've had so so luck with used things in the past. Quote

We ship our 4 ft assembled with the exception of 10 bolts that hold on the wheel arms and A-frame brace bars . Ken Sweet

 

[TigerfaninAR]

My rule of thumb on something like this used is "half of new" price. I can always go up a little if i think its a good buy.

I should have been more clear, it is half price of a new KK, just a few hundred off what I can get a new one of another brand.

Have you considered purchasing the 5' mower, and only mowing 3-4' in the thick stuff, but using the entire 5' in the easy stuff?

Now ya'll got me thinking.:confused2:

 

[Johndeere3720]

I'd get a new one, then you have the peace of mind that you got a mower in considerably better condition over a used one. basically, you get what you pay for.

 

[NOTV8]

Wouldn't have to put it together but I've had so so luck with used things in the past.

If the used one looks good do you pocket your savings or go with the peace of mind knowing you have a good one and 300 isn't that much difference in the big picture?

You said it yourself....^^^. I think for a mower it is better to get a new one for peace of mind specially if the price is not that big of a difference. Then if it is a box blade, rear blade or rake then I 'll grab it as long as it is less than half of a new one.
So what size did you get?

 

[leonz]

This is the week I have to make a decision on a finish mower. Need a four footer and have looked online at Everything Attachments and the one Ken Sweet has. I appreciate Ken answering my questions. Just saw locally someone is selling a King Kutter, just a couple years old and in excellent condition (so he says). Selling it for about 300 less than a new one but not sure about buying a used mower. Wouldn't have to put it together but I've had so so luck with used things in the past. Don't know how the King Kutter brand stacks up to the Sicma (sp?) mowers.

If the used one looks good do you pocket your savings or go with the peace of mind knowing you have a good one and 300 isn't that much difference in the big picture?

If you are worried, ask to be allowed to drain the gear oil(offering to replace it with fresh oil, and have a strong bar magnet handy to place in the bottom of the pan with a heavy work paper towel-(the blue ones) under the magnet to catch everything. If the drain plug has a magnet that tells you a lot right away too.

If you are still concerned ask if you can remove a cover to expose the gears and use a piece of note book paper between the gear set-if it stops the gears cold they are ok.


I have always felt that 90 weight oil is too light for mowers because of the speed and loading demands of rotary brush mowers because of the shock loads.

A TL1200FSC( 1200MM) 4 foot Caroni flailmower with a finish cut rotor will mow heavy brush with less difficulty than a RFM as it has 72 knives which overlap while mowing to reslice everything

The flailmower knives for a finish cut flail mower have more total cutting surface length than the cutting edges of the RFM blades (the entire width of the flail mower is slicing the grass at all times and reslices the grass, brush and tree leafs to very small pieces