Recommendation for Good Riding Lawnmower in Today's Market

[ClaySlayer]

I'm still rolling on a '93 LX178 (no hood & ~670hrs) and plan to run it into the ground. My Grandpa passed it on to me back in 2010 when it had about 450hrs on the clock and it's been the best mower I've ever had. Once we build on our land I plan to only mow around the house and over the field lines with it and let the L3301 handle the rest.

 

[MF283]

I strongly recommend the older JD units. My father has a '96 GT275 that runs, cuts great. I bought a 2001 GT235 in 2015 for $1500. It had an estimated 400 hours on it and was clean, well maintained. It features the Briggs Vanguard commercial engine and I hope to get a ton of life out if it. Heavy duty stuff! Much more so than the 2006 X300 I bought brand new.

Hard to beat, bought a GT242 new in 1995, sold it in 2014 wh
en i had to take on mowing mom-n-laws 2 acres plus my 2 acres for a ZT.
No telling how many hours i had on that mower, normally took 2 hrs to mow the yard with a 48" deck. All i ever dis was replace belts, blades & fluids/filters as needed. Looking back, wish i had kept it or the used LX277 we got for mom-n-law when her health was good.

Ronnie

 

[Clay45]

Start with your nearest Scag, Hustler, Exmark, Ferris zero-turn dealers. This is a good time of year to make a deal on a commercial model.

 

[fried1765]

Hard to beat, bought a GT242 new in 1995, sold it in 2014 wh
en i had to take on mowing mom-n-laws 2 acres plus my 2 acres for a ZT.
No telling how many hours i had on that mower, normally took 2 hrs to mow the yard with a 48" deck. All i ever dis was replace belts, blades & fluids/filters as needed. Looking back, wish i had kept it or the used LX277 we got for mom-n-law when her health was good.

Ronnie

I really don't know much about today's riding mower market, but I do know a little about the history of the market.

My dad bought a brand new Sears 48" rider with manual transmission, and a single cylinder 15HP Briggs in 1972.
That machine has likely mowed 1500 acres, or more, over the past 44 years, and is about to start it's 45th year.
It has been in semi retirement for the last 6 years, because it is now only used about 8 times each year to mow 2 acres.

Back in the day it was built by Roper for Sears.
What an indestructible tank it is!
There is NOTHING like it on the market today, that I have seen!