Buying Advice Sick and tired of low quality riding lawnmowers

[ETD66SS]

I would say wait for Ronsons auction. They have an auction out on 104 in Medina about 4 times a year. You just missed his auction last weekend but he will be doing another one in the fall. They usually have several older riding mowers there and they usually go fairly cheap and might need just a little tuning up. Not sure if you been there or not. I'm actually in Pendleton but with Lockport address.

I've never been to that auction, I'll keep an eye out for it. I usually go to the one at Niagara Frontier Equipment, but the last few times internet bidders have ruined the auction, driving up prices.

 

[arnoldziffel]

Yes, avoid the Toro 523dxi diesel..

Look for a gas 522xi

 

[atsah]

My father's Husqvarna riding mower with Kholer 26 HP Courage (SV735S) engine is bending/breaking starter motor shafts. Not sure what is going on with that, but I notice when working on the mower how cheaply made everything is. My personal riding mower is an early 80's Ford LGT17H that I picked up on CL for $250 8 years ago. I've never had to do anything to it, it's built so much better than any of the crap I see at big box stores these days. The Cub Cadet Hydro my father had when I was growing up was the last riding mower he owned that wasn't full of cheaply made Asian parts, and that thing lasted a good 25 years.

My father wants me to help him buy a "good" riding mower, Made in USA, and he can spend like $3500. I'm not sure those things go together these days... He spent around $3700 on this Husqvarna mower and I can't believe what he got for $3700, it's a throw away machine. Two years after he bought it both coils failed, and it turns out it was a design flaw and the coils were redesigned, iirc he spent like $300 on new coils. Now this starter shaft issue, I see that Kholer redesigned the starter to have 9 teeth instead of 10 so they could make the weak shaft larger in diameter... This is BS for something he paid $3700 for IMO.

He's 86, recovering from a stroke and I don't think he can lean how to use a zero turn in his current state. So, wondering where to start researching for a new riding, HST, ~54" cut lawnmower? I'd love to buy an older machine on CL and fix it up for him but I simply do not have the time, so need to find a unit to buy that isn't junk.

If you don't have time to fiddle around with an older mower, why buy an older unit that is going to need fiddling with?

You can either buy a new unit that will run for years without issue or you can pay the same amount for something older and have to fix it, pick you're poison..

There are times a cheaper unit will get you buy without hassle..

 

[bazman82]

I've never been to that auction, I'll keep an eye out for it. I usually go to the one at Niagara Frontier Equipment, but the last few times internet bidders have ruined the auction, driving up prices.

No internet bidders at Ronsons. Look it up on facebook. They have some photos of the stuff they have sold at their last few auctions.

 

[searcyfarms]

Yes, avoid the Toro 523dxi diesel..

Look for a gas 522xi

so whats wrong with those toro diesels? These briggs n stratton/daihatsu diesel engines are supposed to be quite reliable. I will say that at least in my part of the United States that finding a shop that specializes in them is difficult. They were used quite extensively here in the US in equipment other than Wheel Horses. Toro used them in some commercial mowers, simplicity used them in their Legacy XL tractor, Exmark used 'em, Cub Cadet...

 

[ETD66SS]

so whats wrong with those toro diesels? These briggs n stratton/daihatsu diesel engines are supposed to be quite reliable. I will say that at least in my part of the United States that finding a shop that specializes in them is difficult. They were used quite extensively here in the US in equipment other than Wheel Horses. Toro used them in some commercial mowers, simplicity used them in their Legacy XL tractor, Exmark used 'em, Cub Cadet...

I have read they are very sensitive to overheating. Just not very durable. Of course I read this on some random forums on the internet...

 

[RickB]

I have read they are very sensitive to overheating. Just not very durable. Of course I read this on some random forums on the internet...

:laughing::laughing::laughing:

 

[searcyfarms]

everything is sensitive to overheating if you dont treat it accordingly LOL, like cleaning out the air vents on the side of the hood so it can draw air, or the screen that gets sucked full of cottonwood seed/grass clippings lol - a lota folks dont think they need to bother because they are used to 95% of lawn mowers being air cooled gassers and they dont ever clean anything on them - id bet they are like anything else, such as my experience with small Sbara and Ymar diesels that are water cooled, take care of them they will take care of you - i personally wouldnt be scared of them, but maybe im wrong.

 

[nards444]

My cheap $1800 Husqvarna mows my 1.5 acres in 1.5 hours. I put 30 hours a year on it. I have used it for 7 years. If it lasts 400 hours, that is 13 years. In my case, I win by buying cheap junk and taking care of it. I still win if it only lasts 200 hours. A $12k mower would be stupid for me and most people....who do not have large areas to maintain.

Invest the $10k saved over a good mower and get 6%. Buy a new piece of junk every 6-7 years if necessary. This is what my situation is.

Been thinking about a cheap ZT. It will cut my time to 20 hrs/yr. It should last 15 years??? I will be in my 80痴 by then. Wishing the **** Husqvarna would die but it keeps running.

somebody gets it

 

[nards444]

A decent 3 point mower that can last for decades is in the $2500 - $2800 area.
A zero turn in that price range is about as low end, light duty zero turn they make

actually 3 grand would be on the upper edge of a residential version and probably low low end of commerical/high end residental version. With that said that zero turn would out mow that pull behind by twice considering we arent talking about mowing 50 acres here. It will also do it with less gas and maint then the tractor pulling that pull behind.