Second hand riding mower or cheap new one?

[Maddog66]

I have about 3/4 acre of “yard” that needs mowing at our farm a couple times a year and it’s a pain to haul my mower from home to do it.

I call it a yard and it is, but it’s very rough and it’s been hard on my “good” mower.

So I’ve been looking around at used and new riding mowers in the sub $2k range.

I can buy a one owner 2016 JD X300 with 411 hours (nice condition) for $1500. But I can also buy a brand new Cub Cadet with hail damage for $200 more.

Am I better off getting a used but higher quality lawn tractor, or a new one that’s probably less well-built?

 

[Barndog56]

You would spend that much money for something to mow it twice a year? I'd try and find a nearby teenager with his own mower.

 

[buckdeer1]

I bought a used toro zero turn to mow the orchards so I don't have to haul mower

 

[Maddog66]

My place is 8 miles from the nearest town (400 people). My nearest neighbor is 1/2 mile. I haven’t met a single teenager in the 5 years I’ve owed the place. Everyone is older than me up here!!

I like to take care of my stuff myself. It’s just me.

I’m mowing an old orchard too. It’s the roughest part.

When I take my good ZT up there, I feel like I’m beating it.

What I really want is what my neighbor has. An older JD diesel lawn tractor that runs like a top and is built like a tank. But I bet those are huge $.

 

[356]

I would get the new mower. I like knowing how a machine has been used. You are right, the diesel’s are costly. I have a 13 year old D100 John Deere that was purchased for a similar purpose and is still running great. It too stays at the property and is not used much, but when it is, I like that it is reliable.

 

[T-Max]

+1 for new. You just never know.


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[SD51555]

I would fix the reasons your mower is getting beat up. My place was covered in ruts and ant hills when I bought it. I’ve been working non-stop to fix every damn obstacle I find. Once that’s done, way less wear on the mower.

And I do over an acre with a 42” toro


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[Tree Spud]

If you have a John Deere dealer nearby, go with the X300. You can always take it in to the dealer once you buy it and have them give it an inspection and an oil change, tune-up, change filters, etc.

Biggest issue will be spare parts like belts, filters, etc. So having a good dealer nearby helps with anything you need.

 

[Maddog66]

That’s the real answer SD and I did start that process last fall with a load of top soil.

I’m going to hit it hard this spring along with the 100 other things ….and get it in better shape.

But it’s gonna take some time, plus it gets hit hard by big planting equipment in the spring and big harvesting equipment in the fall. It’ll never be a good lawn in any sense.

Thanks!!

I also just saw a new Titan pull-behind finish mower for only $2300 ($750 off). I bet it would work good except for circling all the apple and pear trees. But I also feel like it might be nice for trimming plot edges and trails.

 

[Maddog66]

Tree spud, I don’t have a JD dealer nearby but I’ve fixed most of the things that go wrong on mowers before with local parts. Deck pulleys, bearings, belts and ball joints are in my wheelhouse. Engine problems, not so much.

But I’m a JD guy and I guess I’m just going to try to buy that X300 and see what happens.

 

[swat1018]

My neighbor always mowed the yard, 90% of it is my property, anyway. He always used cheaper box store riding mowers and wore a couple out, I bought the fuel. I told him after he bought a new one, that next time I would buy one. Well, he had it trashed in 4-5 years. I went and bought a used Toro commercial duty zero turn. We've been using it close to 10 years now, and it's still going strong. Residential-duty mowers have never held up for us at the farm.

 

[rocksnstumps]

Looks like the x series is a step up from the s series and some/all? models have the Kawasaki twin engine. Real good powerplant. Still running the 1993 JD with Kawasaki twin I bought used at an auction over 25 yrs ago. Did have to replace the electronic ignition module several yrs ago. A tip for Kawasaki motors. Try to find the actual Kawasaki number vs. a Deere reference part number. You save 40%-50% on some stuff. Turns out the ignition module is used all over, also on twin cylinder motorcycles. Way cheaper than from a "green" store.

No problem for me to recommend a used JD middle to upper end model without hesitation.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Last year I was in the exact same scenario. I went with a used commercial mower. Much better quality, ride, and mows a lot better then any new box store mower. I have also been slowly fixing the yard, grinding stumps, filling holes with yards of dirt, I have decided grass grows back, so I just took my box blade and a few yards of dirt and spread it out over one section of yard, this summer I will move to another section. It has improved a lot in just 1 year.