I'm selling my 6-year-old Murray rider to a guy for $400.00. I can't resist...it means I can get a little bigger model and will only have to choke up $600.00. Now, I'll be looking for a $1000 mower from a big box store and need some opinions on transmissions. Engines are easy, but I don't know if the Hydros having gotten any better over the years or if I should pick up a traditional gear driven model. I know the high-end hydros are cool, just wondering about the big box models...including Sears I guess.
Lower End Riding Mower
- Thread starter yeehaw1960
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i dont know but my $1200 sears is a piece of junk. had it 10 years and tones of things are breaking, seat bracket, rear fenders have stress cracks from vibration, headlights, pulleys, tyres leak awalys, trans is starting to slip out of gear. hood broke like 4 times, lights dont work, the list goes on and on.
but its on its original sparkplug!
but its on its original sparkplug!
I live in Nebraska (close to the Iowa border). I can't leave a fine looking animal like that wondering around my yard wagging it's tail seductively.
Our family has three lawn tractors in use:
97 JD 325 (smoothest trans)
00 Murray 46" (not smoothest trans, but has foot pedals like JD). Cannot service auto trans.
02 Sears w/Kohler engine and 42" deck (has "auto hand lever operated trans" . Cannot sharpen blades very well, so new blade expenditure is $60 per year.
All have a form of hydro auto trans, as noted above.
Cheapest maintenance is on the JD; it also cost four to six times the others. Parts always easy to get. Have had to take it to dealer for repair only three times.
On the Murray, the deck has been rebuilt twice, literally. Chassis and hydro trans still doing well with no problems. B&S twin engine doing well, but no oil filtration.
Sears does well for light work, 2 acres or less. Excellent Kohler 17HP engine with oil filtration. Mulches pretty well. Deck OK, but does not come off to replace blades like JD, so deck maintenance is less than optimum. This is true for the Murray, too.
Hope that provides some perspectives. I would consider a used JD next time (300-400 hrs or less) before I buy either the Murray or Sears. The Murray has been worked to death on four rough acres, and except for the deck repair issues, can outperform the Sears.
97 JD 325 (smoothest trans)
00 Murray 46" (not smoothest trans, but has foot pedals like JD). Cannot service auto trans.
02 Sears w/Kohler engine and 42" deck (has "auto hand lever operated trans" . Cannot sharpen blades very well, so new blade expenditure is $60 per year.
All have a form of hydro auto trans, as noted above.
Cheapest maintenance is on the JD; it also cost four to six times the others. Parts always easy to get. Have had to take it to dealer for repair only three times.
On the Murray, the deck has been rebuilt twice, literally. Chassis and hydro trans still doing well with no problems. B&S twin engine doing well, but no oil filtration.
Sears does well for light work, 2 acres or less. Excellent Kohler 17HP engine with oil filtration. Mulches pretty well. Deck OK, but does not come off to replace blades like JD, so deck maintenance is less than optimum. This is true for the Murray, too.
Hope that provides some perspectives. I would consider a used JD next time (300-400 hrs or less) before I buy either the Murray or Sears. The Murray has been worked to death on four rough acres, and except for the deck repair issues, can outperform the Sears.
Yeah...the deck on my Murray rusted out on the right front. I cut the worst of it out and welded in a piece from a 25-year-old rider. Looks funny, but is very functional. Much stronger than stock.
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
Hehee.. 10yrs isn't too shabby! Many owners barely get a few years out of them.
Yeehaw- the problem is, $1000 isn't going to get you much new machine these days. You'll get a very light duty Hydrogear brand hydrostatic drive (maybe a Tufftorq), or possibly a peerless/tecumseh fender shift gear drive which is also very light duty. IMO- get what ever color you like; MTD or Sears. They are all the same in this price range. Murray went out of business a few years ago.
Joel
my $2200 54" 26hp craftsman hasn't rusted a bit!!
love that thing.
Signed,
Proud owner of DGS6500 for 3 months
LOL
love that thing.
Signed,
Proud owner of DGS6500 for 3 months
LOL
At my auto repair shop, we do light welding. See more broken,cracked,Craftsman than all other brands combined.
bob
bob
Are you saying your craftsman is a whole 3 months old and hasn't rusted out yet?
the dgs650 is a bike.
That may be. Never heard of it. But the DGS6500 is a Craftsman garden tractor.
http://reviews.sears.com/2328/07128746000/reviews.htm
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
Yep, that and they are well over $2K. Twice the OP's budget.
I wasn't suggesting that the OP buy one. Although I think a person with only $1k to spend on a rider is better off buying used than buying any of the machines available for $1k.
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
That's a good point. I'd rather buy a decent 20yr/old GT for a grand if you've got the time to shop.
Joel
I did the same thing a few years ago. Boss knew of a Cub Cadet tank for $950....then it cost me $600 in repairs and doesn't do well on hills. so with the new house, had to buy the new mower.
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
A Tank zero turn commercial mower? Wow, even the least expensive of those is like $5-6K. That still a steal with ~$1600 invested. Tough for the wrong application though. ZTRs are a challenge to use on hills.
Joel
Quote:
A Tank zero turn commercial mower? Wow, even the least expensive of those is like $5-6K. That still a steal with ~$1600 invested. Tough for the wrong application though. ZTRs are a challenge to use on hills.
Joel
sorry for the confusion, i was talking about a cub cadet, standard old garden tractor, a true tank....not a ZTR.
here's the one i bought this year, B&S motor, not the Kohler
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605...+Tractor+Series
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I'm having trouble believing it myself, but I bought a Craftsman 42", 18 HP (Briggs) over the weekend. It's a $1300 (in Sears money) mower that had some scratches. I offered $850 cash and they said yes! Those bast*rds! At least I know I can fix anything that comes up and the engine is solid. We'll see.
My 6-year-old Murray didn't make it to it's $275.00 reserve on Ebay. It seems people want something with flat tires that's rusting under a tree in the backyard. I guess mine seemed too good to be true!
My 6-year-old Murray didn't make it to it's $275.00 reserve on Ebay. It seems people want something with flat tires that's rusting under a tree in the backyard. I guess mine seemed too good to be true!
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
I thought you had that Murray sold to a guy for $400?
Yeah, ebay can be hit/miss. You'd be better off yanking the engine, trans, etc and eBaying the individual parts if you've still got the desire. Whole lawn tractors are tough because of shipping concerns.
Joel
Joel
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