Need a riding mower

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Dec 5, 2010
Messages
1,098
Location
MO
Hi, I just purchased a new house. It’s on 0.3 acres of land and mowing the lawn has become a pain. I know a push mower is perfectly adequate and that’s what I have been doing for the past three months but I would prefer to cut my time and half and get a riding mower if the price is right. I looked at Home Depot and the cheapest John Deere is 1500. Looks like online reviews are hit or miss regarding the reliability of the transmission. Do you guys have any suggestions for brand or specific model. Looking to keep the price under 2000. Thanks
 
YMMV but I found a riding mower didn't go much faster than I could push. It'd be easier I'd grant that but I didn't like how the last one I had cut. Again, YMMV, good luck with your search, not trying to deter you.

New or used? Wondering if you have shopped the area for used. Where will you store when not using? I always just pushed my push mower under something when done, while my riders got stuck outside in the UV.
 
My parents live on a large city lot and my dad mows with a rear engine Snapper with a 30" cut. He had a Craftsman 25" cut rear engine rider he liked better. A cheap $1000 rear engine rider should serve you well from Lowe's or the home Depot.
 
as we get into the fall, watch walmart, before long you should be able to get a rear engine unit for about $850or so on clearance.
 
Husq or Ariens.

I would get a self propelled and enjoy the exercise.

JD makes good stuff, but they are also making some low priced consumer stuff.

For hydrostatic drive some like foot pedal F - R and others like lever F - R.

Robot mower?
 
My Brother's house has a similar sized lot, and he was perfectly happy with his self-propelled pusher.
He did buy a rider this spring, but only after buying an acre of land up near our sister(where he is going to build eventually), and FAR too much research.

now conversely, just down the road from him, one of my childhood freind's brother bought a house, again, similar lot size, his dad bought him a big zero turn mower. much overkill for the size, but... "thanks dad"
 
Last edited:
thank you all for the input. i overlooked storage since my little outdoor half-shed wont fit a riding mower. that alone puts it out of the question since i pnly have a 1 car garage and we have 2 cars. thank you for helping me make a quick decision!
 
Originally Posted By: FirstNissan
thank you all for the input. i overlooked storage since my little outdoor half-shed wont fit a riding mower. that alone puts it out of the question since i pnly have a 1 car garage and we have 2 cars. thank you for helping me make a quick decision!


Let me suggest a Toro Personal Pace self propelled (rear drive is best) with a Honda 160 GCV.
 
There is something called a wide area walk behind mower that is actually much faster for what you are doing

Google wide area walk behind. 28 inch cut minimum.

Toro timemaster, is well reviewed.
Cub cadet makes one too. There are others like cub cadet and then some professional level ones you probably do not want to buy

Store in little more space than a push mower, you still get exercise and at 30 inch cut you get done a lot faster.

Rod
 
A used Deere from a outdoor power equipment shop or Craigslist, not a new Lowes/Home Depot Deere, is a good choice. Even the 200 series are much better built. And they are a maintainable unit not considerd a throwaway item like the box store tractors. Pay you shall, but you can always find the parts for them.
 
Originally Posted By: earlyre
My Brother's house has a similar sized lot, and he was perfectly happy with his self-propelled pusher.
He did buy a rider this spring, but only after buying an acre of land up near our sister(where he is going to build eventually), and FAR too much research.

now conversely, just down the road from him, one of my childhood freind's brother bought a house, again, similar lot size, his dad bought him a big zero turn mower. much overkill for the size, but... "thanks dad"

Heh Heh, work at a golf course for a summer, will cure anyone of needing a zero-turn,or for that matter,enjoying cutting grass. a fairway mower,or a greens mower,doesn't matter they all cause hemorrhoids after awhile.
 
I HATE yard work; ZTR all the way for me- but it's probably overkill for your situation.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom