Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - best riding mower (used) for $800 or less ???
Doityourself.com community forum was created to provide answers to all questions related to home improvement and home repair. Doityourself community can help you find information about how-to topics on small fixes to large remodeling projects. With comprehensive how-to content and expertly moderated community forums DoItYourself.com makes it easy to tackle even the most complex home improvement projects.View Full Version : best riding mower (used) for $800 or less ???
BitShift
07-08-08, 10:55 PM
Need to mow about 3/4 of an acre. Looking at 14-18HP with 38-41in cutting deck. Would like it give several years of dependable service. Any opinions on troy-bilt vs Toro or Craftsman vs yard man ?
cheese
07-08-08, 11:14 PM
Of your choices, I personally would choose Craftsman first, Toro second, and I wouldn't even consider troybilt or yardman.
The models of the craftsman and toro could affect my decision as to which one took first place, but I generally like craftsmans for their ease of repair, availability of parts, and durability for a consumer product.
If I had $800 to spend on a mower, I'd probably go looking for a Deere LX model. Even an LX176 or older model like that if you can accept the fact that it's going to have a broken hood (why they put flimsy crap hoods on top notch mowers is beyond me). Other than the hoods, I think the LX176 is possibly the best all around tractor style lawn mower ever made. My next choice would probably be a kohler powered craftsman, hoping to save a couple hundred in the process.
That's my opinion...hope that helps!
The models of the craftsman and toro could affect my decision as to which one took first place, but I generally like craftsmans for their ease of repair, availability of parts, and durability for a consumer product.
If I had $800 to spend on a mower, I'd probably go looking for a Deere LX model. Even an LX176 or older model like that if you can accept the fact that it's going to have a broken hood (why they put flimsy crap hoods on top notch mowers is beyond me). Other than the hoods, I think the LX176 is possibly the best all around tractor style lawn mower ever made. My next choice would probably be a kohler powered craftsman, hoping to save a couple hundred in the process.
That's my opinion...hope that helps!
bontai Joe
07-09-08, 09:08 AM
If I was looking for a used $800 riding mower, I'd be searching for a Deere 200 series like the 210, 212, 214, 216, or the later 100 series like the 116 or 175 or Cub Cadet models 127, 129, 147, 149, 1250, 1450, 1650, or Snapper GT1450, 1650, or Massey Ferguson MF12, MF14, MF 1250, MF1450, or pretty much any Simplicity, or pretty much any Wheelhorse. Notice that none of the brands you mentioned made my list? There are a LOT of excellent used affordable machines out there, that I'd look at before I'd even consider a used Yardman or Troy-Bilt tractor (tiller is a different story). I'd possibly consider a Craftsman if it hadn't been beaten like a rented mule which seems to be the condition I see most used Sears machines in.
Grilm
07-09-08, 03:24 PM
If any of the cutting will be over rough, hilly or uneven ground I'd lean towards the Snapper because of it's pivoting frame which keeps the drive wheels firmly planted. Rigid frame mowers will spin a wheel.