Should I buy a used Riding mower or a New one?

Robert59

Robert59

Well-known Member
Location
Now I live in Tennesee. Did live in Michigan.
Having a big problem making a decision. I found a used one on my LSN site and the owner post says,
Great running and cutting Cub Cadet LT1042 Riding mower. This mower is powered by a 19 horse power Kohler engine, automatic transmission with foot pedal controlled and Under 300 hrs. This Mower is turn key and is ready to start cutting grass for you. $525 or best

https://img-lw.lsn.com/http/1000x750/www.lsn.com/storage/media/img/lsn/u29/336321.5829522.jpg

New riding mower is like 1500.00 at lowes. Thanks for the help.
 

Robert59 said:
Having a big problem making a decision. I found a used one on my LSN site and the owner post says,
Great running and cutting Cub Cadet LT1042 Riding mower. This mower is powered by a 19 horse power Kohler engine, automatic transmission with foot pedal controlled and Under 300 hrs. This Mower is turn key and is ready to start cutting grass for you. $525 or best

https://img-lw.lsn.com/http/1000x750/www.lsn.com/storage/media/img/lsn/u29/336321.5829522.jpg

New riding mower is like 1500.00 at lowes. Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...
My Cub Cadet LT1050 lasted me 10 years....
 
Robert59 said:
Having a big problem making a decision. I found a used one on my LSN site and the owner post says,
Great running and cutting Cub Cadet LT1042 Riding mower. This mower is powered by a 19 horse power Kohler engine, automatic transmission with foot pedal controlled and Under 300 hrs. This Mower is turn key and is ready to start cutting grass for you. $525 or best

https://img-lw.lsn.com/http/1000x750/www.lsn.com/storage/media/img/lsn/u29/336321.5829522.jpg

New riding mower is like 1500.00 at lowes. Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...
If you have the money, go for a new one. Aside from having a warranty, you'll know exactly what you're getting, and you'll be getting exactly what you want, and I'll bet in the long-run you'll be glad to have something new.
 
Robert59 said:
Having a big problem making a decision. I found a used one on my LSN site and the owner post says,
Click to expand...

$525 sounds like a good price...IF...the mower has been well maintained, and Not abused. However, on your picture, one thing immediately jumps out....it seems to be missing the deck belt/spindle covers. This could be an indication that the seller has left those off so it is easier and faster to change the deck belt. Having to replace the belt frequently is a sign of spindle/pulley damage. Then, if the mower already has 300 hours on it, that indicates it is probably 5+ years old...unless the owner is mowing a huge yard....and that could mean that the hydrostatic transmission may have issues in coming years. A transmission can be $500, or more, and spindles can easily cost $75, or more. Before I bought a used mower, I would want to lift the mower, and give the deck a good inspection.

About 3 years ago, I bought a nearly new Husqvarna YTH24V48 from a neighbor, with only 10 hours on it. His property was full of rocks, and he had destroyed the blades, and damaged a spindle. I gave him $1000 for it, and found the parts on EBAY to restore it for about $100. A new one from Lowe's is about $2000....so, with some labor, I saved 8 or 9 hundred, and it's still doing good at 200+ hours.

Buying Anything used can be a gamble, and requires some careful research/inspection. Here's a good web site where people talk about mower issues and repairs.....see what others are saying about their Cub Cadets.....

https://www.lawnmowerforum.com/forums/cub-cadet/
 
Robert59 said:
I found out it's been sold so now looking at a John Deere for 800.00 Ad is below,
Click to expand...

Again, this JD shows the belt spindle covers missing....a sure sign that the owner has been in the belt area frequently. I would ask him where the covers are, and why he is leaving them off. Some people remove those covers so it is easier to clean the grass clippings off the deck, but there is a 50/50 chance of having belt issues. Plus, those covers are a Safety guard...especially on wider decks. If you were to step off such a mower while the belt is still rotating, it could do some serious damage to your foot.
 
Don M. said:
Again, this JD shows the belt spindle covers missing....a sure sign that the owner has been in the belt area frequently.
Click to expand...
I remove my guards because grass clippings fill up there..No one else is ever around my mower while in operation..Safety switch under the seat stops the blades..
 
Yup, these guards do fill up with clippings....I usually spend a couple of minutes with my big leaf blower, after every mowing, to clean all the excess from the entire mower and deck. Most mowers do have safety switches to stop the blades, but I would wonder how much a broken belt would flail around without these guards in place. I've even seen a lot of tips, online, on how to bypass these safety switches, and I suspect there are quite few people who have done so.
 
Robert59 said:
I'm having a problem contacting the seller. So I most likely will buy a new riding mower from Lowes to be on the safe side. I don't need problems.

THAT is probably your best choice. Unless you know the history of a used mower, you could easily wind up spending more on it, than a new one would cost. Based upon my experience, I would give the Husqvarna from Lowes, a thumbs up.

Husqvarna, Snapper, Cub Cadet, etc., all make good mowers. I would be a bit leery of JD...as they seem to charge an extra 10% for the green paint.
Click to expand...
 
Robert59 said:
I've been told by JD dealer that Lowes sells JD printed on a riding mower, Husqvarna, Snapper, Cub Cadet and etc is made MTD. The JD dealer told me their cheapest riding mower cost over 5000.00 dollars and it's a real John Deere. My other store that sells riding mowers is Tractor Supply's
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/catalog/lawn-garden/outdoor-power-equipment-lawn-tools
Click to expand...

JD dealers will say anything to sell their overpriced products. When I was shopping for a tractor, years ago, I wound up with a nice Kubota with a loader and several implements for the same money that JD wanted for just the tractor. Husqvarna is made by Husqvarna at plants in Georgia and South Carolina.
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/husqvarna-lawnmowers-87148.html

If you want a JD lawn tractor, you can get one at Home Depot, Lowes, or TSC for a lot less than a JD dealer will sell the Same model for.
 
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Buy new. That's it, for me. Never have had a problem. My riding mower is fifteen years old, and I mow my 3/4 acre site that has all kinds of elevation challenges. I have never actually changed out anything on this mower. I have cleaned out this part or that. I mow, maybe, ten times a year, an hour, each time.
 
I ow 4 acres...Here is my crew..
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full-1-Edited.png
 
I prefer new. I've had good and bad used mowers and it's always a crap shoot.
In 2011, I bought a new Troy bilt and it has served me well. Still runs fine and looks pretty good, but the non adjustable deck mounts are showing wear and now, it's scalping the yard. So, this year I've gotten a new Craftsmen mower from Lowes and it's pretty impressive. I like the cast iron front axle and the fact that the steer wheels turn 90 degrees. (allows wife to cut in a circle around our fruit trees ala zero turn style)


mower.JPGmower new.JPGDSC01424.JPG
 

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