MowerExperts: Best Value/Quality Consumer Grade Riding Mowers?

Edit

I swear I didn't see that in the OP.

Would you buy used?

Want zero turn?

And price range?

You can get a new Murray 42" 15.5 HP Riding Mower for close to $1000, doesn't seem like too much land so maybe maintenance won't be a huge issue.

I purchased a used Cub Cadet 46' cut. It only had 15 hrs on it. Picked it up 4 yrs ago for $1000, been going strong, has a 20hp Kohler (sp) engine.

quote:

---

I got a 52" raptor sd recently for $5k

---

I hope that was for a commercial mower and not residential.

cub cadet. you can pick up all the parts you need for maintenance from Home Depot or tractor supply.

quote:

---

if it was for residential use - hope he got a thank you card with roses the next morning.

---

I just looked it up...It's a residential mower. I saw the 2017 54" SD's priced at under $4000. I couldn't find a 52" SD.

I think Hustler makes a good mower, but nobody makes a residential mower under 60" worth 5k.

quote:

---

You right it was about $4k my bad. But yea it is the SD model raptor. I find it's worth the money. I love it

---

I have a 60" bad boy that was around $4500. I have 6.5 acres to cut and wish I would have went with a commercial model. It's just hard to spend 10k for a lawn mower.

How much grass?
Like subdivision grass or field grass
Over acre 1-1/2 or less

Do you have gates to get through, cutting around trees, etc?
This will decide what deck size you need

Used units it is rolling the dice.
A lot of small lawn care guys beat the crap out of them and clean them up to trade in.
Usually not much life left in them.

Buying from homeowner down sizing is better bet. They usually selling if they move.

Residential grass - residential unit will be good

Field grass might need to go prosumer

We sell prosumer and commercial units.
Field grass start here
Prosumer units start $3,499 - $5,999
Biggest change deck with steel spindles and transmission versus alum spindles

Commercial starts $6 499- $10,995
A lot stronger deck, faster transmission with ability to take more heat.


If residential under 1 acre alittle cub cadet 42" around $2,399 all you need. Easy to repair, they been good units for my dealers for people with neighborhood yards, and I got guys getting 7 to 10 yrs yrs out of them. Now you have some guys get 4 on avg if they got 2 acres or more but this machine or any residential not designed for this. I don't see as many come in at this price point as I do husqvarna and JD. Good value versus quality for guy with small residential yard.

If you want a rider Cub Cadet XT1 46" some dealers got the $1,599 reg $1,699. They been good again "residential units". They have mow in reverse, easy to use, and again for that price point been good unit.

At that price point I don't recommend husqvarna or John Deere due to they went to a general composite transmission to save money. JD residential series is made by husqvarna and very similar units. We got a lot of them back in service to fix the general transmissions. It is a nightmare got 42 in one shop right now between husqvarna and JD. If it has a black transmission run from it. You can look at the wheels in the back of a rider. If the transmission between those wheels is not metal run!!!!! Husqvarna used them in their entry level lawn tractors, husqvarna used them in low end ones Poulon, Ariens they made for Ariens, and John Deere put them on their entry level lawn tractors to save money.

Cub cadet stayed with K 46 tuff torque which unless you have a lot of hills has been a good transmission. Flat land lawns like Louisiana it where this transmission shines.

quote:

---

johnnyrocket

---

You know anything about the rear engine cub cadets?

If you want to buy used and cut it yourself in the 110°, wait until after the summer when someone who had the same idea as you decides to sell his because it's too hot.
Pay someone to do it.