What should I look for when buying a used lawnmower?
phillyphan asked:
Buying a house with a little less than 1/2 acre. How about price range?
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Buying a house with a little less than 1/2 acre. How about price range?
Thanks!
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:43 am
a lawn that size would be good for a 21 inch self propelled and if you check with home depot lowes and the like you can get a very good refurbished mower for a used price
April 26th, 2009 at 2:21 am
many different thing’s to look at, make,model,how old?,before
starting check oil, or if it is a 2 cycle start it and leave it run.
you can usually see how it has Ben taken care of, mow see
how it cuts, ect that’s the best i can suggest price once again depends on make&model i am assuming it is a push or self propeld not a riding ????
April 27th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
If the overall outside appearance looks good then start it up and make sure it runs smooth and does not smoke. Check the cutting blade to see if it is in good condition with no rough spots caused from hitting hard objects. If it is cheap enough you can replace the blade for about $10.00. Make sure the wheels are not worn out. They can cost $20.00 to $30.00 to replace.
April 30th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Personally I’d look for a Craftsman riding mower. Since I bought mine I don’t even mind mowing grass anymore. I actually sometimes just mow it cause a couple places look a little high. I’ve had a Snapper and had to have it worked on every single spring that I owned it. Craftsman has been 4 yrs without anything but a new battery a couple months ago. Make sure the oil looks fairly clean and the filter doesn’t look like it’s been on it for years and years. Otherwise, it’s hard to tell about used mowers cause they all go through a good bit of abuse unless it’s only used in a small, well manicured lawn. Mine was about $900 new so a used one should be around $300-$400 I would guess.
May 2nd, 2009 at 2:35 am
A lawn that small does not need anything more than a walk behind mower. If the lawn is fairly flat I would not bother with a self propelled one. The drive system is one more thing to maintain. You should be able to find a used mower for under $100. Things to look for.
Are the wheels in good shape? If they are wobbly or worn the mower may be very used.
Is the blade in good condition? A dull blade is easy to sharpen but one with large nicks in the cutting edge may need replacing.
Does the oil look clean? Some people never change the oil in their mowers. It should be done once each year or every 40 hours running time.
Does it start easily and run smoothly. Let it warm up for 10 minutes, then shut it off and check again. Just because it starts when it is cold does not mean it will when it is hot.
Mow with it for 100 feet. Does it roll straight? Is the handle comfortable to hold?
That’s all I can think of. If it passes these checkpoints you should have a good mower. One other thing, a new push mower is not very expensive. If you do end up going new, be sure to buy it from someplace that will service it.