# help in selecting a lawnmower



## bluebird (Apr 29, 2009)

Have a J D lawn tractor, ex bought new about 15 yrs ago. Has given me a lot of trouble last couple of yrs. Parents have one bought in the 70s and still works good!  But I don't think I want another one. Can anybody recommend a lawnmower?  I have a little over 1 1/2 acres to cut.  Someone told me to get a snapper because they were easy to work on. Just saw a troybilt at Lowe's, but I've been told not to buy one there. Ex. JD at lowes is not same mower sold by JD dealer, same as with other makes/brands. Any help would be appreciated.


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## Oldstick (Apr 30, 2009)

I sure like my Snapper rear engine, but then I have less than an acre to cut.  Had it going on 9 years and haven't had to repair anything except normal maintenence and replaced the chintzy battery cables with better ones for $3.

It is very simple and reliable without all the pain-in-butt twin blade stuff.  Don't have any experience with the bigger snapper models.


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## germag (Apr 30, 2009)

The best thing to do is find one that your wife thinks she looks good on. Tell her that she'll cause wrecks on the street if she puts on a bikini and mows the yard on it. You'll never have to mow the yard again. Great investment!


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## backwoodsjoe (Apr 30, 2009)

snapper !


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## Ta-ton-ka chips (Apr 30, 2009)

Don't buy anything from Home Depot


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## Cornelia_Hiker (Apr 30, 2009)

Funny every Snapper I've had experience with has been a royal headache. 

They're still using that stupid cable system for the pedal controls. Those cables will be the death of you I promise.

Last fall I bought a JD at Lowes on sale and I couldn't be happier. Guess I'll be hoping that it holds up but so far it's a dreamboat.


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## chadf (Apr 30, 2009)

don't waste your money on home D or a lowes, go buy a commercial grade mower and all you'll have to do is regular maitrnance on it! 
Make sure it's hydrastatic drive(hydraulic) 

Each mower is designed for a differnt finish, keep that in mind!


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## bluebird (May 1, 2009)

I wish I could afford one of those big ol' commercial mowers.  Besides, I think I'd do better with a steering wheel instead of levers. And I've learned a little bit about regular mowers, with emphasis on little.  I really do appreciate the comments you fellas are leaving. It helps.


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## Dog Hunter (May 1, 2009)

JD all the way for me.  If you have had it for 15 years, what more could you ask for?


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## bluebird (May 1, 2009)

Since the one my parents bought is still going strong, I was hoping for a little more out of mine.  We both bought ours brand new from a John Deere dealer but close to 20 yrs. apart.  I paid more, have a newer mower, but their's has lasted longer.  Mine might could be fixed, but don't have a trailer and it's hard to find somebody to work on mowers around here.


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## allenww (May 1, 2009)

I have cut two acres once every two weeks for five seasons so far with a two blade Troybilt.  Like y'all, repair is hard to come by on better mowers, but I can fix a Tblt myself.

      wa


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## Ruger#3 (May 1, 2009)

*Husqvarna*

I've cut several acres around the house for over a decade now. I have had great service from my Husky. My next mower will be a 54 inch cut Husky.


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## Doyle (May 1, 2009)

I've got a 23hp/46" Huskee (made by MTD) that Tractor Supply sold.  I've beat it to death for the last 4 years and I just had to buy some new parts (other than blades and tuneup stuff) this week.  One of the balljoints popped out and it cost me $20 to buy a new pair.

There is a 25hp/50" one on the local Craigs List today that the guy only wants $650 for.


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## DBM78 (May 1, 2009)

Get a John Deere I have a 42" 110 and have had no problems just routine mantiance like (oil, filter, air cleaner and blades. The model I got is hydrostatic and simple to work on their are 5 pins to take the deck off and it slides out one side for changing belts and blades. Takes like 2 minutes to take the deck off by yourself. I would go to home depot or lowes for a lawn mower. Look for a nice used one. I know of one just like mine for sale with like 30 hours and showroom condition the guy washed after every use for $1000 and it comes with the bagger which is $350.00 from John Deere. This mower brand new at HD or Lowes is $1900.00 without the bagger. PM me if you want the number for the one for sale its located in Dallas, Ga.

Also look at Gravelys if you want to get the job done in a hurry. Very nice mowers.


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## GoldDot40 (May 3, 2009)

Ta-ton-ka chips said:


> Don't buy anything from Home Depot





chadf said:


> don't waste your money on home D or a lowes, go buy a commercial grade mower and all you'll have to do is regular maitrnance on it!
> Make sure it's hydrastatic drive(hydraulic)
> 
> Each mower is designed for a differnt finish, keep that in mind!



I bought a Murry from Home Depot about 5 years ago. Absolutely NO problems with it. Just regular maintenance and I replaced the drive belt once. I found out it really didn't NEED a belt, just needed the clutch adjusted, which was simple. Mine is a 46" deck with a 21HP B&S with a Tecumseh gear box. It leaves a nice even lawn while mowing. The only complaint I have is......my yard is too big. 2 acres of nothing but grass.


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## THREEJAYS (May 3, 2009)

If you have an acre and a half ,knowingwhat I know now I would try to find a z-turn that you could afford.It will cut your mowing time by at least 1/2.As mentioned though the home owner series aren't built as strong


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## modern_yeoman (May 5, 2009)

THREEJAYS said:


> If you have an acre and a half ,knowingwhat I know now I would try to find a z-turn that you could afford.It will cut your mowing time by at least 1/2.As mentioned though the home owner series aren't built as strong




I agree. XMARK makes a " Residental Line". My Father-In-Law bought one 3 years ago. Been a good one and wasn't bad on price.


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## Havana Dude (May 5, 2009)

SCAG- can't go wrong


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## bluebird (May 5, 2009)

I appreciate all the comments.  I want to spend my money wisely and believe that personal experience is better than paid advertising.


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## bearpugh (May 7, 2009)

if they still made them i'd say a honda. i've had mine for 6 years and i bought it used. all aluminum. won't rust. 38 in deck, smooth as a kitten.


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## Outlaw Dawgsey Wales (May 7, 2009)

*Bought a MTD from Lowes back in 1997*

Put a used transmission in it last year.That's the only problem I have had with it.12.5 Briggs&Stratton,38" cut.I have about 1.5 acres of grass.


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## T_Fish (May 8, 2009)

i bought a new 340 jd last year and have never had any regrets, , i cut 4 acres of grass , right now every 4 days


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## slightly grayling (May 8, 2009)

Ditto that.....My father bought one about a year ago and I have been very impressed.  I have the cookie cutter 17 HP MTD tractor (with a Ryobi label) that isn't bad, but that Skagg is in a different class.  





Havana Dude said:


> SCAG- can't go wrong


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## Bigdave33 (May 10, 2009)

what is wrong with your mower?


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## DocHoliday (May 10, 2009)

I have a Craftsman YT4000 with a 24hp engine and 42 inch cut. It performs flawlessly while cutting 3.5 acres every week.


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## bigt61 (May 10, 2009)

bearpugh said:


> if they still made them i'd say a honda. i've had mine for 6 years and i bought it used. all aluminum. won't rust. 38 in deck, smooth as a kitten.



I just bought an HT3813 Honda Riding Lawn Mower  and it is a great mower.

They are still around and running strong!

It's got all the features of a $2,000 mower, without the price!


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## deltaman (May 10, 2009)

Bluebird the saying that we have all herd growing up you get what you pay for is still true today . I did not see what size deck you have but JD makes what you are looking for . and you can get parts for them when all the rest can't . 15 years ! that is great 15 to 20 years is not uncommon and were can you still get new decks for your mower 15 years later . and please stay away from the lowes mowers . a x300 mower will still be with you 15 to 20 years later . and if you cost it over the 15 years it will be lower cost than you can belive . thanks


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## Colonel K0rn (May 23, 2009)

I know this might be a little late in coming, but I can chime in on some personal experience and expertise.

The first rule I would recommend when buying a mower is to stay away from the big box stores (Sears, Lowes, Home Depot, WalMart). 

Murray went bankrupt a few years back, so finding parts is a bit of a pain. I was in the market for a new deck for my 46" 17HP Murray, and found the parts at Tractor Supply, and was surprised at how much the main drive belt was. I bought it used for $100, and it needed a new pulley, blades and belt. I spent $75 on parts, and used it for 2 years, cutting 2 acres. It did decent, but it was slow, and parts constantly wore out for a mower that was 5 years old.

While in the market for a new mower, I shopped around. I bought a Snapper push mower about 4 years ago (high vac, self propelled, 3-in-1) that I've had zero trouble with. I paid $475 for it new, and don't regret one penny. Snapper makes quality mowers, parts are readily available, and they're made in McDonough, GA 

A few summers back, I was in the market for something to upgrade to for the large portion of the lawn. I found a used 2003 John Deere 737 23HP 57" cut with about 3,000 hrs on it for $2,500. It cuts like a champ, and was easy to maintain (changing blades, oil, etc). My wife who never cuts grass said, "Man, if you let me ride that, I'll mow the grass for you." The zero turn makes maneuvering easy, the power gets you cutting smoothly over any terrain, the deck is 1-piece formed steel (so you don't have to worry about it breaking/pitting/coming apart). Best bang for the buck, and I'd buy another in a heartbeat.

For finish mowing, a Walker can't be beat. It's a lever style, with cruise, upgradeable from 17-23 HP options, but are going to run you upward of $6-7k. The mower catches all the clippings in a huge hopper in the rear, and it's exceptionally easy to dump them out. It doesn't like bahaia when it gets thick and tall, but the JD has no problem cutting it.

If money is no object, get a diesel Kubota. I took a 72" on a test mow, and fell in love. It's got an air-ride seat like truck drivers have in 18-wheeler rigs, pedals to raise and lower the deck on the fly, hydrostatic transmission, and will fly like nobody's business. It's a tractor with a mower attached, so it's very very durable.

Honorable mentions go to Bobcat, Hustler, Exmark, Scag and Gravely. Bobcat is good buy for the money, easy to maintain, and not too expensive($4,500 or so). Hustler is made by an Ahmish manufacturer, and they have a lifetime warranty on the decks. Have heard the hydros give problems on Exmarks, but I see a lot of landscapers use them. Scag and Gravely are good as well, but not really popular around middle GA.

Hope this gives you some insight. If you want more details, feel free to PM me, and I'll tell you what I found when I was doing my purchase. I shopped for about 4 months, and read a lot. I had my own lawn business for a couple of summers before gas prices skyrocketed.


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## Deadringer (Jun 25, 2009)

I bought a Troy-Built 22" with Honda engine from Lowe's.  Works great for me.  I've got a bit less than an acre.  Price was right, too.


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## jkkj (Jun 28, 2009)

Go get you a 48" grass hopper ..


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## CamoCop (Jul 4, 2009)

i have 3 acres that i cut weekly.  i bought an Exmark Zero Turn 48" cut.  GREAT mower and haven't been disappointed.  it takes me about 2 hours to cut my 3 acres.  when it comes to mowers, you get what you pay for and for large lawns i would stay away from residential mowers.  even if you buy a low end commercial mower, it is better than a top end residential mower and will hold up alot better.  my Exmark is almost 5 years old and the only thing i've done to it is routine service.


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## hunter rich (Jul 4, 2009)

Deadringer said:


> I bought a Troy-Built 22" with Honda engine from Lowe's.  Works great for me.  I've got a bit less than an acre.  Price was right, too.



I bought a TB from Lowes also (Mine is 42") and the only complaint i have is no cutting while in reverse, but I have just under an acre to cut so i manage to get it done with out having to back up too often. Why is everyone hating on the big box stores selling mowers?


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## Allen Waters (Jul 24, 2009)

i just got rid of a 42" troy bilt i have used for 10 years. Always had problems keeping the deck level. 
I bought a Cub Cadet 52" zero turn and don't know what i have been thinking all these years
I have cut my time on the mower almost in half, its fun now and the yard looks better than ever before.
You will be very please if you go with a zero turn. spend the extra money and go that route. I'm sure glad I did. You should be fine with either a Cub Cadet or a JD with the amount you have to cut.


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## Rednec (Jul 24, 2009)

If you cant buy a new one find a good used ZTR, you wont regret.
it is actually a pleasure for me to cut 2 acres grass since i bought my hustler.  IMO a used high end with 2 hydraulic pumps & 2 wheel mtrs will be a better deal long term.


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