[Sammoore13bolens1053]

One of my married daughters is looking for a riding mower to take care of her yard. She need something basic and dependable. I'd like her to find an oldie but goodie John Deere or Cub Cadet, etc. but her budget won't allow for that, and I can't help her much for a while with maintaining it or keeping it running due to my knee replacement.

I'm not a fan of anything with a vertical engine with the possible exception of a zero turn model. It's a pain to replace belts and work on them, but it looks like that's about what she might be able to afford.

So, are there any newer makes/models of <ahem> lawn tractors from the big box stores that you all would recommend?

Thanks,

Smitty

Am old bolens, newer style cub cadet, newer husqvarna

 

[Sammoore13bolens1053]

That's a good Daddy for ya!
The new husband is probably not handy (just cause most kids nowadays aren't)
Maybe I'm wrong
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Cough cough, I'm pretty handy thank you very much

 

[Sammoore13bolens1053]

Cheap Reliable mower would be an 90s to mid 2000s MTD made mower with the 2 blade 38-42" deck, CVT transaxle and OHV briggs vanguard. Kohler command equipped if you can find 1.

Be prepared to put a head gasket in a OHV briggs powered one and some tubes in the tires but other than that they are a very reliable cheap mower.

Those Aluminum cased single speed CVT trans-axles last 2-3x longer than the hydros or that era.

Stay away from the Troy Bilts, Husqvarna and Noma mowers and anything with a Hydro transaxle. They are prone to several steering problems, Junk Kohler Courage engines and weak hydro transaxles and weak frames that can crack and a whole slew of problems with the decks.

Something like this one. But I wouldn't pay a dime over $250 for this particular one just because it looks like it was kept outside. It says it has a new carburetor so I suspect that it will need a head gasket. Those 2 things go hand in hand on an OHV briggs.

https://boise.craigslist.org/grd/d/ace-42-riding-mower/6589873057.html

This one isn't bad but priced a little high. 12.5hp briggs flathead CVT transaxle 38" deck with bagger and new tires, battery, blades and starter. Looks pretty clean.
https://boise.craigslist.org/grd/d/38-inch-riding-mower/6593583557.html

Another one with flathead briggs and a bagger. And priced to high.
https://boise.craigslist.org/grd/d/coast-to-coast-riding-lawn/6592686443.html

And another. This one is super clean. Not a horrible deal if it runs and operates the way it should.
https://spokane.craigslist.org/grd/d/yard-man-42-16hp-c-riding/6587207611.html

Another clean example.
https://moseslake.craigslist.org/grd/d/riding-mower/6596014829.html

The old Square hood craftsmans with the 5 speed are pretty reliable if you can find one that doesn't have a billion hours on it.

I'd say no to a lot of side discharge baggers, them mtd are incredibly easy to find in Northern Ireland, we must have about 20 of them in the gusinesss scrapyard! I'd say look for the ones with the i/c engines