Time for a new lawn tractor

[bjl584]

my old hand me down lawn tractor appears to be on its last leg.
I think I will have to replace it.

Probably going for something gently used.
New ones are expensive, and they seem to depreciate pretty quickly.

[Fishindude77]

For many of us our mower (lawn tractor) is just about our most frequently used tool we have. I mow at least weekly 2.5 hours for 7 months out of the year or so, so need something that does a good job, is reliable and is relatively pleasant to operate and use.
This item is a "tool" and I don't mind spending a bit more to get good quality. A good one can last your lifetime.

Deprecation is not something I'd worry about for a lawn tractor. It's not as if this is an item most would trade in in a couple years or update frequently.

If it's primary function is mowing, get a zero turn. They will cut your mowing time by at least one third and eliminate a lot of trimming -vs- a garden tractor.
Stay away from the cheap Cub Cadets and John Deere at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. They are the most lightweight grade made by those manufacturers, lots of plastic parts, thin sheet metal decks, etc. and won't last long.

[bjl584]

For many of us our mower (lawn tractor) is just about our most frequently used tool we have. I mow at least weekly 2.5 hours for 7 months out of the year or so, so need something that does a good job, is reliable and is relatively pleasant to operate and use.
This item is a "tool" and I don't mind spending a bit more to get good quality. A good one can last your lifetime.

Deprecation is not something I'd worry about for a lawn tractor. It's not as if this is an item most would trade in in a couple years or update frequently.

If it's primary function is mowing, get a zero turn. They will cut your mowing time by at least one third and eliminate a lot of trimming -vs- a garden tractor.
Stay away from the cheap Cub Cadets and John Deere at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. They are the most lightweight grade made by those manufacturers, lots of plastic parts, thin sheet metal decks, etc. and won't last long.

I'm not worried about depreciation from a trade in standpoint
More of a, I can get a quality mower that is a couple years old for a steep discount versus brand new

A zero turn is nice, but I have hills, and I've heard that they aren't very good on grade.

I'd like to get a Kubota or commercial grade John Deere

[myrdale]

Part of the discussion is how large of a property are you cutting.

My 3/4 acre lot is only 1/2 acre of grass. It takes me about 45 minutes. I push mow it with out issue.

My parents' yard is closer to 1-1/2 acres and the zero turn works for it. Meanwhile fields and roads across the property we have a tractor equipped with a bush-hog.

[bjl584]

2.5 acres
Some flat, some hills

My current tractor does it in about an hour and change.
Hydrostatic with a 54" deck

[myrdale]

2.5 acres

That is more than enough to justify a zero-turn mower.

Look at Facebook marketplace. I should imagine there are more than a few guys out there who thought about starting their own lawn care business, but decided to get out of it after some time.

There may be work that can be done on the old tractor to extend it's like. Bearings and pulleys on the deck can be easily replaced. If the deck is cracked that might be a tossup between replace only the deck or the whole tractor. If you have a good local small engine mechanic, replacing the engine could be a solution if you're having problems with it.

If it doesn't go fast enough, consider painting racing stripes, and adding tassels to the handle bars. Strap a cup holder on for good measure so you don't spill your beer.