7 Tips for Buying a Used Lawn Mower

Did you notice your grass recently? Yes, it is that time of year to start mowing you lawn again. Need a new lawn mower? If your answer is yes, consider buying a used lawn mower. Buying used can save you a lot of money, if you know what to look for. You don’t want to buy a used lawn mower that will end up costing you more than it is worth. Take a look at the buying guide below.

1. Sometimes shopping online isn’t a good idea. Used lawn mowers are precisely what they sound like, used machines that have been previously owned. This is why it is important to look at them up close and in person in order to see the details. Online descriptions are not always clear and detailed or as accurate as they should be made.
2. Whatever type of lawn mower you decide you want to buy (push, electric, gas or riding) you need to ask the seller questions about the lawn mower being sold. How old is the lawn mower? Why is the seller selling the lawn mower? Does the seller have any paper work on the lawn mower (warranties, guaranties, instructions)? What deal do you have if it breaks down tomorrow? Next week? Next month? Try to get the answer down in writing, especially if you are spending a lot of money on the lawn mower.
3. Give it a test drive. By shopping for a used lawn mower in person you also have the opportunity to test-drive the lawn mower, listen to how it runs and see how it cuts the grass. If it does start does it cut the lawn well? The blades should be sharp enough to cut the grass at the first attempt.
4. Check the lawn mower’s parts. Check the condition of the lawn mower’s body, engine and blade. Just because the lawn mower sounds fine and appears to cut the grass well, does not mean the used lawn mower is in good condition. Do the parts look worn, about to fall apart, or in good condition? Check for oil leaks. Check the spark plugs. If you are looking at an electric lawn mower the battery should hold at least 75% of the time (Electric Lawn Mower).
5. If you don’t know what to look for in a lawn mower or what to ask about it take someone with you that can help (friend, family member, spouse).
6. If you don’t have anyone to take with you read this very helpful article written by Samuel M. Goldwasser.
7. What do you consider a good bargain? Do the research. How much do used lawn mowers sell for online? How much do they sell for in your local classified ads? How much are you willing to pay for a used lawn mower? Are ten dollars too much to pay for a push lawn mower that will break down by the end of the summer? By the end of the week? How much are you willing to spend on a riding lawn mower or an electric one? How much grass will you be cutting? How often will you cut the grass? Can you afford to repair the used lawn mower if it breaks down or can you afford to buy another used one to replace it?

It is important to know what to look for when you buy a used lawn mower. Remember when you buy used you are taking a chance that your purchase will become more trouble than it is worth. So, ask questions and do the research first before you make a purchase.

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How to Choose the Perfect Lawn Mower

Which Lawn Mower to Buy on a Tight Budget: Cordless or Gas-Powered?

It’s time to buy a lawn mower but you’ve got a budget to follow. Maybe you’ve decided against corded electric models because they are a big hassle. You want freedom to move around and not worry about cords. So now you need to know if you should get a traditional gas mower or a battery-powered one. Which one will save you more money?

The choice would be simple if you had a large yard, say ½-acre or more. Of course you’d get a gas-powered mower since cordless electric ones only cover up to 1/3-acre on a charge. You’d probably do the same if you had a lot of hilly terrain because your battery charge would last even less time. But none of this matters in your yard, so how else do you make up your mind?

No worries, we can help you make this crucial decision. Let’s look at the reasons for and against both kinds of mowers to see which one will cost you less in the long run.

The hidden costs of owning a lawn mower

Every power tool has two prices: one at its purchase, and the ongoing cost of keeping it running.

Gas mowers

Just like a car, a gas-powered mower needs fuel and tune-ups. At the time of writing, gas costs just under $2 a gallon. If you’re pushing a mower, it could take up to an hour to mow 1/3-acre. A typical gas mower consumes about a gallon per hour. That means you’ll spend around $2 each time you mow. That doesn’t seem like much to spend, does it? But wait, there’s more.

Gas mowers need tune-ups each year. Those include a new spark plug, fuel filter, air filter, and oil change. Some companies like Briggs & Stratton sell tune-up kits with all these parts for about $15, but you’ll have to do the work yourself. If you take the mower to a mechanic, the cost rockets up to between $40 to $85. (The pricier end includes blade sharpening, extra steps for self-propelled mowers, and general clean-up and lubrication.)

Battery-powered cordless mowers

A cordless mower does best on mostly-flat lawns measuring around 8,000-square-feet or less. Some models handle up to 1/3-acre, which is about 14,520-square-feet, on a single charge. The average runtime is about 45 minutes, but some last up to almost an hour and a half.

Charging the mower’s battery might cost $0.40 each time. (This is based on the current price of electricity per kilowatt/hour.) A cordless electric, or battery, lawn mower doesn’t need a lot of other maintenance. Just keep it clean, sharpen the blade, and charge the battery. What a relief after dealing with messy, smelly, and noisy gas mowers. No more cord-pulling, just start it and go. (See, you really are cordless!)

But replacing the batteries…That’s where the big cost of owning a cordless mower happens. A lead-acid battery, like those in WORX mowers, have a lifetime up to 5 years if they aren’t constantly exposed to high heat. Lead-acid replacements run around $150 to over $200. Lithium-Ion batteries, like those in Greenworks mowers, last around three years and cost around $80 to $120.

But wait, there’s more…

 

Blade maintenance for both kinds of mowers

No matter what kind of mower you have, you’ll need to sharpen the blade. You can do this yourself with a file or grinder. If you hire someone else to do it, the price is about $10 each time. A replacement blade is $15 to $20.

Time to calculate the cost

The average warranty on a lawn mower is 3 years or less. Let’s plan on you keeping your new mower for three years (although many owners keep them for double that before upgrading). Let’s also pretend that you have no desire to do your own maintenance on your mower, so you’ll be paying full price to maintain and fuel it.

Gas mower cost over 3 years

Blade sharpening twice a year
$10 x 2 = $20

Fuel
$2.00 per gallon x 30 mows a year = $60

Tune-up
$40

Total
So far, that’s $120 for one year using a gas mower. Multiply by 3 and that’s $360 for three years. Given that a decent gas-powered push mower costs around $250, you’ll need $610 total for three years of lawn care. That’s about $17 a month. At least that’s cheaper than paying someone else to do it.

Cordless mower cost over 3 years

Blade sharpening twice a year
$10 x 2 = $20

Electricity to recharge the battery
$0.40 x 30 = $12 per year
(one charge after each mow, although you might need to check your charge once or twice during the winter)

Replacement battery
$80 to $120
But if you only use the mower for three years, you probably won’t need a new battery, so we’re leaving this out of the total for now.

Total
$32 per year to operate a cordless electric mower. In three years, that’s $96. If you had to purchase a new battery, that’s about equal to the cost of one year of owning a gas mower.

A decent cordless mower costs about the same as a gas-powered push mower, around $250. The total cost of ownership would then be $346 for three years ($250 + $96), or $9.61 a month.

Save money

A cordless mower costs a lot less to operate and maintain–about ¼ of what a gas mower does. Now you know, so it’s time to go shopping. See our reviews about the best lawn mowers at lawntoolsguide.com.

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How to Fix a Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

If your self-propelled lawn mower has suddenly become a push mower, if it runs rough, or if it won’t even start, don’t panic. You might not need to take it in for service yet. Use these quick tips to narrow down the problem and fix it. Many of these solutions will work no matter if you have a gas, electric, or cordless model.

Here are the three most common dilemmas facing the owners of self-propelled lawn mowers.

1.    The mower doesn’t self-propel anymore, or it moves too slowly

 

This usually results from a problem with the cable that controls the speed. It’s probably the most common complaint about older self-propelled mowers.

Transmission cable

Time to complete: less than 10 minutes

Image courtesy of Toro.com

If the transmission or drive cable comes loose or breaks, your mower will stop moving forward on its own. Inspect the whole cable from the handlebar down to the transmission. Make sure it’s connected firmly at both ends and doesn’t need to be replaced because of wear or damage. (Rodents love to gnaw on wires, especially plastic-coated ones. If you have uninvited guests in your garage over the winter, you might have a few gaps in your cable.)

 

If you have a Personal Pace mower and it’s moving too slowly, check the wire cable that runs from the handle down to the transmission. With the engine turned off, squeeze the Personal Pace handle. It should move about an inch before you feel resistance. If it moves more than that, the cable may need tightening. This tends to stretch with wear just like a gear cable on an old ten-speed bike.

 

Loosen the bolt that clamps the cable onto the handle. Pull up the drive cable about an inch, tighten the bolt, and then squeeze the handle again. If there is less play, test the mower’s speed with the engine running.

Wheels and the drive wheel gears

Time to complete: less than 10 minutes if you don’t have to remove the wheels

Wheels and gears need cleaning and lubrication, and sometimes they just need to be replaced. Your mower will move much more slowly if the drive wheels and gears are jammed up with clippings and dirt. Clean them and spray them with WD-40 or graphite.

 

2.    The mower vibrates too much, makes noises, or cuts poorly

If you have a bent, damaged, or unbalanced blade, it will make the mower shake more than normal. It will also damage your lawn by tearing out grass or making ragged cuts. If you can’t see the ragged cuts now, you will soon enough, as the grass will turn brown at the tips.

Please remember to disconnect the spark plug cable before doing any of the maintenance described below.

Blade

Clear out grass clippings and dirt from the underside of the mower. If the blade is obviously bent or damaged, replace it. If it looks okay, but you’re still getting bad vibrations, remove it. Check the balance by using a balancer or hanging it with a nail through its center hole. If one side hangs lower, file that edge until the blade hangs level. Sharpen the blade about every two weeks for the best cut.

Motor shaft

Once you’ve removed the blade, you can see the rod, or shaft, connecting the blade to the motor. If you’ve run over large rocks or tree stumps, it may be bent. If it is damaged, we recommend that you take the mower to a mechanic.

3.    The mower runs rough, or won’t start

Just like in a car, a bad spark plug, drained battery, or stale fuel can stop a mower from starting. If your mower has a fuel shut-off valve and it’s closed, that could prevent your mower from starting, too. Make sure any safety features (like blade control) that keep the mower from operating are all disengaged. Then try starting the mower again. If that fails, try the steps below.

Fuel

If you’ve left gas in the tank all winter without using a stabilizer, the gas may have gone bad. Does it smell wrong? Remove all the fuel, change the filter, and then put fresh gasoline in the tank. (At least with self-propelled 4-cylinder engines you don’t have to mix the gas and oil together.)

Spark plug

Time to complete: less than 5 minutes

Disconnect the spark plug cable (but wait, you already did that, didn’t you? Safety first!), pull out the spark plug, and wipe it clean. If the porcelain is cracked or the electrode burned off, you’ll need a new one. Lawn mower spark plugs need to be replaced about once a year. After you put it back, or put in a new one, connect the cable. Does the mower start?

 

Battery

If your mower has electric starter that runs off a battery, see if the battery has drained. Recharge it, or replace it if it won’t hold a charge. Do the same for cordless mowers that run off batteries.

Cord

Electric mowers are dependent on extension cords, and those cords are prone to damage. Try a different cord and test the outlet to make sure it’s working.

Carburetor and Air Filter

Clean, or better yet, replace the air filter if it’s filthy. Cleaning a carburetor is a big job, but it’s not impossible. See if your mower’s manufacturer gives advice on how to do it, or else take your mower to a mechanic.

If all else fails…

If your mower is out of warranty and repairs are too expensive, consider getting a new self-propelled lawn mower. See the reviews of the latest and greatest models. Find out what features will make your mowing easier. Read more at lawntoolsguide.com.

 

 

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