"John S. Colton" wrote in message
...
Hi, all,

I'm thinking about getting a riding lawn mower to help with my ~0.6
acre lawn. After reading a bunch of internet reviews, I'm thinking
about getting a John Deere L110 although it's a little pricier than I
was originally intending ($1500 max, original limit).

One thing you should know is the John Deere 100 series is not up to par with
the standard residential line that John Deere's quality is known for. It's
basically a model designed to be sold at places like Home Depot to compete
with the cheaper Cub Cadets and Toros being sold at places like Lowe's.
This is not to say the 100 series won't last you for many years, because it
is still a very nice mower that is far superior to off-brand riders in the
$1000 range. The L110 is definitely worth the money. I bought my Snapper
just a few years ago for $2200 before Home Depot and Lowes started selling
the Cub Cadets, Toros, and John Deeres in the $1500 range. If I had it to
do all over again today, I would definitely be looking very closely at the
100 series Deeres at Home Depot.

I'm wondering a couple of things:

1. Will I will be able to get a much better deal than the list price
if I wait until the end of the season?

Maybe, you never know what Home Depot is going to do with sales, however the
new John Deeres seem to be selling quite well so I doubt they will be
dicounting them much, if any. Sometimes if you're lucky you can catch a
display and/or discontinued model at the end of the season but these usually
don't last long.

2. Should I be considering used mowers? And if so, any tips on how to
get a good deal? There are so many models/options available out
there, I feel no confidence in being able to accurately say how much I
should be paying for a used mower. (In particular, last week I saw a
~1987 Honda HT 3813, 2 cylinder, liquid cooled, with bagger
attachment, at a garage sale for $750. No idea how many HP or what the
cutting diameter was. Seemed to my amateur eye to be in good
condition. It may still be available, for that matter--would it be a
good deal.)

I've always stayed away from used mowers. The seller is obviously selling
the mower for a reason, and if you don't know the seller you won't know what
that reason is. Some people sell mowers because they've moved and their
mowing needs change, but some people sell them because they have mechanical
problems that might take you a few days to discover. $750 for a mower that
is 17 years old seems a bit steep for me. The Honda deck and frame are
build to last many years, but you might be looking at an engine overhaul or
replacement that can bring a used mower close to the price of a new one.

If you want to save a bit of money, you might look at mowers with a 38"
deck. My lawn is about the same size as yours and I have a 38" rider. I
spend most of my time going around trees, shrubs, and flower beds so the 38"
works very well for me. However, if you don't have many obstacles and don't
plan to add any, you may want the 42".