Members Audiopile Posted May 2, 2013 Members Share Posted May 2, 2013 If this is too off topic... please Craig: round file it. I'm posting this here because... well... this is the coffee shop where I hang out.I'm seeking advice on purchasing a new to me used lawn mower... because: I have inherited (at a cost) substancially more lawn to mow... I'm going from the current approx. 1 acre of lawn to just shy of 3 acres... at the home base... I have another approx 3 acres of lawn to mow at my other warehouse... I've been shuttling my current mower back and forth, and that's really getting "old" (mower shuttling). My current mowing machine is a early '80's JD 300 with a 46" deck. I have my eye on a 2000 something JD 425 with a 60" deck. The JD 425 is going to cost some "real money"... slightly more than my Behringer X32. My JD 300 is in good condition... but... it's well over 30 years old (with about 4000 hours on the meter). The 425 I have my eye on is "only" somewhere around 10 years old (with under 200 hours). I'd like to buy once/cry once. Is the 425 a good machine, or did the accountants have a heavy hand in it's engineering and production?Oh... and this subject isn't all that far OT to my perspective as my JD 300 doesn't have a beverage holder, but the 425 does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted May 2, 2013 Members Share Posted May 2, 2013 : Oh... and this subject isn't all that far OT to my perspective as my JD 300 doesn't have a beverage holder, but the 425 does. My Dixon does too but you sure don't want to put a carbonated beverage in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mogwix Posted May 2, 2013 Members Share Posted May 2, 2013 At work we have a fleet of JD mowers: 455 (1999), 595 (2001), 955 (1995), 3520 (2009), 4720 (2011) The 455 and 595 will be similar to the 425 you're considering except all of our machines are diesel. The only problem with them is that the radiator is between the engine and the driver; it basically sits directly underneath the steering wheel. Our 595 has a full cab so it's a real pain to get the screens out to clean them when they get clogged with grass and debris. The big problem is that there's a separate oil cooler in front of the main radiator which developed a leak some years ago. Debris mixes with the (slowly) leaking engine oil and makes a very thick black muck which clogs the radiators and causes the motor to overheat. I discovered this about 5 years ago and curiously, the company has yet to get it fixed. Other than that, though, they're pro mowers and otherwise rather easy to service and maintain. Parts are relatively inexpensive and readily available. I'd say the 425 is a good buy so long as it's been well maintained. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fdew Posted May 2, 2013 Members Share Posted May 2, 2013 When I needed a new mower I joined a commercial lawn maintenance forum for about 9 mounts and studied. Based on that I moved from a garden tractor with mower deck to a commercial mower. There is no comparison. The commercial mower is faster, but even more important. You never need to come to a stop. My mowing went from 4 hrs to 1 hr and I added more lawn just because it was so enjoyable. I bought a used one for 3K and I have had it 15 years now. I have never regretted it. I have a Ferris http://www.ferrisindustries.com/us/en/three-wheel-mowers/procut-s/ but I don't think it makes a lot of difference as long as it is a true commercial mower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bobby1Note Posted May 2, 2013 Members Share Posted May 2, 2013 I went through this exercise a few years ago, and ended up going with a John Deere X-500 garden-tractor w/ 52" deck. It's fast, has a fairly heavy-duty and serviceable transaxle w/ locking differential, and is really all I need. The guarantee was something like 5yrs/ 500 hours. Ventrac makes nice machines, as do Walker and Kubota. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted May 2, 2013 CMS Author Share Posted May 2, 2013 Mark, it's 10 years old with only 200 hours, so what was it used for at the rate of 20 hours per year? My concern with any used gear is the combination of original product quality + owner care/experience. With such low hours there's probably no issue here at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted May 2, 2013 Members Share Posted May 2, 2013 I have a 10 yr old JD 120 with a 48" deck. It's kind of a hybrid between a commercial and non-commercial machine. It has a 2 cyl. Vanguard engine, pressurized lube system w/ spin on filter and with properly maintained blades it does a very good job. Bagging is ok with short grass but not so good with longer grass especially when wet, even with high lift blades. I have close to 800 hours on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Audiopile Posted May 2, 2013 Author Members Share Posted May 2, 2013 Craigv wrote: Mark, it's 10 years old with only 200 hours, so what was it used for at the rate of 20 hours per year? My concern with any used gear is the combination of original product quality + owner care/experience. With such low hours there's probably no issue here at all. Ah... good question (which I asked early on). Short story is the 425 has basically been a garage queen since it was bought new. A retired couple own it and bought it new... but kept their old (Craftsman) riding mower to "do the dirty work"... and used the 425 just to mow the "wide open spaces". The husband recently had a stroke, so they're moving to a condo and selling all their grounds keeping equipment. The local JD dealership did all the maintanance (yearly, whether it needed it or not). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pro Sound Guy Posted May 2, 2013 Members Share Posted May 2, 2013 Several months ago someone here on Craigslist put an add that he wanted to trade a real nice JD ride onlawnmower for a guitar! ROFLJD holds its value, and support and parts availability are awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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