Hey guys,
Can you keep your eyes out for an inexpensive second hand riding mower with a bagger? I need to find a better way to do leaves in the fall. I've got 4 mature oaks on our property that just drop piles of leaves every year. I tried mulching, that was a mess. Since then I've been bagging with my push mower which takes FOREVER!!!

Ideally, I'd like to find an 8 - 12 year old Craftsman (or equivalent) mower 36 - 38" inch cutting deck with rear bagger. It doesnt have to look pretty, it just needs to run. It's only going to sit under a tarp under my deck 9 months out of the year.

Thanks,
Chris

 

do you have a ATV or something. They make those sweepers that are pretty cheap.

 

Thanks for the idea JJP, unfortunately I sold all the "toys" when we bought our house.

 

Try looking in craigs list... newspaper....If someone here has one or know of one they're let you know...
craigslist: new jersey classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals, for sale, services, community, and events

 

Thanks Steve. I'm on C/L 2-3 times a day looking.

Most of the stuff on there is in the $500 - $600+ range. Much more than I'm looking to spend for something thats going to sit for 9 months out of the year.

 

Chris,

There are 3 places out by me that sell used riding mowers and stuff, 1 is a guy in town that does refurbs. His name is Bernie Smith on 42 Langdon Ave in Wharton. He is a perpetual garage sale (he repairs and refurbs small engine machines). Also on Rt 46 in Kenvil is a store with all kinds of used mowers and snow blowers (don't know the name), then alittle further down from that place is Roxbury Hardware (old time hardware store - don't know how they compete with the chain stores) always has something sitting outside. I don't know how close you are but I saw North Jersey on your posts.

 

Here's some that I found on CL

Craftsman Riding Mower 400.00 wash dc

OLDER CRAFTSMAN RIDING MOWER 175.00 tacoma, wash

Craftsman Riding Mower 450.00 hanover, mass

craftsman riding mower with 38 inch cut 75.00 acton, maine

craftsman riding mower 350.00 ocean gate, nj

Craftsman Riding Mower 350.00 e. stroudsburg, pa

Just a few I found.

 

Thanks Steve. Unfortunately my budget is in the $200-300 range max. There is a ton of stuff $400+ that's really quite nice.

Besides the fact that my wife'd shoot me if I spent that kind of money. The foll thing is just going to sit under a tarp 9-10 months of the year under my deck, so I don't want to spend a lot on a really nice machine. I hate to play the el cheapo role, I normally don't; but I have to on this one...

I've got my eyes on one in Budd Lake that I saw on ebay. If that doesn't materialize I'll look into the guys you mentioned earlier.

I'm over in Mt. Olive, only about 20 minutes from you.

Thanks again,
Chris

 

Chris...You can always throw 2 or 3 bills at one for 4..If there hungry enough they'll bite....

 

Very good point Steve, very good point.

 

With the way things are going these days you never know..Hey what you got to lose..Or save..

 

Here is a list of mowers in Northern NJ for under $300.00

classifieds - craigslist

 

Thanks Don. I'm on C/L 2-3 times a day. Most of these 52 don't have baggers. The others that do are either already sold or their owners have yet to respond to 1-2 emails I've already sent them.

I've got a couple searches saved as bookmarks that I run a couple of times a day.

Thanks again Don.

-Chris

 

i prefer 1/2 gallon of kerosene and a 5 minute flare over a mower.

 

My riding mower has a hard-shell bagger and I never use it or the chute. What I do instead is use a chute I got off something else and 'fling' the mowed debris into my tow-behind lawn cart which I got at lowes years ago for $70 or about that.

When it's time to empty, I simply drop one of the sides and with one or two strokes of a large rake, empty it into the compost pile.

Solves the need for a bagger entirely. Just an option for you if you find your "ideal" mower without the bagging attachments.

Still looking for a nearly-free engine for my mower... the one that's on there now is grossly undersized and spews oil lol.