Used mowers can trim costs
The dandelions have already gone to seed, and grass is reaching midshin in some yards.
Some people couldn’t care less. Others hire a lawn service to whack down their weeds every couple of weeks.
Many purchase top-of-the line, shiny new mowers, but they, of course, would have done so by now and would never dare let their lawn reach shin-high status to begin with.
Then there’s everyone else: the people who would like a neatly trimmed yard but who don’t want it badly enough to invest a great deal of time or money in it.
Lawn service easily runs $40 and up per visit. New mowers begin around $300 for a basic model and run up to a few thousand dollars for a decked-out riding model.
For those looking for a deal, used or refurbished mowers can be found at reputable shops beginning at around $100. Bargains can often be found at pawnshops or garage sales as well, but buyer beware: There is no warranty on the $35 chopper you pick up at a yard sale, and many pawnshops sell stuff “as is.”
“When shopping for a used mower, you should expect to pay more at a service shop than at a pawnshop,” said Dale LaBounty, owner of Gopher’s S.H.O.P. “But you’ll know it’s been tuned up, it’s been repaired and is safe and ready for use.”
Equipment with the “used” label has “usually been tuned up to the best of the shop owners ability,” LaBounty said. It has the original engine and parts but has been inspected, the blade has been sharpened, and all safety features are in working order.
A used unit usually will come with a 30- to 90-day warranty.
“Refurbished units will go out of here with a brand-new engine, brand-new parts and a two-year warranty,” LaBounty said. “The life expectancy of a refurbished unit is probably three fourths that of a new machine at half the cost.”
In addition to saving money, consumers of secondhand mowers keep innumerable mowers from the landfill.
“The younger the person, the more concerned they are about the green of the environment, but I think everybody’s thinking about ‘Why do we keep throwing everything away?’ ” LaBounty said. ” ‘Why don’t we repair it, fix it up, reuse it?’ “
LaBounty said he’s also seeing a resurgence of consumers looking for the old-fashioned push reel mowers. They’re less expensive, have far fewer parts so are easier to maintain, and many see it as “a way of conserving Mother Nature,” he said. As they are completely muscle driven, no petroleum products go into using them, and they do not put out any pollutants.
When purchasing a previously owned machine, consumers should give the unit a once over, looking for dents, dings and scratches as well as buildup of grease or dirt, wobbly wheels and anything that looks broken.
“It’s not always something you can tell with your naked eye, but if a machine looks like it’s been cared for, you can probably expect to get good service from it,” LaBounty said.