Changed my mind about those 'too cheap' commercial mowers

Honestly, I used to think any mower under $3k for commercial work was a waste of money. A buddy in Dearborn kept pushing me to try a used Toro he found on Facebook Marketplace for $1,200. I finally gave in after my big John Deere broke down for the third time last June. That little thing has cut through overgrown lots without a hiccup. Anyone else have luck with budget equipment that surprised you?

2 comments

2 Comments

black.mark1mo ago

Stumbled into a similar situation myself last fall. Picked up a beaten up Exmark from a guy who was clearing out his garage for $400. Expected it to last maybe a season at best. That machine has been running strong for eight months now with nothing but basic oil changes. Started noticing that sometimes the really cheap stuff gets neglected more for cosmetic reasons than mechanical ones. It taught me to look past the paint and focus on the engine health instead.

casey8431mo ago

Buddy of mine did the same thing with a John Deere. Paid three hundred bucks for it. Looked like it went through a war. Fenders were all dented up, seat was torn, deck was rusted to crap. Engine fired right up though. That mower is still running strong three years later. Paint job is still ugly as sin.