Buying used equipment to start up

[bennielsen]

I am trying to not have much overhead when I start a lawn care company. I am hoping to get 10 residential accounts and do them all in one day. Would it be ok to buy a used lawn mower, weed eater, and blower until I make enouph money to buy new equipment?

[KUSTOMLAWNCARE]

There is nothing wrong with used equipment, just look at it closely and talk to previos owner if possible to find out maint. history... Good Luck

[Grits]

Heck yeah buy used! IF it isn't beat to hell and is a decent price. Great way to save money and get reliable COMMERCIAL equipment. Perfect for starting.

[lawnpro724]

just make sure its used commercial equipment not residential.

[thefed]

many if not most in the industry started off used, at least i'd expect so

[Willofalltrades]

Honestly, the best thing you can do for your business. My John Deere HD45 walk behind cost me $1600. Still running with 1000 hours and still making me more than I paid for it in one week of cutting. Can't say that for my Walker just yet... maybe this season.

I don't like used 2-strokes though... Make sure they aren't going to crap out on you on your first spring clean-up.

[barefootlawnsandlandscape]

Agree with Will, buy used to start, I wish I would have. My profits would be a lot higher than they were last year, my first year. I wouldn't suggest used two stroke for weedeaters, edgers, or blowers. I would consider used chain saws, hedge trimmers, pole saws, etc. A used diesel is the way to go in my eyes. There are many out there with 1000 hrs., just broke in, at a good price. I had a Toro 3100d on the golf course with 4700 hrs on it still going strong when I left the business.

[ribbie78]

Used is the route I'm going too. You can find 2 of the same unit ; let's say 2 48" viking hydro's for around $2,000 each with under 700 hrs on them. If you're a solo operator (like me) if one is down you've always got an identical backup and can swap a part if necessary due to ordering etc. If new hydro's go for about 6K you could theoretically get 3 for the price of 1 new. Turf tracers go for about the same as a fixed deck viking in lots of cases....

Keep overhead low + productivity up = you should do fine

[cutbetterthanyou]

I think used is fine i just bought 2 used exmarks the only thing is no warranty. I wouldn't buy the weedeaters and such used they are cheap enough new. I personally only get a season if that out of my stuff before it is junk. It gets to the point where you spend more$ fixing it than what you can buy new for.
My suggestion on that stuff is pick out what feels comfortable and powerful enough use it till the warranty is out and then junk it. I have had various brands and all of them last about the same

[IRRITECH]

Buy it all used, even the two cycle stuff. I can run three crews w/ the handheld equip I have. All bought used and all runs. And it cost less than some of ya'll paid to run one crew.