Cheap 21" mowers?

[AndyL]

Hey folks,

Need some help here, I'm stuck between a rock and a bunch of screaming customers! My John Deere dealer dropped the ball on me, the 6 mowers I ordered almost 8 weeks ago, still haven't arrived. Snows now finally gone... And I'm without any mowers.

Apparently they're on the other side of the continent due to shipping error (yippee). And are on the way, but its still going to be a week before they arrive. Barring any further screw ups. I spent all afternoon calling around to dealers within a 2 day truck ride, but none had the mowers I want. Tried to get the dealer to have the truck stop at an airport and put them on a plane, that didn't go over well...

So here's my question, I'm pondering heading over to walmart/canadian tire/sears and seeing what they have to offer. I figure if I buy 2-4 mowers, then I can keep the customers from screaming too much, and then I'll have some backup mowers for the rest of the season.

So, does anyone know if any of the store brands can do a half way decent job of cutting grass? I was looking at the Lawn Boys, I at least am familiar with them, although this whole 4 stroke LB seems somehow wrong :) But the price is a tad high for a residential piece of equipment thats probably going to spend its life in storage until it siezes up and gets tossed...

Suggestions?

Andy

[johnhenry]

Lawn boy , toro and honda there are no others in the 21 inch field as far as I am concern.

[laynlow]

The Scotts are made by JD now, but I sure would hate to throw money away. Locally here, a Honda Harmony II push only can be had for $299. Maby something similar would tide you over

[eslawns]

Can't you rent a mower? Why 21" mowers?

[AndyL]

Renting is an option, tho the quality of the rental mowers from the rental center are pretty sketchy (most are those cheap 79.99 specials) The dealers offered me the use of a 42" demo... I don't need anything that big. I have 2 properties I could use that on (man gates just wont fit big mowers, neither do stairs!) I'm used to doing 85% of my mowing on 21" mowers. Thats the way I was taught, if its under 10k sq ft push it.

Over the years I've gained a LOT of customers using that philosophy, it seems to work. Sometimes big mowers on small properties just doesn't look as good as small mowers.

Not to mention, this being my first season out on my own, $$$'s are starting to become tight, buying a nice new rider / wb isn't in the cards. (Would have to be NEW, I live 3.5hours from the nearest dealer of anything but john deere, and I wouldn't buy a JD riding mower)

Andy

[Mykster]

If you're just going to use these mowers until the new ones come in, why not by used ones? I'm sure you could find something in your local paper that would do the job for now. No sense buying brand new mowers for only a weeks wait on 6 new ones.

[f350]

21" mtd, light weight and disposable

[AndyL]

Ok, so after some morning shopping trips (not too many places in town to visit, makes it easy and more headache inducing)

I can get right now: That are in the price range I can afford and seem to have reasonable bagging options

LawnBoy (residential) 21" 5hp 4cycle Tecumseh (little more than I want to spend tho)
YardWorks 3in1 6.25hp Tecumseh Formula
Murray/MTD 21" 4.0hp
Murray/MTD 20" 5.5hp
Most of the craftsman mowers seemed reasonable too...

Also found some snappers, but they're a bit too expensive...

Suggestions? Those Murray/MTD ones looked pretty flimsy But they were the cheapest! Anyone have experience as to the cut quality they offer?

Can't wait for the JA60s to arrive!

BTW i'm in a small town, I've looked through the paper, no mowers for sale... No used landscape equipment stores... Only 3 major 'department stores' Makes it tough to get equipment. Part of the decision on the John Deeres was the fact that there is a dealer in town (although he doesn't carry anything in stock for anything Smaller than a Bobcat)

Andy

[Shadetree Ltd]

You should be returning the favor, drop the ball on the dealer and get 21" demos from him. He must have some kind of 21" in stock.

Scott

[AndyL]

Scott, This is heavy industry town... Not even a farm town...

He has some Nice big bobcats in stock... He's got a demo 42" rider with 66 hours on it, but I have little/no use for it... Lots of backhoes... Rock buggies (dump truck on HUGE tires, w/ pivot in the middle for steering) And there's a larger farm tractor :)

Big stock eh? The dealers used to equipment purchases that cost 100s of thousands of dollars, not a few thousand... He actually asked "whats a JA60", I found that amusing!

Andy

[Upstate Mike]

I am in the same boat you are in.This is my first year in business and everybody with a gate called me because nobody else wants to do them.I will take any work that is offered to me.I found the 21 takes way to much time and the 26 inch mowers will be perfect.I am looking at either a 26 inch Snapper or a Kee 26.You cant get either one for around 900.00 brand new.I have a Snapper 21 right now that cuts and bags really nice but is just to slow.

[Upstate Mike]

I use my 48 inch Hustler on the big front yards and the back yards that I can get to.

[Brickman]

The first 2 1/2 years I was mowing I used a discount MTD model. I really liked the way it mowed. It had started to badly nickle and dime me, and one day after it broke down for the 100th time I went and bought a new JD. After looking at other models I settled with the JX 85 and 75 models of John Deere. I was happy to find out that they gave a very similar look as the rear bagger MTD. The comment was made that they are disposable. Yes they are, but in your situation I would NOT pay much money for some thing better. I am certain that they would mow a week or two for you until the others show up.

[Tim Baden]

When I started my first lawn care company I used those flimsy 21" $79.99 mowers and they really worked out pretty well.If it was me and I knew my other mowers were comming I would go and get thoses cheap ones just to tie me over.Just my 2cents worth.

[AndyL]

I do have secondary thoughts in mind when I posed the question... I'm getting close to maxed out, for both of my crews. Means if I can find decent staff, I might be setting up a 3rd crew. In which case they would be semi-frontline mowers (I'd probably take them, as I'm the part time crew)

Thanks for all the input folks!

Andy

[lamblawnscaping]

Why not buy a couple 21's from big stores (wal-mart, home-depot, lowes, etc.) with no questions asked return policies. Use them for a couple weeks until yours arrive, and then take them back and say you didn't like the quality of the cut, or they weren't fast enough, or make up whatever you like. That way you could get decent ones and have the money back in a couple weeks.

[AndyL]

Because I don't believe in doing things like that. Do onto others as you would have done onto you.

How would you like it if you got a big cut at all your local walmart stores, contract signed sealed and delivered... Then they turned around and refused to pay after a month, hired cheaper competition. And sicked their corporate lawyers on you, because you failed to... (stupidest petty thing I can think of) Clean the garbage up blowing around the loading dock. (Contract said litter pick up)

Andy

[Richard Martin]

I did just buy a MTD YardMan 22" side discharge 6.25 hp high wheel selfpropelled mower from Lowes for $279.00. I was a little (allright, a lot) skeptical of buying this mower at first but it has proven to be a respectable mower if you're not going to use it a lot. It has a very nice cut and does a fine job of dispersing clippings.

I bought this mower because I could not justify buying a better, more expensive mower for the little bit pf grass it will have to cut. The average howmowner will put more hours on his push mower than this one will see.

[turfsup]

I understand what your saying about the ol golden rule AndyL, I try to live my life by it everyday, but it seems to bite me in the butt more than help me out. I have to agree with lamblawn on this one. Its the big stores that came up with the no questions asked return policy so why shouldn't you take advantage of it. I dont have to tell you how much $ those stores make. Your one or two returns wont make a bit of difference. Plus they will still make $ on it after they clean it up and sell it used- I see it in Home Depot all the time. I have a full time job which requires me to take in returns an exchanges and even if the merchandise is ruined we can still send it back to the company and get a credit. Believe me they're doing the same thing!

[AndyL]

Originally posted by turfsup
I understand what your saying about the ol golden rule AndyL, I try to live my life by it everyday, but it seems to bite me in the butt more than help me out. I have to agree with lamblawn on this one. Its the big stores that came up with the no questions asked return policy so why shouldn't you take advantage of it. I dont have to tell you how much $ those stores make. Your one or two returns wont make a bit of difference. Plus they will still make $ on it after they clean it up and sell it used- I see it in Home Depot all the time. I have a full time job which requires me to take in returns an exchanges and even if the merchandise is ruined we can still send it back to the company and get a credit. Believe me they're doing the same thing!

Sure... Goes back to the whole "nice guy finishes last" deal. I just do what I feel is right... Sure they're making a killing off us. But that's their choice! We live our lives how we feel we should... And if there is god, allah, whatever your belief... He can sort it out in the end. (No I'm not a religious person)

Andy

[Brickman]

Andy I am with you on this one. I wouldn't do what was suggested and take the used stuff back after a week or two. And you are right the nice guy always finishes last. But at least I can sleep easy at night.
I HOPE that it all gets sorted out in the end, because I have finished last way too many times, just by trying to be nice.

[AndyL]

I think things just got sorted out... Never been soo happy to see an inch of nasty wet snow in my life :) Apparently its supposed to continue for the next day or two...

Customers are off my case at least for the time being, now if I could just make the calls for estimates dissapear for a while :D

Andy