Fair price for Walker?

[MWS LAWN]

I'm looking into getting a Walker for next year. A dealer around the area has a 98 model 20 h.p. 48in. cut w/ 9.5 hopper for 4999.00. Takes me about 45 min. to get to the dealer. Just wanting to know if it was worth the trip to look at. The dealer said the unit was bought from him and the purchaser took very good care of it. It has 1200 hours on it though.Uses no oil. Anyway a new unit was priced at 9700.00. I will only be using it for Fall cleanups and cutting some "island areas" for bagging purposes. Any thought would be helpful. Thanks

[LakeSide Lawn and Landscape]

Keep in mind that that mower is fixing to be 5 years old!!!Ithink that is expensive for any mower that is that old.You may want to sell it after you get it and have it for a while,(you never know?) Do you think you could get that kind of money back out of it???just my opinon.:)

[TLS]

Air cooled engines in Walkers last significantly LESS hours than on any other mower. HEAT is the culprit.

At 1200 hrs, that 20hp is about at its life expectancy in a "normal" mower (1500-2000) is about right. But with it being in a Walker... :confused:

Figure $1300 minimum for an engine if YOU do the work!

As for the rest of the mower...

There's an awful LOT of little 'stuff' on a Walker. 1200 hrs is a lot of hours to jiggle things that don't like to jiggle!

Like M&M said, can you get that out of it in a year or so? I have trouble getting $4K out of 4 y/o top of the line ZTR's!

If your just looking for occaisional use for leaves and stuff, look a little harder. I'd spend around $3.5K or so max. Maybe look for a diesel. At least you wouldn't have to worry about the engine issue!

[bluemoon]

Just FYI MWS Lawns, in Wichita, Ks they are selling 20hp,9.5hopper, 48"GHS for $8,100.00 new. I think that is a pretty good price. Sorry can't give any advice on used Walker.
Bluemoon

[Bill Davis]

I would not pay that much for the used Walker. Depending on where it was used the Hydros could be getting weak and if they go out it is around $1700 I believe. The motor is also a concern, and while putting a new motor in a walker is not all that hard I would hate to see you have to spend the money on it.

[Andrew S]

You guys should consider yourself lucky-down here in Oz a 20hp walker is $25000 brand new, a second hand walker would be worth $10000 to $15000

because of a lousy exchange rate we pay double the prices to you guys.

:D

[Bill Davis]

How do yall manage to stay in business?? Those are ridiculous. Could you order one from over here and have it shipped to you. That would probably save you lots of money even after the shipping charges. Just an idea.

[jsr2741]

Stopped in yesterday at the local toro dealer who happens to sell walkers. He had a 2002 walker, 48 inch, with the baging system for either $9300 or $9800.

Seemed a little high to me but this is the same guy who takes the packets of fuel stabilizer out of the 6 packs of opti 4 cycle oil and sells it separate.

[Mowing Freak]

Your lucky to live that close to your Walker dealer. This is just my opinion...I have been running walkers for 2 summers now and all 3 of my walkers were bought used. I haven't had any major trouble with them at all. Look on the walker web site at some of the old walker talk magazines and you will find an article on a walker with 13000hrs on it, yes thats thirteen thousand and he is still using it. The $5000 is just for kicks. Talk him down on price if you can. If he won't budge on price, go somewhere else! As far as heat related problems, keep the dust blown out of the motor and air breather clean as with any mower and you should be fine. I haven't had any heat related problems with my kohlers yet. Also, use a good brand of oil too. Hope this helps!

[LakeSide Lawn and Landscape]

13,000 is alot of hours but one out of a million arent that good of odds if you ask me. I still say that is to much:nono:

[theplantdoctor]

Originally posted by Andrew S
You guys should consider yourself lucky-down here in Oz a 20hp walker is $25000 brand new, a second hand walker would be worth $10000 to $15000

because of a lousy exchange rate we pay double the prices to you guys.

:D

Same here in Canada. I will be getting another one in the spring. Diesel, of course, and it will be setting me back $21000.00 CDN. :(

But--what are you going to do? For my business, they are the BEST.

Ken

[theplantdoctor]

Originally posted by MandM Lawn Service
13,000 is alot of hours but one out of a million arent that good of odds if you ask me. I still say that is to much:nono:

I wouldn't say "one in a million", too fast. Our first Walker, a '93 diesel, just hit 13112 hours. Still running strong, origional engine, origional hydros (don't ask me how, cause I'm baffled too), well maintained, used as hard as the rest of the equipment, (but NOT abused in any way). We just put it to bed for the winter, and we know that it is not done yet. I MAY trade it in the spring, but it runs so well I hate to give it up. Only "major" expense has been the starter and dyno.

Ken