# Why do you own the brand, type of lawn mower that you have?



## Yardman (Sep 30, 2013)

What did you base your decision on when you purchased your riding lawn mower?

Was your decision based on recommendation? Price? Quality? A combination of factors, Etc.?


----------



## thirdroc17 (Sep 24, 2012)

Yes? :lmao: Price, quality, ease of working on, easy interchange of attachments, family had them........


----------



## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

All of the above, the width of the cut, and the engine size.


----------



## bontai Joe (Sep 16, 2003)

When I was shopping back in the late 1970s (WAY before the interwebs) I went from dealer to dealer and sat on the tractors and collected old fashioned paper catalogs to study specs. Spent several minutes sitting on each one to get a feel as to control layout, leg room, could I reach everything easily and logically, and was it easy to get on and off of. I don't remember the brand, but there was one tractor I remember whacking my ankle on several times as I got on and off. If you plan on spending several hours on a machine each week, you want to be comfortable and pain free. I can't tell you to look for "X" or "Y" for control layout, because what is great for a 6'-3" right handed guy that weighs 300 lb, won't work so well for a 5'-6" left handed 135 lb woman. You also want to see if the attachments you have in mind are available for the model you are looking at, and how easy (or difficult) it is to attach and remove these attachments. Another consideration is availability of parts and service. I am assuming that you are looking at new machines? Then you want to check out your local dealer. Does he have a decent inventory of common parts? Is the service area clean and orderly, or is it a dirty. dark. dank area knee deep in old pizza boxes and parts wrappers? Do the service techs look like they work with pride in what they do? Or is it the owner's drunken brother-in-law who was peeing in the corner of the room when you saw him? Even if you plan on buying from one of the 
box" stores, you still need to check out your local dealer as that is where you are taking the machine for service and repairs.

If you are looking at used machines, most of the same things apply, but you have to add in some expertise on knowing what you are looking at. Is it worn out to beyond repair? Is it priced fairly for its condition? Will you be the one fixing/restoring it, or a local shop? And keep in mind that used seldom comes with any warrantee. I say that, and I've bought used tractors in the past 10 years and probably will buy other used machines in the future.


----------

