Riding mower

[bondser4]

So I'm new to this and am OCDing over a new riding mower. I only have a half acre of flat ground. I'm debating between a new Regent or Broadmoor. To complicate things, a guy in my area is selling a used 2014 Broadmoor with 45 hours on it for $2500. I have an older craftsmen that he's giving me $700 for so I'd be paying $1800 for the Broadmoor. I'm VERY skeptical of the used Broadmoor. Any advice on what to look for? Or is this too good to be true? And I realize the Broadmoor is more mower than I probably need, the I love the look and how it rides.

I also am a fan of the new JD S240, but again, idk. I definitely don't want a cub, craftsmen, toro, husq.

Any advice would be fantastic!!!

 

[dbotos]

For that kind of money, I'd probably look at some kind of used garden tractor with a rear hitch on it so I could do garden stuff too.

 

[bondser4]

I already have a Craftsman GT6000 garden tractor from the mid to late 90s. Time for something new. That tractor is 6 speed hi-Lo and is a tank. Turning radius is 20 feet....lol

 

[2ndhalf]

Honestly, I have had a Craftsman GT and I took it back to Sears the first year I had it. I was trying to mow too much for it but it was a POC. I couldn't make that trade fast enough if I were you, though I would be skeptical about why he wants to trade. Simplicity still makes good stuff and not made... at least they didn't used to be made by MTD but a lot of others didn't used to be either.

Welcome BTW!

 

[jenkinsph]

Honestly, I have had a Craftsman GT and I took it back to Sears the first year I had it. I was trying to mow too much for it but it was a POC. I couldn't make that trade fast enough if I were you, though I would be skeptical about why he wants to trade. Simplicity still makes good stuff and not made... at least they didn't used to be made by MTD but a lot of others didn't used to be either.

Welcome BTW!

I had a Craftsman riding mower, it ran okay and seemed to have plenty of power but I could not keep spindles in it. Bought a Deere L 130 and no trouble with spindles, 10 years old with the factory ones still working. But the k46 tranny needs rebuilding. Bought the x749 about 6 years ago and it does everything well. I have more use on the x749 than the other two combined and it functions like it was new.

I am not recommending a large mower or garden tractor for a half acre lawn. I do think a smaller quality built mower is cheaper to own than buying a low priced mower more frequently.

 

[brasco426]

The Simplicity is far and away one the best mowing machines out there. The Broadmoor is plenty of machine for what you need. Price wise, it is a chance on a used machine but on the bright side it only has 45 hours. Chances are if it was taken care of it'll be fine. Start it and listen to it, engage the mowing deck, put it through its paces. Who knows maybe the guy needs some fast cash and somebody could benefit from it. Good Luck.

 

[murphy1244]

Nothing cuts like a Simplicity, Nothing.

 

[2ndhalf]

Nothing cuts like a Simplicity, Nothing.

Wow Murph, you have a Ventrac 4500Y and your saying that about a simplicity... .thats quite an endorsement for Simplicity. I know Simplicity are good though never heard anybody do anything but rave about them.

 

[murphy1244]

Wow Murph, you have a Ventrac 4500Y and your saying that about a simplicity... .thats quite an endorsement for Simplicity. I know Simplicity are good though never heard anybody do anything but rave about them.

I had a Conquest with a 54" deck. Great machine hard to change attachments on. My Ventrac will stripe too but at twice the money.

 

[brasco426]

When I was a younger guy one of my first jobs was setting up equipment at a power equipment facility. They sold JD, Husky, and Simplicity. They sold every bit as much Simplicity as they did JD. Simplicity just builds a solid machine, the striping is the icing on the cake. Even their snow blowers are top notch!