Any recommendations for a ride on lawn mower please?

[MoonlightS0nata]

The old one has given up the ghost, so we need to replace it before the garden becomes a jungle! Apparently John Deere are very good (according to my gardener), but they are also quite expensive. Ideally, I don't want to spend more than £2k or £2.5k at a push.

Do you think it is better to go for new or second hand? What makes/models would you recommend?

Ok, I know it is a bit dullsville compared with choosing a new fridge/kitchen, but all advice gratefully appreciated!

We got a new John Deere mower last year for £2550 (an X135R). I decided it was best to go for something a bit more expensive that should last us a long time. I think there was one slightly smaller model. It replaced a very decrepit old Westwood so the John Deere is a dream. We opted for a grass collector rather than a mulching deck as was told you need to mow more often over the summer with a mulcher. I kept my eye on eBay but second hand was still quite expensive, so they seem to hold their value.

Forgot to say our neighbours gardener who also services mowers recommended Husqvarna & Honda too but can't recall which models.

Thanks nice. Having done a bit more research I think you are right that it's probably better to invest in a better model, which should last longer and will also keep its value better.

Hi there, we started off wanting to spend the same as you on our first tractor/mower but our garden had too many hills/inclines that a lower powered JD could cope with. We ended up spending £5k and really that wasn't sufficient (sorry can't remember exactly the model but started with a 5?) sadly that got nicked after a year so we just spent the insurance money plus a bit buying one for £7.5k (think it has a 7 in the model no) and was the model we should have bought jn the first place. My advice would be to look at the power rating of anything you are considering buying, consider your grounds in terms of hills etc and then get a wheelclamp and tracker for anything you do buy. From friend's experience second hand is more trouble with out of action downtime. Don't forget to factor in service costs too (like a car). JD's are always valuable second hand too if you need to sell it.Good luck!