Reconditioned and secondhand lawnmowers

[yellowploppy]

Sorry new to the forum do here goes.

I just bought my first house and now find I need a lawnmower.

Does anyone happen to know any old blokes who recondition lawnmowers in their spare time for sale or any good shops that sell reasonably priced secondhand mowers.

I am located in Pennant Hills in Sydney, NSW.

Thanks for any help you can provide

[dazzler]

Try ebay and stick with victa 2 strokes. Easy and cheap to repair. You can get a bargain if your patient.

Just send the owner an email asking how many pulls does it take to start from cold (no more than 3) and whether it can rev slow and fast (indicates a vaccuum leak if it only revs high). If you win go around to get it if it doesnt start in 3 pulls walk away.

And if you need to fix it there is plenty of help on the forum.

Just dont touch used 4 strokes as they are more complex.

[Spelunx]

I recently bought a 4-stroke for $80. Absolute bargain!

Have a look on the Briggs and Stratton website, there is a code stamped on each of the engines, and part of it is the date of manufacture. This gives you a rough idea of how old the motor is. My understanding is that it can take a while for the engine to find it's way to the lawnmower manufacturer, and then onto the show-room floor, so it may be up to 12 months after manufacturing that the engine actually got used to cut some lawn.

Make sure you do your research. The lawnmower I bought was a top of the range jobby, with ball-bearing wheels and a large 4-stroke Briggs and Stratton, it has heaps of horsepower, and replacement value now-a-days would be $800-900+. There are a bucketload off el-cheapo Victa's and Rover's etc on the market in the last few years, they have no-name engines on them, and really aren't worth even looking at IMHO. The engine will lose horsepower as it ages, but if it din't have any to start with, you are in deep trouble 5 years later!!! If it was a top of the range one a few years ago, it will more than likely stand the test of time. Have a look at the manufacturers websites, and do a search in the local rag and Evilbay under sold items, so you have a baseline on price and age. Have a look at a few before you buy, even if you miss out on a bargain, by the time you have seen a few, you will at least lessen the likelyhood of getting ripped off!

So, bottom line, if it has B & S or Honda stamped on the top, it starts within a couple of pulls, and doesn't blow smoke for too long, buy the thing!

I bought mine for $80, spent $40 on an air filter, spark plug, new blades and some 4-stroke oil, and Roberts your Mothers Brother, as they say. I am aiming to get at least 2 years service, possibly as much as 5 or 6, and I will be well and truly ahead!

Cheers and Goodluck!