I've been mowing my 1/2-acre residential lot with a number of self-propelled 21" rear bagger/mulching Toros for years, and while it does a great job and the exercise doesn't hurt me, I would like to be able to save time and allow for other recreational pursuits after work (it doesn't help that my kids, i.e. hired hands, grew up and moved out). My budget won't tolerate a new mower, so I've been shopping around for a used zero-turn. I've found a couple options locally, and would like some guidance from you who are passionate enough about mowing to follow this forum. One mower is a 2002 Toro 16-44 zero-turn (three blades), with a mulch kit, for $1300. The mower is built like a tank, and is in very good condition for it's age - it's obviously been stored inside and well-maintained. The trustworthy dealer took it on trade from a farmer who buys implements from the business, and knows the owner used it to mow the lawn at his house on the farm. The dealer's mechanic went through the machine, serviced it, and says it's in great running condition. The other is a 2011 Toro 3200 zero-turn (single blade), also with a mulch kit, for $1100. The owner is a guy with a full-time job who picked up several lawn jobs for supplemental income. He needed the small 32" mower to get into the backyard of an apartment building that he took care of. He's selling his equipment because he said he just couldn't keep up the schedule of working full-time and doing lawns on the side. I talked to the Toro dealer that he bought it from (who remembered the guy), and he looked up the service records and verified that he bought the mower in the spring of 2012, and that the owner had annual maintenance done by the shop each year. This mower also appears to have been well-maintained and is in good cosmetic condition. I can fit either of these mowers through my gate to my back yard. Thoughts on the better bang for my buck?
