Craigslist vs. A Dealer: How Should I Buy a Used Lawn Mower?

Buying Lawn Equipment from Craigslist vs a Dealership

When you are in the market for lawn equipment, choosing a used lawn mower can provide as much value as new in many cases. With significant cost savings, you can often find all the features and capabilities you need for your property, but being sure you know what you are getting is important in order to reduce headaches down the road.

What Should I Look for in a Used Lawn Mower?

When buying used, you should always keep a few things in mind to ensure you will continue to be happy with your purchase after several uses. Key aspects of buying a used lawn mower are as follows:

Will the Equipment Meet My Needs?

Be sure you are not making a purchase simply because it is a “good price.” Consider whether the used lawn mower is large enough for your property, or if it allows for attachments you might want to add. Buying a mower that doesn’t truly fit your needs will just create frustration or the need to spend more money on supplemental equipment in the long run.

Price Comparison

Before shopping for used equipment, make sure you have an understanding of what new equipment with similar features would cost. It is very likely that you can find a used lawn mower with everything you need at a great price, but depending on what is available in your area, you may find that spending a bit more on new equipment is the way to go to meet all of your needs.

Parts Availability

Whether purchasing new or used, your equipment is going to need maintenance and parts at some point. With used equipment, you need to make sure you are still going to be able to purchase those parts, so stick with familiar brands or shop at a dealer that can guarantee parts availability for your purchase.

Machine History

Learning as much as possible about the lawn mower before making your purchase is extremely important. If buying from an individual, take note of how much they are willing to share regarding the maintenance they have done. Can they provide service records? If buying used from a dealer, they should easily provide details on all the work they have done since receiving the machine and can sometimes provide records retained from the previous owner.

Where Can I Buy a Used Lawn Mower?

When you are ready to start shopping for your used lawn mower, there are many places to look. You can visit your local dealer or view their inventory online. You can also attend auctions or check out online sale sites such as Craigslist.

Should I Buy a Used Lawn Mower Online?

The benefits of shopping online are many, such as convenience and time savings. However, you need to make sure you either see the equipment in-person or that you are buying from a source you trust before making the final purchase. Sales experts at a dealership are there to help you find a solution that matches your needs and budget, but good sales experts should look to build a relationship so that you consider using their location for service or your next purchase. These relationships are often built on trust and honesty.

What are the Benefits of Buying a Lawn Mower from a Dealer?

While there are many places you can purchase used equipment, your local dealer definitely offers several benefits.

Variety

A dealer will often have many options on the lot, so if the first used lawn mower you see doesn’t meet your needs you can simply take a few steps to check out something else. When connecting with a seller on Craigslist you are usually traveling to see just one choice.

Service Records

You can easily see records of all the work that was done on the used equipment to prepare it for sale when shopping with a dealer. Dealers can also often provide a complete history of the used lawn mower if the previous owner had it serviced with them. When shopping used lawn mowers on Craigslist, you are connecting with an individual who may not have thought to retain service documents while they owned it, so you are placing your trust in what they remember or claim to be true.

Serviced by Certified Technicians

Whether the used lawn mower you are about to purchase has always been serviced by the dealer you work with or has just been seen in their shop for the first time, when you buy from a dealer you know that skilled, certified technicians have given it a thorough once over. This can lessen the chance of costly repairs and upkeep shortly after your purchase since they have been able to replace any worn parts and look for upcoming maintenance needs. When purchasing from a seller on Craigslist you may end up discovering that the machine is not in the shape you expected to find.

Find My Next Used Lawn Mower at Koenig Equipment

At Koenig Equipment, we are ready to help you find your next used lawn mower! We only take local trades, so we know the history of each machine we sell. And our certified technicians carefully prepare each piece of equipment so there will be no surprises.

Check out our used equipment inventory online, and then visit your local Koenig store to find your next used lawn mower!