You can find nearly anything on eBay, and mowers and lawn tractors are no exception. There are always machines available, sometimes new, but more often used. How do you buy one safely? What do you need to look for, and what questions should you ask in order to be sure you’re buying a good, reliable tractor or mower?

Sellers of outdoor power equipment are typically homeowners selling an old piece of equipment, reconditioners who buy old equipment, fix it up, and then resell it, or landscaping or property management companies auctioning off used commercial mowers.

Commercial Mowers

Sometimes, a used commercial mower can be a good deal. Many commercial mowers have been worked very hard and may have little life left in them. However, if you find a seller who has kept excellent records of the maintenance performed and hours used on the mower they’re selling, you can feel more comfortable about bidding on the mower. Also, keep an eye out for fairly new equipment being sold off because the business is closing.

Mowers and Tractors from Homeowners

Many small engine repair specialists recommend extreme caution when buying a mower or lawn tractor from a homeowner. It is common for people to buy a new machine and fail to maintain it, having it serviced only when a major problem crops up. The damage done to small engines under that sort of “emergencies-only” maintenance is often damage that cannot be repaired at all.

Questions to Ask

When buying on eBay, a seller’s good rating is valuable because it tells you the seller is usually reliable and can probably be trusted. However, there are specific questions you should ask about any mower or tractor before you bid, to make sure you’re going to get a machine that is worth buying. Remember, some machines may need repairs that will end up costing you far more than the machine is worth, if it can be repaired at all.

• How old is the mower? If they cannot tell you exactly how old the mower is, find something else to bid on, especially if the reason the seller doesn’t know is because they bought the mower from another owner. Having a full and accurate history on the machine will help you judge whether it is worth purchasing.

 

• Does the seller have the owner’s manual? Never buy a mower or tractor without an owner’s manual. If you really like the machine, but the seller doesn’t have the manual, check with the manufacturer to see if you can get a copy of the manual before you buy. The manual is vital for being able to properly care for the machine, to know what kind of regular service is needed, and to teach you all the operations and safety features on the mower. Manuals also show all the parts of the machine.

• Does the seller have a maintenance record for the mower or tractor? If they cannot tell you how often the machine has been serviced, when it was last serviced, and any repairs or part replacements that have been done, you may be bidding on a machine that has been damaged by neglect.

 

• How large is the yard where this machine has been used? The larger the yard and the longer the mower has been used on it, the more worn out the mower or tractor is going to be. This is particularly important when you’re looking at one of the less expensive brands of mower, which are typically not built to last more than a few years.

• Did the seller house the mower indoors? Mowers and tractors kept outdoors, even under a cover, usually have problems with rust. Be wary of photos showing a rust-free exterior if you know the machine was stored outside. It’s possible that the rusted spots were touched up with paint so the machine would look good.

 

• Does the mower or tractor have any of the following:
• Do the gears work or does the transmission run smoothly? Are there shifting problems?
• Are all the belts and cables in good condition?
• Does the engine burn oil or produce smoke when it is started?
• Does it start easily, especially on brands known for one-pull starts, such as Toro?
• Are the tires in good shape, or are they worn?
• Are the cutting blades solid and secure when handled, or are they loose?
• Is there any knocking in the engine or excessive vibration when the machine is operating?
• What does the cutting deck look like, both on top and underneath? Is it clean and free of dents and rust?

Ask for lots of photos, of the engine, the underside of the cutting deck, the blades, etc. See as much of the machine as possible rather than just a single photo of the entire mower or tractor. If you’re within driving distance of the seller, try to see the machine in person.

If you ask questions and the seller balks, doesn’t have answers, or ignores you, do not bid. A good, honest seller will understand why you want so much information and will answer your questions.

A Word about Scams

Problems with scams have haunted eBay users for years, and fraudulent listings show up in the sections for lawn tractors and mowers too. Variations of a particular scam have been reported time and again by eBay users, in categories from cars to large tractors to riding mowers. There are always new postings cropping up and uninformed shoppers who fall for this ruse.

If you see one or more of the following in an eBay ad, it is a scam:

• The posting is a one-day-only sale.
• The posting states that you should not actually bid, but should contact the seller off eBay, on their personal email address, usually because the seller is at work and doesn’t have access to eBay at the moment. If you do pursue this, you’ll be told that the seller only accepts payments through Western Union, but you are instructed not to tell Western Union that it is an eBay payment. The reason why is because Western Union is aware of these scams and will warn you if you say you are making an eBay payment.
• The ad instructs you to contact the seller through a non-eBay email address, because there is some problem with getting mail through their eBay ID. The real reason is because this eBay ID has been hijacked. That’s why fraudulent postings show up by sellers with good ratings and feedback.
• The ad is listed as a private auction, requiring you to contact the seller in order to be approved to bid. While there are legitimate private auctions, these are almost always for well-publicized big-ticket items for charity or other major auctions. A private auction for something like a lawn tractor should set your scam-alarm bells ringing.
• The seller is usually located overseas, often claims to have worked for the factory that manufactures the brand of tractor in the ad, and the ridiculously low price includes shipping from overseas to your door.

With large equipment auctions such as lawn tractors and riding mowers, it is absolutely imperative to remember this: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Don’t fork over hundreds or thousands of dollars to a con artist, no matter how much you want to believe in his offer.

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