We purchased a Craftsman LT1000 riding mower which wasn’t our first pick in riding mowers or garden tractors, but the price was right and the kicker was an Agri-Fab Dump Cart that came with it.
After a new battery, new air filter, new spark plug, and a thorough cleaning of the carburetor, the Craftsman LT1000 proved to be a good runner. The mower deck was also in good shape and we’ve since replaced all the deck blades. All in, including the purchase price, a new battery and a few parts, and we spent 250 bucks. We couldn’t have bought the dump cart for that price, let alone a decent running mower.
Two years in and the Craftsman LT1000 has mowed close to 100 acres of lawn, and moved tons of tools, equipment, firewood, soil, tools, and manure. It is still running strong and we’ll probably keep it running until it dies.