2 recent buys

[mhatkins]

hey guys! here are 2 pics of recent buys I got off of craigslist. @ weeks ago I got the 5x8 trailer for $900, and yesterday, I bought this 2001 Ariens EZR 1742 for $500. Im looking at a 48" Giantmow walk behind for $500. Not sure whether to get that or a 5x8 open trailer I'm also looking at.

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[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

Those look great! Give us the low down why you chose them. Why the enclosed vs the open and why that brand of mower?

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[mhatkins]

Both the trailer and the mower were a "luck of the draw" happenings. I wanted an enclosed trailer to protect from the weather and theft. Plus, it's a nice place to put your advertisement! I wasn't really in the market for a zero turn. I wanted a 36"-42" walk-behind. It's what I have alot of experience on, and they do great work in the right hands. However....a 2001 zero turn for ONLY $500???? With nothing wrong with it, and it was garage kept? You'd be a fool to NOT get it. At the worst, you could resell it for a profit.

[picframer]

Man you got a smoking deal on that trailer, I would love to have a small cargo trailer but they are desperate expensive here, one like yours, used, if I am lucky would be $3,500++ and finding one is next to impossible, the plan was to drive south and buy one over the winter but time being what it is I just never found any

Andy,

You could likely buy a brand new one here in that size for less than $3500.00. I saw a good used tandem axle sell at auction for less than $3,000 back in November and everyone said it sold high. I think I saw several single axle trailers, similar to the one pictured, listed for about a grand here locally.

[picframer]

Originally Posted by SuperiorPower

Andy,

You could likely buy a brand new one here in that size for less than $3500.00. I saw a good used tandem axle sell at auction for less than $3,000 back in November and everyone said it sold high. I think I saw several single axle trailers, similar to the one pictured, listed for about a grand here locally.

What is happening is most of the enclosed trailers around here are made in the deep South, Florida and Atlantia, by the time they get here through so many middle men and trucking the prices are way over the top.

I would skip the giant mow
I bought one of them new in 1996 for $1800 and it was not that great.

[StartALawnCareBusiness]

That's a great price on that trailer.

Are you going to get some lettering done or put your logo on it?

[mharbert]

I personally have a 6x10 trailer and I'll be the first to tell you that they aren't made for mowing. Yes, I'd agree your purchase price was great, but I'd also bet you sell that thing by the mid season.

The problem with these smaller (5x8-6x10) trailers are the rear doors. They swing sideways and the rear doors do not act as a ramp to load and unload. (This means two things. First that you have to mess around with ramps.. Wait till the first time a ramp slips out from under you and down goes the mower.. I had it happen last year. Do not park With the truck going uphill..) Second is that the trailer isn't built heavy enough to support a load using ramps on the back of the trailer.. You'll see stress starting to crack your plywood flooring.

Yes, enclosed trailers can be nice for some things, but 30-40 times a week messing with ramps will probably put the trailer up for sale and take that $900 profit to get a larger trailer.

If you plan to have a walk behind and that zero turn you might want to check into a 6.5 x 12 open trailer.. You can still have a single axle for this size and the only thing better is a 24 foot with side ramp

Great prices, Good luck this season!

[Steve]

Are any of the larger enclosed trailers any better at this or no?