Zero Turn Mower Recommendations

Howdy.

I know there's still snow on the ground but I'm thinking this is the season I get onto a zero turn mower. I mow about 2 acres with John Deere LA145 Lowe's price point special, and it does the job, albeit kinda slow. I have a fairly wide open and level property - not a lot of trees to mow around - but I'm thinking I'd like the speed that a zero turn offers.

Does anyone have any experience with the Cub Cadet zero turn mowers? Researching them online, it seems a lot of them have their transmissions break down at 250-300 hours. Dunno if that is common or not on residential zero turns. Husq makes a decent mower, too it seems.

Any words of wisdom are welcome. Thanks.

 

If you are over 45 get a ferris,if you are under 45 take your pick between scag, ex mark,bobcat,toro,Deere,husky etc.I would stay with commercial grade if you want it to last.

 

I have a Bad Boy commercial that has been bullet proof for 5 years now. It has a Kawi engine and Parker/Hydrogear pumps and drives....same as other big names.

Don't buy the mower....buy the components...engine....pumps...drive motors...deck type. A lot are used on several brands and the price difference may be the color of the paint.

Avoid homeowner gear if possible.

 

Ferris has suspension so the ride is awesome.

I run exmarks for my biz. I like the cut they give.

With that said, get a used commercial grade mower, not a homeowner grade. They are built much better and you will be able to sell it or trade it in when the time comes. Home owner ztr units are junk imo.

A used commercial mower will be alot more expensive come spring so look and buy now to save $.

 

I'm very fond of Hustler. I own two and they both have given me great service.

 

I like Scag and Dixie Chopper. Both are commercial and have held up well to abuse.

 

I have a Kubota 18 HP diesel 54 inch cut. it has been a great mower, I would highly recommend them, i talked my Grandmother into getting one for her orchard and yard, my uncle cousins I mow for her, and it is great, bought them both used at the dealer, Commercial guys trade them in after about 200 hours

 

I have a Gravely HD60. It's their 'pro-sumer' line. It's pretty well built, Kawasaki engine, fabricated deck, cast iron spindle housings. It was priced the same as the Bad Boy at TSC, but a much better mower. I think it had a three year consumer, one year commercial warranty.

It might be for sale if I get my house sold. Where do you live?

 

Grasshoppers new or used are my choice. You can't hurt them. I've got a 1993+- 52 inch deck 718 Koehler engine that I bought used in 2001 ($3500) still going strong. I used it as a commercial mower on a few commercial business's for three years and on my 3.5 acres. Does burn a little oil now.

 

Lots of good info on here.... I used to work lawncare and landscaping. Had to use a cub cadet before.... Lots of replacement parts and horrible ride and cut.

 

Thanks fellas, lotsa good advice here. I knew I was a little leery of the homeowner models based on my JD mower experience.

All things being equal, the Ferris 600 looks good to me. I like the suspension feature and I think the wife might be willing to use it. Im willing to spend the $ if its gonna work well for next 10-15 years.

Next Q: 18hp Kawsaki or 25 Briggs? Sounds like most like the quiet operation of the Kaw? And the reliability?

 

Bad Boy, no complaints here.

 

Kawi liquid cooled engines are great...but I don't think you'll go wrong either way.

 

<---Kaw fan here also.

With that said, any motor these days, if the oil gets changed regularly, will last well past 1000 hours. I bet my exmark (no meter) has 2K on it.

Your 2 acres with a ferris, or any decent ZTR for that matter, will take you an hour or just over it to mow. So if you mow 35 weeks a year x 15 years, you still wont have 500 hours on it.

Keep the oil and hydro fluids and filters changed, monitor for any leaks, and it will be the last mower you ever buy. If you do ever decide to upgrade, a homeowner owned, commercial machine, will sell faster than twinkies at a weight watchers convention and for a good resale also.

Make sure it has a beer holder!

 

I'd go with the Kawi as well.

Unless you want the features like a suspension seat and full floating deck, a lot of the manufacturers off a "pro-sumer" line. I went with a Dixie Chopper pro-sumer, but was looking at a Exmark as well. Like bocefus78 said, I only put 45 minutes a week on it mowing my 1.5 acres with a 50", so I expect to get a long life out of this as long as I do my part.

 

I put about 50 hours per year on mine mowing 3 acres.