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Message
re: Zero Turn Lawn Mower Recommendations
Posted on 7/31/21 at 8:03 am to DiamondDog
Posted on 7/31/21 at 8:03 am to DiamondDog
quote:
Scag are junk.
Scag is the benchmark for commercial mowers. You talkin' trash, baw!
1
Posted on 7/31/21 at 8:10 am to sosaysmorvant
Whatever. Not what I’ve heard. When I’ve bought ZTRs and Tractors for commercial/industrial use, we always bought Kubota. The only place I’ve seen people revere Scag or Gravely is on this board. There’s only one distributor for either in SWLA.
Posted on 7/31/21 at 10:41 am to Hold Dem Tigahs
Gravely HD series
Gravely does a really good job with this mower being a bit tougher than a normal residential, but still at a great price. I've had Exmark, Toro, Gravely, Scag & Hustler.
I'll buy Gravely forever. Scag is tough as nails, but they're so heavy. When we get a smallest hint of a drought, the weight can kill grass roots after one cut and you'll notice brown tracks for a while. Gravely to me has the best of both worlds. Tough and durable, without being overly bulky. This is just my personal opinion.
Gravely does a really good job with this mower being a bit tougher than a normal residential, but still at a great price. I've had Exmark, Toro, Gravely, Scag & Hustler.
I'll buy Gravely forever. Scag is tough as nails, but they're so heavy. When we get a smallest hint of a drought, the weight can kill grass roots after one cut and you'll notice brown tracks for a while. Gravely to me has the best of both worlds. Tough and durable, without being overly bulky. This is just my personal opinion.
Posted on 8/1/21 at 9:18 am to Hold Dem Tigahs
I general, a quality dealer will make the difference in your power equipment happiness. EVERY brand will have an issue, either big or small. If you have a quality dealer who has a good service department, large parts inventory and knowledgeable staff they can make the difference between you being pissed about your piece of junk mower always being broken and you telling people you love your mower and you've only had one small problem with it.
Another issue is buying a mower too small for your property. Not all welded decks are created equal! Spindles, transmissions, caster bearings and equipment under $3k is not meant to cut larger properties. People buy a $3K mower in Brand X and it doesn't last because their mowing 3 acres a week with it so the buy a $6K brand A mower and tell everyone it's sooooo much better than the Brand X mower they owned. It's not always apples to apples....
NOT EVERYONE WHO CUTS GRASS IS A 'PROFESSIONAL' either! It's a pretty cheap business to get into and there's no drug testing. So beware of the opinions of some of those guys. Look at the quality of the rest of their setup, is it clean, organized, well maintained? Was their 'brand' experience an actual brand issue or a dealer/service issue?
Lots of crap to weed through in the mower business.
Another issue is buying a mower too small for your property. Not all welded decks are created equal! Spindles, transmissions, caster bearings and equipment under $3k is not meant to cut larger properties. People buy a $3K mower in Brand X and it doesn't last because their mowing 3 acres a week with it so the buy a $6K brand A mower and tell everyone it's sooooo much better than the Brand X mower they owned. It's not always apples to apples....
NOT EVERYONE WHO CUTS GRASS IS A 'PROFESSIONAL' either! It's a pretty cheap business to get into and there's no drug testing. So beware of the opinions of some of those guys. Look at the quality of the rest of their setup, is it clean, organized, well maintained? Was their 'brand' experience an actual brand issue or a dealer/service issue?
Lots of crap to weed through in the mower business.
Posted on 8/1/21 at 2:10 pm to Hold Dem Tigahs
I have a Gravely ZT-42. I was going to get the 54" instead but was talked out of it by the salesman because he knew where I lived.
He said if youre cutting on a graded surface, youd notice it more if the mower was wider. He was right. He also mentioned that the 42" would fit through my 48" gate (if I wanted to use it rather than the 8' gate. He was right. And lastly he said it would fit into the back of a pickup truck with no trailer required. He was right.
I ended up with a less expensive mower, that served me better, with the only downside is that it takes me about 10 min longer to mow my lawn. I'm happy with the smaller model.
If theres one thing I'd do differently if I were to purchase another, I'd look for one with a steering wheel instead of the dual grips. Or, I'd ask to test drive one around the parking lot to see if it can safely be driven with one hand to facilitate holding a drink in my other hand. I cannot do this with my gravely.
He said if youre cutting on a graded surface, youd notice it more if the mower was wider. He was right. He also mentioned that the 42" would fit through my 48" gate (if I wanted to use it rather than the 8' gate. He was right. And lastly he said it would fit into the back of a pickup truck with no trailer required. He was right.
I ended up with a less expensive mower, that served me better, with the only downside is that it takes me about 10 min longer to mow my lawn. I'm happy with the smaller model.
If theres one thing I'd do differently if I were to purchase another, I'd look for one with a steering wheel instead of the dual grips. Or, I'd ask to test drive one around the parking lot to see if it can safely be driven with one hand to facilitate holding a drink in my other hand. I cannot do this with my gravely.
Posted on 8/2/21 at 4:13 pm to deuceiswild
Or, I'd ask to test drive one around the parking lot to see if it can safely be driven with one hand to facilitate holding a drink in my other hand. I cannot do this with my gravely.
Rookie. ??
Rookie. ??
Posted on 8/2/21 at 9:04 pm to ToroTiger
quote:
Buy from someone who services what they sell.
Winner.
If you're dropping money on a light-commercial or commercial machine this is 90% of it right here. For residential machines you can make arguments (Hustler Raptor, Exmark Quest, Toro Timecutter, Scag Libery, etc) for one over another but once you take that step up dealer is as important as anything.
Couple notes:
1) Don't fall for gimmicks. Front fork shocks, hydraulic/electronic deck lifts, LED lights, fancy suspension seats, and shite like that are usually more headache than they're worth.
2) Warranty is only as good as the dealer you use. Some dealers will honor it. Some will file it yet tell you it isn't covered. If you're looking for hand-held stuff, Stihl is probably the best I've ever dealt with. They approve virtually anything, don't let a dealer tell you otherwise. Hustler bucks a little bit sometimes.
3) Prices are stupid right now. They're basically jacking them up because they can't meet demand. Give it a bit and you'll probably see some ridiculous sales Spring/Summer next year.
Posted on 8/2/21 at 9:08 pm to DiamondDog
quote:
The only place I’ve seen people revere Scag or Gravely is on this board. There’s only one distributor for either in SWLA.
Scag is a solid brand but they're shitting all over their multi-line dealers right now chasing market share. Even some of their bigger ones. They're way behind on production (as most companies are) but rather than satisfying actual sold orders they're pumping units into areas where they know other brand's dealers can't get units. It might work for a bit but they've left a sour taste in quite a few dealer's mouths.
Posted on 8/3/21 at 6:36 am to Hold Dem Tigahs
I had a residential gravely zero turn few years ago.seemed always something wrong with it. Too light weight frame wise. Looking to buy something next year as back in the “ home “ business. I do think welded deck is way to go.
Posted on 8/3/21 at 11:30 am to bcflash
quote:
I had a residential gravely zero turn few years ago.seemed always something wrong with it. Too light weight frame wise. Looking to buy something next year as back in the “ home “ business. I do think welded deck is way to go.
Based on that I can guarantee it wasn't the ZT-HD that has been recommended several times in this thread.
Posted on 8/3/21 at 5:16 pm to Hold Dem Tigahs
Recently switched from an old JD tractor style to an ExMark 54” S Series. I love it. Only have 10 hours on it so I can’t speak to its longevity, but it cuts grass beautifully and I bought it mostly because I like the guys at the local dealer (it’s an Ace Hardware) and they service them there. I cut about 3 acres and it’s cut my time to do so about in half.
This post was edited on 8/3/21 at 5:25 pm
Posted on 8/3/21 at 7:22 pm to Hold Dem Tigahs
Buy a used commercial mower or demo model. If you can hold off, you can find a lot of good deals between the end October and right after Thanksgiving. Lots of businesses are trading in their equipment and others getting out of mowing altogether.
Posted on 8/3/21 at 8:24 pm to sleepytime
quote:
Buy a used commercial mower or demo model. If you can hold off, you can find a lot of good deals between the end October and right after Thanksgiving. Lots of businesses are trading in their equipment and others getting out of mowing altogether.
You may luck into one this year, but unlikely. Demo units went away last year and unless they're leaving the business commercial guys aren't replacing this year. The units just aren't there.
Posted on 8/4/21 at 7:50 am to BentonTiger7
Another vote for Gravely. I ran a ZT42 for 9 years and only had to change the belts once. I upgraded to a ZT-HD48 this year and its a beast. You really cant go wrong with Gravely, Scag, Hustler, Exmark, Toro, etc.. Just find a good dealer first.
This post was edited on 8/4/21 at 7:52 am
Posted on 8/4/21 at 8:31 pm to Srbtiger06
Some mfg still offered Demo and loaner units as I got a few in my Pre Season Order.
For the people that do not know, typically you buy x amount of units which are more of the professional series units. The dealer gets a discount off a unit or two to use as a demo or loaner. The mfg do this to encourage a dealer to demo or loan out units to get people to try these units. They also do it to encourage a dealer to stock more products.
This year I ordered the heaviest I ever ordered and ordered often even after the PSO’s. I sold out of my businesses in June. The new owners are happy as they are still getting units in. As soon as they come in they go out the door as sold.
This year I do not see many dealers offering discounts. How that works if x mfg gives a discount off a unit. The dealer eats a certain percentage and the mfg credits you for a percentage of that discount.
Just do not see a lot of dealers needing to participate in the discount programs this year.
For the people that do not know, typically you buy x amount of units which are more of the professional series units. The dealer gets a discount off a unit or two to use as a demo or loaner. The mfg do this to encourage a dealer to demo or loan out units to get people to try these units. They also do it to encourage a dealer to stock more products.
This year I ordered the heaviest I ever ordered and ordered often even after the PSO’s. I sold out of my businesses in June. The new owners are happy as they are still getting units in. As soon as they come in they go out the door as sold.
This year I do not see many dealers offering discounts. How that works if x mfg gives a discount off a unit. The dealer eats a certain percentage and the mfg credits you for a percentage of that discount.
Just do not see a lot of dealers needing to participate in the discount programs this year.
Posted on 8/4/21 at 8:43 pm to Srbtiger06
quote:
3) Prices are stupid right now. They're basically jacking them up because they can't meet demand. Give it a bit and you'll probably see some ridiculous sales Spring/Summer next year.
LOL! New price list coming out now for 2022’s and there will be no BIG spring sales. Prices are going up sharply and manufacturers have removed/cancelled many promotions for 2022. It will be worse than 2021 on the inventory side and prices will be up! If u find what u want, in stock, buy it!
Posted on 8/4/21 at 11:39 pm to Hold Dem Tigahs
My family owns Hills Equipment in Livingston. They have Dixie Chopper, Grasshopper, and BigDog mowers. Also carry the Ego electric mowers. Currently they are selling everything at the minimum advertised price set by each company. Here is my two cents:
BigDog is pretty much the same as Hustler. It has the same parent company, they are made in the same building, and many of the parts are interchangeable. They are red instead of yellow and BigDog has a better warranty than Hustler. The BigDog Alpha MP mentioned earlier is a great mower but it may be a stretch for 3 acres. Personally, I would look at a BigDog Stout. It is a couple thousand dollars more but it is on the verge of being considered a commercial mower.
We really like the Dixie Choppers. They are heavy duty and they are fast. We have many customers who have come in for service with 15 year old mowers and they love them. Take a look at the Zee 2 HP. I think that would be ideal for 3 acres. If you are willing to step up to a commercial mower, you can check out the Blackhawk. That is actually what I have for my 3 acres. More than what I need but once you sit on one it is hard to step down.
Grasshoppers may be the best mower out there. They are different animal. However, the price point is higher. They don’t make a residential model and the smallest mower they have is $6,500.
BigDog is pretty much the same as Hustler. It has the same parent company, they are made in the same building, and many of the parts are interchangeable. They are red instead of yellow and BigDog has a better warranty than Hustler. The BigDog Alpha MP mentioned earlier is a great mower but it may be a stretch for 3 acres. Personally, I would look at a BigDog Stout. It is a couple thousand dollars more but it is on the verge of being considered a commercial mower.
We really like the Dixie Choppers. They are heavy duty and they are fast. We have many customers who have come in for service with 15 year old mowers and they love them. Take a look at the Zee 2 HP. I think that would be ideal for 3 acres. If you are willing to step up to a commercial mower, you can check out the Blackhawk. That is actually what I have for my 3 acres. More than what I need but once you sit on one it is hard to step down.
Grasshoppers may be the best mower out there. They are different animal. However, the price point is higher. They don’t make a residential model and the smallest mower they have is $6,500.
Posted on 8/5/21 at 6:19 am to vettegc
I sold Dixie chopper until they went bankrupt and I took care of my customers. Other dealers customers I told them I could repair the items out of warranty. Just was not going to warranty units I did not sale as I ate the repairs. FYI after a certain speed they all no matter which mfg it is do not cut as well as advertised. Most people who use them do not care about the quality of cut anyway they are cutting fields and want to go fast. It is a gimmick to get people to buy them. Faster they go the more wear and tear and it comes quicker on the units.
Now bigdog vs hustler it is basically the same company. I would buy the big dog due to yes they have the better warranty.
WilsonPickett is correct the prices are going up up up. I sold my places in June. Still ordered monthly and those deliveries will come in 6 to 9 months from June 2020 if the new owners lucky. Pre season and show orders lol good luck.
Now bigdog vs hustler it is basically the same company. I would buy the big dog due to yes they have the better warranty.
WilsonPickett is correct the prices are going up up up. I sold my places in June. Still ordered monthly and those deliveries will come in 6 to 9 months from June 2020 if the new owners lucky. Pre season and show orders lol good luck.
This post was edited on 8/5/21 at 6:22 am
Posted on 8/5/21 at 6:43 am to vettegc
quote:
BigDog is pretty much the same as Hustler.
This used to be true, that changed in 2021 and will change even more in 2022. Hustler completely upgraded and redesigned there 2021 residential lineup. The Rex/Dash models are same but the BigDog Alpha & Alpha MP’s still use the bolt together frames which caused a NIGHTMARE of warranty issues.
In 2022 BigDog will be switching to Briggs PXi engines in their lineup and will no longer offer any Kawasaki’s ??! This is not good for BigDog. Even worse is have the Kohler Confidant & Command on commercial units. Those 2 engines have been nightmares
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not hating on BigDog, we’re a dealer for them also but the lineup changes and that bolt together frame needs to go. I hate the 7-yr warranty, it’s not a ‘real’ 7-yr warranty and it causes issues when I have to explain it to customers when their repair isn’t covered because, yeah it says 7-yrs but here’s the real coverage. You better fully explain it at the point of sale or get ready for the fight later.
Posted on 8/5/21 at 9:35 am to WilsonPickett
quote:
yeah it says 7-yrs but here’s the real coverage
What's the real coverage?
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