Recommendations for zero turn mower

I have a John Deere big box z425 that I’ve beat the ever living shite out of for coming up on 15-20 years and she still runs great with regular maintenance. And I’ve had work done to it at the local John Deere dealer with no hassle. Don’t let people here convince you big box mowers are crap or that you’ll be ostracized for it from mechanics.

Take a ride out to Hills equipment on fla blvd in Livingston. They are some honest folks that have been there nearly 80 years. Tell them what you are using it for and they will tell you what they recommend with pros and cons. I've seen people come in wanting a high end mower and the guys there talk them into something more affordable so they didnt pay for something they didnt need. Good people over there. I just bought a Bad Boy ZT elite from them.

Hustler, have commercial and home models.

Check Facebook marketplace. Lots of times you can find a commercial unit (Scag/Exmark) with low hours within your budget.

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That’s what I did. Found on marketplace a few years ago. Bought a late model Scag Turf Tiger 72” with an about 900 hrs on it. It was like a $16k mower when new, I got it for about $5k. One of the best deals I ever made and the thing is a beast.

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Nice!!

Out of curiosity, how many hours on a commercial style mower like that is considered "a lot?"

Buying any riding mower boils down to one thing over the long hall, maintenance. If you DIY, can you get the parts you need and how easy is it to maintain? If you like service how reliable is a dealer you can access?

Once you spec it out, any zero turn can cut grass. But keeping them running is where the happiness lies.

I have the 50 quest from exmark. Three years similar lot
Mows great and affordable

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I have a Gravely ZT HD 52” with a Kawasaki FR691V engine

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I have the same mower. Bought it last year from Geautreax's Outdoor for just under $5k. It's been a solid mower so far.

OP, a lot of the brands listed in the tread so far make good reliable equipment. When I bought mine, I did a ton of research. Most complaints I found were with mowers using a Kohler engine. That being said, I found a few complaints about mowers using Kawasaki engines too. So it came down to finding one with the features that I liked that fit within my budget. I was split between the Hustler and the Gvavely. In the end I chose the Gravely becasue of the anti-scalp wheels and the deck lift system.

Good luck!

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Buying any riding mower boils down to one thing over the long hall, maintenance. If you DIY, can you get the parts you need and how easy is it to maintain?

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To beat the maintenance headaches consider a battery powered electric ZT. It would be a great fit for an acre.