re: Zero turn mower recommendation

If you are buying for regular home use (not lawn service use), Gravely or Ex-mark and it's not even close.

Do not get anything from Lowes or Home Depot. Won't last as long and good luck getting service.

Dixie Chopper

I got 15 years on an Exmark 60 cut, they last forever. It's on 1 acre home use. I bought it second hand with 40 hours for a steal. $4000.01. The penny was all I was going to give him about $4K. He laughed and walked away with cash. This thing is tough. Never broken. Belts, oil, regular maintenance.

Ex Mark. Get you a mask, goggles and earplugs.

I sold exmark until Toro took them over.
A lot of dealers sold them due to they gave you a free demo unit. That is more cash in your pocket if you work their plan. Quality wise they were ok nothing special for the price.
The residential line is not what it is cracked up to be and is not even of the quality you can buy at a big box store.
When they went to a plastic idle pulley for the deck I dropped the line. Way too many pissed off customers having issues with the deck and plastic $90 retail price pulley that needs replacing.
The upper tier lines are avg quality.
I have other lines that are better quality for the same price.

Under $3,100 it is extremely hard to find a unit that is nothing for than a residential unit.
The transmission are close if not the same hydro gear units, engines are kohler or Briggs or Chinese made for mfg (Toro comes to
Mind). Decks even if the are fabricated have residential grade spindles. At that price point you get what you pay for. Yes, even hustler at this price point is a pig with lipstick I sell them and service them. Not much you can do under $3,100 to make it more than a residential unit.

You do get a lot of guys that try to use them for commercial applications or in heavy field grass with stumps that tear these things up no matter which brand it is.
I see husqvarnas come back after 3 days looking like they were drug through a mud pit and the deck destroyed. That is the end users fault not the mfg. I seen some last 10 to 15 yrs with spindle changes every 5 years or so. Yes, I seen cub cadets, Troy-bilts, husqvarnas, hustlers, country lines, exmark residential series, JD residential line, and craftsman still in service that go back to 2007 in my shop. These guys got their money out of these units and he or she came out better than buying a commercial or pro/consumer unit. They may need a few parts changed but they paid less even after repairs because they all break. More you pay the more the repair bill typically is.

Yes, I repair for an extended warranty company bad boy they are ok and nothing to write home about. For the price it is an option also.

Yes, My dealerships are in the Midwest.
I have won dealer of the year awards for most of the major brands over the years and seen a lot of changes in the industry.
I got out of dealing with commercial landscapers because all you do is exchange dollars over the counter.

I still carry commercial or specialty units (golf course robots that mow by gps) for smaller country clubs or residential people that want a beefier unit or have a lot of land.

I see a lot of these units in my shop because I have either sold them or repair them under extended warranty companies. My shops turnover around 1200 to 1700 units a month so I see a lot of units and a lot of issues.

Biggest thing is getting the right unit for your applicatiion, not leaving gas sit in the units over a long period, and cleaning grass or debris from around pulleys. 9 out of 10 units we service are because of premature wear or carb or injection issues with residential customers.

Buy used scag or exmark

Go to your local tractor dealer and buy from them. You'll get the best service. Toro, Graveley, Bad Boy, Kubota..... all good machines.