Zero turn recommendations for Southern Vermont

[Bullwinkle123]

Looking for Southern Vermont specific suggestions.

Yard is probably under 2 acres, a fair bit of ... contour ... to ride along, buildings, stone walls, mulched gardens, the occasional tree.
Terrain is somewhat uneven but otherwise ... domestic ... and not too sloped, though there are some 3' grass banks (like steep mini-hills) in places, perhaps I will post a picture later.

The guys I've hired with their fancy zero turn mowers tend to get the cutting done in 45 minutes to an hour while _flying_ across the lawn at speeds I suspect are significantly more than 7MPH, but maybe it just looks that way.

I have read many of the topics here which are often dated, and I'm unsure of what dealers are in my area.

So looking for advice on where and what to buy in the So. Vt area. I know there's a Tractor Supply co in Greenfield MA, maybe closer, and Home Depot, and a John Deere dealer. There's the Kubota dealer in Walpole NH (which is where I bought my tractor).

Want something that will last and be easy to service, I'm getting older, trying to crawl under a poorly supported mower not my idea of a good time.

Preferably under $5k, but that's not strict, I appreciate quality. I'm thinking ~54", 60 probably too large, I need to scope out some of the pathways a bit and see if 54" is too large.

Cushioned ride also a good thing, but probably not a deal breaker.

Preferably with a killer bagging option to help with the fall leaf cleanup, but that's a secondary thing.

Thanks for suggestions.

 

[Streetcar]

Look at dealer not box store. I have exmark and like it

 

[metalbender]

Have add my two bits here. For the ride, check out the Toro My Ride system. At 69, I wasn't happy with the aches my old zt caused. Bought a Toro Titan after a short test at the dealer. Looking at the deck, I'll use a picker or the fel to lift for cleaning and sharpening. Note that the smaller JD z series have very noticeable small frame sections on the front. Good luck in your search.

 

[Bearsixty7]

See if one of these dealers is close to you, Dealer Locator | Spartan Mowers | Zero Turn Mowers

The SRT (Smart Ride Technology) line with the suspension seat is one of the smoothest riding zero turns out there.

 

[lennyzx11]

Hello from Bennington Vermont.

I have two Dixie Choppers a 48” and a 60 inch mowing 5+ acres weekly. They both have dump boxes.

Have been completely reliable and fast. Either one can do twice as much as the John Deere 54” that is not bagging.

 

[johncanfield]

I have a Deere Z945M which is 2x your upper price range but about mowing speed - this mower deck has a very high blade tip speed and can do a good job mowing at a relatively high ground speed. My old Gravely Promaster 100 ZTR did a lousy job of mowing at any speed but at least the seat was very uncomfortable .

 

[dalola]

I can't give you local advice, but I would kindly suggest to consider a used commercial unit over a new residential unit, given your budget. It's a much better *value*, given your selection criteria.

Check local turf dealers with good reputations (talk with some local landscape co.'s to see who they use).

 

[MESSMAKER]

I hear good things about the Toro Titan. I think a Scag Patriot might be a good choice as well.

 

[metalbender]

On the thoughts of a used commerciall machine. They don't get rid of a good machine, that's paid for and making money. Large companies regularly dispose of machinery when they can no longer depreciate it's value. Doubt that's the case in a small lawn care outfit. The aveage homeowner is far better off with a medium cost , full warranty new machine. Big box store bargains soon turn sour if you need service.

 

[Carl_NH]

For a smooth ride the Ferris IS800 or 2100 models, or Simplicity Citation also made by Ferris. They are owned by B&S and they are for sale but someone will likely buy them out. We have 3 + acres of grass, lots of trees and garden beds and takes me about 1.5 hours to cut. For leaves, I have a trac vac tow behind - but other options are a powered bagger on the Zero Turn.

There are many other very good machines Scag, Exmark as commercial machines too. I would get a 52" or 54" size and a suspension seat is a must for comfort. On pricing most near commercial machines will be $7K plus, and a powered bagger $1200 or so more.

 

[Bullwinkle123]

See if one of these dealers is close to you, Dealer Locator | Spartan Mowers | Zero Turn Mowers

The SRT (Smart Ride Technology) line with the suspension seat is one of the smoothest riding zero turns out there.

Ah, nothing remotely close. What's the premium for suspension rides? My Kubota dealer, who carries exMark, says he doesn't even carry the S-series because "it's like riding a canoe on the lawn". Surprised me.

 

[turbotom1052]

Southern Vermont here too and am presently mowing my undulating lawn with Husqvarna garden tractor with a 48 inch fabricated mower deck. Even at 48 inches I often wish I had a smaller mower deck. Never mowed with a zero turn, but I do know that most of the modern ones exceed 48 inches.

 

[Bullwinkle123]

Southern Vermont here too and am presently mowing my undulating lawn with Husqvarna garden tractor with a 48 inch fabricated mower deck. Even at 48 inches I often wish I had a smaller mower deck. Never mowed with a zero turn, but I do know that most of the modern ones exceed 48 inches.

I have a lot of contours and corners to navigate, so having watched the lawn services use zero turns the last 11 years, it does seem the way to go for me.

So far it looks like my dealers-in-area brands are mostly Kubota (I'm looking at the Z421 with seat upgrade, but wondering if Z700 which includes seat upgrades in base might be better),
and eXmark (not sure what I'm looking at yet, Radius of some form I would guess). Using the eXmark dealer locator there are what appear to be two small dealers nearby, and my Kubota dealer also sells them but doesn't seem to have many in stock.

No scags nearby.

Re: deck size, yeah, I'll be heading out with my tape measure today. I don't know the width of the mowers the services have been using but definitely have a few choke points to measure. I'm guessing 52-54 inches is the sweet spot for me.

 

[Peter 315]

The wider the deck you can mow around obstacles better so the tires wont hit it,.........

 

[shooterdon]

Some on here have had positive results buying used commercial units. Knowing what to look for and, in my case, a lot of luck would need to be in the mix. Like a previous poster mentioned, why would a commercial company get rid of a unit that was trouble free?

In my analysis, (I have 1.5-2 acres), I figure a ZT will cut my grass in about an hour. I cut grass and mulch leaves 20 times a year. I am 70 years old. Buying a unit that will last 1000 hours (50 years) is silly.

Investing in a more comfortable ride makes sense.

No one has mentioned it and maybe they are crap....but I tested a Country Clipper with joy stick control and it was amazing. It also offers a tilt up deck to make blade maintenance easy and safe. When I am ready to upgrade from my rider I will have the dealer loan me a unit for testing.

 

[BigNuge]

I’m on season 4 with my entry level commercial Husqvarna M-ZT 52. I got the Kawasaki motor, 3200 series commercial hydros, and the seat is extremely comfortable (though comfort is quite subjective). Thing flies, cuts wet/damp grass great, easy to grease and maintain. I was just under $6k out there door on this machine (Seacoast NH).

 

[fried1765]

I hear good things about the Toro Titan. I think a Scag Patriot might be a good choice as well.

I am also in New England, and in a similar situation to the OP. I am looking for the best deal on a Scag Liberty Z (48")
I definitely would like a Scag, but have some time to keep looking, as my JD 42" rider still works fine.
I am thinking I might find a Scag Liberty Z on an end of season sale.

The 48" Scag is currently available (promotion thru 8/31?) for $4799 at the Guilford, NH. Tru Value (no tax).
I may actually decide to go for that!
I do believe that I will enjoy the zero turn ease of use!

The difficult part of the decision making, is that with my veteran discount, I can buy a JD/Cub Cadet/Husqvarna ZTR from Home Depot or Lowe's for $2,800,... including tax.
$2,000 less than the Scag Liberty Z!
The real question is how much ZTR mower quality do I actually need/want at nearly 80 years old?

 

[BoylermanCT]

There is a large Hustler dealer in NH, not sure if they are an option for you. No sales tax. I have a 60” X-One my dealer in CT let me borrow as a loaner while my ZT was in for warranty work. Never gave the X-One back. Mows at 11 mph at 6 acres an hour. Has an air ride seat which floats over any bumps, holes and ruts. I look forward to mowing my 5 acres each week.

 

[lman]

Some on here have had positive results buying used commercial units. Knowing what to look for and, in my case, a lot of luck would need to be in the mix. Like a previous poster mentioned, why would a commercial company get rid of a unit that was trouble free?

In my analysis, (I have 1.5-2 acres), I figure a ZT will cut my grass in about an hour. I cut grass and mulch leaves 20 times a year. I am 70 years old. Buying a unit that will last 1000 hours (50 years) is silly.

Investing in a more comfortable ride makes sense.

No one has mentioned it and maybe they are crap....but I tested a Country Clipper with joy stick control and it was amazing. It also offers a tilt up deck to make blade maintenance easy and safe. When I am ready to upgrade from my rider I will have the dealer loan me a unit for testing.

I've had a Country Clipper Charger with joystick and 60" deck for a couple of years. It's great around trees or shrubs with lower limbs. One arm is free to push limbs away.