Let me start by saying I had my doubts about this DR Premier 26. Especially after reading some of the unbiased reviews others had written. But the warranty was ironclad (I am a legal type guy)
After doing the research we decided to buy one (and an extended warranty - $199.00).
I have had it for a few weeks now and will break the experience down into several categories for the reader:
1) Ordering and Price - Ordering was pretty straight forward, web site was clear and accurate and the unit I bought was on sale for $1399.00 - Happy with this category.
2) Shipping - Shipping is a bit .. lets say.. "creative"! The unit get shipped to a "depot" where you can go pick it up.. keep in mind these are very heavy and one person cannot pick it up and put it in a truck. It has to be driven into your pickup but you have to assemble it first because it comes in a couple of pieces on a pallet.. no one tells you that part. I wanted mine delivered to my ranch (They did this for free, but I need my forklift to get it off of the truck..) Delivery service was by contract carrier who did call me before delivery but arrived late (after 8pm) due to a break down en-route. In any case I got it off the truck and into my equipment building with my fork lift.
3) Assembly - Straight forward, easy and completed in a few minutes with standard skills and tools. Instructions were very good. Un-crating actually took longer as another reviewer reported.
4) Fuel, oil and start up - easy and no issues. Started right up on the second pull.
5) Operation/Brush cutting Day 1 - First day out and within the first hour the belt came off of the drive wheels.. this is not 'user-friendly so I took it into a local authorized DR repair shop - belt had been "put on wrong" according to the mechanic who proceeded to tell me that the machine was "junk" since Generac bought the company.. (I don't agree and frankly the kid was obnoxious anyway..). DR covered the repair under the warranty and I brought the machine home to continue working the following weekend.
Operation/Brush cutting Day 2: Fired right up and off I marched into the brush. The machine cut through 3 feet tall Chamise and Buck Brush and mowed down four feet tall grasses like a hot knife thru butter! Incredibly powerful it ran all day and I cleared two acres of land that hasn't seen the brush cut down in years. Someone described the experience as "wrestling a bear.." I agree -more like a big monster of a bear.. (I am a big guy but it wore me out after about six hours of up and down hill work through some of the toughest brush California has to offer.
Operation/Brush cutting Day 3: Manzanita, small hardwood saplings and rattlesnakes in the poison oak! I really pressed the DR into heavy labor through manzanita brush (very hard wood!), some oak and wild plum saplings and four foot high poison oak..(I don;t recommend this for the person who is effected by this plant.. it doesn't bother me.) I ran over two rattlesnakes while mowing the brush and grass down and the machine simply vaporized them! I am very pleased with the operational ability of the machine so far.
Operation - HILLS - Be careful.. the recommended 20 degree max is true - the machine is heavy and can get the better of you. The lubrication system is such that you cannot mow on inclines for very long over 20 degrees without risking oil issues.. the machine will also roll backwards if you're not careful when in neutral ("N").. I found that letting the machine work, works better than trying to manhandle it.
Fuel consumption - Use good fresh gasoline - It burns up the entire tank in about four hours.. it's about what one would expect from a 10.3 HP 'no name' engine. (It's actually a RADO 10.3 engine.. Google it.. as I said, "No Name".)
Air filters - A two part or dual air filter system will suck dirt like there's no tomorrow. Order extra filters and change often - follow instructions in the included operators manual.
Customer Service - Many thanks to the excellent customer service (especially the tech guys). Main complaint is that they get either a lot of call for service and tech advice or they don't have enough of them working the phones as it takes forever to get one on the phone - once on the phone they rock!
In conclusion - If you read this whole thing you have too much time on your hands - but thank you! This machine is WELL WORTH the money (especially at $1,399.00) - It will provide many years of hard labor for me and I suspect it will last beyond me to my heirs.
