Just saw my first $80,000 lawnmower

[TractorGunn]

What’s crazy isn’t spending 80k on a mower to make money. Crazy is spending 6+k on a mower and wasting tons of life cutting large lawns at home.

That depends on what you do during the ride. I spend it listening to podcasts, like this Podcast and this Renewing Your Mind | Means of Grace: Baptism | Jul 31, 2024 Edition along with several others.

 

[TractorGunn]

I test mowed a nice Ferris Zero Turn at my nearby NH dealership. When I asked about the 0% financing option they told me "you can do that a for an 8% premium on the purchase price"! - LOL!, WTH?
Made me reconsider my relationship with them. (It is where I bought an NH compact utility tractor, years ago.)

I'd tell them to go pound sand: No Interest 48 Months | Financing Options | Ferris

 

[WinterDeere]

I'll take a shot at that...
For my use of 35.45 acres per week :
Diesel gallons = 14.5 / wk
Diesel at $3.85 = $60 / wk
---
Gas gallons = 29 / wk (conservative)
Gas at $3.25 = $94 / wk
---
So $34 less per week on diesel, times 28 weeks of mowing equals $952 less per year diesel fuel cost.
Fuzzy math : 10 year diesel life expectancy at 500 hours per year (conservative). So over 10 years running the diesel costs $9500 less in fuel use. Rough numbers for Kubota gas commercial zero turns are $5000 less than a diesel (z700 vs zd1211).

So for my use I think 5 years is about the break even point between gas and diesel. There are other factors to consider like resale value, and that a gas mower is not likely to last 5000 hours without at least one repower.

That roughly aligns with my expectation, that the break-even had to be somewhere way above any typical ~10 acres per week number. Your near-break-even at 35 acres is a useful number, and shows that the commercial guys can easily justify diesel, but most homeowners probably not.

And to those calling out $3400 dollars for good used mowers, you are exceptional cases. That’s great, you were able to get a new commercial diesel mower with no problem other than a loose hose clamp for that price, but that’s not what most are paying for theirs.

 

[sorleski]

Prices I'm seeing are closer to $60k, but maybe we're comparing different variants:

2024 Exmark Lazer Z Diesel 96 in. Yanmar RD 37 hp in Walpole, New Hampshire

For a variety of reasons, the diesel-powered Lazer Z mowers may be the right choice for your cutting needs.

www.pinnacleviewequipment.com

It's also a triple deck, not "like every other zero turn I've ever seen".

They got a 12 ft for 92K

2024 Exmark Lazer Z Diesel 144 in. Yanmar RD 43.5 hp in Walpole, New Hampshire

When maximum productivity, durability, and cut quality are your priorities, the new Exmark Lazer Z Diesel zero-turn mowers are the right choice. When equipped with the new industry-leading 144-inch UltraCut™ Flex Wing cutting deck, the Lazer Z Diesel can mow 11.5 acres per hour, making it the...

www.pinnacleviewequipment.com

 

[Grumpy GrandPa]

Check out the Toro Z Master 144" zero turn, it has quite the price tag also !

 

[RjCorazza]

It's not all about cost either. Handling that amount of gasoline per week is a royal pain! Diesel is soooo much easier to deal with.

 

[sorleski]

That roughly aligns with my expectation, that the break-even had to be somewhere way above any typical ~10 acres per week number. Your near-break-even at 35 acres is a useful number, and shows that the commercial guys can easily justify diesel, but most homeowners probably not.

And to those calling out $3400 dollars for good used mowers, you are exceptional cases. That’s great, you were able to get a new commercial diesel mower with no problem other than a loose hose clamp for that price, but that’s not what most are paying for theirs.

I have a 2011 or 2012 grasshopper with a 61 inch deck, 27hp diesel (i think) paid ~5k at auction, 1000 hrs on it, needed to 2 belts and it has ran since that day, with normal maintenance.. it was 10 years old when I bought it, not NEW

 

[nextofkin]

It's an Exmark Lazer Z 37hp diesel. No fancy cab with AC. Looks more or less like any other zero-turn I've seen.

I'm hoping someone who knows more about these things can answer a question for me. Is there ever an actual business case to be made for a mower that costs as much as my 75hp tractor? I just can't make sense of it.

That remines me of years ago I was going to buy a new lawn mower about 15 to 20 years ago, went to the local John Deer Dealer salesman met me at door told him what I wanted, riding lawn mower cut about 1 1/2 acres, he showed me a nice John Deer mower I asked about price he said $10,000 I told him I just want to cut the grass not to ride it to town he left went to Home Depot and bought a Cub Cadet used it until about 3 years ago

 

[WinterDeere]

I have a 2011 or 2012 grasshopper with a 61 inch deck, 27hp diesel (i think) paid ~5k at auction, 1000 hrs on it, needed to 2 belts and it has ran since that day, with normal maintenance.. it was 10 years old when I bought it, not NEW

That's honestly not a bad deal, but at least more inline what I'd expect. And it cost you a day of work or vacation to do it.

zzvyb6's $3400 for a newer diesel machine with not a problem but one loose hose clamp is not typical, at least around here. And besides, I thought the OP was all about new machine pricing, not rare auction deals.

 

[BruceSH]

It's not all about cost either. Handling that amount of gasoline per week is a royal pain! Diesel is soooo much easier to deal with.

Good point that I was going to mention. Also just being able to work all day without fueling is a great benefit to us when using our diesel powered stuff. Not to mention transportation hazards of hauling gas vs less volatile diesel.