zero turn mowers EXPENSIVE

[Frankenkubota]

Surprise.

since retired, I try to buy nice used cars. Im finding out I have to spend 2 to 3 times what I spend for a car on a lawn mower! This time, I'm buying all new stuff!

If I choose Kubota, it's 4 to 5 times as much!

i'm going to have appx. 5 acres of pretty smooth grass to mow, just planted winter rye and it's popping up everywhere! 3 of those acres have large pines, 15 to 20 ft apart. All my local advisers are telling me zero turn will be the best solution.

I have been shopping and am leaning toward the Huskvarna Z254F. It has a Kohler gas engine. It also has a fabricated vs pressed deck. The experts advice getting a fabricated deck.

The reviews were mostly positive but who really know who's writing those reviews. The reviews are helpful but I'd rather rely on advice from some of you folks.

When ever I think of Kohler I have 3 memories. They make toilets, lots of toilets. I lived in Oshkosh WI during my drinking years. It was a 2 hour drive to Kohler in the summer, 10 minutes across the lake in the winter. The ride back, fueled with lots of beer, was always exciting. Kohler has built one of the premier golf destinations in this country, maybe in the world. My dad and i played there a few times and have lots of fond memories.

Anyone have an opinion on Huskavarna Z254F zero turns?

Thx in Advance

 

[Mat4644]

Bought a commercial Toro Zmaster 21 seasons ago. Under $300 in repairs (not counting batteries, belts and blades) Heavy spindles with cast iron housings. Often use it on small sticks, walnuts and tall weeds. Still going strong. Cost $7k at the time but I junked two mowers like the Husky before it only mowing grass on somewhat bumpy ground. They were also breaking frequently.

Spend more and don't look at Husky. Buy 1 good mower or 3 Husky types. I've found it's easy finding an excellent used car at a good price vs an excellent mower cheap.

 

[powerstroke444e]

Spend the money on a good commercial grade mower. I have a zd331 with 1700 hrs and its treated me well. We have a zd28 at our farm its older and been treated fairly rough and its still going strong. Once its paid for you will be glad you have over the cheaper models. Other difference is do you want spend all day mowing or 1hr mowing. How many years will you be keeping your place?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Bought a commercial Toro Zmaster 21 seasons ago. Under $300 in repairs (not counting batteries, belts and blades) Heavy spindles with cast iron housings. Often use it on small sticks, walnuts and tall weeds. Still going strong. Cost $7k at the time but I junked two mowers like the Husky before it only mowing grass on somewhat bumpy ground. They were also breaking frequently.

Spend more and don't look at Husky. Buy 1 good mower or 3 Husky types. I've found it's easy finding an excellent used car at a good price vs an excellent mower cheap.

You have stated the exact reason why I bought a Grasshopper, I'd rather spend more and buy once!

SR

 

[kf4uda]

Spend the money on a good commercial grade mower.

I offer the same advise as well. I bit the bullet and did this in 2009 when I bought my Snapper Pro 52" zero turn. I have run it for over 11 years now. Other than maintenance items I have had to replace the hydraulic hoses and the mower deck switch. It has served me well and still continues to.

 

[rgr33]

Agree with above advice. I have an Exmark with Kawasaki engine, 1200 hours and still going strong.

Box store mowers don’t hold up here.

 

[timswi]

Agree with everyone here. I bought my ZD724 54" Kubota zero turn about 5 years ago, I think. It was painfully expensive for a grass cutter but it was worth it. I have no regrets. Cut my mowing time by over 1/2, probably more, compared to the 54" deck on my BX. Haven't had to do anything to it besides maintenance. Koehler 23 HP has served well.

 

[4570Man]

You have stated the exact reason why I bought a Grasshopper, I'd rather spend more and buy once!

SR

My Grasshopper has 2500 hours and still reliably cutting grass. It’s probably still got more life left than a $3,000 mower would put in.

 

[shooterdon]

5 acres is a lot of grass and 3 acres of pines make it a PITA.

Depending on how much grass space is between the pines, I might look at a flail mower with offset. My reasoning:

I have a cabbed tractor and that is better than sitting on a mower
Much less expensive than a commercial ZT
One less machine to maintain (no engine or transmission) and simple to maintain.
One less machine to store...but that means nothing if you have storage space...which I do not.
It will deal with sticks, stones and junk better.

FM-78H Flail Mower | Flail Mower Attachment | Tractor Mower | PTO Mower | -WoodMaxx™

The link above is the one I looked at buying but my 2 acres has way too many things to deal with. Two dozen trees, pond, waterfall, fence, two patios. I will end up with a $5000 ZT eventually.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

All I will say is... Kubota makes the best z turn; it will be the only one you will ever buy.

 

[Industrial Toys]

When you get into commercial league stuff, they all light years from consumer stuff. Can't just go by the name. Many Big Main Brands, make consumer junk. They are correct that their name (and color) alone, will help sell it.

 

[dragoneggs]

Kubota Z w/Kawasaki here. Low hours still as I mow less than 2 acres but it has been trouble free other than throwing a belt once (my fault) hitting a log in tall grass. I put a mulching kit on it and I am amazed at how it can chew up foot high grass/weeds.

It is built very stout, fabricated deck, very easy maneuver and so much faster than a garden belly mower tractor (long gone). My only wish is for an air suspension seat. That would be on my upgrade list if not standard if buying again. I may eventually put an aftermarket one on mine to save a bit on my back.

 

[YLee Kioti]

I'm in the same position and have looked at dozens of colors......
for the price point of 5k have come down to Ariens Apex 52".

Reason is: ZT3100 hydros, 5" depth fab. deck and 5 gal. fuel tank, 22" wheels. Deck adjustment/hanger is solid metal rod not chains.
eXmark Radius uses the Chinese copy of the Kawaski, (reading all those trade wars lol???).
Have reading reviews out the wah-zoo for months......and spoke with my Gravely/Ariens dealer (a New Holland dealer).
So got his real world feedback as well......
he was puzzled as to the lower price point of the Apex, but chuckled at "well, I see why you chose the Apex over the Gravely HD"

So, good luck feel your pain but know that once you choose one you'll be a happy camper.
So far have not met one person that said, "wish I got the tractor so i could mow longer"....lol....

 

[Industrial Toys]

Friends/customers sell some major high end ZTs and service just about them all. Seems to me, engine choice seem to be a very important factor, maybe more so than the brand of ZT. And maybe more important now than ever, as these particularly larger gas engines used to be big cast iron indestructible monsters and are now much lighter and more sophisicated (troublesome).

And for what it's worth and I don't know if it applies to larger commercial units. A neighbour bought a lawn tractor from a local store believing he could get service locally. The engine needed something and he was told he had to go to an outfit that was registered to do warranty work on the Engine. Which was anything but convenient. A real circle jerk!

 

[3Ts]

I'll second the advice to get a commercial grade zt mower. I have a JD 525E I purchased from Lowe's, it did not have the latest wheel drive units and I had to replace them shortly after it went out of warranty. So, the mower cost me 50% of the purchase price in repairs. But, the ZTs are really nice and takes A LOT LESS time than mowing with my tractor.

 

[workinonit]

5 acres is a lot of grass and 3 acres of pines make it a PITA.

Depending on how much grass space is between the pines, I might look at a flail mower with offset. My reasoning:

I have a cabbed tractor and that is better than sitting on a mower
Much less expensive than a commercial ZT
One less machine to maintain (no engine or transmission) and simple to maintain.
One less machine to store...but that means nothing if you have storage space...which I do not.
It will deal with sticks, stones and junk better.

FM-78H Flail Mower | Flail Mower Attachment | Tractor Mower | PTO Mower | -WoodMaxx兌/url]

The link above is the one I looked at buying but my 2 acres has way too many things to deal with. Two dozen trees, pond, waterfall, fence, two patios. I will end up with a $5000 ZT eventually.

That 96H is one bad looking machine. I may have to own one of those. I love the hydro-slide feature.

 

[fatjay]

Had my kubota zd21 60" for 5 years and it's 3cyl diesel sips fuel. It's unbelievable how fuel efficient it is. The only thing I would like is suspension on the rear wheels to absorb some of the bounce if i hit a hole. Otherwise it's really the best machine I've ever owned. Mowing at 11mph is incredible.

 

[workinonit]

I can throw in for JD zero turns. I have 2. One is getting close to 20 years old, I think, the other is probably 7 years newer. Both commercial. 717A and 910A. I've never had any issues with either. I would never own anything but a Kawasaki engine on a gas mower. That said, I would really like to have a diesel one.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Just to put cost into perspective. Maybe a dozen years ago I bought a low hours City Owned 10 foot wing mower (65HP Kubota engine) for maybe 8 grand cdn. That machine cost the City somewhere around 80 grand and machines like that can supposedly cut 100 acres in an 8 hour shift. That's a lot of capacity and performance for the money if you ask me.

It can also cut with multiple decks, if you need to get between trees, is almost zero turn and is extremely pleasant to operate with automotive steering. Oh, also 4wd. I shouldn't, but I use it in some pretty rough places, just because it CAN..

 

[bullbreaker]

Didnt need it but was not goin to let it pass by , bought a Hustler Raptor ? non commercial the other day from some friends who are moving to Maine . Its the 42 inch cut twin blade / Kawa 23 hp motor . They had just purchased it maybe not even 20 hrs . They gave around $2800 for it . Runs great , fast too . $1200 cash . Smaller , sits a little lower to ground , like one of Hustlers entry level ZTR"s .