zero turn mowers EXPENSIVE

[Hay Dude]

I believe the ad was ....Kawasaki, Let the good times roll!!!!!

Man those were the days...couldn’t wait to get on the bikes....still want to go back to riding, but too many irons in the fire :irked:

 

[Tinhack]

I'm 70. I talked myself into getting a Coleman CT200 Mini Bike to go get the mail and "ride the fence line". I got it last week but it's been too cold and wet to ride. It's assembled, adjusted, tweaked, oiled, fueled and ready to go! I sure miss my riding days. All mine were Hondas though; Hence the poke at the Kaw.

 

[Brown Dog]

Man those were the days...couldn’t wait to get on the bikes....still want to go back to riding, but too many irons in the fire :irked:

+1

I kept my 2008 KTM 950SE & hope to get back to riding some this summer

 

[Jofang]

We bought a Z122R 42" last year, which is the smallest zero turn Kubota make. This mower is a tank. Heavy steel everywhere & chops up fallen 2" branches without hesitation. Very economical too.

 

[Monster5601]

I'll chime in, my vote goes for commercial grade mowers for larger properties. I cut about 5 acres of mixed ground, trees, some wet areas, etc. I would use up the typical "big box" store mowers in two seasons. In 2011 I bought a Kubota ZD323, while it may appear to be more costly upfront, averaged over the years I am way ahead. All I have to do is scheduled maintenance on the ZD and like a Timex, it just keeps on ticking.

 

[fried1765]

I'll chime in, my vote goes for commercial grade mowers for larger properties. I cut about 5 acres of mixed ground, trees, some wet areas, etc. I would use up the typical "big box" store mowers in two seasons. In 2011 I bought a Kubota ZD323, while it may appear to be more costly upfront, averaged over the years I am way ahead. All I have to do is scheduled maintenance on the ZD and like a Timex, it just keeps on ticking.

I like quality also, and have a brand new Kawasaki SCAG Liberty Z.
That said: I still have my dad's Crapsman with 42" deck.
He bought it new in 1972, so it is 49 years old (15HP Briggs), and it still runs like a Swiss watch!
No hour meter, but certainly many hundreds of hours.
$1100 (with snow blower) when it was new.

 

[dragoneggs]

We bought a Z122R 42" last year, which is the smallest zero turn Kubota make. This mower is a tank. Heavy steel everywhere & chops up fallen 2" branches without hesitation. Very economical too.

I have one and absolutely love it.

 

[Brown Dog]

My ZD1211 72” RD was great.
It windrowed a little bit & was slightly weak on my steep hills in tall grass but this ZD1511 72” SD takes it to a Whole New Level here mowing my 15+- acres
I couldn’t be more happier
BUT I wished Kubota offered a 84” deck with it

 

[BoylermanCT]

"That said: I still have my dad's Crapsman with 42" deck.
He bought it new in 1972, so it is 49 years old (15HP Briggs), and it still runs like a Swiss watch!
No hour meter, but certainly many hundreds of hours.
$1100 (with snow blower) when it was new."

$1100 in 1972 was a lot of money. You could have bought a V8 Camaro for $2800. A 2021 Camaro starts at $25,000, so that would be the same as buying a $10,000 mower today.

 

[fried1765]

"That said: I still have my dad's Crapsman with 42" deck.
He bought it new in 1972, so it is 49 years old (15HP Briggs), and it still runs like a Swiss watch!
No hour meter, but certainly many hundreds of hours.
$1100 (with snow blower) when it was new."

$1100 in 1972 was a lot of money. You could have bought a V8 Camaro for $2800. A 2021 Camaro starts at $25,000, so that would be the same as buying a $10,000 mower today.

Did the '72 V8 Camero come with a snow blower?

 

[lostcreekranch]

Did the '72 V8 Camero come with a snow blower?

It likely wouldn't start .. if it was cold enough to snow.

 

[YLee Kioti]

Well fellas finally did it....after ALL the videos, research blah...blah...blah.....went to Shiner and placed an order on a Gravely ZT HD 48".
Spec for spec..with so many other choices it still came down to....dealer support.
No doubt there will always be a 'better' unit. But I bought the dealer with the deal. I get my implements from Bucky and his service and support work well for me.
Also looked into riding tractor with a G730 hydro. The T2290 was a contender, but found next to zero reviews nor video reviews other then four five year old short clips of one cutting grass.
So this will pull a small towable 20 gallon sprayer for fence maintenance and better then a 4 gal. back pack to kill off four acres of Johnson and huisache. Once I get it and learn how to operate it safely I'll post some pics.
Just a hair over 5k but with the ZT-3100 hydros it will last long past me and hand off to son.
Finally...!!! lol glad that's over with...now to get my hands on it and go play....cough..cough I mean go to work....

 

[Brown Dog]

I thought this was a Kubota lawn & garden thread

 

[Brown Dog]

I can buy a new leftover ZD1511 for $1,635 more than a ZD1211.

I love the torque with my 1511 4cyl turbo but miss the simplicity & no regen BS on my 1211 that I sold.

thoughts ?

 

[RjCorazza]

I never had a ZD1511, but sold a ZD331 for a replacement ZD1211 last year. I do miss the power, but the 1211 does fine for my use. I find that the vast majority of the time the power is adequate, but there is a narrow window of what will cause it to fall flat on its face.

I had to slow down a few times this season in somewhat thick and wet grass because it was on the way to stalling. The 331 would not have been affected. I also routinely slow down when mowing up steeper hills.

My thoughts? Honestly I did not want the potential hassle of getting involved with a ZD1511, so I went with the 1211. I made a similar decision when tractor shopping 6 years ago with the B3350, but went up a few sizes to an L4060.

I mow 30 acres of rural lawns and can't afford a parked Regen or other problems during the course of my day. I hope you get your 1511's problem worked out.

 

[Hay Dude]

I have begun fixing up my ZD331 and decided to keep it along with my recent F3680 purchase. I’m going to keep up my pre emissions equipment as long as I can. I’m sure some youngster charged with finding old men polluting the air will eventually come for them, but some of us got taxes to pay.

 

[Brown Dog]

I’ve found another ZD1511 with 23hrs for same price as ZD1211.

im with you on dreaded parked regens & this is why I’m shopping for a second mower as a backup plus my wife can help when possible too.

so far the updated software reprogramming hasn’t required a parked regen.

thanks for you guys comments

 

[lostcreekranch]

I can buy a new leftover ZD1511 for $1,635 more than a ZD1211.

I love the torque with my 1511 4cyl turbo but miss the simplicity & no regen BS on my 1211 that I sold.

thoughts ?

Aren't you able to keep mowing during a regen. cycle? How often does your do a Regen?

I looked into the ZD-1511 but couldn't find one with 72" rear discharge .. so bought a ZD-1211 with 72" RD.

I mow tall grass often .. but not when it wet.

 

[Brown Dog]

It does a regen every 6-10hrs or so fine while mowing BUT it’s required a parked regen 3+ times & you have to park it at idle & can’t touch ANYTHING for 36mins or you’ll interrupt it having to start the entire process all over.

I had a ZD1211 72RD but was unable to get Heavy Clippings dispersed evenly after 2 seasons of mods & different things / blades + I had to dump radiator screens every 2hrs to keep it from boiling over.

it cut GREAT but bogged on my hills & in heavy grass unless I was able to mow it like clockwork weekly.

 

[Brown Dog]

I never had a ZD1511, but sold a ZD331 for a replacement ZD1211 last year. I do miss the power, but the 1211 does fine for my use. I find that the vast majority of the time the power is adequate, but there is a narrow window of what will cause it to fall flat on its face.

I had to slow down a few times this season in somewhat thick and wet grass because it was on the way to stalling. The 331 would not have been affected. I also routinely slow down when mowing up steeper hills.

My thoughts? Honestly I did not want the potential hassle of getting involved with a ZD1511, so I went with the 1211. I made a similar decision when tractor shopping 6 years ago with the B3350, but went up a few sizes to an L4060.

I mow 30 acres of rural lawns and can't afford a parked Regen or other problems during the course of my day. I hope you get your 1511's problem worked out.

Rjc,
I think you’ve made my mind up

As a backup trouble free mower
I don’t think I need another powerhouse 4cyl Turbo Mower With the Possibility of the Dreaded Parked Regen BS.

The little 3cyl ZD1211 has WAY MORE Engine Vibe but at Wide Open Throttle it is acceptable.

The closest ZD1211 72SD is 100 miles from me ........