zero turn recommendations

[ktm450]

thank you all for the replies. holy crap are there options and choices. i have looked into the comericial stuff a little bit, but holy batman they are expensive.

right now im leaning towards the cub cadet. main reason i can get into this one with the accessories that i wanted and be right around my $5000 price point.

The other leaning factor is they have 3 years interest free promotion which is kinda nice.

I was looking at the commercial out of curiosity and they dont have any available with the Kawasaki motor. everything is kohler.

 

[ktm450]

anyone ever used or know of anyone using a bobcat zero turn? that just popped up on my google search. lol

 

[Fester]

thank you all for the replies. holy crap are there options and choices. i have looked into the comericial stuff a little bit, but holy batman they are expensive.

right now im leaning towards the cub cadet. main reason i can get into this one with the accessories that i wanted and be right around my $5000 price point.

The other leaning factor is they have 3 years interest free promotion which is kinda nice.

I was looking at the commercial out of curiosity and they dont have any available with the Kawasaki motor. everything is kohler.

Cub cadet are a MTD product. Not sure if that's bad or good? I just like knowing who and where stuff is being manufactured as alot of companies have somebody else manufacturing there product and then slap there sticker on it for a premium price making the consumer basically paying for the name.

Somebody also mentioned John deere box store mowers being MTD. I don't think that is the case. I have tried finding information on it but have been unable to. Most things point to John deere making those units. If somebody could provide some info on that it would be great.

 

[sierra1995]

I have a 2013 JD Z235, 42" cut for an acre and half. I've never had a problem with it. It is a residential model, and has a 20HP briggs air-cooled engine. I bought it used from the dealership 6 years ago for $1,300. Its got about 150 hours on it now.

When I bought mine, I only considered Toro and John Deere, simply because that is what every park district, golf course, etc., uses. obviously they use commercial grade models, but I'd think some of that engineering works its way down to the residential models. And, someone mentioned it above, if buying JD, get it from a JD dealership.

 

[Maddog]

^^^ For Fester ^^
"The big box stores and manufacturers (yes I blame them both!) play some interesting games with the specifications to trick the average Joe. For instance, the two models I’ve compared here do not have the same size engine. In fact, the cheaper model has a larger motor, 19.5 HP, while the X300 only has a 17 HP engine. So an unsuspecting customer might stop right there and think the larger motor and cheaper price must mean he’s getting a better deal. The reality is the bigger motor isn’t as nice as the smaller motor and the rest of the machine is no where as good quality (plastic parts, thinner metal frames, etc).

When I purchased my X300 the dealer was pretty blunt with me. He said listen, if you want to buy half the machine then we’ll sell you one of those or go back down the hill to the orange building and get one. But make sure you save the other $1,400 because you’ll need it repairing the cheaper model. I’m no dummy and I know that you get what you pay for so it wasn’t a hard decision for me.

The bottom line is this, if you see something that seems too good to be true, IT IS! Please understand how these franchises are operating in this country and do your research before you make a major purchase and find yourself unsatisfied later. Secondly, don’t blame the repair man for the expensive frequent repairs if you choose the cheaper model. I’d like to say that I believe the blame goes to John Deere and the big box stores for reducing their quality to make a sale. However, I understand that the market place is a tough place to survive."

https://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/should-you-buy-john-deere-mowers-at-box/

 

[Fester]

^^^ For Fester ^^
"The big box stores and manufacturers (yes I blame them both!) play some interesting games with the specifications to trick the average Joe. For instance, the two models I’ve compared here do not have the same size engine. In fact, the cheaper model has a larger motor, 19.5 HP, while the X300 only has a 17 HP engine. So an unsuspecting customer might stop right there and think the larger motor and cheaper price must mean he’s getting a better deal. The reality is the bigger motor isn’t as nice as the smaller motor and the rest of the machine is no where as good quality (plastic parts, thinner metal frames, etc).

When I purchased my X300 the dealer was pretty blunt with me. He said listen, if you want to buy half the machine then we’ll sell you one of those or go back down the hill to the orange building and get one. But make sure you save the other $1,400 because you’ll need it repairing the cheaper model. I’m no dummy and I know that you get what you pay for so it wasn’t a hard decision for me.

The bottom line is this, if you see something that seems too good to be true, IT IS! Please understand how these franchises are operating in this country and do your research before you make a major purchase and find yourself unsatisfied later. Secondly, don’t blame the repair man for the expensive frequent repairs if you choose the cheaper model. I’d like to say that I believe the blame goes to John Deere and the big box stores for reducing their quality to make a sale. However, I understand that the market place is a tough place to survive."

https://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/should-you-buy-john-deere-mowers-at-box/

Oh yeah I totally agree. I just think those John deere at lowes for example are actually John deere they are just cheaper John deere. I can't find anywhere where let's say for example MTD is making them. The most info I have found was John deere does make them just alot cheaper then let's say a x300 or x700 version. So yes it will probably cost you in the long run.

I don't think I would choose JD or MTD product..not that they are bad. I still think that Ariens for the price would be the way to go. I haven't seen one in person but I did at one time have a Ariens snow blower and to this day I have not seen one manufactured better. They have 0% APR, as well as manufactured(welded) deck. Just from what I could tell they look like a decent machine. They also are actually manufactured by the company that's stamped on them. Ha

 

[woodduck30]

I had a lowes john deere years ago. Had it for 10 plus years. Never had a problem with it.

 

[Fester]

I had a lowes john deere years ago. Had it for 10 years. Never had a problem with it.

Alot of it all depends on how you take care of it.

 

[Sum1]

Honestly if you’re just mowing your own yard however big it may be going commercial is over kill unless you have money to burn. The residential units should last you a hell of a long time if taken care of.

 

[SLE]

Homeowner = 200-400 hours life expectancy
Commercial = 2,500-5,000 hours life expectancy for gas (not diesel) machines.

New homeowner 0 hours = $4000
Used commercial w/ +-250 hours = $4000-$8000 (yes you can go stupid and spend $20k but your not talking about 54” or 60” deck machines.

Homeowner machine w/500 hours is worth about -$20 when you haul it to the landfill. Commercial machine with a 1,000 hours still worth half its value.

I’ll take the commercial one that’s just hardly broke in every time. I’m also mowing 6 acres a week at our house don’t want to spend 6 hours doing it. An hour and half, and I can get on with my week. I’ll put 500 hours on it over approx 10 years and upgrade for a few grand and own a more reliable and much higher production machine. To each their own, if you live in town and have a 1/4 acre, knock yourself out with a homeowner grade machine but don’t assume that works for people with larger properties.

 

[NDSportsman]

If your only getting 200-400 hours out of a mower you need to rethink your maintenance plan!

 

[ktm450]

after talking with cub cadet and they not going to get the machine i wanted in till late august im now leaning towards the ariens apex 52 Kawasaki. still got some time to decide, plenty of snow left in the yard before i get to start the mowing season.

 

[woodduck30]

Homeowner = 200-400 hours life expectancy
Commercial = 2,500-5,000 hours life expectancy for gas (not diesel) machines.

New homeowner 0 hours = $4000
Used commercial w/ +-250 hours = $4000-$8000 (yes you can go stupid and spend $20k but your not talking about 54” or 60” deck machines.

Homeowner machine w/500 hours is worth about -$20 when you haul it to the landfill. Commercial machine with a 1,000 hours still worth half its value.

I’ll take the commercial one that’s just hardly broke in every time. I’m also mowing 6 acres a week at our house don’t want to spend 6 hours doing it. An hour and half, and I can get on with my week. I’ll put 500 hours on it over approx 10 years and upgrade for a few grand and own a more reliable and much higher production machine. To each their own, if you live in town and have a 1/4 acre, knock yourself out with a homeowner grade machine but don’t assume that works for people with larger properties.

In 2004 I bought a Lowes John Deere for $1,600. Sold it in 2018 for $1,000. It was on Bisman for about 2 hours. I'm guessing I could have gotten more.

 

[db-2]

Two years and 300 hours on my Husqvarna and it is just fine. No repairs, starts right up and does an excellent job by keeping blades sharp. Paid $3,300. Change oil every 50 hours, air filter every so often, grease when oil changed. Does not burn oil. Mow graveyard that takes about 12-13 hours each time with a ton of markers to go around as markers are laid out every which way but loose. 42 inch in order to mow around markers. Steering gets a workout each time as does the blades. Sharpen after about 7 hours. For me no need to spend more than $3,000. db

 

[Allen]

Oh yeah I totally agree. I just think those John deere at lowes for example are actually John deere they are just cheaper John deere. I can't find anywhere where let's say for example MTD is making them. The most info I have found was John deere does make them just alot cheaper then let's say a x300 or x700 version. So yes it will probably cost you in the long run.

I don't think I would choose JD or MTD product..not that they are bad. I still think that Ariens for the price would be the way to go. I haven't seen one in person but I did at one time have a Ariens snow blower and to this day I have not seen one manufactured better. They have 0% APR, as well as manufactured(welded) deck. Just from what I could tell they look like a decent machine. They also are actually manufactured by the company that's stamped on them. Ha

The Lowes JD are at a minimum MTD-like machines. I had a D170 for about 10 years. When I wrecked the transmission in it, I found out it was using the same engine and transmissions as MTD. It was an ok mower overall, I just abused the heck out of it.

 

[1lessdog]

I have a John Deere GX345 with power steering and hyd lift deck. I would not trade or buy another zero turn mower They are rough riding and on a ditch slope they spin out. I have a locking differential on mine and it handles the ditch slope with ease. It has the 20 HP Kawasaki and starts great and runs great with over 1000 hrs on it

 

[Fester]

The Lowes JD are at a minimum MTD-like machines. I had a D170 for about 10 years. When I wrecked the transmission in it, I found out it was using the same engine and transmissions as MTD. It was an ok mower overall, I just abused the heck out of it.

Sooo Chevy uses a diesel made by Isuzu…that makes it Isuzu? There are a lot of companies that use other parts manufactured by another company. I am not saying a JD purchased at Lowe’s is not a cheaper version JD, but it definitely is not an MTD made product.

 

[Davey Crockett]

we should be making side bets for NDA points.

 

[Davey Crockett]

To be honest , I wouldn't know which way to bet but I'm just a betting man.

Not sure who to believe any more these days but I'm guessing JD sources out parts and assembles them in a JD factory.

 

[Fester]

To be honest , I wouldn't know which way to bet but I'm just a betting man.

Not sure who to believe any more these days but I'm guessing JD sources out parts and assembles them in a JD factory.

What manufacturer doesn't do this??? Please give me an example of a manufacturer that makes all of there parts. Engine...bearings etc. The difference comes down to the design and probably the frame other than that it is all outsourced and depends on the quality of the outsourced parts.