any recommendations on riding lawnmowers (BIG gadget)?

CD Fleischer

CD Fleischer

Joined
Oct 12, 1998
Messages
2,036
Will be needing one soon. Not an immense one, but something that will hold up and doesn't cost an arm and a leg (literally and figuratively).

THANKS!!

Clay
 
Got a flyer the other day from Troy Built, and they have some on sale for about $1500. Troy Builts are good stuff. I have one of their 7 hp tillers, and it's a hog.
 
i would recomend a Cub Cadet hydrostatic, extreme towing cabability if needed, very reliable my grandfather has one that is nearly 30 years old with very minimal repair needed. overall they are a well made peice of equipment that should last you a long long time.

billyp
 
Had to retire an old Craftsman. Ended up buying a John Deere. Love the hydrostatic transmission. Everyone seems to have new less expensive models out in their lines these days. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the name brands - I just had to make sure mine had a beverage holder.
 
I bought a MTD 17hp 42" cut from Lowe's in 1998. If I remember correctly, the cost was $1200. This mower was used for one season. The next year after cutting my yard for the first time, I could not believe the difference in power, ride, handling, etc.

I sold the MTD for $950, and used the money for a down payment on a John Deere GT 225. It was one of the best decisions I've ever made. The JD runs great (15hp Kohler/42") and has plenty of power.

I realize everyone has a budget, but get a John Deere :D :D :D
 
Ever seen the commercial for John Deere that says you can't go wrong with a Deere? That's not really as hyped as one might think, it is basically true. My only advice would be no matter what brand you choose, don't go with the bottom of the line model. Generally speaking to many compromises are made to be able to offer it at such a low price.
 
Deere is a very good brand to go with. Craftsman and MTD are good middle-of-the-road brands but they don't seem to last as long as other brands. Another thing to consider for lawn and garden tractors is choice of transmissions. Gear drive versus hydro. Not quite sure if JD has this feature on the smaller lawn tractors but their higher end garden tractors and some of their commercial duty front mount riders have the twin pedal hydro control. Easy...one pedal controls forward speed, the other reverse. No clutching, no taking your hands off the wheel. Very convenient. Drives pretty much like any motor vehicle. Other brands/models w/ hydro would have a lever controlling your speed, though, not as convenient as pedal controlled. And as you can surmise, hydro will cost more than gear drive, but think about the convenience you'll gain in ease of operation.

If you have Lowes Home Improvement up where you are, Clay, they carry inexpensive John Deere lawn and garden tractors [at least the ones down here do]. Might be worthwhile to investigate those. If you're looking at riders as opposed to tractors, consider your landscape. If you've got a lot of obstacles to mow around [flower beds, etc], you might want to consider one of those zero turning radius machines like Dixon, Toro Timecutter Z, Hustler FasTrak, or Husqvarna CZ4815. Very similar in principle to the larger units the commercial landscapers run but in a more scaled down size. They still can make a 180 degree turn within their own length and are very easy to maneuver around obstacles. Once you get used to it, ZTR's are fun to run. If you've got a conventional rider, you might be having to back up and turn around more than you care to do. Just some food for thought. Hope this helps!
 
Cub Cadet and John Deere both have a good reputation for a reason. They cost more because they put better stuff into the construction.

If you buy a cheaper model, it will work just fine for a season or two but, then you start working on it and ownership costs go up. If it is a mystery brand or, lesser known mass market model, you may have trouble finding some parts for it later in life.

A 20 year old John Deere still has factory support, service manuals, etc. While I don't have as much personal experience with Cub Cadet, I'm sure they have a similar service support long after the sale.

If you your yard is big enough, or has specialized needs, Dexter's suggestions are spot on for the more advanced home owner with a large yard.

In the end, you get what you pay for. Make an informed choice so you won't regret it a year or two down the road.
 
Originally posted by Sid Post

In the end, you get what you pay for. Make an informed choice so you won't regret it a year or two down the road.
Click to expand...

Exactly. If you initially buy a cheap tractor, you'll end up paying a lot for upkeep as the machine gets older. If you initially lay money down for a John Deere or Honda, you'll pay more first but because they are better built machines, you'll spend less money in the long run for maintenance. In the end it works out about the same.

Keep in mind this is a big ticket purchase like a house or car. Visit dealerships like home centers, and outdoor power equipment retailers to "kick the tires" so to speak. There are a lot of choices as far as deck size[38" cut all the way up to 60"], engine options [liquid cooled vs. air cooled, side valve vs. overhead valve], transmission options [as I have detailed], and mulching/collecting/side discharge capabiliy. Brand name has a lot to do with it, but features and overall construction of the machine is ultimately important.
 
Yet another factor to consider - service after the sale. One advantage of buying from specialized power equipment retailers as opposed to a large home center. I am anal at who works on my car, and I am the same way about who works on my power equipment. From what I've found, dealerships who also cater to professional landscapers as well as homeowners have the best service all around.
 
Thanks, guys! I appreciate all the help. I am moving out to farming country so I know there is no shortage of farm equipment retailers in the area. WIll see what I can find...
 
While Deere is good for the money an Ariens is just
as good or better while being Wisconsin, USA made.

I own several pieces of Ariens finding them to be
overbuilt for the money with good dealer support.
Check out their web site at www.ariens.com to
see what they offer and where to buy.
 
Originally posted by Tightwad

I own several pieces of Ariens finding them to be
overbuilt for the money with good dealer support.
Check out their web site at www.ariens.com to
see what they offer and where to buy.
Click to expand...

Ariens also manufactures Gravely, a leading brand of commercial mowers. Right there explains it all
 
Another option to consider is a used higher-end mower. Much more quality for the same money. I got a 48"? Woods zero turn mower that was several years old and has probably 15 more years in it for half what a good Cub/JD costs new. New, the Woods was close to 6 times what I paid for it.
 
After 25 plus years mowing commercially I have my views- How big is your yard gonna be,how nice a job do you want? are you needing multi task capability. If you go with a "zero turn" comercial mower you may cut the mowing time by up to 2/3 and get a better cut. It is not unusual for a comercial mower to get a years worth of use a week compared to the average homeowner. The commercial stuff I have run has lasted 5 years or so without major costs. You can't hardly beat a compact diesal by JD or Kubota for a "do all type machine. But you loose mowing speed and quality and they should last till you die with care.... as the other guys put it "you can pay now or pay later" and then you have slower speeds and harder work for years. Give me your needs and I will recomend the type to look at.
 
humm with this new found info i might be inclined to recomend a nicer self-propelled mower rather than dropping so much on a peice of equipment that is kind of overkill imo. you can get a decent self-propelled that has a skid plate that does not even require walking if that is a probelm. is it half an acre plus the house or is it just 1/2 an acre straight up with a house sitting on it?

billyp
 
If all you have is a half acre of grass and can walk- I recomend a commercial 48" walk behind mower if you don't need to pick up grass- I used toro's for years and have gotten seven years of relatively hard use out of them and there was still residual value left. You can even add a sitdown or riding "sulky" to them if you want. I feel they have alot of "bang for your buck" Look at what the commercial guys are using in your area and talk to a few... some dealers will even let you "demo" them even at your property. Like knives quality has a price and for the amount of time yoiu really use the mower, the easier it is to use you will actually be more willing to do the work and your property will look better even if you just mow regular.
 
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