fireman949
Member
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2013
- Threads
- 2
- Messages
- 11
We built 6 years ago on a 1/2 acre lot. Subtract the house, driveway, and a few raised garden beds and there is about 15,000 sq ft to mow. 6 years ago I bought a Husqvarna 5521CHV (Honda) easywalk self propelled mower with a 19" cut. It's been an awesome mower. Other than gas, yearly oil changes, and sharpening the blade, it hasn't cost me a dime, runs like a champ, and cuts very well.
From start to finish, it takes me between 2 and 2.75 hours to edge, eat, cut, and blow - 90% of that being cut time. Wasn't a big deal 6 years ago, but the kids are getting older and seem to be multiplying (2,5,7,8) so it's more fun to play with them than to walk behind a mower.
Last year I paid a service to have it mowed due to my limited availability. They didn't do a bad job, but I'm more meticulous and like to decide when to cut. I paid for 3 or 4 cuttings that were not really necessary because little/no rain = little/no growth for costal bermuda in North Mississippi. What I pay in 2 years of service would cover a ZTR, fuel, oil, and blades and then some.
This year I've started out cutting it myself, but I remember why I paid to have it done - time. So I set out to find a way to cut the yard myself which I enjoy very much, but reduce the amount of time it takes me.
Every time I go into the blue big-box store, the orange 46" Husq ZTR asked me to have a seat so I stopped by my local dealer as I have serious reservations buying a mower from Lowe's when you can go to the dealer and get the same stuff with expert advice and presumably better service when you need it. He steered me away from the lower end Husq and suggested the Toro SS4235 (74633). I did a quick compare between the RZ4623 and the SS4235 - the RZ has a thicker (13g vs 14g) stamped deck, trailer hitch, and hour meter. If I go with the SS, I'd need to add a $40 trailer hitch and the mulch kit is $100 more than the mulch kit for the RZ. Both ZTRs are around the same base price. Reading reviews tells me that the Toro is a better quality mower.
I know that Toro makes a nice 30" walk behind for ~$1k, but I can't walk near the 7mph the SS ZTR can cut 2.5ac/hr. My assumption is that I can edge, eat, cut, blow, and clean up in less than an hour with the ZTR.
Here are my questions:
* Is the Toro SS4235 a good value for ZTRs in that price range?
* My yard is very obstacle free, should I consider a fabricated deck?
* Is there another brand I should consider?
* Why couldn't I have just built on 1ac so I wouldn't feel like a turd getting a ride on mower for what seems like a mid-size yard? ( ok, don't answer that )
The title is mis-leading because I think I've convinced myself to get a ZTR.
From start to finish, it takes me between 2 and 2.75 hours to edge, eat, cut, and blow - 90% of that being cut time. Wasn't a big deal 6 years ago, but the kids are getting older and seem to be multiplying (2,5,7,8) so it's more fun to play with them than to walk behind a mower.
Last year I paid a service to have it mowed due to my limited availability. They didn't do a bad job, but I'm more meticulous and like to decide when to cut. I paid for 3 or 4 cuttings that were not really necessary because little/no rain = little/no growth for costal bermuda in North Mississippi. What I pay in 2 years of service would cover a ZTR, fuel, oil, and blades and then some.
This year I've started out cutting it myself, but I remember why I paid to have it done - time. So I set out to find a way to cut the yard myself which I enjoy very much, but reduce the amount of time it takes me.
Every time I go into the blue big-box store, the orange 46" Husq ZTR asked me to have a seat so I stopped by my local dealer as I have serious reservations buying a mower from Lowe's when you can go to the dealer and get the same stuff with expert advice and presumably better service when you need it. He steered me away from the lower end Husq and suggested the Toro SS4235 (74633). I did a quick compare between the RZ4623 and the SS4235 - the RZ has a thicker (13g vs 14g) stamped deck, trailer hitch, and hour meter. If I go with the SS, I'd need to add a $40 trailer hitch and the mulch kit is $100 more than the mulch kit for the RZ. Both ZTRs are around the same base price. Reading reviews tells me that the Toro is a better quality mower.
I know that Toro makes a nice 30" walk behind for ~$1k, but I can't walk near the 7mph the SS ZTR can cut 2.5ac/hr. My assumption is that I can edge, eat, cut, blow, and clean up in less than an hour with the ZTR.
Here are my questions:
* Is the Toro SS4235 a good value for ZTRs in that price range?
* My yard is very obstacle free, should I consider a fabricated deck?
* Is there another brand I should consider?
* Why couldn't I have just built on 1ac so I wouldn't feel like a turd getting a ride on mower for what seems like a mid-size yard? ( ok, don't answer that )
The title is mis-leading because I think I've convinced myself to get a ZTR.
), who could say no