10 acres per week, $5k budget

[MowManWV]

I'm about to go mow two yards right now. A zero turn couldn't do these yards due to size and slant.

Ever notice how the mowing team, the fat guy is on the zero turn and the skinny guy is weed trimming? Maybe they should rotate jobs a bit.

 

[slomo]

Another bad thing about no turns is they can make black tire marks on the driveway. Some people with nice new homes get fired up about skid marks on their new white concrete driveway. Rich folks are picky. Don't blame them I guess.

 

[4getgto]

Another bad thing about no turns is they can make black tire marks on the driveway. Some people with nice new homes get fired up about skid marks on their new white concrete driveway. Rich folks are picky. Don't blame them I guess.

Zero turns "can" leave black marks on driveways if the operator wants to (or doesn't care) or doesn't know how to operate it.
I have a Trans Am that can leave black marks on a driveway too. Doesn't make it a bad thing...

 

[RestoGuy]

I have a 1939 Farmall A with a Woods 60 inch belly mount mower....cut quality as good as all the mowers mentioned here. You can get a Farmall A...or Allis WD 45 or other brand with a belly mount on Craigslist for a couple thousand....depending on condition of course. I mow my yard and neighbors lot weekly...3 acres....makes the job fast and easy. Simply another option to consider.

 

[SHB]

Have about 15 acres I mow several times each summer. Bought a bad-boy 60” at an estate sale, used it to get things cleaned up (lots of briars and vines), upgraded to a new 60” eXmark to maintain it. Put lugged tires on the mower, helps on the hills. Use a ZTR because it’s easier to work around the trees. Use low loft blades, seem to cut better with less load on the engine when things get overgrown.