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Advice Needed - Buying ZT for ~1 acre
#1
B
boris317
B
boris317
Hello,
Yard
I live on 1.17 acres. In the middle of that is a 2700 sq/foot house with a deck and a long driveway. At any rate there is, to me at least, a good size yard to mow. Most of the yard has many trees to mow around. There is one large clear area on the side of my house where my septic and leach field are. The yard is mosty flat, with only a small incline in one spot.
Mowers I am looking at
Overkill? Possibly...I'd like something with a nice ride, a sturdy enough fabricated deck (for when I crash into stuff) and a tranny that will let me pull a leaf vacuum (Is that even a good idea on a ZT?)
I was able to test ride the Kubota and was impressed with the ride but I did not get to actually mow anything with it. I am going to go look at the Ariens soon.
One of my local dealers carries Kubota, Skag and Ferris and another dealer carries Ariens. There is also an exmark dealer close by. Anyway there you have. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Yard
I live on 1.17 acres. In the middle of that is a 2700 sq/foot house with a deck and a long driveway. At any rate there is, to me at least, a good size yard to mow. Most of the yard has many trees to mow around. There is one large clear area on the side of my house where my septic and leach field are. The yard is mosty flat, with only a small incline in one spot.
Mowers I am looking at
- 48" Kubota Kommander Z121S 21 HP Kohler (The E series has a B&S)($4,979)
- 48" Skag Freedom Z kawasaki (~$5,200)
- 48" Ariens Max Zoom 22 HP Kohler ($4,799)
- 48" Gravely ZT HD - Specs are identical to Ariens Max Zoom but with Kawasaki ($4,999?)
- Exmark Pioneer? (price ??)
Overkill? Possibly...I'd like something with a nice ride, a sturdy enough fabricated deck (for when I crash into stuff) and a tranny that will let me pull a leaf vacuum (Is that even a good idea on a ZT?)
I was able to test ride the Kubota and was impressed with the ride but I did not get to actually mow anything with it. I am going to go look at the Ariens soon.
One of my local dealers carries Kubota, Skag and Ferris and another dealer carries Ariens. There is also an exmark dealer close by. Anyway there you have. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
#2
S
Shughes717
All three are fine choices. They all have commercial decks, and zt3100 hydros. I am a fan of the Kawi engines, so the scag would get the edge there IMO. Ariens manufactures gravely, and look to be very similar. Gravely is a popular mower with some people on this site who are well informed on mowers, and get great reviews. Kubota, like john deere, has a great support network with many dealers throughout the U.S. And make quality machines as well. If you want to look at some of the other brands I would suggest the ferris is600 (has a spring suspension), the exmark pioneer series would be another possibility (also a popular mower on this site). Exmark is built by toro and also get great reviews. The snapper pro s125xt (same mower as ferris without spring suspension) is offered in the budget range you have mentioned. Standard power components on it are fs series Kawi engine, and zt3400 hydros. Will mow a little faster than the others mentioned, but you are only mowing an acre and any of the mowers mentioned should make short work of your lawn. They are all well built mowers and should last you for years if properly maintained. I suggest testing them all. Get to know the dealers and the mowers and choose the one you feel most comfortable with. Dealer support is important. You won't be wrong no matter which brand you choose. These mowers are all built for large estates, so they are all very solid mowers.
S
Shughes717
Hello,
Yard
I live on 1.17 acres. In the middle of that is a 2700 sq/foot house with a deck and a long driveway. At any rate there is, to me at least, a good size yard to mow. Most of the yard has many trees to mow around. There is one large clear area on the side of my house where my septic and leach field are. The yard is mosty flat, with only a small incline in one spot.
Mowers I am looking at
- 48" Kubota Kommander Z121S 21 HP Kohler (The E series has a B&S)($4,979)
- 48" Skag Freedom Z kawasaki (~$5,200)
- 48" Ariens Max Zoom 22 HP Kohler ($4,799)
Overkill? Possibly...I'd like something with a nice ride, a sturdy enough fabricated deck (for when I crash into stuff) and a tranny that will let me pull a leaf vacuum (Is that even a good idea on a ZT?)
I was able to test ride the Kubota and was impressed with the ride but I did not get to actually mow anything with it. I am going to go look at the Ariens soon.
One of my local dealers carries Kubota, Skag and Ferris and another dealer carries Ariens. There is also an exmark dealer close by. Anyway there you have. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
All three are fine choices. They all have commercial decks, and zt3100 hydros. I am a fan of the Kawi engines, so the scag would get the edge there IMO. Ariens manufactures gravely, and look to be very similar. Gravely is a popular mower with some people on this site who are well informed on mowers, and get great reviews. Kubota, like john deere, has a great support network with many dealers throughout the U.S. And make quality machines as well. If you want to look at some of the other brands I would suggest the ferris is600 (has a spring suspension), the exmark pioneer series would be another possibility (also a popular mower on this site). Exmark is built by toro and also get great reviews. The snapper pro s125xt (same mower as ferris without spring suspension) is offered in the budget range you have mentioned. Standard power components on it are fs series Kawi engine, and zt3400 hydros. Will mow a little faster than the others mentioned, but you are only mowing an acre and any of the mowers mentioned should make short work of your lawn. They are all well built mowers and should last you for years if properly maintained. I suggest testing them all. Get to know the dealers and the mowers and choose the one you feel most comfortable with. Dealer support is important. You won't be wrong no matter which brand you choose. These mowers are all built for large estates, so they are all very solid mowers.
#3
djdicetn
djdicetn
If the Ariens dealer also carries Gravely(purchased by Ariens a few years back to provide a commercial/industrial ZTR lineup). If so, you need to take a look ad the 48" Gravely ZT HD(Model# 991082-$4,999) with the Kawasaki engine. Chain hung deck, cast iron spindles, 1Year Commercial Warranty(always a good indication of a durable Residential ZTR). I think you'll be impressed with the quality for the money!!Hello,
Yard
I live on 1.17 acres. In the middle of that is a 2700 sq/foot house with a deck and a long driveway. At any rate there is, to me at least, a good size yard to mow. Most of the yard has many trees to mow around. There is one large clear area on the side of my house where my septic and leach field are. The yard is mosty flat, with only a small incline in one spot.
Mowers I am looking at
- 48" Kubota Kommander Z121S 21 HP Kohler (The E series has a B&S)($4,979)
- 48" Skag Freedom Z kawasaki (~$5,200)
- 48" Ariens Max Zoom 22 HP Kohler ($4,799)
Overkill? Possibly...I'd like something with a nice ride, a sturdy enough fabricated deck (for when I crash into stuff) and a tranny that will let me pull a leaf vacuum (Is that even a good idea on a ZT?)
I was able to test ride the Kubota and was impressed with the ride but I did not get to actually mow anything with it. I am going to go look at the Ariens soon.
One of my local dealers carries Kubota, Skag and Ferris and another dealer carries Ariens. There is also an exmark dealer close by. Anyway there you have. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
#4
B
boris317
B
boris317
@djdicetn Said dealer does appear to sell Gravely too. I'll make sure to check one out.
#5
S
Shughes717
S
Shughes717
Shopping for these mowers can be a fun experience. The sales pitch thrown at you by some of these dealers shouldn't matter much. As I said in my earlier post all of the mowers mentioned are great machines. You should look at everyone you can and test them before making a decision. They will all have certain strengths. Let us know what you choose and why.
#6
Vanousb
Vanousb
Like the guys mentioned earlier, the listed and others considered, are all great mowers. Like, Shughes717, I would highly recommend demoing each one you are considering to get a feel for how they compare in personal performance. Most dealers will do this for you. And, to me the trust in a good dealer to help with maintaining and servicing mower is important. I wanted close buy, good rep, and someone I felt good about personally. Reason I went Exmark here.
#7
djdicetn
Don't get me wrong.....Ariens are very good mowers too. In fact my next-door-neighbor has a 42" Ariens Zoom that he has had for 15 years and it still cuts great. That is another reason why I bought a Gravely when I found out that Ariens owned them. Ariens has made excellent Residential ZTR's for years, is well known for their Customer Service and Gravely has been making American built farm & lawn equipment since 1916. That's a great fit for those two companies and I figured I couldn't go wrong. I was right!!!
djdicetn
@djdicetn Said dealer does appear to sell Gravely too. I'll make sure to check one out.
Don't get me wrong.....Ariens are very good mowers too. In fact my next-door-neighbor has a 42" Ariens Zoom that he has had for 15 years and it still cuts great. That is another reason why I bought a Gravely when I found out that Ariens owned them. Ariens has made excellent Residential ZTR's for years, is well known for their Customer Service and Gravely has been making American built farm & lawn equipment since 1916. That's a great fit for those two companies and I figured I couldn't go wrong. I was right!!!
#8
B
boris317
B
boris317
Hmm, there is a Bad Boy dealer about 30 mile from my house. Should I throw a ZT Elite on the table? Gaaaah, too many nice mowers at this price point!
#9
S
Shughes717
You should test every mower you can find with a local dealer that is in your price range. Many of us on here own zero turns and can give you some insight on what to look for. Some on here will try to push the brand they purchased on you. In the end you have to be satisfied with your purchase. Undoubtably you are looking for a mower that will last you a long time with the money you are looking to spend. The mowers you have mentioned are all good machines. You are on the right track. Get a feel for how they handle before you choose.
S
Shughes717
Hmm, there is a Bad Boy dealer about 30 mile from my house. Should I throw a ZT Elite on the table? Gaaaah, too many nice mowers at this price point!
You should test every mower you can find with a local dealer that is in your price range. Many of us on here own zero turns and can give you some insight on what to look for. Some on here will try to push the brand they purchased on you. In the end you have to be satisfied with your purchase. Undoubtably you are looking for a mower that will last you a long time with the money you are looking to spend. The mowers you have mentioned are all good machines. You are on the right track. Get a feel for how they handle before you choose.
#10
Ric
Well I think everyone will have there favorites and there are a lot of others that haven't been mentioned like the Toro, Hustler, Dixie Chopper and so on. Out of the ones mentioned the Exmark or the Skag IMO would be the best choices. I personally would look at some Toro mowers who owns and makes the Exmark before I made a choice, I'd also discount any mower from BBS like Lowes, HD or TSC because of the service availability. I think you should look at Warranty and service availability first when making a decision on a mower, those are the things that can make a mower worth while in the long run.
Ric
Hello,
Yard
I live on 1.17 acres. In the middle of that is a 2700 sq/foot house with a deck and a long driveway. At any rate there is, to me at least, a good size yard to mow. Most of the yard has many trees to mow around. There is one large clear area on the side of my house where my septic and leach field are. The yard is mosty flat, with only a small incline in one spot.
Mowers I am looking at
- 48" Kubota Kommander Z121S 21 HP Kohler (The E series has a B&S)($4,979)
- 48" Skag Freedom Z kawasaki (~$5,200)
- 48" Ariens Max Zoom 22 HP Kohler ($4,799)
- 48" Gravely ZT HD - Specs are identical to Ariens Max Zoom but with Kawasaki ($4,999?)
- Exmark Pioneer? (price ??)
Overkill? Possibly...I'd like something with a nice ride, a sturdy enough fabricated deck (for when I crash into stuff) and a tranny that will let me pull a leaf vacuum (Is that even a good idea on a ZT?)
I was able to test ride the Kubota and was impressed with the ride but I did not get to actually mow anything with it. I am going to go look at the Ariens soon.
One of my local dealers carries Kubota, Skag and Ferris and another dealer carries Ariens. There is also an exmark dealer close by. Anyway there you have. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Well I think everyone will have there favorites and there are a lot of others that haven't been mentioned like the Toro, Hustler, Dixie Chopper and so on. Out of the ones mentioned the Exmark or the Skag IMO would be the best choices. I personally would look at some Toro mowers who owns and makes the Exmark before I made a choice, I'd also discount any mower from BBS like Lowes, HD or TSC because of the service availability. I think you should look at Warranty and service availability first when making a decision on a mower, those are the things that can make a mower worth while in the long run.
#11
B
boris317
B
boris317
I wont be getting anything from HomeDepot. There are a few Ariens dealers around. I did find a place close by that sells Dixie but In general you don't see those mowers around here much. I dont know if I would have an issue with servicing and what not.
#12
djdicetn
I looked at the Bad Boys in 2012(made an offer on a 54" Outlaw). IMHO, anything in the Bad Boy lineup below the Outlaw is no where close to the quality of the other ZTR's you are considering. I saw a ZT Elite at the TSC and the new Kohler 7000 series engine on it looked.......well "cheaply made":0(
djdicetn
Hmm, there is a Bad Boy dealer about 30 mile from my house. Should I throw a ZT Elite on the table? Gaaaah, too many nice mowers at this price point!
I looked at the Bad Boys in 2012(made an offer on a 54" Outlaw). IMHO, anything in the Bad Boy lineup below the Outlaw is no where close to the quality of the other ZTR's you are considering. I saw a ZT Elite at the TSC and the new Kohler 7000 series engine on it looked.......well "cheaply made":0(
#13
djdicetn
djdicetn
The Dixie Chopper Zee 2 is a worthy addition to your list to demo!!I wont be getting anything from HomeDepot. There are a few Ariens dealers around. I did find a place close by that sells Dixie but In general you don't see those mowers around here much. I dont know if I would have an issue with servicing and what not.
#14
S
Shughes717
Agreed. Not a fan of the low end badboys either. However, boris317 you should at least take a look and compare them to what you have been looking at.
S
Shughes717
I looked at the Bad Boys in 2012(made an offer on a 54" Outlaw). IMHO, anything in the Bad Boy lineup below the Outlaw is no where close to the quality of the other ZTR's you are considering. I saw a ZT Elite at the TSC and the new Kohler 7000 series engine on it looked.......well "cheaply made":0(
Agreed. Not a fan of the low end badboys either. However, boris317 you should at least take a look and compare them to what you have been looking at.
#15
djdicetn
I agree with user Shughes717, that you should look at the Bad Boys since you have a local dealer. Looking back at the prices for the initial ZTR's you listed that you had been looking at, for what you pay for a Scag or any of the others I would suggest that you look at the Outlaw at the dealer. It is an impressively built ZTR "beast"...has a massive 5gauge(yeah, a full 1/4" thick) deck, HydroGear ZT-5400 trannies, 11 gallon fuel capacity, swing-away tanks for easy access maintenance(the only downside I found was they only came with Kohler or B & S engines.....no Kawasaki option:0(
Just make sure you demo it because BB's historically have some love/hate reviews of the cut quality. Maybe that's a thing of the past, but even mixed reviews(with several similar negative reviews) always raised a red flag for me. Make sure you like the cut before you buy.
djdicetn
Hmm, there is a Bad Boy dealer about 30 mile from my house. Should I throw a ZT Elite on the table? Gaaaah, too many nice mowers at this price point!
I agree with user Shughes717, that you should look at the Bad Boys since you have a local dealer. Looking back at the prices for the initial ZTR's you listed that you had been looking at, for what you pay for a Scag or any of the others I would suggest that you look at the Outlaw at the dealer. It is an impressively built ZTR "beast"...has a massive 5gauge(yeah, a full 1/4" thick) deck, HydroGear ZT-5400 trannies, 11 gallon fuel capacity, swing-away tanks for easy access maintenance(the only downside I found was they only came with Kohler or B & S engines.....no Kawasaki option:0(
Just make sure you demo it because BB's historically have some love/hate reviews of the cut quality. Maybe that's a thing of the past, but even mixed reviews(with several similar negative reviews) always raised a red flag for me. Make sure you like the cut before you buy.
#16
B
boris317
B
boris317
I'll be heading to Chappell Tractor in the morning and will most likely purchase the Kubota Z121s. There is still a slight chance I will get the scag instead. They are offering a rebate on the freedom Z so I'll make a decision while I am there tomorrow.
#17
S
Shughes717
Fine choice either way you go. Let us know what you got and how you like it after you have mowed a few times with it.
S
Shughes717
I'll be heading to Chappell Tractor in the morning and will most likely purchase the Kubota Z121s. There is still a slight chance I will get the scag instead. They are offering a rebate on the freedom Z so I'll make a decision while I am there tomorrow.
Fine choice either way you go. Let us know what you got and how you like it after you have mowed a few times with it.
#18
B
boris317
Taking delivery of a Kubota Z121s today!
B
boris317
Fine choice either way you go. Let us know what you got and how you like it after you have mowed a few times with it.
Taking delivery of a Kubota Z121s today!
#19
RetiredGuns
Nice looking mower congrats. I'd be proud to have that orange puppy in my garage as well!
RetiredGuns
Taking delivery of a Kubota Z121s today!
Nice looking mower congrats. I'd be proud to have that orange puppy in my garage as well!
#20
S
Shughes717
Kubota makes quality equipment. You should be set for many years with that mower.
S
Shughes717
Taking delivery of a Kubota Z121s today!
Kubota makes quality equipment. You should be set for many years with that mower.