My 20 YO Toro Wheelhorse Rider and 48 inch deck is about done. Looking to cut mowing time and stop getting my body beat up. Dealer has proposed the Toro Titan MX6000 with a 25 hp Kohler for around $6k or a Scag Cheetah with 27 hp Kawasaki for around $10 k ( knocking $2k off). I mow in New England about 5 acres old farm land and finished front yard. So what hilly and dusty in the summer. Clearly bumpy.
A $4K difference sure is significant though financially do-able. Wonder if the values there though?
Any input on choices and thoughts would be greaty appreciated.
Are there any other brands available in your area? The cheetah is a higher end commercial mower, where as the Titan is a low end commercial/ high end residential mower. the cheetah is much faster, but if the area you are mowing is bumpy I don't think more speed is going to help any. Toro mowers are good machines but you can get a mower with a better drive train than is offered on the Titan for under $6k. You should look into getting a suspension seat with which ever mower you purchase. That will help the mower ride better. If you have the ability to spend $10k on a mower and want a more comfortable ride then I would suggest you demo a ferris is2100. It has an independant suspension. Couple that with a suspension seat and no other mower out there should come close to the ride of the ferris.
There are many other brands out there that offer great mowers: Toro/exmark, hustler/big dog, scag, kubota, gravely, ferris/snapper pro, bobcat, country clipper, John Deere, husqvarna, etc. Check around and see what is available in your area. See if the dealer will let you demo a mower and choose the one you feel most comfortable with. All of them offer similar drive train options with heavy duty decks. Some will offer higher end components at a more affordable price than others.
Some will offer different extra features that you may like, such as suspension, flex forks, a deck that can be stood up in front of the mower, single joystick control, air ride seat, hydraulic deck lift, etc. Kick the tires on all of them and go from there. Toro and Exmark used to offer a substantial equine discount for those who own horses. If you have horses on the property then they may be worth looking into.
