Advice on what brand is most reliable these days

kikikopa

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Husqvarna is a great brand, best new mower brand if you ask me, but If you have 2 acres, don't bother even thinking about getting a base model Husqvarna like the YTH18542. It won't have enough power for your property and was made with the bare minimum features, like a weak transmission and a single cylinder engine. If any mower you look at has a Kohler courage, AVOID IT LIKE THE PLAGUE. What size of deck do you want? What's your budget? For a property like that, I would absolutely get one of the Husqvarna garden tractors like the TS348XD or the TS354XD. Both have a Kawasaki V-Twin, which are highly regarded and definitely the best engine you could get in a riding mower. Both have a Tuff Torq K66 with a electronic locking differential, so you won't get stuck! Both have heavy duty fabricated decks, so the deck rusting out won't even come to mind. And these GTs are just straight up powerhouses. Heck, you could even put a sleeve hitch, front loader, or anything you could want on it.
Thanks for your recommendations but those models are not available here in Uruguay. The TS254G is the largest ride-on that Husqvarna sells here. I'm now leaning towards a zero turn. John Deere, Hustler Raptor, Husqvarna, and Toro are the brands they sell here and they all sell for about double what it costs in the states so I have to work up the courage to pull the trigger on a new one. I'm not 100% positive I can reach that point however.

What say you all about those four manufacturers of zero turn mowers? Anybody own any of them?
 

Craftsman Garage

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Thanks for your recommendations but those models are not available here in Uruguay. The TS254G is the largest ride-on that Husqvarna sells here. I'm now leaning towards a zero turn. John Deere, Hustler Raptor, Husqvarna, and Toro are the brands they sell here and they all sell for about double what it costs in the states so I have to work up the courage to pull the trigger on a new one. I'm not 100% positive I can reach that point however.

What say you all about those four manufacturers of zero turn mowers? Anybody own any of them?
I would still say Husqvarna.
 

Scrubcadet10

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Hustler or Toro are a tied for 1st IMO
 

shootinsteel

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Greetings to all members,

I'm in the market for a new ride-on mower but after having researched the reliability of different brands, it seems like they've all fallen off in that regard these days. In 2004, I purchased a Troy-Bilt Bronco model with the B&S Intek engine and used it with pretty much with no problems for about eleven years. The only problem I had was toward the end when I had to do a workaround to address the mower deck not engaging and it was simply a rubber strap that I attached at the lever. Overall, I was pretty satisfied with that mower but I don't think the Troy-Bilt Broncos that they sell today will be as reliable.

I see that now MTD has swallowed up almost every known mower brand and based on the reviews that I've read, they all have serious issues which includes, and most specifically, MTD's customer service or should I say lack there of. I'm really hesitant to purchase any brand under the MTD umbrella. I was surprised to hear that they even make John Deere's non-commercial mowers which kind of made sense after I since found out that those JD mowers have serious issues too.

So my question is: are there any reliable ride-on mower brands available for purchase in 2025? Toro seems to have issues and is not cheap. Murray made by B&S seems to be in line with MTD's products and rules them out. So who's left?

I'd appreciate any thoughts/comments on the current crop of ride-on mowers and what you'd recommend.

Thanks in advance.
I would like to be able to give you some good advice about riding mowers. Can tell you for sure whatever you buy maybe a crap shoot. Last year I bought a Cub Cadet, 87 hours and think transmission is gone. Has no power or speed in reverse. Thankfully bought from a dealer, they did come pick it up and will repair at no cost and will deliver it back to me. The small difference in price from a dealer to a big box store is well worth paying if service is needed.
 

Barrett50

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I'm new here, just registered. I work on riding mowers as a hobby. I buy used Poulan-pro or Craftsman and just go through them replacing wear items. I try to find units with the uprated B&S "I/C" engines. They usually have a red top cover, but not always. The older AYP chassis are fairly robust. I particularly like the Poulan-Pro foot pedal drive with 14-19HP. However if money is not an issue, I would get an Ariens medium ZTR. As long as there are no serious hills.

I have a 60" Ikon by Ariens. I maintain a 50x3100' runway and both sides. Maybe 6Ac all. On 6" I do the verges, and then on 2" I do the runway from April to mid-Oct. The only thing bigger would be a PTO driven 72" finish mower and brush hog. Very happy with the Ariens. Mine does not have the spring suspension and some places can get a bit bumpy on the sides, but overall it's been perfect for 3 years. Blades, one batt, oil, gas, and filters.
 
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Tiger Small Engine

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Thanks for your recommendations but those models are not available here in Uruguay. The TS254G is the largest ride-on that Husqvarna sells here. I'm now leaning towards a zero turn. John Deere, Hustler Raptor, Husqvarna, and Toro are the brands they sell here and they all sell for about double what it costs in the states so I have to work up the courage to pull the trigger on a new one. I'm not 100% positive I can reach that point however.

What say you all about those four manufacturers of zero turn mowers? Anybody own any of them?
Buy a zero turn versus a riding mower for sure for two acres. Doesn’t matter what brand zero turn you buy at the low end, they are all pretty crappy. Lean towards Toro, Troy Bilt Mustang, or Hustler. You are looking at $3500 and up on price.
 

hlw49

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Dixie Chopper Z2 is really nice mower you may pay a little more up front but well worth the money. Comes in regular Z2 and Z2 HP
 

heavy_kevie

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Right now its probably about two acres. The property is large but most of it I let overgrow and only maintain certain parts of it otherwise I'd have to dedicate my entire life to landscape maintenance during the growing season. I'm seriously considering goats at this point. I kid you not!
Nice pun!
 

mx842

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Buy a zero turn versus a riding mower for sure for two acres. Doesn’t matter what brand zero turn you buy at the low end, they are all pretty crappy. Lean towards Toro, Troy Bilt Mustang, or Hustler. You are looking at $3500 and up on price.
I've been a tight wad pretty much all my life and for a long time bought whatever was the cheapest. After a few years I realized that was not the best route. I bought MTDs, or any of the other cheaper mowers and just replaced them after a couple years use. I had an old Bolens that I bought from a guy that had already wore it out and fixed it up and cut my weeds for several years before it finally gave up.
I got tired of buying something then have to work on it every time I needed to use it, so I decided to bite the bullet and go out looking for something that would last me a while.
I sold off a few old tractors i had, made a bunch of trips to the scrap yard and did a lot of sweet talking to my bride at the time and finally went back to a place that sold Wheel Horse and bought a slightly used 520 H that only had 5 hours on it. The old guy that had it really wanted a Zero turn, but his wife didn't want to spend any more that what he was paying for this Wheel Horse. The Zero turn he wanted was a little over $1000 more but she held firm and he ended up getting this one. Well shortly after the devoice he took it back and traded it for the mower he really wanted. I paid $5000 for that Wheel Horse with a 48" deck and a couple more pieces of stuff that I could use in my garden space.
Well, I almost ended up divorced, my friends thought I was crazy and my dog had a funny look in his eye every time he peed on the back tire. Everything calmed after a few weeks when my wife noticed me cutting grass and not having to listen to the two-hour cussing spree leading up to me getting on the tractor. I cut grass with that mower for 35 years also used it for a whole host of other things over the years and it would be still cutting grass today if it was not for the fire that burned down my shop along with just about everything else, I ever owned.
Now I have me a Gravely ZTR 52 and although it's not my old Wheel Horse I do love it. It's faster, cuts grass better and in the two years I've had it I've never done anything to it but change the oil, put a new set of blades on it and did one hydro oil and filter change. The only bad thing I don't get to ride on it as long as I did with the Wheel Horse because I would break up my cutting time from cutting three days for about 2.5 hours each day to getting it all done in just 2 hours at a pop. Hell, now I have to go cut my neighbors yards to get seat time. LOL
 
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