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I moved into a new place last fall?didn't really have to mess with the lawn much before winter got here. Well, now the lawn is starting to grow like crazy and I need to figure out the best way to manage my 2.5 acre lawn. I've got an old Murray riding mower with a 42 deck, but I think it would take me all day to mow it with that thing..plus the mower is just falling apart so I need a better option.

I've been looking around at local stores and the prices and quality really seem to vary on mowers depending on what brand you go with. Craftsman, Snapper, Murray, Husky, Cub Cadet, Troy-Built, John Deere, Kubota?.lots of different brands out there. I would like to keep the price under $2000 for a new one, or $1500 for a nice used one. What brands are good, and what are junk? Something with a 46? deck would be great. I don't want a Zero-Turn type,..so that's out of the question. Basically just trying to find the fastest way to mow 2.5 acres for the least amount of money.

Or would I be better off just paying someone to mow the 2.5 acres a few times a month during the Summer?? I have 6 acres total (2.5 lawn, the rest garden and pasture)?o maybe I would be better of paying someone to mow it this year, and try to save up for a small diesel tractor with PTO and 3-point setup for next year? Lots of options?too bad money doesn't grow on trees.

Well of course i'm going to say Husqvarna, get the YTH24K48 fast tractor from Lowes. This one is a excluisive from Lowes. 48" deck and will move if you want it too. The price was right for me at $1899 - 5% with the Lowes card came out to around $1799 before taxes. I think they are still offering a free trailer with purchase.
I really like my mower so far, used it twice already.:thumbsup:

TnHusky said:

Well of course i'm going to say Husqvarna, get the YTH24K48 fast tractor from Lowes. This one is a excluisive from Lowes. 48" deck and will move if you want it too. The price was right for me at $1899 - 5% with the Lowes card came out to around $1799 before taxes. I think they are still offering a free trailer with purchase.
I really like my mower so far, used it twice already.:thumbsup:

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iqraceworks,

I tend to agree with user TnHusky that Husqvarnas are one of the better quality lawn tractors for the money out there. However, being a ZTR owner and realizing the benefit of "Commercial quality" components for reliability and durability, I would encourage you to compare that YTH24K48(with a Kohler Courage engine that has a history of design flaws) to the YT48XLS model that has a fabricated deck, a locking differential hydrostatic tranny, a Kawasaki engine(undoubtedly the most reliable and durable small engine on the market right now). Mowing 2.5 acres will be "hard" on an "entry level" lawn tractor!!! The XLS series also extends the deck warranty to lifetime(another indication of the benefits of a fabricated deck). Of course, the YT48XLS has a MSRP of $2899 versus the YTH24K48 recommended by user TnHusky(at $1899), but it's up to you whether you consider the extra cost worth the upgrade. Also, you won't get an XLS series at a big box retailer like Lowes and you will need to buy from an authorized Husqvarna dealer(which most of us on these forums recommend anyway for any warranty service after the sale...which Lowes doesn't provide). Good luck choosing the right lawn tractor for your needs.

djdicetn said:

iqraceworks,

I tend to agree with user TnHusky that Husqvarnas are one of the better quality lawn tractors for the money out there. However, being a ZTR owner and realizing the benefit of "Commercial quality" components for reliability and durability, I would encourage you to compare that YTH24K48(with a Kohler Courage engine that has a history of design flaws) to the YT48XLS model that has a fabricated deck, a locking differential hydrostatic tranny, a Kawasaki engine(undoubtedly the most reliable and durable small engine on the market right now). Mowing 2.5 acres will be "hard" on an "entry level" lawn tractor!!! The XLS series also extends the deck warranty to lifetime(another indication of the benefits of a fabricated deck). Of course, the YT48XLS has a MSRP of $2899 versus the YTH24K48 recommended by user TnHusky(at $1899), but it's up to you whether you consider the extra cost worth the upgrade. Also, you won't get an XLS series at a big box retailer like Lowes and you will need to buy from an authorized Husqvarna dealer(which most of us on these forums recommend anyway for any warranty service after the sale...which Lowes doesn't provide). Good luck choosing the right lawn tractor for your needs.

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He is from Tn. so he may have a good point. :laughing:
I would have probably bought a ZTR if it wasn't for the wife. I have back troubles and it goes out every now and then and she can't use a ZTM.

TnHusky said:

He is from Tn. so he may have a good point. :laughing:
I would have probably bought a ZTR if it wasn't for the wife. I have back troubles and it goes out every now and then and she can't use a ZTM.

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Sorry to thread jack. But if your wife used the zt she'd never let you back in the seat. So yr prob better off.
I will say ZT's are intimidating to new users but within an hour or two in the seat most would never go back to a tractor.

Parkmower said:

Sorry to thread jack. But if your wife used the zt she'd never let you back in the seat. So yr prob better off.
I will say ZT's are intimidating to new users but within an hour or two in the seat most would never go back to a tractor.

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Parkmower,
That's EXACTLY why I'm going to continue letting the ZTR "intimidate" my wife:0)
Once they learn how much fun they are to drive, it's like you said......they'll take 'em over!!!!
If anything, I'd like to train her on the maintenance(oil changes, gapping plugs, etc.), then all I would do would be have fun driving it:0)

TnHusky said:

He is from Tn. so he may have a good point. :laughing:
I would have probably bought a ZTR if it wasn't for the wife. I have back troubles and it goes out every now and then and she can't use a ZTM.

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TnHusky,
My last mower was a 2006 54" Craftsman YS4500(made for Sears by Husqvarna). Aside from the piece-of-junk 24hp Briggs & Stratton Intek engine(NOT Husqvarna's fault) that lawn tractor was an awesome machine. If I had decided to buy another lawn tractor instead of a ZTR, it would have been a Husqvarna(from a dealer....not big box retailer). I almost bought a Husqvarna MZ5424S Zero Turn, so I could just put the mulch blades and discharge chute cover on it from the Craftsman, but I decided to "go Commercial" on the ZTR and got my 52" Gravely(it mows even better than the Craftsman in half the time and doesn't even need a mulch kit....I think it's the 18,500fps blade tip speed:0)

P.S.
How long have you had your Husqvarna???? Have you had any "problems" with the Kohler Courage??? I've heard real horror stories about them on the forums.

I moved your thread to the Mower Buying and Pricing Forum. Good luck with your decision! :smile:

djdicetn said:

TnHusky,
My last mower was a 2006 54" Craftsman YS4500(made for Sears by Husqvarna). Aside from the piece-of-junk 24hp Briggs & Stratton Intek engine(NOT Husqvarna's fault) that lawn tractor was an awesome machine. If I had decided to buy another lawn tractor instead of a ZTR, it would have been a Husqvarna(from a dealer....not big box retailer). I almost bought a Husqvarna MZ5424S Zero Turn, so I could just put the mulch blades and discharge chute cover on it from the Craftsman, but I decided to "go Commercial" on the ZTR and got my 52" Gravely(it mows even better than the Craftsman in half the time and doesn't even need a mulch kit....I think it's the 18,500fps blade tip speed:0)

P.S.
How long have you had your Husqvarna???? Have you had any "problems" with the Kohler Courage??? I've heard real horror stories about them on the forums.

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DJ, I too was horrified to purchase a mower with a Kohler engine until I got to doing a lot of digging. Seems most of the problems was from the single cylinder engines. I also spoke to a couple of independent dealers that sell Cubs with Kohler engines. One of them said it was only the single cylinder engines but he say's they have them fixed. He also stated they didn't have the trouble with the twin cylinder engines. Also the other dealer said they didn't have any trouble from the kohler engines as well.
I certainly hope it is a good engine, it has a lot of power and is pretty quiet as well. I've just mowed twice but my yard is growing fast since I threw down the 19-19-19. Then if that wasn't enough, dummy me decided to put down 200 Lbs of Pelletized lime. As you said, I looked on ton's of reviews as well as other's and top of the list was the Husqvarna, Kohler engine and all. And to be honest, I'd soon buy a Kohler that the Newer Briggs Intek, talk about horror stories!!!

TnHusky said:

DJ, I too was horrified to purchase a mower with a Kohler engine until I got to doing a lot of digging. Seems most of the problems was from the single cylinder engines. I also spoke to a couple of independent dealers that sell Cubs with Kohler engines. One of them said it was only the single cylinder engines but he say's they have them fixed. He also stated they didn't have the trouble with the twin cylinder engines. Also the other dealer said they didn't have any trouble from the kohler engines as well.
I certainly hope it is a good engine, it has a lot of power and is pretty quiet as well. I've just mowed twice but my yard is growing fast since I threw down the 19-19-19. Then if that wasn't enough, dummy me decided to put down 200 Lbs of Pelletized lime. As you said, I looked on ton's of reviews as well as other's and top of the list was the Husqvarna, Kohler engine and all. And to be honest, I'd soon buy a Kohler that the Newer Briggs Intek, talk about horror stories!!!

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TnHusky,
That may be right as I never noticed the "single cylinder" being mentioned in the Kohler Courage-bashing posts. Yeah, I hear you, as I had that 24hp B & S Intek and the horror stories are true. Prior to the forum banter I had always only heard good things about Kohler and IMHO they are better than B & S. I got "sold" on the Kawasaki's by my next door neighbor(who went to a Husqvarna dealer and special ordered a lawn tractor with a Kawa) and all the pro-Kawa posters on the forums. I hope I got good advice:0)

dj,

I really wanted a Kaw but the only thing I could get it on was a 50" deck Cub, and I saw alot of bad reviews on the deck and belts etc on them. 50" is really more than I needed anyway. I looked at a Husqvarna with the Kaw but it was a 54" deck and was $3199, too many scoots for my blood. I didn't know you could order one special though.

TnHusky said:

dj,

I really wanted a Kaw but the only thing I could get it on was a 50" deck Cub, and I saw alot of bad reviews on the deck and belts etc on them. 50" is really more than I needed anyway. I looked at a Husqvarna with the Kaw but it was a 54" deck and was $3199, too many scoots for my blood. I didn't know you could order one special though.

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TnHusky,

I'll have to check with my neighbor, but I think his is a "forty something" inch deck. I'll see if I can get a Model# from him. He may have one of the ____LS or ____XLS models which I believe all come with the Kawa(but are pricier than the other series), so it may have not been a "special order".

Your lawn area is much larger, so you need to riding mower for your garden. Nowadays you can see many brands are available in the market. But on the basis of my experience I'ld prefer Troy-Bilt or Husqvarna lawn mower for a large area.

It's been 5 years. I think they probably have a mower by now. :smile:

TnHusky said:

DJ, I too was horrified to purchase a mower with a Kohler engine until I got to doing a lot of digging. Seems most of the problems was from the single cylinder engines. I also spoke to a couple of independent dealers that sell Cubs with Kohler engines. One of them said it was only the single cylinder engines but he say's they have them fixed. He also stated they didn't have the trouble with the twin cylinder engines. Also the other dealer said they didn't have any trouble from the kohler engines as well.
I certainly hope it is a good engine, it has a lot of power and is pretty quiet as well. I've just mowed twice but my yard is growing fast since I threw down the 19-19-19. Then if that wasn't enough, dummy me decided to put down 200 Lbs of Pelletized lime. As you said, I looked on ton's of reviews as well as other's and top of the list was the Husqvarna, Kohler engine and all. And to be honest, I'd soon buy a Kohler that the Newer Briggs Intek, talk about horror stories!!!

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Kohler engines today, are not the same Kohler they were years ago.
New ones are built very cheap, I'm sure there are people out there that have good luck with them, but a lot don't.

I remember when Kohler was a quality engine, it's too bad where they have gone.