Between Two Choices

[shastakovitch]

Getting a new zero turn. Am down to making a choice between Ferris IS700Z with B&S Commercial Engine and Ferris F210Z with the EFI Vanguard Engine. The price difference is about $2000. The F210Z does not appear to have the shock absorber suspension which the IS700Z has but it does have a shock absorbing adjustable seat. Not sure of which way to go. The use is non commercial with about 3-3.5 acres to cut. The terrain has its share of bumps. Thanks for any advice.

 

[Shughes717]

Getting a new zero turn. Am down to making a choice between Ferris IS700Z with B&S Commercial Engine and Ferris F210Z with the EFI Vanguard Engine. The price difference is about $2000. The F210Z does not appear to have the shock absorber suspension which the IS700Z has but it does have a shock absorbing adjustable seat. Not sure of which way to go. The use is non commercial with about 3-3.5 acres to cut. The terrain has its share of bumps. Thanks for any advice.

The F210Z is basically the same mower as the SnapperPro S200xt. My father has an S200xt with a suspension seat. It is an excellent, high end commercial mower, and the suspension seat did greatly improve the ride. The IS700Z is a mid level commercial mower. It too is a very good mower, but the drive train on it isn't as good as what is offered on the F210Z. The suspension on the IS700Z doesn't have as much travel as the IS2100Z models and up, so the ride on the IS700Z isn't as smooth. The ride on the IS700Z is about the same as the ride of a rigid frame mower with a suspension seat.

Either mower would be fine for your lawn. Both come with the same ICD deck. The suspension seat offered on the F210Z makes the suspension on the IS700Z a wash. The Vanguard offered on the F210Z is a higher end commercial engine than the Commercial Turf on the IS700Z. The ZT5400 hydros on the F210Z is heavy duty commercial, where as the ZT3400 hydros on the IS700Z are mid level commercial. The F210Z would be overkill for 3.5 acres, but it is the better mower of the two. In truth, the IS700Z could easily handle your lawn for many years, as long you keep it properly maintained. It just depends on wether you want to pay the extra $2k for a top of the line drive train.

I mow my 4.2 acre lawn, and my grandmother's 4 acre lawn with a 48" SnapperPro S150XT. It has the ZT5400 hydros, and a high end commercial FX series Kawasaki engine. The ICD deck leaves a great cut. My grandmother has a pond on her property with very steep banks. There are only two small areas that I can't mow with my S150XT. My dad can mow those two areas with his S200XT without problem. I hope the information I have given helps you with your decision. Please let us know which mower you chose, and why.

 

[shastakovitch]

The F210Z is basically the same mower as the SnapperPro S200xt. My father has an S200xt with a suspension seat. It is an excellent, high end commercial mower, and the suspension seat did greatly improve the ride. The IS700Z is a mid level commercial mower. It too is a very good mower, but the drive train on it isn't as good as what is offered on the F210Z. The suspension on the IS700Z doesn't have as much travel as the IS2100Z models and up, so the ride on the IS700Z isn't as smooth. The ride on the IS700Z is about the same as the ride of a rigid frame mower with a suspension seat.

Either mower would be fine for your lawn. Both come with the same ICD deck. The suspension seat offered on the F210Z makes the suspension on the IS700Z a wash. The Vanguard offered on the F210Z is a higher end commercial engine than the Commercial Turf on the IS700Z. The ZT5400 hydros on the F210Z is heavy duty commercial, where as the ZT3400 hydros on the IS700Z are mid level commercial. The F210Z would be overkill for 3.5 acres, but it is the better mower of the two. In truth, the IS700Z could easily handle your lawn for many years, as long you keep it properly maintained. It just depends on wether you want to pay the extra $2k for a top of the line drive train.

I mow my 4.2 acre lawn, and my grandmother's 4 acre lawn with a 48" SnapperPro S150XT. It has the ZT5400 hydros, and a high end commercial FX series Kawasaki engine. The ICD deck leaves a great cut. My grandmother has a pond on her property with very steep banks. There are only two small areas that I can't mow with my S150XT. My dad can mow those two areas with his S200XT without problem. I hope the information I have given helps you with your decision. Please let us know which mower you chose, and why.

Thanks so much for the input. I am a bit of a sucker for better quality and given the information you shared on the F210Z, I decided to spring for the extra $2000. Although it is as you pointed out overkill for the 3.5 acres which I cut, you helped me to consider some expanded use options to better justify the purchase. I have some rental properties in the general area. One has app. 1.75 acres (currently cut by one of the tenants with a residential Zero Turn nearing the end of its useful life). The other two lawns are smaller (1/2 acre or less). Getting a small trailer and transporting the Ferris would reduce my current expenses for lawn care. I should be able to handle the other properties with a modest investment of time though I will incur expense to purchase the trailer. The trailer should help to reduce maintenance costs for the Ferris as I would be able to transport it to the dealer when service or repair requires. I'm not sure that the expanded use would justify the extra $2000 plus the cost for a used trailer but it helps with any guilt associated with the extra expense. Sounds like the F210Z will outlast my need for its services. Thanks again for the input. You obviously know your stuff. Take care.

 

[Shughes717]

Thanks so much for the input. I am a bit of a sucker for better quality and given the information you shared on the F210Z, I decided to spring for the extra $2000. Although it is as you pointed out overkill for the 3.5 acres which I cut, you helped me to consider some expanded use options to better justify the purchase. I have some rental properties in the general area. One has app. 1.75 acres (currently cut by one of the tenants with a residential Zero Turn nearing the end of its useful life). The other two lawns are smaller (1/2 acre or less). Getting a small trailer and transporting the Ferris would reduce my current expenses for lawn care. I should be able to handle the other properties with a modest investment of time though I will incur expense to purchase the trailer. The trailer should help to reduce maintenance costs for the Ferris as I would be able to transport it to the dealer when service or repair requires. I'm not sure that the expanded use would justify the extra $2000 plus the cost for a used trailer but it helps with any guilt associated with the extra expense. Sounds like the F210Z will outlast my need for its services. Thanks again for the input. You obviously know your stuff. Take care.

I must admit, if I were choosing between the two, and price wasn't an issue, I would also go with the F210Z. My dad's mower is a 2011 model S200XT and has the big block vanguard. He mows about 9 acres with his, not counting the several acres of pasture he occasionally cuts with it. His mower has held up great, even with him using it like a bush hog from time to time. Ferris/SnapperPro are well made and sturdy mowers. I hope you enjoy your new mower. Please post a review of your mower once you have run it for a while.