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Buying help for ZTR in the $3,000-$5,000 range
#1
M
mts
M
mts
I am a ZTR newbie and have lived the last 20 years or so in a house I could push mow. My new house has a 1.5 acre lot that is mostly flat, but has a lot of trees, etc to mow around. I want something that will move along pretty well that has a decent sized deck to keep the mowing time down as much as possible. As a result, I think a ZTR would work well for me. Admittedly, I know very little about them. I've gone to a couple local dealers to look at some and I am getting pretty consistently pushed to riders costing $5,500k or more from Scag, Exmark and Ferris. The dealer comments are basically that ZTR's under that cost point are not quality units and won't last. My understanding is those are both really good brands, but my question is to get a quality unit with say a 50" ish deck, that will go 7-10mph, and that will handle one 1.5 acre lot reliably for many years, do I really have to go to that price point? Just seems like those units would be total overkill for what I need?
My last experience with a rider was the Snapper my dad owned and that thing ran like a top for 20+ years. To hear these dealers talk any ZTR under $5k will break within a couple years if you even look at it funny (I'm only slightly exaggerating here).
I believe in buying quality and will pay more to get it, but before I drop that kind of $$ I wanted to get some opinions from people that aren't trying to sell me one.
Thanks in advance.
My last experience with a rider was the Snapper my dad owned and that thing ran like a top for 20+ years. To hear these dealers talk any ZTR under $5k will break within a couple years if you even look at it funny (I'm only slightly exaggerating here).
I believe in buying quality and will pay more to get it, but before I drop that kind of $$ I wanted to get some opinions from people that aren't trying to sell me one.
Thanks in advance.
#3
Popeye
Popeye
#4
txzrider
txzrider
#5
Ric
What your dealers are telling you is true that a commercial mower will last you for years down the road if it's well maintained but so will a good High end residential mower.
When the dealer comments that ZTR's under that cost point are not quality units and won't last he's basically right. Mowers under that are in that range aren't quality mowers. Take the Cub Cadet RZT from Home Depot, great mower for someone who has a beautiful half acre lawn and is going to be used 30 minutes a week but in reality what have you got for basically $3400, a mower with a cheap frame, cheap stamped deck, a crappy EZT non serviceable drive and a bottom line engine with a three year or 120 hr warranty. Now step up to the commercial, heavier fab deck, better serviceable drives, commercial grades engines with a four year 2000hr warranty.
That's the reason they're pushing you into a $5500 or more for a mower is because that's where you start getting into the lower end of the commercial mowers. As far as the brand goes it doesn't have to be one of the mowers you mentioned to be a quality mower, there are others like Toro, Cub Cadet, Dixie, Hustler and others that make quality mowers and all have the same range types of mowers and pricing. It all comes down to how much you want to spend and what you think is over kill. Remember you get what you pay for.
Ric
I am a ZTR newbie and have lived the last 20 years or so in a house I could push mow. My new house has a 1.5 acre lot that is mostly flat, but has a lot of trees, etc to mow around. I want something that will move along pretty well that has a decent sized deck to keep the mowing time down as much as possible. As a result, I think a ZTR would work well for me. Admittedly, I know very little about them. I've gone to a couple local dealers to look at some and I am getting pretty consistently pushed to riders costing $5,500k or more from Scag, Exmark and Ferris. The dealer comments are basically that ZTR's under that cost point are not quality units and won't last. My understanding is those are both really good brands, but my question is to get a quality unit with say a 50" ish deck, that will go 7-10mph, and that will handle one 1.5 acre lot reliably for many years, do I really have to go to that price point? Just seems like those units would be total overkill for what I need?
My last experience with a rider was the Snapper my dad owned and that thing ran like a top for 20+ years. To hear these dealers talk any ZTR under $5k will break within a couple years if you even look at it funny (I'm only slightly exaggerating here).
I believe in buying quality and will pay more to get it, but before I drop that kind of $$ I wanted to get some opinions from people that aren't trying to sell me one.
Thanks in advance.
What your dealers are telling you is true that a commercial mower will last you for years down the road if it's well maintained but so will a good High end residential mower.
When the dealer comments that ZTR's under that cost point are not quality units and won't last he's basically right. Mowers under that are in that range aren't quality mowers. Take the Cub Cadet RZT from Home Depot, great mower for someone who has a beautiful half acre lawn and is going to be used 30 minutes a week but in reality what have you got for basically $3400, a mower with a cheap frame, cheap stamped deck, a crappy EZT non serviceable drive and a bottom line engine with a three year or 120 hr warranty. Now step up to the commercial, heavier fab deck, better serviceable drives, commercial grades engines with a four year 2000hr warranty.
That's the reason they're pushing you into a $5500 or more for a mower is because that's where you start getting into the lower end of the commercial mowers. As far as the brand goes it doesn't have to be one of the mowers you mentioned to be a quality mower, there are others like Toro, Cub Cadet, Dixie, Hustler and others that make quality mowers and all have the same range types of mowers and pricing. It all comes down to how much you want to spend and what you think is over kill. Remember you get what you pay for.
#6
Popeye
Popeye
#8
scott47429
scott47429
#9
SUPERIOR MAINTENANCE
SUPERIOR MAINTENANCE
#10
L
Larry R
I bought a Hustler and like the mower, just don't pay an extra $500 for the Honda engine---mine is junk and stays in the shop. Save the money and headache and buy with a Kawasaki or Briggs. I have several Honda engines on other tools and they are great but the GVX530 is plagued with problems. Toro's are OK, Exmark is better, but my brother in law has had 3 large Toros in 5 years cutting his 3 yards. Snappers used to be good but are junk now since they started making them cheaper to compete with Murray and other 1 yr disposable mowers.
L
Larry R
I am a ZTR newbie and have lived the last 20 years or so in a house I could push mow. My new house has a 1.5 acre lot that is mostly flat, but has a lot of trees, etc to mow around. I want something that will move along pretty well that has a decent sized deck to keep the mowing time down as much as possible. As a result, I think a ZTR would work well for me. Admittedly, I know very little about them. I've gone to a couple local dealers to look at some and I am getting pretty consistently pushed to riders costing $5,500k or more from Scag, Exmark and Ferris. The dealer comments are basically that ZTR's under that cost point are not quality units and won't last. My understanding is those are both really good brands, but my question is to get a quality unit with say a 50" ish deck, that will go 7-10mph, and that will handle one 1.5 acre lot reliably for many years, do I really have to go to that price point? Just seems like those units would be total overkill for what I need?
My last experience with a rider was the Snapper my dad owned and that thing ran like a top for 20+ years. To hear these dealers talk any ZTR under $5k will break within a couple years if you even look at it funny (I'm only slightly exaggerating here).
I believe in buying quality and will pay more to get it, but before I drop that kind of $$ I wanted to get some opinions from people that aren't trying to sell me one.
Thanks in advance.
I bought a Hustler and like the mower, just don't pay an extra $500 for the Honda engine---mine is junk and stays in the shop. Save the money and headache and buy with a Kawasaki or Briggs. I have several Honda engines on other tools and they are great but the GVX530 is plagued with problems. Toro's are OK, Exmark is better, but my brother in law has had 3 large Toros in 5 years cutting his 3 yards. Snappers used to be good but are junk now since they started making them cheaper to compete with Murray and other 1 yr disposable mowers.
#11
Popeye
Popeye