Buying house with 6 acres - Need help selecting a mower - JD or Dixon?

[Black Bart]

I would add that if I could afford a Grasshopper, I think I would go that route. My problem is that for my $5,000 budget, they all have unbelievable hours on them (like well over 1,000). At least the ones I've seen for sale.

Bart - If you had $5,000 and wanted a 60" deck, would you buy a new JD Z465 or a Grasshopper (not sure on models) with 1,000+ hours?

I think this is the first you have mentioned a budget or price mark.
I may have missed it but it definitely rules out a lot of new machines.
I'm still not clear on what you will be mowing the first post was 6 acres then it was 1 or 2 and I'm not sure where you are at now but it sure makes a big difference on what you need.

Mowing 6 acres every week is one hell of a lot of mowing.
One member on this forum recently bought a Grasshopper 728 diesel with 72 inch deck and low hours for $3300.00

Which would be best I can not say because I don't know how rough the lawn is or how much you will be mowing.
I don't know how many small tight areas that you will have only you know these things.
From my experience from owning 3 ZTR mowers and both of my current tractor I can tell you what to expect from them.

25 years ago the Grasshopper with the 72 inch deck was perfect for my lawn it was what most would consider too big but I never liked making a career out of mowing and this allowed me to mow fast and do other things.

Down through the years we added another garage a greenhouse and several flower gardens.
This changed things I have several places that the 12 foot long grasshopper won't turn in so I had to do these places with a hand mower.

I bought the JD and it has a 48 inch wheelbase and a 54 inch deck I can mow my lawn and not use a hand mower so it is much faster than the Grasshopper.

The 12 foot long grasshopper rides better than the short wheelbase JD Z445 in fact it rides better than a tractor will and if you have room to turn within the 12 foot length it will trim around a small tree just as well as a short wheelbase like my Z445, They both are zero turn but with the GH you still need 12 feet to turn it.

If you look at my mowers you will see I have a JD 430 diesel this is considered by many as the best garden tractor ever built but I have not had the deck under it in 25 years.

Mowing with this thing is just SOooooooo yesterday the only way I would use it to mow is everything else would not run.

I have a heated cab on it and it is great for blowing snow that is why I keep it around.

I think if I was thinking about mowing 6 acres and there was no small tight spots and I was limited to a $5000.00 budget I would buy a good running old tractor for $500.00 just for towing spreader or sprayer. You can do those things with a GH but a small tractor would be handy then shop for a nice low hours diesel commercial mower like the GH.

One thing that never seems to come up if you have any bushes or low hanging tree limbs ONLY the front deck can mow under them tractor can't.
This saves going back around and mowing with a hand mower.

Things like that people who have never owned one overlook.

 

[Mower manic]

Well you two are certainly being quite throrough with you opinions. I for one apreciate all of the information and the banter.
I have seen the damage robert refers to and the speed of a high dollar ZTR cannot be disputed.
I think the amount of damage is ditectly related to the weight and power of the mower and a function of the type of turf and type of soil. It's my experience that moisture plays a key role as well.
The cost involved with a compact tractor should not be minmized. Spending 500$ is inviting a huge investment of time,, making repairs and finding parts. Please don't think you can find something substantial for that minmal investment. Although it's not beyond the realm of possibility, its much more likely you will wind up underwriting a un wanted restoration then procuring a vauble tool.
This being the truth it only underscores the importance of making an educated purchase.
It's clear to me that is what jmac1 is trying to do.
If you leaning towards a CT be advised: Have a clear understanding of exactly what you need and want before you even start to shop. Buying the wrong tractor is a big financial boo boo.

 

[Sammy the Red]

I would add that if I could afford a Grasshopper, I think I would go that route. My problem is that for my $5,000 budget, they all have unbelievable hours on them (like well over 1,000). At least the ones I've seen for sale.

Bart - If you had $5,000 and wanted a 60" deck, would you buy a new JD Z465 or a Grasshopper (not sure on models) with 1,000+ hours?

At a dealer in Avilla, Ind., I was looking at two GrassHopper 725's.
One had powerfold deck, with 370 hours, 2002 model.
One had a vacuum collection system, with 410 hours, 2001 model.
They told me $6,000.00 for either one.

This dealer has a large inventory of GrassHopper mowers.

Deals can be found, they are out there.






(ETA model years)

 

[Sammy the Red]

Down through the years we added another garage a greenhouse and several flower gardens.
This changed things I have several places that the 12 foot long grasshopper won't turn in so I had to do these places with a hand mower.

I have seen in other posts where you say your 725 mower is 12' long.
Mine is only about 9 foot long with the 61" deck.

What makes your's 3 foot longer ?

 

[robert]

The JD is FASTER than the Grasshopper :confused3:

 

[robert]

Parkmower, please do everyone who is considering the purchase of a zt the favor of commenting on Scag's position that the zt design is inherently prone to turf damage and Briggs position that the zt application is the most hostile to any engine. Then, if you would be so kind, please comment on the towing capacity and the weight limits of the unitized drives, they are all about the same..

Then lets talk about internal drive temps on unitized drives with very small amounts of lube and differential drives with six or so quarts of lube, about the maint involved with those zt's that have motors and a pump with all the plumbing, about the many zero turns that don't even use a cooling fan on the drives, about operational noise, which engines stay cleaner from dust and debris, which design can tow more; in general lets talk about the things that really matter....for the average homeowner that is.

I am citing facts-direct from manufacturers and my own experience- you and a few others here are posting on pure emotion and this is where you are doing a huge disservice to all that are following this thread.

 

[Parkmower]

Parkmower, please do everyone who is considering the purchase of a zt the favor of commenting on Scag's position that the zt design is inherently prone to turf damage and Briggs position that the zt application is the most hostile to any engine. Then, if you would be so kind, please comment on the towing capacity and the weight limits of the unitized drives, they are all about the same..

Then lets talk about internal drive temps on unitized drives with very small amounts of lube and differential drives with six or so quarts of lube, about the maint involved with those zt's that have motors and a pump with all the plumbing, about the many zero turns that don't even use a cooling fan on the drives, about operational noise, which engines stay cleaner from dust and debris, which design can tow more; in general lets talk about the things that really matter....for the average homeowner that is.

I am citing facts-direct from manufacturers and my own experience- you and a few others here are posting on pure emotion and this is where you are doing a huge disservice to all that are following this thread.

I'm done with you

 

[reynoldston]

Wow, this has become quite the heated forum here.



2. I'm not talking about going in the livestock business. Just a few animals. 2 pigs take no room at all, a 20' x 20' pen with a little homemade shelter/cover gets the job done no problem. Buy 'em in April, sell 'em at the fair in July...I'm not worried here. You are right cattle are more difficult and typically take two years, but still one or two cattle are fine on less than an acre. You don't want them running around anyway, they get too much muscle that way. I guess my point is, we have plenty of land for what we plan on doing. My wife grew up farming and we have her whole family advising us on this little endeavor. If it ever gets too much, we just don't buy animals that year. I think it will be fun...and less mowing


Still haven't made a decision yet...weighing lots of options...but I am enjoying the suggestions!

I hope you good luck on the pigs. The first year I raised them I had very good luck with them, but not the second year. I had a lot of enjoyment doing it.. They would eat just about anything. They would get all my grass clippings and what was left over from my garden and every else's garden I knew. I also would go to a dairy farm and feed them their left over bad milk, they just loved it. Another place I found food for them I would ask a farmer after they would harvest a field of corn if I could pick the left overs which I did. The problem started the second year. The first problem was that I used the same pen over from the first year and we have a wet summer. The pen just turned into a mud pit and I just couldn't do anything for the poor animals. I tryed straw just to dry it up but nothing worked and i put some concrete in just so they could get out of the mud. The only dry place for the was inside the hut I made for them. The second problem I had was when the rats came. This was too much and the last of my pig raising. I only thing I hate more then snakes is rats. So when you make your pen make sure it is on good high dry drained land and try to keep all food cleaned up and sealed. Good luck

 

[Black Bart]

I have seen in other posts where you say your 725 mower is 12' long.
Mine is only about 9 foot long with the 61" deck.

What makes your's 3 foot longer ?

Do you have the 725K

 

[robert]

Parkmower, exactly what I expected from you, facts sure can be annoying can't they? :laughing: