First time buyer. ZT or Rider
- Thread starter Jimboh
- Start date
bertsmobile1
Lawn Royalty
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2014
- Threads
- 65
- Messages
- 24,995
yes.
To date I have sent 3 kawasaki egine to the dealer for warranty repairs because the single bolt holding the rocker mechanism came loose ( dealer did not check it on 1st service )
Two cases it just totalled the head, third one trashed the engine.
In theory the kawasaki is a better engine which is why it is more expensive.
In reality there is little difference.
Honda stopped supplying engines because they could not make a product of sufficient quality to carry the Honda name for the prices the mower companies were willing to pay.
So it is really a pointless Chev vs Ford type of arguement
To date I have sent 3 kawasaki egine to the dealer for warranty repairs because the single bolt holding the rocker mechanism came loose ( dealer did not check it on 1st service )
Two cases it just totalled the head, third one trashed the engine.
In theory the kawasaki is a better engine which is why it is more expensive.
In reality there is little difference.
Honda stopped supplying engines because they could not make a product of sufficient quality to carry the Honda name for the prices the mower companies were willing to pay.
So it is really a pointless Chev vs Ford type of arguement
cruzenmike
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2017
- Threads
- 59
- Messages
- 858
Jimboh,
What are your thoughts? Have you made a decision yet? I know the mowing season is still a while away for some of us, but the excitement has some of us anxious to get out there and cut!!
What are your thoughts? Have you made a decision yet? I know the mowing season is still a while away for some of us, but the excitement has some of us anxious to get out there and cut!!
7394
Lawn Pro
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2014
- Threads
- 90
- Messages
- 5,114
Bring yer mower over to my place, I'll let you mow till yer hearts content.
No definite decision made yet but I am very heavily leaning towards the Toro MX5025. I like that it’s fab deck, kawi engine and has the larger 18” seat as well as the larger front and rear tires. The seat was important to me as I am 6’4” so I want it to be comfortable for a bigger guy. There is a Toro dealer about 30 minutes away from the new house and it’s in Tax Free Delaware so that’s enticing. Next time I go to check the progress of the house I’ll be swinging by there to check the place out. Gravely and hustler are still in the running but after having a toro push mower that lasted me many years longer than it probably should have, makes me lean toward being brand loyal
i was looking at the mx4250...be aware of toros automatic parking brake...i've read problems with them locking the mower up to where it will start but not move...there is a way to manually disengage but it something stupid in the design that should just be a manual lever
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUi9olZphvw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AsjxkrNDiU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUi9olZphvw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AsjxkrNDiU
cruzenmike
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2017
- Threads
- 59
- Messages
- 858
I say go for the Toro if you like it. Their mowers make a good cut, just be sure to properly inflate the tires and level the deck both ways before you use it. As for the parking brake, don't let a "potential" failure keep you from it, as there are many other things that could go wrong, just a matter of chance and how you care for your equipment.
i'm just saying there is a pretty good potential when there is a service bulletin from toro out about it, a bunch of hits on google and youtube as well and there are quite a few threads on this site alone...i've also read that the electronic parking brake module can keep a slight draw on the battery when the mower is off and kill the battery...i'm only saying cause i was heavily favoring the toro mx4250 over the exmark quest but just due to this stupid flaw in the design or purposefully done for an easy way for toro to make money on repairs...the exmark has a hand brake so i'm leaning that way now...
https://lookup3.toro.com/ttcGateway/serv/bltn/to/f/tfz031_1.htm
http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/showthread.php/35942-S5000-Zero-turn-locked-up
http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/showt...-Something-Funny-Going-On-With-Brake-Actuator
http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/showthread.php/30710-Toro-MX-5060-brake-module-malfunctioning
http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/showt...74140-seat-bypass-parking-break-switch-issues
http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/showthread.php/11572-Toro-SS-5060-running-but-won-t-move
http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/showthread.php/8533-Toro-timecutter-ss5000
http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/showthread.php/36398-Toro-Timecutter-won-t-move
cruzenmike
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2017
- Threads
- 59
- Messages
- 858
In no way am I saying that it is perfect, as it is just one more thing that can go wrong. I too don't care much for it, but I think the rate of failure is likely lower than you think; that whole thing about people with bad experiencing being 10x more likely to share their bad experience and so on. Either way, if a manual brake is something that eliminates the potential for a failure down the road, then lean that way. For the year that I had my Toro I was quite pleased with it, but then again, I only had it a year so it gave me no problems; sold because I really didn't need a ZTR for a quarter of an acre.
Being a Toro guy and working for a Toro dealer, I have not seen or heard about problems with the automatic parking brake. It might be out there but not around here. As far as the Toro engine, it has been a great performer for us.