Hi, glad to be aboard this Forum, thanks for the add.

[bertsmobile1]

Sorry if I sounded brutal but facts are facts.
The best information will come from independent mower repair shops.
We have no reason to stretch the truth.
Like the whinge sites, we only really know the ones that were bad because the good ones never come in for repairs.
I still doubt that any ZTR under $ 5000 (USA) will run for 10 years without major repairs.
We don't get the full US range of mowers down here but of what we do all of the cheapies are junk.
The only small ZTR I would recommend would be the JD 335. but it has the pressed Edge deck which is not all that good.
The Torros are good build wise but I am forever changing the brake modules which render the mower a big paperweight, cost a fortune, can not be repaired & fail regularly.
Nothing out of the AYP factory under $ 10,000 is not worth the freight let alone the purchase price.
Within your budget everything is throw away, just some will take longer to fall apart than others.
An example of built down to a price is hour meters.
They cost me about $ 30 ( Aus ) so wholesale in the USA you would be looking around $ 10. Really cheap & very necessary for home owners to keep track of operating hours for maintenance, yet not fitted.
Mowers not maintained according to schedule is a cop out for warranty repairs so you decide why they are not fitted to cheap mowers.

My backside has been out of my duds for most of my life so I know what working on a limited budget is like.
But looking for a brand new durable ride on mower within your budget is a fools errand, even more foolish if you do not have the technical skills to wade through the deliberately confusing rubbish that the factories publish about their mowers.

What is the no 1 thing owners want to know ?
How long can I expect this mower to last ?
Do any of them state 500 hours from this engine & 600 hours from that drive, no.
Any of them tell you how easy ( near impossible ) it is to change the drive belts , no
Any one tell you the actual service costs in either hours or time , no
In fact the maintenance schedule in most handbooks is a 1/2 page confusing table printed in fine type burried right down the back of the handbook.

So when you go to the dealers, ask to see the owners manual for every mower you are looking at or even download them from the factory web sites and do your comparing there.
Make a list of the replacement items, add a set of blades & belts then get a price for them. The lower the purchase price the more expensive the servicing.
When it comes to trannies, go to the Hydro Drive , Tuff Torque or General Trans web sites and look for information there.
All tranny spec sheets have load ratings ( how much weight they can pull ) if it is any less than 3 times the weight ( from the owners handbook ) of the mower then that mower will be lucky to outlast your 90 day warranty period.

The people at Mulligans have been really helpful to me and again brutally frank about the longevity , quality & cost of repair of the different trannies.
Even better there are several sections about upgrading to better trannies.
If a tranny retailer goes to that effort then it is safe to assume the old tranny must be giving a lot of people grief.

 

[Gilligan]

Sorry if I sounded brutal but facts are facts.
The best information will come from independent mower repair shops.
We have no reason to stretch the truth.
Like the whinge sites, we only really know the ones that were bad because the good ones never come in for repairs.
I still doubt that any ZTR under $ 5000 (USA) will run for 10 years without major repairs.
We don't get the full US range of mowers down here but of what we do all of the cheapies are junk.
The only small ZTR I would recommend would be the JD 335. but it has the pressed Edge deck which is not all that good.
The Torros are good build wise but I am forever changing the brake modules which render the mower a big paperweight, cost a fortune, can not be repaired & fail regularly.
Nothing out of the AYP factory under $ 10,000 is not worth the freight let alone the purchase price.
Within your budget everything is throw away, just some will take longer to fall apart than others.
An example of built down to a price is hour meters.
They cost me about $ 30 ( Aus ) so wholesale in the USA you would be looking around $ 10. Really cheap & very necessary for home owners to keep track of operating hours for maintenance, yet not fitted.
Mowers not maintained according to schedule is a cop out for warranty repairs so you decide why they are not fitted to cheap mowers.

My backside has been out of my duds for most of my life so I know what working on a limited budget is like.
But looking for a brand new durable ride on mower within your budget is a fools errand, even more foolish if you do not have the technical skills to wade through the deliberately confusing rubbish that the factories publish about their mowers.

What is the no 1 thing owners want to know ?
How long can I expect this mower to last ?
Do any of them state 500 hours from this engine & 600 hours from that drive, no.
Any of them tell you how easy ( near impossible ) it is to change the drive belts , no
Any one tell you the actual service costs in either hours or time , no
In fact the maintenance schedule in most handbooks is a 1/2 page confusing table printed in fine type burried right down the back of the handbook.

So when you go to the dealers, ask to see the owners manual for every mower you are looking at or even download them from the factory web sites and do your comparing there.
Make a list of the replacement items, add a set of blades & belts then get a price for them. The lower the purchase price the more expensive the servicing.
When it comes to trannies, go to the Hydro Drive , Tuff Torque or General Trans web sites and look for information there.
All tranny spec sheets have load ratings ( how much weight they can pull ) if it is any less than 3 times the weight ( from the owners handbook ) of the mower then that mower will be lucky to outlast your 90 day warranty period.

The people at Mulligans have been really helpful to me and again brutally frank about the longevity , quality & cost of repair of the different trannies.
Even better there are several sections about upgrading to better trannies.
If a tranny retailer goes to that effort then it is safe to assume the old tranny must be giving a lot of people grief.

I really do appreciate honesty even if it is brutal. I didn't mean to come off that I wanted a mower for less than it cost, I think I understand economics. I just don't want to spend money twice if I don't have to and I'd also like to get a "fair" deal on it. I have been to mower shops and they have for the most part honest and fair. I am looking at the ones mentioned above and might just do it. Perhaps I should have said, I have 1.3 acres fairly flat and many obstacles, what is the best way to cut the grass short of hiring it out which I can't afford to do. I'd even driven push mower if it is cheaper than a zero turn and durable. I really like the formula of 3 times the weight of the mower for the drive units, brilliant. I will use this for sure.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Getting sort of off track now but with a lot of things, spending a bit more will cost a lot less.
So when you talk to dealers be specific with questions like how many hours is the typical service life of the engine.
And the same for the tranny. If you get a wishy washy answer then walk away.
Lifetime guarrantees are great till you find out the "lifetime" is 100 hours.
Down here most domestic engines will do 500 hours which works out about 10 years but the EZT's are rated as 300-500 hour units..
Now they can not be exact because there is misuse & abuse , easy & difficult terrain to consider , same as for belts.
My local tranny man will rebuild worn EZT's for $ 400-$ 500 each ( remember there are 2 of them ) but repairs can easy go double that amount.

Down here Ariens brand their domestics as Ariens & the commercials as Gravely and there is not a single Ariens branded mower I would pay cash money for.
The domestic Husqvarnas , and most of the rest of the AYP made residential ZTR'S use an A section ( 1/2" ) blade belt and eat them like candy because they are way too thin for the job, they cost $ 80 + ( Aus) to replace.

This is why I suggested getting quotes on service parts and remember belts are not a warranty item .

Going for a fabricated deck adds a lot of cost and should be unnecessary for 1.3 acres unless you have a lot of rocks , intend to mow over thick branches or try to mulch 12" of grass.
A heavy duty pressed deck will give a better cut usually and last a very long time if blown down ( not washed ) after each mow.
A perfect condition fabricated deck will not add much value to a used mower with a dead tranny or a rod through the side of the crankcase.