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Is Freedom Z a commercial mower?

#1

P

postconstruction

First year of my small lawn service. I am mowing about 15 residentail lawns. I am looking at Hustler Fasttracks and Freedom Z's, simply for my limited budget. I have also considered used equipment (ie Hustler Super Z or Scag Wildcat Tiger Cub, etc.). I have various opinions from dealers about Scagg Freedom Z'S and Hustler Fastracks. My question is - is the Freedom Z really commercial or residential grade? My local Scagg daler tells me if properly maintained, the Freedom Z should last 2000hours. I find that hard to beleive, but they are a very reputable dealer. Any opinions?


#2

M

Mad Mackie

The Scag Freedom Z is as much a commercial machine when compared to most of the lower level commercial machines from other manufacturers. I'm only familiar with the Hustler X-ONE as I own one.
If you have felt the need for a collection system, then you need to be more selective in you choice of machine.
HP and an engine with a two stage air filtration system are a high priority in your search.
My 2008 Tiger Cub has a collection system which I use about 90% of the time. Disposing of the clippings then presents another problem and I only use the collection system at customers places where I can dispose of the clippings on or near their places. The collection blower is easily removed from the deck and I install the plastic chute. I have a closed cargo trailer with a ramp that all my equipment is kept in.
Just a few things to consider.
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:
The sun is shining and I gotta get to work!!!


#3

O

opd128@aol.com

I run a small lawn business and cut about 35 lawns a week. I am running a scag freedon z with a 42" mulching deck. The mower has approx 400 hours on it and has not skipped a beat. I would recommend this mower to the small business owner. If you go to a full time business I would step to a tiger series mower.


#4

djdicetn

djdicetn

postconstruction said:
First year of my small lawn service. I am mowing about 15 residentail lawns. I am looking at Hustler Fasttracks and Freedom Z's, simply for my limited budget. I have also considered used equipment (ie Hustler Super Z or Scag Wildcat Tiger Cub, etc.). I have various opinions from dealers about Scagg Freedom Z'S and Hustler Fastracks. My question is - is the Freedom Z really commercial or residential grade? My local Scagg daler tells me if properly maintained, the Freedom Z should last 2000hours. I find that hard to beleive, but they are a very reputable dealer. Any opinions?
Click to expand...

postconstruction,
IMHO, the Scag Freedom and the Hustler Fastrak are to be considered high-end Residential ZTR's(based upon the ZT-3100 trannies, FS-Heavy Duty series Kawasaki engine, aluminum spindles and 10gauge decks). They do have a 1Year Commercial Warranty but this really indicates "heavy duty residential" more so than "full Commercial". Until you upgrade to the ZT-3400 and higher trannies, the FX-Commercial series of Kawasaki engines, the cast iron spindles, the 7gauge decks and see at least a 2Year Commercial Warranty you really aren't getting a "Commercial Grade" ZTR.


#5

Ric

Ric

djdicetn said:
postconstruction,
IMHO, the Scag Freedom and the Hustler Fastrak are to be considered high-end Residential ZTR's(based upon the ZT-3100 trannies, FS-Heavy Duty series Kawasaki engine, aluminum spindles and 10gauge decks). They do have a 1Year Commercial Warranty but this really indicates "heavy duty residential" more so than "full Commercial". Until you upgrade to the ZT-3400 and higher trannies, the FX-Commercial series of Kawasaki engines, the cast iron spindles, the 7gauge decks and see at least a 2Year Commercial Warranty you really aren't getting a "Commercial Grade" ZTR.
Click to expand...

djdicetn the Scag Freedom Z is a commercial mower, it may be a low end commercial but it is a commercial. The Hydro gear 3100 according to HG is a commercial trannie and the Kawasaki FS is also a commercial engine. The FS series engine was Specifically engineered for demanding landscape work. The FX series was designed to be Kawaski's power house engine for heavier applications or in larger mowers where more HP is required.


#6

djdicetn

djdicetn

Ric said:
djdicetn the Scag Freedom Z is a commercial mower, it may be a low end commercial but it is a commercial. The Hydro gear 3100 according to HG is a commercial trannie and the Kawasaki FS is also a commercial engine. The FS series engine was Specifically engineered for demanding landscape work. The FX series was designed to be Kawaski's power house engine for heavier applications or in larger mowers where more HP is required.
Click to expand...

Ric,
It seems that like many aspects of Zero Turn Mowers, the term "Commercial ZTR" is open to a variety of interpretations. Based upon what I've learned(I'll admit in the relatively short time I have researched ZTR's) a single or at best a couple of "commercial grade components" does not(in my opinion) classify that ZTR as a "Commercial". If so, there are a WHOLE LOT more Commercial ZTR's than what I have considered "fully Commercial". For instance, what if a a ZTR has a "Commercial" ZT-3100 tranny....but has a Kawasaki FR(Residential series) engine. Does the tranny make it a Commercial or does the engine make it a Residential? And some ZTR's(I don't have specific makes/models at this point) that have the ZT-3100 trannies but are specifically referred to by the manufacturer as a Residential or Homeowner series for their products. Again, if a "clearly Residential" ZTR and a "maybe Commercial" ZTR(as described in the Scag Freedom) both have 10gauge fabricated deck, why is the Freedom truly a Commercial. Personally, I don't even consider a ZTR that doesn't have a chain-hung deck as a full-Commercial, but that again isn't completely justifiable based upon a single feature/component. And just for the sake of more clarification on Kawa series designation, the Kawasaki website itself is where I got the info that FR=Residential, FS=Heavy Duty and FX=Commercial. Now in the case of designating a ZTR as "fully Commercial", which engine would you look for to make sure you were buying a completely Commercial product. The horsepower doesn't make sense to me because there are FR-Residential Kawas with larger HP ratings than my FX691V. So did you mean CC Displacement/Torque to determine a "Commercial Kawa". Don't get me wrong...I'm not simply trying to be argumentative but I do want to feel comfortable that the advice I give here, the opinions and information that I share is accurate. So convince me(using my favorite brand) that the Gravely ZT HD(with a ZT-3100 tranny, but a Kawa FR or Kohler Courage Pro engine) is a Commercial ZTR, because I have not told any users to compare it to other Commercial ZTR's, but to high-end Residential ZTR's that have some Commercial-grade components. Just to quote the Gravely catalog regarding the ZT HD: "This professional grade zero-turn is engineered from commercial DNA for the property owner who relies on high-performance and superior cutting efficiency. In fact, many of the features on these machines are the same as what professionals rely on every day". Yet Gravely doesn't have a "Commercial" decal underneath the front of this model's seat like they do for the Pro-Turns. So they do not market this ZTR as a Commercial but as a HD(Heavy Duty) Residential. I guess I need to read up a little more on the Scag Freedom Z to justify me not considering it one of the ZTR's that Scag markets as a Commercial series:0)

P.S.
You didn't mention whether you considered the base Hustler FasTrak(not the FasTrak Super Duty) with the ZT-3100 and Kawa FS as a Commercial, but I can assume since that is the same as the Scag you implied it was. Some may not agree on the Hustler.


#7

RatRacer

RatRacer

Ruh-roh:eek:

open-a-can-of-worms.jpg


#8

Ric

Ric

Ric said:
djdicetn the Scag Freedom Z is a commercial mower, it may be a low end commercial but it is a commercial. The Hydro gear 3100 according to HG is a commercial trannie and the Kawasaki FS is also a commercial engine. The FS series engine was Specifically engineered for demanding landscape work. The FX series was designed to be Kawaski's power house engine for heavier applications or in larger mowers where more HP is required.
Click to expand...

djdicetn said:
Ric,
It seems that like many aspects of Zero Turn Mowers, the term "Commercial ZTR" is open to a variety of interpretations. Based upon what I've learned(I'll admit in the relatively short time I have researched ZTR's) a single or at best a couple of "commercial grade components" does not(in my opinion) classify that ZTR as a "Commercial". If so, there are a WHOLE LOT more Commercial ZTR's than what I have considered "fully Commercial". For instance, what if a a ZTR has a "Commercial" ZT-3100 tranny....but has a Kawasaki FR(Residential series) engine. Does the tranny make it a Commercial or does the engine make it a Residential? And some ZTR's(I don't have specific makes/models at this point) that have the ZT-3100 trannies but are specifically referred to by the manufacturer as a Residential or Homeowner series for their products. Again, if a "clearly Residential" ZTR and a "maybe Commercial" ZTR(as described in the Scag Freedom) both have 10gauge fabricated deck, why is the Freedom truly a Commercial. Personally, I don't even consider a ZTR that doesn't have a chain-hung deck as a full-Commercial, but that again isn't completely justifiable based upon a single feature/component. And just for the sake of more clarification on Kawa series designation, the Kawasaki website itself is where I got the info that FR=Residential, FS=Heavy Duty and FX=Commercial. Now in the case of designating a ZTR as "fully Commercial", which engine would you look for to make sure you were buying a completely Commercial product. The horsepower doesn't make sense to me because there are FR-Residential Kawas with larger HP ratings than my FX691V. So did you mean CC Displacement/Torque to determine a "Commercial Kawa". Don't get me wrong...I'm not simply trying to be argumentative but I do want to feel comfortable that the advice I give here, the opinions and information that I share is accurate. So convince me(using my favorite brand) that the Gravely ZT HD(with a ZT-3100 tranny, but a Kawa FR or Kohler Courage Pro engine) is a Commercial ZTR, because I have not told any users to compare it to other Commercial ZTR's, but to high-end Residential ZTR's that have some Commercial-grade components. Just to quote the Gravely catalog regarding the ZT HD: "This professional grade zero-turn is engineered from commercial DNA for the property owner who relies on high-performance and superior cutting efficiency. In fact, many of the features on these machines are the same as what professionals rely on every day". Yet Gravely doesn't have a "Commercial" decal underneath the front of this model's seat like they do for the Pro-Turns. So they do not market this ZTR as a Commercial but as a HD(Heavy Duty) Residential. I guess I need to read up a little more on the Scag Freedom Z to justify me not considering it one of the ZTR's that Scag markets as a Commercial series:0)

P.S.
You didn't mention whether you considered the base Hustler FasTrak(not the FasTrak Super Duty) with the ZT-3100 and Kawa FS as a Commercial, but I can assume since that is the same as the Scag you implied it was. Some may not agree on the Hustler.
Click to expand...

I think your interpretations of what a commercial mower is are a little off. According to your interpretations the Toro Grandstand is a residential mower not a commercial. To begin with if you go to the HG site and look you would know that the transmissions that are installed in mowers are chosen by the weight of the mower and hp ratings of the engine and deck size as to what drive they will accept or install. The engine for a mower is also chosen by the weight of the mower as well as size of the deck it operates. There are a lot of factors that go into setting up a mower by the manufacturer. Let me ask would you classify my Cub Cadet Z-Force a commercial mower or a residential. It runs a Kohler Courage Pro 22hp Commercial grade engine with the ZT-2800 drives and a 48" fab deck??? Surely you would have too say No if your interpretation of the Grandstand is correct and according to your interpretations a mower with a 13 gauge stamped deck cannot be a commercial mower either.


#9

Ric

Ric

RatRacer said:
Ruh-roh:eek:

open-a-can-of-worms.jpg
Click to expand...

RatRacer I love your post.:thumbsup::thumbsup:


#10

T

Tom59

Commercial can mean a lot of things to a lot of folks. If you use it for making money its commercial, literally. Doesn't mean it will hold up. Key words - hold up- They should actually use different terms altogether. Like industrial use or heavy use. Or light industrial use and medium industrial use.
I'd say its a light industrial use machine.

Pro Turn 100xdz is light/medium industrial. I also think light residential use , medium residential use, and heavy residential use would apply to some models. Confused yet. :D

com·mer·cial
[kuh-mur-shuhl] Show IPA

adjective
1.
of, pertaining to, or characteristic of commerce.

2.
engaged in commerce.

3.
prepared, done, or acting with sole or chief emphasis on salability, profit, or success: a commercial product; His attitude toward the theater is very commercial.

4.
able to yield or make a profit: We decided that the small oil well was not commercial.

5.
suitable or fit for a wide, popular market: Communications satellites are gradually finding a commercial use.


#11

M

Mad Mackie

Agreed,
The adjective "commercial" is widely abused. "Commercial grade" is close to being more correct, however also widely misused in advertising!!:confused2:
Mad Mackie in CT:biggrin:


#12

djdicetn

djdicetn

Ric said:
RatRacer I love your post.:thumbsup::thumbsup:
Click to expand...

RatRacer,

Me too!!!!! I guess you guys have already figured out I'm the type that likes to "stir things up" and doesn't just always blindly accept the status quo:0)
Actually, whenever I am "learning something new"(like ZTR technology) I am adamant that when in discussion with others that we are all on the same page and at least agree on the terminologies to use whenever possible(aside from the fact that sometimes "opinions" will obviously "crawl in"....like worms:0)
I guess if I REALLY want to make that can of worms "nightcrawlers", instead of "red wigglers" I could start(another) "controversial" Poll thread, like the ROPS/Seatbelt one:0), asking the question "Do You Consider Your ZTR a "Commercial ZTR" And Why?"....or maybe simply "Does Usage Or Components Designate A ZTR As A Commercial ZTR-Please Justify Your Vote?".

Ric,
I really cannot argue too much with your points because they are very good ones(as always). I tend to wholeheartedly agree with users Tom59 and Mad Mackie's posts in that again it seems that the mower industry has led us down this path where there can be a lot of confusion when trying to "categorize" a ZTR. When I was buying, I wanted a "Commercial Grade ZTR-top-to-bottom" and that's why the grade of components in the Gravely Pro-Turn 100XDZ, the price range of that series and the marketing of that ZTR by Gravely(including the blatant Commercial decal on the front of it) pretty well convinved me that I was getting what I was seeking. So, it's understandable that I would use the type of components/features that was in what "my manufacturer" referred to as an "entry level Commercial ZTR" to determine whether a Scag Freedom had the same level of components top-to-bottom. When it(or any other) did not, I viewed it as a "high end Residential, with some Commercial components". The terms Homeowner/Residential, Heavy Duty, Industrial and, as pointed out by user Tom59 along with further definitions of Light, Medium & Heavy use within those categories would be much more appropriate. Unfortunately, users that come here have already been "indoctrinated" to use the commonly accepted terminologies of Residential or Commercial. Many ZTR's fall into both of those categories, therefore it becomes difficult for those of us trying to assist newbies to help them understand what "overall quality" of ZTR's they are looking at.
To put the Scag Freedom Z discussion to rest, I guess we must say that since the Freedom is their "bottom-of-the-line" series that Scag, like Kubota before introduction of this year's Kommander series, ONLY makes Commercial ZTR's and does not have any ZTR's that can/should be compared to another manufacturer's Residential/Homeowner series. Do you agree with that statement?:0)


#13

djdicetn

djdicetn

Tom59 said:
Commercial can mean a lot of things to a lot of folks. If you use it for making money its commercial, literally. Doesn't mean it will hold up. Key words - hold up- They should actually use different terms altogether. Like industrial use or heavy use. Or light industrial use and medium industrial use.
I'd say its a light industrial use machine.

Pro Turn 100xdz is light/medium industrial. I also think light residential use , medium residential use, and heavy residential use would apply to some models. Confused yet. :D

comｷmerｷcial
[kuh-mur-shuhl] Show IPA

adjective
1.
of, pertaining to, or characteristic of commerce.

2.
engaged in commerce.

3.
prepared, done, or acting with sole or chief emphasis on salability, profit, or success: a commercial product; His attitude toward the theater is very commercial.

4.
able to yield or make a profit: We decided that the small oil well was not commercial.

5.
suitable or fit for a wide, popular market: Communications satellites are gradually finding a commercial use.
Click to expand...

Tom59,
Thanks for your perspective on this, which really got me to thinking!!! I agree that maybe the 3 categories of (1)Residential/Homeowner, (2)Heavy Duty and (3)Industrial grade are much more appropriate in describing today's ZTR's. If maybe a Poll where all of the Moderators would be "tasked with" gleaning out the "components/features" of a ZTR that put's the ZTR, based upon containing a certain "percentage" of those that are deemed "Commercial Grade", into one of those three categories we could come up with some type of "Forum Recommended" rating system. Then we could encourage new users to try to view/rate ZTR's they are looking at into those definitions for manufacturer-to-manufactuer comparisons(to get an apples-to-apples level playing field). I, for one, would suggest that "at least" the components/features below be condidered in that voting/ratings determination:

1)Transmission series/type-Defining single units like the HydroGear as (1)EZT; (2)ZT-2800, ZT3100; (3)ZT-3400, ZT-5400 and of course the separate pumps/motors as (1).
2)Engine Make/Series-Defining which series in the leading makes such as Kawasaki, Kohler an Briggs & Stratton identifies them as (1), (2) or (3) as in the Kawasaki FR, FS & FX.
3)Deck Gauge-Defining whether 5, 7, 10, 13, etc. identifies them as (1), (2) or (3).
4)Deck Design-Most mfg's have "good", "better" & "best" decks(i.e. in Gravely line they have the (1)XLerator, (2)High Flow Tunnel and (3)X-Factor).
5)Weight-Would not a 700lbs, 900lbs & 1100lbs weight for a ZTR with the same deck cutting size machine indicate (1), (2) or (3) grade?
6)ROPS-In most cases I would consider (1)no ROPS, (2)Solid ROPS or (3)Foldable ROPS.
7)Anti-scalp Wheels-Existence of, number of and bracket strength/design.
8)Blade Tip Speed-This one is a very difficult one to determine as there is no "industry rating system" that I am aware of and no one on these forums will "go there".
9)And, finally.....Warranties-If a ZTR has a "Commercial Warranty" of at least 1 Year I guess you would have to give it a (1) in that "component/feature category", then (2) & (3) would be based upon the basic "Years/Hours" Warranty.

There are possibly many more areas that could be considered i.e. deck hanging system(chain hung, etc.) and maybe some other users can dissect my recommendations and/or suggest others. I fully understand that, just like agreeing on a minimum "professional cut blade tip speed", coming up with a "Forums Recommended" ZTR rating system may be something that is improbable at best. Or.......we can just continue to agree to disagree on what is/is not a "Commercial ZTR":0)


#14

Ric

Ric

djdicetn

In all actuality you as a homeowner don't need a truly commercial mower to mow your lawn once a week. Your Gravely like the Hustler Fastrak, the Scag Freedom Z and many others is a low end commercially made mower produced with the Homeowner in mind as Hustler says. They make the mowers with a few commercial upgrades here and there to satisfy the demands of the homeowner. The reason they make the mowers this way is because you as a homeowner, like most of us are so tight with your money that you squeak when you walk and are not willing to pay the 12 to 16K that it would cost for a true commercial grade mower. I mean really as a homeowner why would you pay for wheel pumps and motors or a 7 gauge deck and the toughest spindles the industry makes and the list goes on and on just to mow your lawn once a week. There's a mower and a price for everybody, for you as a homeowner, for the guy just starting his business to the guy who is full out in the business. As the old saying goes You get what you pay for.


#15

T

Tom59

It leaves too much to interpretation -commercial- and is used loosely.

Causes endless arguements and debates also people feel slighted , especially if your version doesn't include their tractor. :laughing:


#16

djdicetn

djdicetn

Ric said:
djdicetn

In all actuality you as a homeowner don't need a truly commercial mower to mow your lawn once a week. Your Gravely like the Hustler Fastrak, the Scag Freedom Z and many others is a low end commercially made mower produced with the Homeowner in mind as Hustler says. They make the mowers with a few commercial upgrades here and there to satisfy the demands of the homeowner. The reason they make the mowers this way is because you as a homeowner, like most of us are so tight with your money that you squeak when you walk and are not willing to pay the 12 to 16K that it would cost for a true commercial grade mower. I mean really as a homeowner why would you pay for wheel pumps and motors or a 7 gauge deck and the toughest spindles the industry makes and the list goes on and on just to mow your lawn once a week. There's a mower and a price for everybody, for you as a homeowner, for the guy just starting his business to the guy who is full out in the business. As the old saying goes You get what you pay for.
Click to expand...

Ric,
Yeah, many more users would have "questioned my intentions/sanity" if I had bought a 4000 series Ventrac instead of the Gravely:0)
My REAL reasons were:
1)No untimely/expensive repairs to negatively impact my Pension & Social Security income beginning in 2014(or require spending money out of my 401K's).
2)Having somewhat of a "legacy" to hand down to my son(and most likely grandson) after I'm "done with it"(aka dead & gone).
3)To "keep up with the Jones"(aka, the Benkosy's next door that have had an Ariens Zoom ZTR for 15 years that made my lawn look like I cut it with a gas trimmer:0)
4)Ya never know.....I might need some supplemental income if the budget forecast I made for retirement doesn't work out:0)


#17

djdicetn

djdicetn

Tom59 said:
It leaves too much to interpretation -commercial- and is used loosely.

Causes endless arguements and debates also people feel slighted , especially if your version doesn't include their tractor. :laughing:
Click to expand...

Tom59,
Well I consider the debate/argument on the Scag Freedom Z "closed", since user Ric(oooops) finally summed it up in one sentence:

"the Scag Freedom Z and many others is a low end commercially made mower produced with the Homeowner in mind".

Since it is produced with the Homeowner in mind, rather than the Commercial operator in mind......it is a "Homeowner/Residential" ZTR. I win....argument over:0)


#18

T

Tom59

djdicetn said:
Ric,
Yeah, many more users would have "questioned my intentions/sanity" if I had bought a 4000 series Ventrac instead of the Gravely:0)
My REAL reasons were:
1)No untimely/expensive repairs to negatively impact my Pension & Social Security income beginning in 2014(or require spending money out of my 401K's).
2)Having somewhat of a "legacy" to hand down to my son(and most likely grandson) after I'm "done with it"(aka dead & gone).
3)To "keep up with the Jones"(aka, the Benkosy's next door that have had an Ariens Zoom ZTR for 15 years that made my lawn look like I cut it with a gas trimmer:0)
4)Ya never know.....I might need some supplemental income if the budget forecast I made for retirement doesn't work out:0)
Click to expand...

Your real reason was neighborhood bragging rights. :laughing: That is by far the most fun - looking good on the ride-


#19

djdicetn

djdicetn

Tom59 said:
Your real reason was neighborhood bragging rights. :laughing: That is by far the most fun - looking good on the ride-
Click to expand...

Tom59,
Well, as they say...envy and narcicism is the downfall of many.......but I do look good on my ride below, don't I?????

Attachments





#20

M

Mad Mackie

My recommendations to folk looking for mowers in the ride on class is to chat with the more service oriented dealers in their area, particularly if the perspective buyer is not service skilled. All machines need servicing of various levels during their useful life but not every owner can perform all needed maintenance. So chat with several reputable dealers in your area, discuss with them what types of service that you will or may need to have them perform and then make a decision as to which make and model you consider purchasing.
Bear in mind that none of the "big box" stores provide any type of servicing and many times their pricing isn't that great for the exact same machine from a local dealer. Many products sold by the big box stores are compromised somewhere to increase their profit margin, and this includes lawn mowers at every level.
Mad Mackie in CT


#21

RatRacer

RatRacer

Mad Mackie said:
My recommendations to folk looking for mowers in the ride on class is to chat with the more service oriented dealers in their area, particularly if the perspective buyer is not service skilled. All machines need servicing of various levels during their useful life but not every owner can perform all needed maintenance. So chat with several reputable dealers in your area, discuss with them what types of service that you will or may need to have them perform and then make a decision as to which make and model you consider purchasing.
Bear in mind that none of the "big box" stores provide any type of servicing and many times their pricing isn't that great for the exact same machine from a local dealer. Many products sold by the big box stores are compromised somewhere to increase their profit margin, and this includes lawn mowers at every level.
Mad Mackie in CT
Click to expand...

This sums it up in a nutshell.
This is exactly why I shifted my research venture from the interwebz, to using GPS/ highways to find dealers. Just like it's more fun to play poker in person, than on the web. Easier to tell when their bluffing.


#22

T

Tom59

Mad Mackie said:
My recommendations to folk looking for mowers in the ride on class is to chat with the more service oriented dealers in their area, particularly if the perspective buyer is not service skilled. All machines need servicing of various levels during their useful life but not every owner can perform all needed maintenance. So chat with several reputable dealers in your area, discuss with them what types of service that you will or may need to have them perform and then make a decision as to which make and model you consider purchasing.
Bear in mind that none of the "big box" stores provide any type of servicing and many times their pricing isn't that great for the exact same machine from a local dealer. Many products sold by the big box stores are compromised somewhere to increase their profit margin, and this includes lawn mowers at every level.
Mad Mackie in CT
Click to expand...

Especially if you have no mechanical ability. There are other reasons too to use a service dealer like questions get honest answers , if they sell more than one brand especially. If they are a one brand dealer be careful because they only can talk about limited experiences. They tend to favor their brand.
Dealer location is huge if you need service you also need to trailor your machine there somehow.

I shun -big box- because solid information is like pulling hens teeth. Occasionally you run into a fairly knowledgable associate but they are like finding a yeti. They grab the brochure and repeat it to you.

Find a dealer with a good reputation that is friendly , clean and willfully explains things to you. I always ask to see the service area and parts dept that tells alot about the operation. I found several in my area this alone limited my choices which is good because there are a LOT of choices today. My other must is made in USA. I had a dealer send out a 16 yr old kid who didn't know fabbed decks from baseball cards. He had to go look every single thing up. Super nice kid , but please I'm gonna spend 5-6k I want someone with brand knowledge , lots of it.

I like to service my own stuff for many reasons. But, if something breaks under warranty not much choice.


#23

RatRacer

RatRacer

Tom59 said:
Especially if you have no mechanical ability. There are other reasons too to use a service dealer like questions get honest answers , if they sell more than one brand especially. If they are a one brand dealer be careful because they only can talk about limited experiences. They tend to favor their brand.
Dealer location is huge if you need service you also need to trailor your machine there somehow.

I shun -big box- because solid information is like pulling hens teeth. Occasionally you run into a fairly knowledgable associate but they are like finding a yeti. They grab the brochure and repeat it to you.

Find a dealer with a good reputation that is friendly , clean and willfully explains things to you. I always ask to see the service area and parts dept that tells alot about the operation. I found several in my area this alone limited my choices which is good because there are a LOT of choices today. My other must is made in USA. I had a dealer send out a 16 yr old kid who didn't know fabbed decks from baseball cards. He had to go look every single thing up. Super nice kid , but please I'm gonna spend 5-6k I want someone with brand knowledge , lots of it.

I like to service my own stuff for many reasons. But, if something breaks under warranty not much choice.
Click to expand...


They're in the cooler isle.:rolleyes:

web_YT75W_O__22035.1358356217.345.345.jpg


#24

T

Tom59

RatRacer said:
They're in the cooler isle.:rolleyes:

web_YT75W_O__22035.1358356217.345.345.jpg
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I guess I should have used a bigfoot reference. - funny! :laughing:


#25

S

Steve0853

postconstruction, regardless of whether a Freedom Z is technically a "commercial" mower or not, I would urge you to get as nice a mower as you can.

My son and I were where you are 5 years ago. We started with a used Grasshopper 225 ($4,500), which is a fine mower. It had enough power for even the most neglected yards. Any maintenance was able to be easily and quickly done.

If you are mowing 15 yards and do a good enough job to keep them, $2,000 or even $3,000 difference in price will be insignificant compared to scrambling around trying to get a new belt or clutch or something that gave out too early. If you have a problem that knocks you out of a Saturday (our only full day), then you are behind several yards and also, you are giving your customers an opportunity to try another lawn service.

I really do recommend a mower with the heavy deck. If you mow many strange yards, you're going to run full speed into a stump or iron pin or something that will really curl up one of those thin decks.

After cutting 2-3 years with that Grasshopper, we were able to add a couple Scags and that was just in time to avoid a lot of down time because of repair issues with the Grasshopper. As I said above, $2,000 or $3,000 amortized over 3 years is not a lot of difference if it means having a mower that will do the job.....all day, every day.

Good Luck to you, whichever mower you choose.


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