Is it a good idea to buy this used 72" Zero Turn mower?

[vanguard_anon]

I've been casually looking at used mowers for a few months now and I finally found one that I think I want to go out and see.

It's a Toro Z 72" Model# 74274. It has 1,650 hours and it looks used but it's not a complete wreck either. You can see it in this link:

Toro mower Z 72" Diesel 07'

I have 14+ acres of land that has 1-2 acres of nice yard, maybe 7-10 acres of longer grass/weeds and the rest is full on pasture that bush hogged every now and then. I like the idea that this mower is diesel because 1) I'm just fond of that and 2) It can share fuel with my tractor.

What do you think? Should I be avoiding this mower or grabbing it up?

 

[reynoldston]

To me it seems to have a lot of hrs. on it and it looks like you will put a lot more on it. You know what you want to spend to buy a mower and Toro is a good name.

 

[vanguard_anon]

A bunch of google searching tells me that it might be underpowered for 72".

 

[Carscw]

This is a good price for this mower. But not the mower you need.

This is a finish cut mower. Does not do good in tall thick grass/weeds

If you are going to cut everything once a week then this will work. If you are going to let the grass get over 6 inches then you will not be happy with it.

The engine is to small.

 

[reynoldston]

Just wondering why do you think the engine is too small? My mower is 22HP with a 61 in. deck and has all the power it needs. That mower is only 10 more inches with a diesel engine. How much power would that engine have? Also I just cut lawn with mine for the most part but even when I get in the high stuff it doesn't lack in power. I repair them not operate them so I am far from a expert on this matter. Also I though that that mower had a lot of hours on it and he will be working it hard.

 

[vanguard_anon]

Just wondering why do you think the engine is too small? My mower is 22HP with a 61 in. deck and has all the power it needs. That mower is only 10 more inches with a diesel engine. How much power would that engine have?

Based on my internet searching it has 23-25HP. That might be a bit low for 72" but I'm not sure. I guess a lot of it depends on whether or not I let it grow past 4 or 5 inches.

To be honest, I'd like the option to do that. We're buying the house in a few days. The current owner sometimes lets it grow knee high, runs around with a 35hp dixie chopper making crazy loops and turns, then he and the kids ride a go cart in the newly built "track".

That's sounds like an awesome way to spend the day.

 

[Carscw]

Just wondering why do you think the engine is too small? My mower is 22HP with a 61 in. deck and has all the power it needs. That mower is only 10 more inches with a diesel engine. How much power would that engine have? Also I just cut lawn with mine for the most part but even when I get in the high stuff it doesn't lack in power. I repair them not operate them so I am far from a expert on this matter. Also I though that that mower had a lot of hours on it and he will be working it hard.

I guess I will say it is a combination of low hp and the design of the mower.
Maybe if they changed a pulley size it would handle tall grass better.

I have a mower with a 17.5 hp that out cuts a mower with 24 hp with same size deck.
A lot depends on how the pulleys are set up.

1600 hours sounds like a lot but not for this mower.

 

[reynoldston]

So how dose a diesel compare to a gas engine in a mower? I have been told that the diesel has more pulling power in a truck then a gas engine. I have never come across a diesel lawn mower yet.

 

[Carscw]

So how dose a diesel compare to a gas engine in a mower? I have been told that the diesel has more pulling power in a truck then a gas engine. I have never come across a diesel lawn mower yet.

My toro groundsmaster has a diesel and I like the power it has.
But I have not used the same mower with a gas engine so I really can not say if one is better then the other.

Now I did have a bobcat skid loader had a diesel the blew up. Replaced it with a ford 2.3 with a proformance cam and a 500 cfm carb. And it did a lot better.