looking for a zero turn 3.27 acres

[Ric]

I guess I didn't make this real clear, I'm not buying the machine to use myself you can forget that cause I'll never mow with another tractor because it's a waste of time. It's not new buy any means, it was purchased at the beginning of 2011. The guy used the machine to mow just less than one acre of lawn and occasionally a five acre field where he has his horses. I hope to pick the thing up cheap and redo so things and sell for a little profit. I look up the spec's for the machine and posted those to give people an idea of what the machine is. I just wanted to get some response to the spec's and find out what people thought as to give me an idea of what to offer the guy. BTW I don't buy anything without zirks.

 

[earthworm]

A turf-damage solution...use a two wheeled mower with a gyro for the necessary balance. For stability, when at a stand-still, rather than a caster wheel, a ball wheel - which would quickly become clogged and immobile with mud and grass....is this a dream or a nightmare ?
Mowing a cemetery would be one difficult task - all those obstacles.
Make everything round in graveyard of the future and use a properly sized ZT..
Time is money, and the design of the plot can lead to savings...
Hard , very hard to understand why anyone would argue against a ZT..
I may well retire the tractor from mowing my 0.46 acre lawn and just use the LawnBoy - one of them.
The tractor is too inefficient, too wasteful.

 

[robert]

earthworm, your classification of being inefficient and wastefull fits the zt to a 'T' as the zero turn is purpose built for mowing and mowing only now buying a machine like a zt is truly irresponsible, financially and environmentally any just why my subterranean friend have so many people gone on record as stating they would choose a tractor over a zt if only one type machine could be used on their property???

 

[Mad Mackie]

Good morning robert,
I suggest that you buy a real GT and a real ZT, operate them commercially for five years, keep records, and then report you findings back to this group.
Some of us have both types of machines and I wouldn't be without my GT, but I wouldn't be without my ZT as my ZT is my money maker. In fact I'm looking at another ZT for myself, it may be a Hustler having checked them out and having ordered one for the cemetery assoc.
Mad Mackie in CT:biggrin::laughing:

 

[earthworm]

earthworm, your classification of being inefficient and wasteful fits the ZT to a 'T' as the zero turn is purpose built for mowing and mowing only now buying a machine like a ZT is truly irresponsible, financially and environmentally any just why my subterranean friend have so many people gone on record as stating they would choose a tractor over a ZT if only one type machine could be used on their property???

A dedicated machine cannot be wasteful and inefficient., A man can be this way, and all too often is.
After 71 years, I do know myself...a little.
Roughly 10 to 20% chose the tractor, if I am to understand the people on this forum....which I do have trouble with..
read this again >
For my 0.46 acre "lawn", the tractor is too inefficient.. I'll use a walk behind 30 inch with caster wheels ( a manual version of the ZT ).
If I had a lawn of 2.3 acre then I'd spring for a larger ZT.....a Cadet 48" or so...

Common sense - buy and use the properly sized and type of machine for the task at hand..

Your under-the-earth friend, Adrian

To add : I've determined that the ZT is the way to go for most(those who qualify).....simply by reading the many posts from knowledgible ZT operators.

 

[Chev]

Efficiency is measured in many ways.

My old Snapper RER used measurably no gasoline, but destroyed disks when pulling a utility cart an required 8+ hours to mow my lawn.

My 48" Tank uses gas proficiently, yet pulls the same cart with no drama and lets me mow in 1-2 hours.

In 6 hours I make...... Well let's not get into that, but more than enough to buy 2 gallons of gas.

Therefore I save money by saving time.

 

[robert]

Mad Mackie, let me ask you the question, you can only have one mower to be used on your property; which one is it going to be?

Once again gentlemen, the professional user and ONLY the professional user will benefit from the very limited benefits of the zero turn, time is money-and as I have repeatedly stated my Exmark did mow faster just not fast enough to make any real difference in time. ; but for all others buying a zero turn is a huge mistake compared to a quality GT which will give far more capability and with, say, all wheel steering, will maneuver every bit as fast in the end....
Get an articulated mower, ie Steiner, and I am confident in saying that you would kick any zt's butt and leave no tracks to boot.

A tractor will outlast a zero turn by at least a factor of 2:1

 

[Chev]

I wonder who would win if I chained my tank to your GT2000 an we had a pull off.

 

[Ric]

I wonder who would win if I chained my tank to your GT2000 an we had a pull off.

The Gt 2000 wouldn't stand a chance.

 

[Chev]

The Gt 2000 wouldn't stand a chance.

But Zero Turn Riders are not as good at anything?