Looking for a Zero Turn mower that will last

[Ric]

How do you know a lawn tractor is easier to work on if you haven't owned a ztr mower? No hood in the way of the engine with a ztr mower. I have owned both, and I find that my ztr mower is very easy to service. Low end ztr mowers and lawn tractors both have similar drive trains, it's just easier to get to the engine on a ztr mower. Most ztr mowers also have a removable floor panel for easier access to the top of the deck. Which sounds easier to work on to you?

OK... you win. I was referring to less expensive parts and more availability of parts on Ebay for example.
No hood on my LX277, so there....hahaha

Shiftsuper I would guess that what you were referring too about less expensive parts and more availability you would be correct, the lawn Tractor would be cheaper too maintain. As far as working on either mower that would be a total toss up, I've had both. Yes you have a hood on the LT but it's a 30 second job to remove it. Same with a deck, remove a couple of pins and slide the thing out and replace what you want and put it back. I can tell there a lot lighter than a deck on a ztr especially a commercial. You can trust me when I tell you some of the ZTR's can be just as big a pita too work on and more expensive. It all depends on the mower you have. Personally I don't work on any, don't have to and don't have the time. They go to the shop.

 

[Shughes717]

I base my opinion on the fact that I've run Kohler for years and never had an issues with any kohler engine. I base my opinion on the fact that I know B&S has never managed to break into the commercial market with any engine they ever made. I base my opinion on days like yesterday when you have probably 20- 25 of 50 post on the forum here with people who have and own the B&S engines and are all having issues with them. Look at the B&S forum, it has 43 pages of problems while Kohler Has 19 and Kawasaki has only 8 pages.... Really makes me want to run right out and buy a B&S... I base my opinion on working for too many years for the county and seeing to many B&S engines be replaced with kohlers so If he wants a ZT that's going to last I'd stay as far away from a B&S as I could.

But do you have any experience with the commercial turf engine? As I said, I don't like the low end briggs engines either, but you can't judge the commercial turf engine by their low end line. You can't comment on an engine that you know nothing about. A year ago I was similar to you in that I was afraid of the commercial turf engine, but you don't read negative reviews on it like some of the other engines. You and that blind briggs & Stratton hatred of yours.:laughing:

 

[Shughes717]

OK... you win. I was referring to less expensive parts and more availability of parts on Ebay for example.
No hood on my LX277, so there....hahaha

You didn't say cheaper to work on, you said easier. Btw, if the engines and hydros are the same then won't there be just as many parts available for a low end ztr mower on line for the same price?

 

[Ric]

But do you have any experience with the commercial turf engine? As I said, I don't like the low end briggs engines either, but you can't judge the commercial turf engine by their low end line. You can't comment on an engine that you know nothing about. A year ago I was similar to you in that I was afraid of the commercial turf engine, but you don't read negative reviews on it like some of the other engines. You and that blind briggs & Stratton hatred of yours.:laughing:

You can argue this all day long but when it comes right down to it there commercial turf engine is just one more attempt to break into the commercial market that never happened. I mean what commercial mowers or manufacturers are running them? LOL even you bought the devil and refused his broth.:laughing: LOL even Cub Cadet wont use B&S on there commercial mowers, even there running the Kawasaki FX and you have to admit that's pretty bad when CC/MTD wont use them.

 

[Shughes717]

You can argue this all day long but when it comes right down to it there commercial turf engine is just one more attempt to break into the commercial market that never happened. I mean what commercial mowers or manufacturers are running them? LOL even you bought the devil and refused his broth.:laughing: LOL even Cub Cadet wont use B&S on there commercial mowers, even there running the Kawasaki FX and you have to admit that's pretty bad when CC/MTD wont use them.

I don't have to admit anything. That is a totally false statement. Several brands offer the commercial turf engine on their commercial mower line (scag and Kubota just off the top of my head).You won't answer my question about the engine because you can't. You have never owned a mower with the engine, so how can you give an opinion? you have that hatred for anything associated with briggs. It's narrow minded. I'm no fan of cub cadet, but I would guess they don't have a contract with briggs. You get on here making statements with no proof or knowledge about some of the products that you are talking about. You even got on here talking about how ferris could go under any day because briggs is their parent company, when there are several mower brands owned by other companies. What a rediculous statement to make. Any company could go under, no matter who owns them. My point is that you shouldn't spout opinions about a product you have no experience with (and I mean the commercial turf engine). Mad Mackie is more qualified to give an opinion than you because he has actually used the engine.

 

[Shughes717]

Btw, Ric

One of the top engines on the commercial market has the briggs name on it. It's called the vanguard. I know who it's manufactured by, but it is still a briggs engine.

 

[Ric]

Btw, Ric

One of the top engines on the commercial market has the briggs name on it. It's called the vanguard. I know who it's manufactured by, but it is still a briggs engine.

It may be the top commercial engine that Briggs is associated with but it's far from being a top commercial engine in the market. It may have Briggs name on but they only own the marketing rights and they've never made the engine it's a Daihatsu and made in Japan. Briggs also went into business with MHI (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries)in Japan to build there 12hp and under but MHI wouldn't sell them the marketing rights to their engine so the business was dissolved, that's why you don't see any of the smaller VG engines. Lets face facts Briggs just don't know how to make an engine, if they did they wouldn't have to buy all these company's and put the Briggs name on everything.

 

[Shughes717]

It may be the top commercial engine that Briggs is associated with but it's far from being a top commercial engine in the market. It may have Briggs name on but they only own the marketing rights and they've never made the engine it's a Daihatsu and made in Japan. Briggs also went into business with MHI (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries)in Japan to build there 12hp and under but MHI wouldn't sell them the marketing rights to their engine so the business was dissolved, that's why you don't see any of the smaller VG engines. Lets face facts Briggs just don't know how to make an engine, if they did they wouldn't have to buy all these company's and put the Briggs name on everything.

How many vanguards have you run? I can tell you from experience they are very powerful, reliable, fuel efficient engines. They are every bit as good as the fx series Kawi engine. You can argue all day long, but the fact remains that you can't back your opinions because you have no experience with these engines. End of story

 

[Ric]

I don't have to admit anything. That is a totally false statement. Several brands offer the commercial turf engine on their commercial mower line (scag and Kubota just off the top of my head).You won't answer my question about the engine because you can't. You have never owned a mower with the engine, so how can you give an opinion? you have that hatred for anything associated with briggs. It's narrow minded. I'm no fan of cub cadet, but I would guess they don't have a contract with briggs. You get on here making statements with no proof or knowledge about some of the products that you are talking about. You even got on here talking about how ferris could go under any day because briggs is their parent company, when there are several mower brands owned by other companies. What a rediculous statement to make. Any company could go under, no matter who owns them. My point is that you shouldn't spout opinions about a product you have no experience with (and I mean the commercial turf engine). Mad Mackie is more qualified to give an opinion than you because he has actually used the engine.

You can talk all you want about the B&S commercial turf engine, I don't need to own one to know what they are. It just stands to reason if there smaller engines are junk that there others wont be much better.
I'm puzzled though, you talk about how good or great the Briggs is but you purchased a Snapper ztr which is owned by B&S and you had a choice of engine and you got the Kawasaki FX, How come if the briggs is so good. Another thing that I wonder about is if briggs thinks they have such a great product in there commercial engine line up how come they don't use them exclusively on all there mowers like Ferris, Snapper etc. :laughing: Says a lot about there engine when they buy another company's engines to use on there mowers so they can sell them.

 

[Shughes717]

You can talk all you want about the B&S commercial turf engine, I don't need to own one to know what they are. It just stands to reason if there smaller engines are junk that there others wont be much better.
I'm puzzled though, you talk about how good or great the Briggs is but you purchased a Snapper ztr which is owned by B&S and you had a choice of engine and you got the Kawasaki FX, How come if the briggs is so good. Another thing that I wonder about is if briggs thinks they have such a great product in there commercial engine line up how come they don't use them exclusively on all there mowers like Ferris, Snapper etc. :laughing: Says a lot about there engine when they buy another company's engines to use on there mowers so they can sell them.

To answer your first ? When I went to purchase my mower I also based my opinion of briggs by their low end engine line. The commercial turf had just come out and there weren't many reviews out on them, so I didn't give it a chance. The second reason is that I had a particular budget and the mower I purchased had the best options available to me for what my wife would allow me to spend. I am a huge fan of the fx series Kawi engine, and if I had to do it again I would still choose the fx series Kawi over the commercial turf engine. However, I do consider the commercial turf engine at least comparable to the fs series Kawi. As I mentioned earlier, my father has an s200xt with the vanguard and it is a great engine. I just couldn't afford a mower with the vanguard.

The reason briggs allows ferris/snapper pro to offer the other engine options is for closed minded people such as yourself. Just like with automobiles, many people are brand loyal and will only purchase a mower with an engine that they know. If they didn't offer all three engine options then they would lose out on the opportunity to sell to those who prefer the other engines. I for one think it is very forward thinking of ferris/snapper pro to offer all three engines. It gives the consumer choice of what drive train they prefer. Why doesn't toro only offer their toro engine? You keep side stepping my questions, just like always. How can you give such an opinion? Have you ever used a mower with the engines in question?