Mower with diesel engine

[rebaths]

Hi there...I am looking for a diesel lawn mower/tractor for my 1.5 acres. Most of it will be grass mowing and then some pulling a core aerator and towing a yard trailer with dirt and logs.

I really want a diesel...just love the power, torque and fuel efficiency.

A brand new mower is probably out of my price range..

Please recommend a mower for me. For mowing deck size I think 46" would be perfect. A PTO would be awesome but not a necessity.

Thanks!

 

[JDgreen]

Hi there...I am looking for a diesel lawn mower/tractor for my 1.5 acres. Most of it will be grass mowing and then some pulling a core aerator and towing a yard trailer with dirt and logs.

I really want a diesel...just love the power, torque and fuel efficiency.

A brand new mower is probably out of my price range..

Please recommend a mower for me. For mowing deck size I think 46" would be perfect. A PTO would be awesome but not a necessity.

Thanks!

Welcome to LMF, hate to let you down but for an acre and a half a diesel is pure overkill unless you plan to buy a larger property in the future. I do not know of any diesels sold in yard tractor-garden tractor size today, and if there are you will pay a huge premium for the diesel up front with little hope of getting back the initial outlay and higher maintenance costs. I read someplace (maybe TBN) that if you put less than 50 operating hours a year on a garden tractor a diesel engine will cost you so much more in initial price, even with the fuel savings it will take close to TWENTY YEARS to recoup the extra money you pay up front. At 100 hours or more a year, payback time drops to 8 years. Do you actually think you will put that many hours a year on a tractor? I care for 11 and mow 5 acres, usually rack up 90 hours a year if I include the snow removal I do for neighbors. Hope this helps.

 

[robert]

rebaths, I know what you mean; I am a diesel guy also. Deere had a diesel in the 400 series some time ago-455?- think it was a Yanmar, they show up from time to time but be prepared to spend the long dollar. My neighbor bought a new Kubota GR2100? and it is magnificent, I could listen to that 3 cyl run for hours AND he says he uses just over a QUART of fuel to mow roughly 3/4 of an acre..
You are correct about the power and torque, its a 52" mower and when you engage the deck the engine does not slow down even 1 rpm, amazing really.

Is it worth $8500, yup.

 

[JDgreen]

OP says a new mower is probably out of his price range but he did not specify amount he could spend. If you say there is a Kubota diesel with a mower deck available in the $8500 range I should go look as my JD is really large for mowing 2 acres of my place that has lots of trees thanks for the heads up. Sent from Blackberry mobile.

 

[KennyV]

Definitely look for a used Diesel... You already know why...
Your operational/maintenance costs will be lower than any other internal combustion engine. PLUS you can get a barrel of fuel, use it today or 10 years from now...
Power, dependability, longevity ... not many buy a diesel with the intention of selling it... but when you do it is worth more at resale...
Car, truck, tractor, mower, generator or pump if you want it to work for the least cost... It's diesel...:wink:

Watch your local government equipment auctions... They always have good well maintained equipment coming up at auction. With diesel you can expect in the many thousand hours instead of maybe 1 thousand...
Love those Diesel powered machines... :smile:KennyV

 

[JDgreen]

Definitely look for a used Diesel... You already know why...
Your operational/maintenance costs will be lower than any other internal combustion engine. PLUS you can get a barrel of fuel, use it today or 10 years from now...
Power, dependability, longevity ... not many buy a diesel with the intention of selling it... but when you do it is worth more at resale...
Car, truck, tractor, mower, generator or pump if you want it to work for the least cost... It's diesel...:wink:

Watch your local government equipment auctions... They always have good well maintained equipment coming up at auction. With diesel you can expect in the many thousand hours instead of maybe 1 thousand...
Love those Diesel powered machines... :smile:KennyV

Many good points there Kenny, BUT, as a former government employee who drove commercial straight trucks for 31 years, many of their staff who operate costly equipment have no clue as to how to properly operate it. My first work diesel truck was an IHC (now Navistar) S-1900 with the DT-466 engine. Guy I worked with treated the truck like a car, no warm up when cold starting, shut it down immediately like a car after hard running. Fried the turbo at about 70,000 miles. The majority of government owned equipment IS well maintained but still takes a lot of abuse from stupid operators. TAKE HEED !!!!

 

[Parkmower]

I also work for a government agency. I agree that some equip gets trashed cause of operator ignorance.

I also agree on the diesel being superior equip. Majority of our tractors and mowers are diesel. They keep givin us gas powered trucks though. Boo

 

[JDgreen]

I also work for a government agency. I agree that some equip gets trashed cause of operator ignorance.

I also agree on the diesel being superior equip. Majority of our tractors and mowers are diesel. They keep givin us gas powered trucks though. Boo

As I pointed out in my original reply to the OP, it takes a LONG time to get back the initial outlay for a diesel powered truck or tractor. While I do concur with the OP wanting a diesel, I still maintain that for 1.5 acres it is OVERKILL.

 

[mullins87]

My father used to have what I think was a Kubota TG1860. Well, I know it was a Kubota, just not totally positive about the model number. It had an 18 hp diesel with a 54" deck, but it could have been a 60" deck as the model number could suggest. He bought his in either '96 or '97. I don't know how long Kubota made those mowers, but a used one in decent shape shouldn't be much over 2 grand as his only cost around $4,500 new.

 

[Parkmower]

$4,500 in 1996!
Prob double that now