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Hi all, I'm very new to the site and looking into buy a zero turn riding mower. I have about 1.5 acres that I mow. I want very reliable mower. Willing to buy a commercial grade mower if need be to make sure the dam thing last.
not sure of what brands to look for. I have a walking Honda Mower I love but getting old and need something easier

thanks in advance

ksgrassguy said:

Hi all, I'm very new to the site and looking into buy a zero turn riding mower. I have about 1.5 acres that I mow. I want very reliable mower. Willing to buy a commercial grade mower if need be to make sure the dam thing last.
not sure of what brands to look for. I have a walking Honda Mower I love but getting old and need something easier

thanks in advance

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WELCOME TO LMF!
Good choice with buying the Honda mower! :biggrin:
OK, as for a ZTR mower...there are many good brands. Exmark, Scag, Gravely, Ferris, John Deere, etc. But personally I think Exmark and Scag are the best. As I said in my response to your question in this thread (http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/exmark-forum/10081-exmark-2.html) if you want a NEW commercial mower, it will cost around $10,000 (you would want to buy it from a dealer). But you can find USED stuff on Craigslist or at a dealer for a lot cheaper. The Exmark Lazer Z is in my opinion the best ZTR mower out there. Most the professionals have it in my area. Here is the specific Lazer Z website: The Lazer Z from Exmark Manufacturing - The Evolution Continues.
Good luck, ask any questions that you have, and tell us what you decide! :smile:

if your looking for a great commercial mower check out the Exmark Lazer Z for sure i have one and love it bought it used for half the price

Any specific brands your looking for? What kind of terrain do you have? Do you have a gate or something that would limit deck size? How much would you like to spend?

Check out Husky MZ6128 i have one and it cuts great and fast . 3400 commercial hydro gear drives.and around 5000.00 its hard to beat. I also got the mulck kit and it looks like you vaccumed the lawn.

I think I would like to the the exmark laser z e-series I have no more than 1.5 acres of grass to mow
How much do one of those cost and also what accessories do you think I need if there is any?

thanks in advance

ksgrassguy said:

I think I would like to the the exmark laser z e-series I have no more than 1.5 acres of grass to mow
How much do one of those cost and also what accessories do you think I need if there is any?

thanks in advance

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Like I said in response to your question on this thread: http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/exmark-forum/10081-exmark-2.html#post84506, if you want to buy new it will be around $10,000. If you want used it could around $5,000-$6,000. Which which were you thinking? About accessories, the only thing might be a grass bagger if you want to bag leaves in the fall (if trees drop their leaves in Kansas, I don't know!). You can look at accessories here: http://exmark.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProductType=79&TypeOfProduct=mower&Type=Options. The mower that is for sale on Craigslist...I am not sure if it is a Lazer Z E-series, so you will have to see which parts you can put on it (http://topeka.craigslist.org/grd/3310863586.html).

thanks so much for all your help.

ksgrassguy said:

I think I would like to the the exmark laser z e-series I have no more than 1.5 acres of grass to mow
How much do one of those cost and also what accessories do you think I need if there is any?

thanks in advance

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ksgrassguy,
About the only way you can get a price on a new Exmark is to go to one of your local dealers website and request a quote. The Exmark, by all means, is a high-quality ZTR but IMHO the new ones are way over-priced. Like user lawn mower fanatic pointed out, you'll most likely be looking at somewhere between $8,000-$10,000 for any of the Exmarks new. There are a lot of very good commercial-quality(and high-end residential) ZTR's out there for several thousand dollars less than an Exmark if you look. Like already mentioned, the Husqvarna's and Toro's both have some very nice machines and of course about anyone on these forums will tell you to buy the brand they have because most of us that have purchased a ZTR recently love ours(me included). I bought my new Gravely Pro-Turn 52" commercial ZTR mid-September, paid around $1,000 less than the MSRP and like I said "several" thousand dollars less than a new Exmark. I also considered Toros, Bad Boys, Dixons, Hustlers and Husqvarnas when I was looking. Below is a link to the Gravely website and you can actually get MSRP pricing from a local dealer online there. I would recommend that you look at several(at least 3 or 4) different ZTR's and see what kind of deal your local dealers will give you on each(this time of year you can get a good bargain on a brand new one, like I did). Also, compare warranties and deck construction as well as servicable trannies(like the HydroGear ZT3400 mentioned) which indicates "commercial" quality. Good luck on your investment(I, like you, wanted to buy the "last lawn mower" before I retired).

Zero Turn Mowers, Riding Lawn Mowers, Commercial Mowers

I agree with djdicetn...and also, consider demo-ing some mowers to see how they handle and what you like.
Good luck! :smile:

In my opinion the best bang for your buck is the Gravely Pro-Turn series. I'd check your local Gravely dealer.

ghessler26 said:

In my opinion the best bang for your buck is the Gravely Pro-Turn series. I'd check your local Gravely dealer.

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ghessler26,
You & I wouldn't be a little biased towards the Gravely's would we(heh...heh:0)
So, which Gravely model do you have? I have the Pro-Turn 152 XDZ and couldn't be happier with my choice!!

BTW, that was very thoughtful to help out user passgas55 in the Ariens/Gravely forum with the solution to his wheel stud dilemma!! Although, the Ariens tech support guy should have been able to provide that information. User passgas55 never really replied to my question about why he wasn't pursuing a "warranty repair' as he indicated that he had only had the 148 for two years(the Pro-Turns have a 3-year Residential warranty and a 2-year Commercial warranty). He never indicated he used his mower in a business.
P.S.
He never really eluded to how a wheel stud got broken on a 2-year-old ZTR either......makes me kinda wonder if it was "user error" and not something that would be covered under a mfg's warranty.

I really don't own any Gravely products but I sell them & I get to demo all of the zero turns they have to offer.

The wheel hub of the other the other user shouldn't be this big of an issue. The Pro-Turn 100 series which he has come with a 3 year / 1000 hour warranty to any homeowner or landscaper.

djdicetn said:

ghessler26,
You & I wouldn't be a little biased towards the Gravely's would we(heh...heh:0)
So, which Gravely model do you have? I have the Pro-Turn 152 XDZ and couldn't be happier with my choice!!

BTW, that was very thoughtful to help out user passgas55 in the Ariens/Gravely forum with the solution to his wheel stud dilemma!! Although, the Ariens tech support guy should have been able to provide that information. User passgas55 never really replied to my question about why he wasn't pursuing a "warranty repair' as he indicated that he had only had the 148 for two years(the Pro-Turns have a 3-year Residential warranty and a 2-year Commercial warranty). He never indicated he used his mower in a business.
P.S.
He never really eluded to how a wheel stud got broken on a 2-year-old ZTR either......makes me kinda wonder if it was "user error" and not something that would be covered under a mfg's warranty.

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I'm not a Gravely fan but they do make a great mower. Something that maybe worth mentioning with all the talk about Exmark, would be to realize that (Exmark) is owned and made by Toro so there basically the same mower and you can buy the Toro's somewhat cheaper and some of them have a 5 year 1200 hour warranty.

Ric said:

I'm not a Gravely fan but they do make a great mower. Something that maybe worth mentioning with all the talk about Exmark, would be to realize that (Exmark) is owned and made by Toro so there basically the same mower and you can buy the Toro's somewhat cheaper and some of them have a 5 year 1200 hour warranty.

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The difference between Exmark & Toro commercial zero turns is the mower deck. The Toro Turbo Force deck is complete 7 gauge steel throughout the entire deck with large cast iron spindles. The Exmark deck is 7 gauge steel around the skirting & 10 on top & throughout the rest of the deck with aluminum spindle, which do not hold up to the heat as well. Also, when looking at the specs check out the weight difference between the two. For example, Toro model 74915 & Exmark LZS740KC604 are the same chasis with different decks with a weight difference of 100 lbs. Also, as stated in the earlier post this Toro model has a 5 year / 1200 hr warranty to any user. Exmark only has a limited 3 year commercial warranty & 5 year / 750 hr homeowner warranty.

ghessler26 said:

The difference between Exmark & Toro commercial zero turns is the mower deck. The Toro Turbo Force deck is complete 7 gauge steel throughout the entire deck with large cast iron spindles. The Exmark deck is 7 gauge steel around the skirting & 10 on top & throughout the rest of the deck with aluminum spindle, which do not hold up to the heat as well. Also, when looking at the specs check out the weight difference between the two. For example, Toro model 74915 & Exmark LZS740KC604 are the same chasis with different decks with a weight difference of 100 lbs. Also, as stated in the earlier post this Toro model has a 5 year / 1200 hr warranty to any user. Exmark only has a limited 3 year commercial warranty & 5 year / 750 hr homeowner warranty.

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Today buying any mower a person has to consider warranty and dealer, I also think probably any of the mowers mentioned are good mowers and would last someone a long time. The key factor with any mower is a good maintenance schedule, changing air filters, gas filters regularly along with oil filters and oil every 50 hours and greasing things on a regular basis makes a big difference in how a mower operates and how long it will last.

thank you all i'm going to look into the Toro model 74915
to cover all my bases

ksgrassguy said:

thank you all i'm going to look into the Toro model 74915
to cover all my bases

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I think that will fit your needs very well. Tell us what you think of it once you look at it! :thumbsup:

lawn mower fanatic said:

I think that will fit your needs very well. Tell us what you think of it once you look at it! :thumbsup:

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lmf,
I've been assisting the op(user ksgrassguy) on the side via private messages and the Toro 74915 is in the Z-Master 5000 series, so I advised him to compare it to the Gravely Pro-Turn 200 XDZ series instead of the Pro-Turn 100 XDZ series like I have(more similar to the Toro Z-Master 3000 series). Then the Gravely Pro-Turn 400 XDZ series are comparable to the Toro Z-Master 6000(gas) and 7000(diesel) series. I definitely did not discourage ksgrassguy from getting a Toro because I consider the ones just mentioned as about as good of a ZTR that you can buy(I just got a better deal price-wise on the Gravely compared to the 52" Toro Z-Master 3000). Your right, though, if he bought an Ex-Mark, Toro Z-Master or Gravely Pro-Turn he would be happy with any of those. I think, the last time we chatted he had made an offer to the Gravely dealer on a Pro-Turn 152 XDZ that the dealer accepted. I told him the story about my "first ride" when I got my Gravely home and if the rest of you guys want a ROFL(rolling on the floor laughing) story I'll be glad to share(as embarassing as it may be:0)
P.S.
I think user ksgrassguy contacted the Ex-Mark dealer about the Lazer Z E-series and the dealer quoted him a price that was about $2,000 more than the Gravely. That's why I think that the Ex-marks are good....just not "that good". And I'd be willing to bet the Ex-Mark is at least $1,000 more than a comparable Toro Z-Master. I just can't justify the extra $ for an Ex-Mark:0(

djdicetn said:

lmf,
I've been assisting the op(user ksgrassguy) on the side via private messages and the Toro 74915 is in the Z-Master 5000 series, so I advised him to compare it to the Gravely Pro-Turn 200 XDZ series instead of the Pro-Turn 100 XDZ series like I have(more similar to the Toro Z-Master 3000 series). Then the Gravely Pro-Turn 400 XDZ series are comparable to the Toro Z-Master 6000(gas) and 7000(diesel) series. I definitely did not discourage ksgrassguy from getting a Toro because I consider the ones just mentioned as about as good of a ZTR that you can buy(I just got a better deal price-wise on the Gravely compared to the 52" Toro Z-Master 3000). Your right, though, if he bought an Ex-Mark, Toro Z-Master or Gravely Pro-Turn he would be happy with any of those. I think, the last time we chatted he had made an offer to the Gravely dealer on a Pro-Turn 152 XDZ that the dealer accepted. I told him the story about my "first ride" when I got my Gravely home and if the rest of you guys want a ROFL(rolling on the floor laughing) story I'll be glad to share(as embarassing as it may be:0)
P.S.
I think user ksgrassguy contacted the Ex-Mark dealer about the Lazer Z E-series and the dealer quoted him a price that was about $2,000 more than the Gravely. That's why I think that the Ex-marks are good....just not "that good". And I'd be willing to bet the Ex-Mark is at least $1,000 more than a comparable Toro Z-Master. I just can't justify the extra $ for an Ex-Mark:0(

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Exmark mowers sure are expensive! If you would like to share your ROFL story I would love to hear it! :tongue:

lawn mower fanatic said:

Exmark mowers sure are expensive! If you would like to share your ROFL story I would love to hear it! :tongue:

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OK, here goes.....my father-in-law who has had a 72" Kubota Diesel ZTR(a $12,000 mower) for about 5 years goes with me to pick up my Gravely and take it to the house. When we got there he drove it off the trailer for me and told me:
"Start out VERY slow, maybe 1/3 throttle, drive it around the yard until you get a feel for the controls and practice changing directions(it's tricky to keep from leaving divets in the grass). You must learn to move one lever slightly forward and the other slightly backward AT THE SAME TIME. This keeps the tire(if you had not pulled the other lever backwards for reverse) from being stationary, therefore when the mower turns it spins on the same spot creating the divet/twirl in the grass which looks kinda bad. It'll take some time to get the feel for it."

So after about 15 minutes, I was getting "comfortable" with the controls and thought...."this bad boy goes 10mph, I wanna see how that feels"......BAD IDEA!!! I ended up hitting a 4" pcv pipe that sticks up about 4" out of the ground where I change my septic tank field lines, with the deck breaking the pcv pipe off at the ground......freaked me out and at that point I "froze up", looked up and was headed right towards my wife's 200lb wishing well(and couldn't pull back). I hit that thing square and knocked it about 6 feet. Significant damage to the wishing well(made out of landscape lumber) but because of the commercial build of my Gravely absolutely no evidence of damage to the mower aside from a couple of mars on the paint on the front deck, wheel casters and frame. I checked the deck and it was still perfectly leveled. Fortunately, my dealer gave me some Gravely touch-up red paint:0)

Again, that speaks volumes about how well built these ZTR's are........but I guess you can imagine how embarassing that was in front of my father-in-law and how I felt about wrecking my brand new ZTR that was 15 minutes old:0) I'm just now getting where I can laugh about it...but believe me my whole family has had several bouts of rolling on the floor laughing just trying to visualize my experience since then(that would have made America's Funniest Videos.....or maybe a really good Gravely TV ad:0)

Soooooo, when you buy that Ex-Mark my advice to you is "start out VERY slow, maybe 1/3 throttle and practice until you get a good feel for the controls":0)

P.S.
The wife is still a little peeved about me ruining her 6 foot tall wishing well(the shake shingle roof is loose and the front kinda "hangs down where it hit the ground, and it's kinda "sitting on top of" the bottom two layers of 4x4 landscape timbers that came loose:0)

:laughing::laughing: Wow! I am surprised there was no damage (to the mower that is! :laughing. It stinks you didn't get it on video....it would be the WINNER of America's Funniest Videos!! :laughing: Thanks for sharing....I am still picturing it in my mind! :tongue:

lawn mower fanatic said:

:laughing::laughing: Wow! I am surprised there was no damage (to the mower that is! :laughing. It stinks you didn't get it on video....it would be the WINNER of America's Funniest Videos!! :laughing: Thanks for sharing....I am still picturing it in my mind! :tongue:

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Yeah, the wishing well fit perfect right between the two front wheel forks, My father-in-law and I looked it over very closely and couldn't even find a minor dent. I could see the red paint on the wishing well and it matched up with the paint mars on the ZTR. That Gravely is one tough mower!!! BTW, my father-in-law was really nice about it and until we got back to his house(where my wife was staying with her mom while we went and got the ZTR) he never even mentioned it. When I "fessed up" to my wife about what had happened he & I started laughing and couldn't stop for 10-15 minutes. Now every time I see him he just says "pull back D, pull back" and chuckles. I hated it happened, but we'll probably laugh about this for many years to come.

I bought a brand new Exmark Quest s-series 50" for $4275. Not sure if it qualifies as commercial but it's an Exmark. I have 1 and a half acres and was buzzing around my yard last weekend like a kid with a new bike. Can't wait til I actually have something to cut.

Also thought I'd point out that Exmark is running a promo til end of year. 0% for 36 or 48 months on residential mowers. Maybe some other promos out there. Check their sites.

den17 said:

I bought a brand new Exmark Quest s-series 50" for $4275. Not sure if it qualifies as commercial but it's an Exmark. I have 1 and a half acres and was buzzing around my yard last weekend like a kid with a new bike. Can't wait til I actually have something to cut.

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No, the Quest is a residential model, but I'm sure you will really like it! Congrats on the purchase!

den17 said:

Also thought I'd point out that Exmark is running a promo til end of year. 0% for 36 or 48 months on residential mowers. Maybe some other promos out there. Check their sites.

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Thanks for the info!