Stand-on units

[LoCo86]

I'm I'm the market for a new mower and I have been looking at all the stand on mowers in my area. These include: Exmark Vantage, Toro Grandstand, and Scag V-ride. I currently run Exmark walk behind mowers and I'm looking for a way to improve my productivity.

Background: I manage residential properties as a side job during the day and work third shift at night. The size of the properties range from .5 acres up to 3 acres. I have decided to go with a 48" cut due to the majority of my clients have around 1 acre of land.

If any of you have any experience with these machines please let me in on your experience. Also any benefits or problems that you've come across. i.e. productivity level, cut quality, dependability etc...

 

[Ric]

Does anyone have this unit. If so I'd like to hear what you think about it. Also include information about the mower. Such as size of deck, quality of cut, and overall performance of the mower.

I'm I'm the market for a new mower and I have been looking at all the stand on mowers in my area. These include: Exmark Vantage, Toro Grandstand, and Scag V-ride. I currently run Exmark walk behind mowers and I'm looking for a way to improve my productivity.

Background: I manage residential properties as a side job during the day and work third shift at night. The size of the properties range from .5 acres up to 3 acres. I have decided to go with a 48" cut due to the majority of my clients have around 1 acre of land.

If any of you have any experience with these machines please let me in on your experience. Also any benefits or problems that you've come across. i.e. productivity level, cut quality, dependability etc...

I see you have another thread asking about the Exmark Vantage so I combined the two. Your asking about the Vantage and the Grandstand and I hope you do realize there basically the same mower, both made by Toro. I personally run the 36" Grandstand and take care of 70 plus residential property's. The purchase of my Grandstand was the best purchase in a ztr that I ever made. In my situation the GS allows me to mow areas that I could only use a push mower to do and areas where I was using a 48"ztr I can use the GS and make better time because the Grandstands maneuverability in both cases is far better than the ztr. As far as cut quality, it's fantastic IMO the Turbo Force deck is hard to beat and the ride is also fantastic, you can be on it all day long and walk away without hurting. I've never Had an Issue with the mower but if that ever comes up the 5year 1200 hr warranty would take care of any issue. One nice thing about the Grandstand or Exmark is your option of folding up the flex ride platform and having a walk behind, it's like two mowers in one and with its variable speed control theirs nothing you can't mow.

There is a couple of differences between the Toro and Exmark, one being the deck. Exmark uses there own deck and not the Turbo Force and Exmark uses there colors but other than that there the same machine, the other difference would be the price, Exmark is a little more money. I'm so sold on the GS that I hope like you that at the start of next season to match my 36" with a 48" GS and say goodbye to my 48"ztr.

 

[LoCo86]

Thanks Ric for your reply. I agree with you that Toro makes a wonderful machine. And I'm leaning hard towards the Toro Grandstand. But the only thing keeping me from the purchase is the steering controls. I've been using Exmark's ECS control system for over a decade and I'm afraid I will have a tough time getting adjusted to these controls. As for the speed selector on the Toro it is no longer an option on these machines. Which is a shame cause that was a feature I would really like.

 

[Ric]

Thanks Ric for your reply. I agree with you that Toro makes a wonderful machine. And I'm leaning hard towards the Toro Grandstand. But the only thing keeping me from the purchase is the steering controls. I've been using Exmark's ECS control system for over a decade and I'm afraid I will have a tough time getting adjusted to these controls. As for the speed selector on the Toro it is no longer an option on these machines. Which is a shame cause that was a feature I would really like.

I really like my 36" it saves me a bundle of time. I wasn't aware that they no longer had the speed control though, the last one I saw at the dealer a couple of weeks ago had it. It's a nice feature but it's one that I rarely used but the wife really liked when she uses the mower. I'll check with guys at the shop because I'll bet you can still get one with the speed control, check with your dealer and let him makes some calls because a lot of times they can find what your looking for or they may even have them left in the warehouse. As far as the controls go there a are a breeze, there not that much different than a regular ztr, just a little smaller. One of the things I really like is the mower is great for mowing wet grass. You'll really like the mower if you decide to go that way, it was the best choice I ever made.

 

[LoCo86]

Ric, from what understand is that there were some issues with the speed selector on the Grandstand in its earlier years. From what the dealer and his mechanic explained to me is that they remove all the selectors off the units when they come in for repairs on the speed control. One question to you though. When you say the mower performs well in wet grass could you go into further detail about that? By that I mean does the machine still maintain a smooth cut and minimal clumping if at all any clumping? The reasons I ask these basic questions is that dealers around here do not let you take home any of their demos anymore. Which I find absurd that they boast about their machine and how well it performs without letting you do anything more than ride it around the parking lot. I have no doubt that it is a great machine and they all have there ups and downs but I would like to find out if their machine is practical for my applications before I invest 8 thousand dollars.

 

[Ric]

Ric, from what understand is that there were some issues with the speed selector on the Grandstand in its earlier years. From what the dealer and his mechanic explained to me is that they remove all the selectors off the units when they come in for repairs on the speed control. One question to you though. When you say the mower performs well in wet grass could you go into further detail about that? By that I mean does the machine still maintain a smooth cut and minimal clumping if at all any clumping? The reasons I ask these basic questions is that dealers around here do not let you take home any of their demos anymore. Which I find absurd that they boast about their machine and how well it performs without letting you do anything more than ride it around the parking lot. I have no doubt that it is a great machine and they all have there ups and downs but I would like to find out if their machine is practical for my applications before I invest 8 thousand dollars.

When I say it preforms well in wet conditions I mean it has a better cut, it still mulches well and discharges grass well. Something for you to keep in mind is that I'm talking about a twin blade 36" cut not a three blade 48". Now I know that there will be people that will take exception to what I'm going to say but 90% of the complaints about mowers clumping grass is the operators fault. The Mower, a mower is designed to have or hold only so much grass inside a deck to cut at one time and I don't care if you have the Grandstand, the Vantage, Scag, Gravely or what ever you have if you show up to a clients house or mow your own lawn and try to cut two weeks of grass at one time your going to have clumping issues. Clumping issues can be adjusted with or through the speed of the mower and frequency of cutting.

Now whether it will be practical for your applications only you know that. I do sub-division lawns with fenced in back yards with 3 and 4ft gates, a lot of tight areas and the Grandstand 36" is the perfect mower for me and teamed up with the Turf-Master 30" theirs not much I can't do and do it in a hurry if need be. I know that 8 thousand dollars is a sizable amount of money but I can say that the Grandstand has more than paid for itself and that coupled with its resale value I look at it as a win win.

 

[jkeith1]

Ric, from what understand is that there were some issues with the speed selector on the Grandstand in its earlier years. From what the dealer and his mechanic explained to me is that they remove all the selectors off the units when they come in for repairs on the speed control. One question to you though. When you say the mower performs well in wet grass could you go into further detail about that? By that I mean does the machine still maintain a smooth cut and minimal clumping if at all any clumping? The reasons I ask these basic questions is that dealers around here do not let you take home any of their demos anymore. Which I find absurd that they boast about their machine and how well it performs without letting you do anything more than ride it around the parking lot. I have no doubt that it is a great machine and they all have there ups and downs but I would like to find out if their machine is practical for my applications before I invest 8 thousand dollars.

I had a few lawns to mow after work and in 2014 I decided to advertise and go full time. I picked up 70 yards and some are commercial. So I purchased a 52 inch grandstand. I jumped on it with know learning curve. This thing operates so smooth I can't believe it. To avoid clumping in wet grass I raise the rubber shoot. I have always been opened minded to other brands but can't take a chance because the GS maneuverability on hills is outstanding! I'm just hoping the durability is good. Is there anybody out there that has a GS they put a lot of hours on???

 

[Ric]

I had a few lawns to mow after work and in 2014 I decided to advertise and go full time. I picked up 70 yards and some are commercial. So I purchased a 52 inch grandstand. I jumped on it with know learning curve. This thing operates so smooth I can't believe it. To avoid clumping in wet grass I raise the rubber shoot. I have always been opened minded to other brands but can't take a chance because the GS maneuverability on hills is outstanding! I'm just hoping the durability is good. Is there anybody out there that has a GS they put a lot of hours on???

I have about 700hrs on my 36" Grandstand if you want to say that's a lot of hrs or not, and never had any issues and I have the speed control although I never use it.