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Hi All,

I have tried to find as much info as possible to make an informed buying decision but finding info/opinions on the following mowers seems impossible. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places. I'm hoping this is the place to get some good advice...

I am looking to buy a zero turn mower with a steering wheel (I don't want to buy a lap bar or get into lap bar vs steering wheel thing). The 3 mower brands that sell them are Cub Cadet, Toro and ExMark (made by Toro?). I have about 1 1/2 acres to mow that is rolling & sloped about 5ｺ-10ｺ on average and a few very small parts of my lawn are more but not worth noting. I have too many trees and things to get around to use a standard tractor mower which I use now. I'm looking for opinions (should be easy to get on the internet ) to make a decision on what brand to buy. As for deck size, I'm thinking of 42"-50". My current tractor mower takes me 2 1/2 hrs to mow then another hour with a push mower to get the places I can't get to with the tractor. I don't need a commercial super mower, but would like a mower that will last a while (10-15 yrs?) and do a good job cutting my lawn (which is not a plush flat lawn that you see in the suburbs or in commercials but more "natural"/rough).

What I've read/heard so far...
Cub Cadet seems to get a lot of good and bad press. Seems quite a few people don't like CC brand. Made by MTD, so it's not made well. Have read that problems were in the past and the new steering wheel ztr is a good mower. Some people don't like the Kohler motors and prefer the Kawasaki motors.

Toro seems to be well regarded by a few people and some definitely prefer it over CC. Some differences between CC and Toro steering wheel ztr's but basically similar. Toro makes an ExMark version. Talked to one person who said the Kohler motor is better than the Toro motor...

Things that concern me...
The engines (Kohler vs Kawasaki vs Toro)... Is it worth getting a Kawasaki over a Kohler? How good is a Toro engine? Hydrostatic drives (some versions are not repairable, only replaceable). Is it worth paying more for drives that are repairable? Your thoughts on overall quality of build and cutting? For me, this is a purchase and I would like to get right and buy something that will be reasonably good quality for a homeowner user.

Trying to compare this: Cub Cadet RZT S50
to this: Toro Timecutter SW5000

Your opinion? Advice?

Thanks in advance. Sorry for all the questions...

Below are pics of part of my yard.

Try them all out first, research is good, go with your gut feeling. Periodic Maintenance is the key to keeping a machine going, familiarize yourself with manuals after you make purchase. Let us know which one you go with, thanks.

I purchased a CC RZT S42 a few years ago because the wife did not like the idea of learning lap bars with a zero turn. I liked some of the features but what I did not like was the reverse safety switch which prohibited you from cutting in reverse. I finally bypassed the darn thing which made mowing much more pleasurable. The cut was very good and it handled well but. . .like you I had about 1-1/2 acres to cut and keeping your foot on the stiff accelerator for a lengthy time was fatiguing for my right foot/ankle.

Given the fact the wife used it only once and after serious consideration and taking a loss on the purchase, I traded it for a Zero turn (with lap bars) and never looked back. I know you did not want to hear that debate but that decision was a blessing and mowing was actually easier. I have several trees, some minor slopes and non level terrain and mowing is still a breeze.

As for the Kohler, I've had Kohler and Kawasaki and in my opinion they are both good. As for deck size, I have a 48 inch cut and that is more than sufficient for my lawn size.

Happy shopping!!

I agree with mechanic mark. You are comparing very similar low end ztr mowers. Try them all out if you can, and go with the one you like best. Asking others on here which one to go with will confuse you more. You will get an opinion, and not everyone will have the same opinion. If you maintain your mower properly, don't abuse it, and store it properly it should last you a long time. You will also get varying opinions when it comes to engines. Kawasaki is probably the most popular, but that doesn't mean the others are bad engines. You are not going to put more than 8 to 10 hours a month on the engine. You don't have to worry as much about engines as a lawn care professional who puts 160 hours a month on an engine. Just choose the one you like best.

After talking with a couple of dealers who sell both brands, I was convinced to go the Cub Cadet route. Found a dealer who seems to have a good rep locally. Went to the store after talking on the phone. Talked some more in the store. Seemed honest with his opinions and advice. Ended up getting a Cub Cadet Z-Force S48. Slightly bigger more bada$$ machine than what I was considering but the price was right. $400 was knocked off the sticker bc it was a floor model from last yr but the model is unchanged to 2015, now designated Z-Force SZ 48. Ended up getting a $4500 machine for $3999. Normally, I kinda shy away from floor models but this was still like new and the price was unbeatable. Also, the dealer will deliver and pick up for NO delivery charge ever for any maintenance needed. That I like!

It has the Kawasaki engine, better hydros, fab deck and it's built unbelievably rugged. More machine than I need but I couldn't resist...

Thanks to all who posted! Much appreciated. It arrives tomorrow...

wanoyee said:

After talking with a couple of dealers who sell both brands, I was convinced to go the Cub Cadet route. Found a dealer who seems to have a good rep locally. Went to the store after talking on the phone. Talked some more in the store. Seemed honest with his opinions and advice. Ended up getting a Cub Cadet Z-Force S48. Slightly bigger more bada$$ machine than what I was considering but the price was right. $400 was knocked off the sticker bc it was a floor model from last yr but the model is unchanged to 2015, now designated Z-Force SZ 48. Ended up getting a $4500 machine for $3999. Normally, I kinda shy away from floor models but this was still like new and the price was unbeatable. Also, the dealer will deliver and pick up for NO delivery charge ever for any maintenance needed. That I like!

It has the Kawasaki engine, better hydros, fab deck and it's built unbelievably rugged. More machine than I need but I couldn't resist...

Thanks to all who posted! Much appreciated. It arrives tomorrow...


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Congrats on the purchase. Let us know what you think after mowing with it a while.