to many choices....

[Ric]

Ferris also has a great reputation and performance. As does hustler, scag, kubota, Etc. Every brand the op is looking at offers the same engines and transmission options, and all offer heavy duty commercial decks, so the other features are going to weigh in on the consumer's decision. If there are two mowers that have the same engine, transmission, both have welded heavy duty decks, close to the same price, both have great dealer support, then the only other things the consumer has to look at is paint color and extra features. If the second mower offers a suspension that will give me a more comfortable ride then I'm going to choose that mower every time.

Ferris having a great reputation and performance is a matter of ones opinion as it is with all mowers. Before I'd spend 7K on a mower I'd have to ask myself how good a reputation can a company and there product have when they have to sell out to another company to keep there mowers on the market. I'd have to ask some questions and do some research and make sure there not going the way Great Dane did after Ariens purchased them.

 

[Shughes717]

Ferris having a great reputation and performance is a matter of ones opinion as it is with all mowers. Before I'd spend 7K on a mower I'd have to ask myself how good a reputation can a company and there product have when they have to sell out to another company to keep there mowers on the market. I'd have to ask some questions and do some research and make sure there not going the way Great Dane did after Ariens purchased them.

Companies are bought and sold all the time. Even hustler has been purchased by excel industries. Does that mean that they couldn't sell enough mowers to stay in business? Just because ferris has a parent company doesn't mean they were going under before they were purchased. You are making an assumption without any actual knowledge about the details. It is your opinion that toro has the best reputation. The forums on here have plenty of testimonials for all brands. They are all made with the same major components, so performance isn't going to be an issue with any of the major brands. Dealer support is going to be different for consumers due to availability in different areas of the world, but ferris has strong dealer support in my area. Ferris has been owned by briggs for years (purchased in 2004) and is still here. They are a major brand. Your arguement is weak. Toro could go under tomorrow. No one knows what the future holds. Great Dane may not be sold under that name, but ariens still uses the design on their mowers.

 

[Chugbug]

Ric, I've been sitting here for about a 1/2 hour thinking about how to respond to your comment without sounding like a jerk, I value and appreciate everyone's comments /opinions that's why I posted on here. 30 years ago I would have bought the Cheetah and pedal to the metal I would have cut my grass...30 years later with a destroyed/disease lowered back, tail bone, neck and knees you tend to look at things a little differently, I've done a lot of work in the yard to reduce the amount of weed eating from roughly 45 minutes to about 5 minutes now. I looked at product reputation, build, comfort, cut, warranty and dealer service. I did a lot of research, they all have great reputations (not sure at all with the Bad Dog) they all cut grass well, they're all are heavy duty commercial mowers, they all have good warranties (excluding the Bad Dog) but when it came down to the comfort in the ride, they all offered some level of comfort but none of them could come close to Ferris. With everything being somewhat equal I think it's going to be hard to beat the Ferris but I'm not done looking I'm sure there's another demo in my future lol

 

[Ric]

Ric, I've been sitting here for about a 1/2 hour thinking about how to respond to your comment without sounding like a jerk, I value and appreciate everyone's comments /opinions that's why I posted on here. 30 years ago I would have bought the Cheetah and pedal to the metal I would have cut my grass...30 years later with a destroyed/disease lowered back, tail bone, neck and knees you tend to look at things a little differently, I've done a lot of work in the yard to reduce the amount of weed eating from roughly 45 minutes to about 5 minutes now. I looked at product reputation, build, comfort, cut, warranty and dealer service. I did a lot of research, they all have great reputations (not sure at all with the Bad Dog) they all cut grass well, they're all are heavy duty commercial mowers, they all have good warranties (excluding the Bad Dog) but when it came down to the comfort in the ride, they all offered some level of comfort but none of them could come close to Ferris. With everything being somewhat equal I think it's going to be hard to beat the Ferris but I'm not done looking I'm sure there's another demo in my future lol

When I responded and said Ferris having a great reputation and performance is a matter of ones opinion as it is with all mowers is exactly what it is, it's all just someones opinion. As you say they will all be good mowers so it doesn't matter what you buy.
Personally I just don't believe that a company like Ferris or Snapper are going to sell out without a reason and If I were going to buy one of those brands I would want to know what that reason was before I spend 6 or 7K on one that's all I'm saying but that's just me.
I've been going to a chiropractor since 1977 for neck, upper and lower back and hip adjustments and still going and he is the reason I'm on a Toro Grandstand so I know a little bit about where you're coming from.

 

[Shughes717]

Ric, I've been sitting here for about a 1/2 hour thinking about how to respond to your comment without sounding like a jerk, I value and appreciate everyone's comments /opinions that's why I posted on here. 30 years ago I would have bought the Cheetah and pedal to the metal I would have cut my grass...30 years later with a destroyed/disease lowered back, tail bone, neck and knees you tend to look at things a little differently, I've done a lot of work in the yard to reduce the amount of weed eating from roughly 45 minutes to about 5 minutes now. I looked at product reputation, build, comfort, cut, warranty and dealer service. I did a lot of research, they all have great reputations (not sure at all with the Bad Dog) they all cut grass well, they're all are heavy duty commercial mowers, they all have good warranties (excluding the Bad Dog) but when it came down to the comfort in the ride, they all offered some level of comfort but none of them could come close to Ferris. With everything being somewhat equal I think it's going to be hard to beat the Ferris but I'm not done looking I'm sure there's another demo in my future lol

Chug bug, Ric has a blind mortal hatred for briggs. He has not and will not try ferris or snapper pro because both are owned by briggs. I have explained that both mowers are still made at the same factories by the same people who have been making them for years. He just doesn't want to hear that. That's what it all boils down to.

 

[Ric]

Chug bug, Ric has a blind mortal hatred for briggs. He has not and will not try ferris or snapper pro because both are owned by briggs. I have explained that both mowers are still made at the same factories by the same people who have been making them for years. He just doesn't want to hear that. That's what it all boils down to.

:laughing: You do have away with words Shughes, a blind mortal hatred for briggs, I like that Really, :wink:. Thing is my blind mortal hatred for briggs is no different than others who have a blind mortal hatred for MTD.

 

[Shughes717]

:laughing: You do have away with words Shughes, a blind mortal hatred for briggs, I like that Really, :wink:. Thing is my blind mortal hatred for briggs is no different than others who have a blind mortal hatred for MTD.

Lol, I thought you might like that. Don't forget about those who have a blind mortal hatred for jd.:laughing:

 

[Chugbug]

Can't we all just get along lol.....Ric sorry you got back problems wouldn't wish that on anyone, with that being said I'm really surprised with your comment about comfort being used as a consideration in the purchase of a mower, interesting to say the least????? I'm not a big fan of Briggs motors but they sure can make a great ZTR and the motor will be Kaw. Nor will I ever own a Toro again....a couple of warranty issues were not handled well by the dealer or Manufacture, they finally did but I had to fight tooth and nail, it wasn't the equipment issue, anything mechanical can fail it's how it was handled......

 

[Ric]

Can't we all just get along lol.....Ric sorry you got back problems wouldn't wish that on anyone, with that being said I'm really surprised with your comment about comfort being used as a consideration in the purchase of a mower, interesting to say the least????? I'm not a big fan of Briggs motors but they sure can make a great ZTR and the motor will be Kaw. Nor will I ever own a Toro again....a couple of warranty issues were not handled well by the dealer or Manufacture, they finally did but I had to fight tooth and nail, it wasn't the equipment issue, anything mechanical can fail it's how it was handled......

Don't worry about Shughes and me :smile: we harass each other all the time, but it's all in fun. As far as the comfort issue goes I just don't think seats or the shocks on a Ferris would be worth the extra cost or money for comfort they claim they would provide.

I'd have to guess your problem with Toro would have been the dealer because I've never had a problem with Toro and warranty issues on any of the three mowers and the turf-master went through that recall and they replaced spindles, belts, cables and blades without issue.

Shughes was right though I do have a blind mortal hatred for briggs and anything they own it was well earned. I mean really when a shear pin strips the crank in one or the last B&S engine I had that was the last straw for me.

Ferris is a good mower along with Snapper and I have nothing against them, it's just the fact that Briggs is again building there reputation on the back of yet another company that bugs me and Yes
Shughes as much as it hurts I said Snapper :wink:

 

[Shughes717]

Don't worry about Shughes and me :smile: we harass each other all the time, but it's all in fun. As far as the comfort issue goes I just don't think seats or the shocks on a Ferris would be worth the extra cost or money for comfort they claim they would provide.

I'd have to guess your problem with Toro would have been the dealer because I've never had a problem with Toro and warranty issues on any of the three mowers and the turf-master went through that recall and they replaced spindles, belts, cables and blades without issue.

Shughes was right though I do have a blind mortal hatred for briggs and anything they own it was well earned. I mean really when a shear pin strips the crank in one or the last B&S engine I had that was the last straw for me.

Ferris is a good mower along with Snapper and I have nothing against them, it's just the fact that Briggs is again building there reputation on the back of yet another company that bugs me and Yes
Shughes as much as it hurts I said Snapper :wink:

Lol, man those words had to taste bad coming out of your mouth.:laughing: Chugbug, Ric is absolutely right about us going back and forth all the time. It is absolutely in good fun and other members usually get a kick out of our banter. I don't like briggs engines either, except for the vanguard (I think is one of the best commercial engines on the market). You have to remember that none of those low end briggs engines are even offered on ferris or snapper pro mowers. The only briggs engines I ever see on them other than the vanguard is the new commercial turf engine, which from what I have read is getting pretty good reviews.