Ride em boys

[PLUSH]

I am in need of a new riding mower. Any of you guys have any suggestions of what you own and would like to share any experiences.

Looking to spend $2000. I have 1.5 acres to mow. 46" + as I heard more cutting area is better than house power.

Looking at these

http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-Lawn-Mowers-Riding-Mowers-Riding-Mowers-Front-Engine/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbskc/R-202018738/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053


http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-Lawn-Mowers-Riding-Mowers-Riding-Mowers-Front-Engine/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbskc/R-202585924/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053


in a 5-speed
http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-Lawn-Mowers-Riding-Mowers-Riding-Mowers-Front-Engine/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbskc/R-202585943/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

 

[stogies&hoagies]

My wife says get a push mower buddy if all you have is 1.5 acres. LOL

J/K. She loves her Deere. We have 5 acres and yes she takes care of it. Says it her therapy. Last time I cut the grass was 14+ yrs ago.

 

[hdroadglide]

i've got almost 3 acres of lawn, woods, road frontage, ditch, etc that i've mowed for over twenty years. usually had to replace my mowers every couple of years due to the beating......until i ponied up and bought a john deere zero turn. cut my mowing time almost in half and still runs like a champ after 7 years. nothing runs like a deere is no bs to me!

 

[danthebugman]

Not what I was hoping this thread was about when I opened it :disappoin. That said, I don't have much to mow these days so a push mower is what I use. When I used to do a lot of mowing and had some yard to mow I loved the John Deere :thumbsup:.

Dan

 

[terrantheman]

Just get some damn goats!

 

[Clint]

Nothing runs like a Deere

 

[Cigar Cowboy]

 

[matty07]

either a deere or cub cadet zero turn

 

[PLUSH]

either a deere or cub cadet zero turn

Lol. You must have missed the $2000 budget.

 

[PLUSH]

Looks like the club cadet has the best warranty From what I've been reading with John Deere you are buying more the name. It has one of the least warranties.

 

[dpricenator]

THis is the one Cowboy rides

 

[Cigar Cowboy]

THis is the one Cowboy rides

LOL - Nope Cowboy has a gardener

 

[Boppa-Wasch]

Get a 42" walk behind and stay in shape.................

 

[r3db4r0n]

My opinion as a "lawn maintenance professional" is that I would most certainly take a wider deck and a tighter turning radius over horsepower any day. Nifty features like autotranny and cruise control are nice but not major selling poits unless you're going to be on the machine all day. Id go with the more capable machine as opposed to the one with more power

 

[hdroadglide]

Looks like the club cadet has the best warranty From what I've been reading with John Deere you are buying more the name. It has one of the least warranties.

i always thought that too. but my deere never breaks down........

 

[funkejj]

I have a husqvarna ZTR. I love it for mowing my folks place hate it for mowing mine. I have a bit of a hill and it sucks trying to turn mid hill.

 

[skynyrd09]

Zero Turn is the way to go! I was fortunate enough this past spring to buy a used (3 mowing seasons) Club Cadet Zero Turn off of a friend's grandfather for $500 bucks. Not that you would find a deal like that but have you looked at pre-owned mowers... lot of older folks like to buy nice mowers to only sell them soon after in lieu of using a landscaper.

 

[Jfire]

B,
Find a place by you that specializes in sales of used commercial lawn equipment. See what they have in stock as far as a 48" decks. Many lawn care guys such as myself used to trade in old mowers every 3-4 years.
http://www.exmark.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProductType=2
http://www.scag.com/sfw.html
Lesco mowers (cant find site looks like Deere bought them out)
http://www.deere.com/en_US/ProductCatalog/GC/category/GC_COMM_WB_STAND.html
http://www.bobcatturf.com/bob-cat-walk-behind-whats-new.aspx
Few other pointers:
Get a belt driven. For your use the hydrostatic drives are smoother but WAY more expensive. And when they go they run about 350 each to replace the hydro motor.
Get some gator mulching blades if you go this route. They will mulch a 3 inch grass clipping 3x before discharging into the lawn.
You can buy a residential tractor and replacing something every year or buy a used walk behind and maintenance it every year for next to nothing.
Hope this helps convince you to go the commercial walk behind route.
Justin,
*Former 6 year owner of J&K Greenscapes LawnCare INC*

 

[PLUSH]

Hope this helps convince you to go the commercial walk behind route.

I was hoping to sit down and enjoy a smoke while I mowed, so don't know if I want to go the walk behind.

 

[danthebugman]

LOL - Nope Cowboy has a gardener

Holy crap man, is she for hire??? :crosseyed

Dan