Commercial Mower - Toro Grandstand or Gravely Compact Pro?

I am preparing to purchase a used zero turn mower for my business. It will be used for a maximum of 10 hours per week on residential yards from 0.15 to 0.33 acres. Previous mower is a custom Honda 21 inch walk behind. It did a great job, but I want to pick up some more yards and I'm tired of walking in the Florida heat. :laughing: I have a few light slopes, but nothing very large or steep. Yards are fairly level and most of them have nice thick grass. I will have to back up frequently, so I don't want a walk behind with sulky. My budget is $3000. Here are my choices:

1. Gravely Compact Pro 34. Like new with 47 hours. One owner, they don't need it anymore (don't have enough work for it.) Selling for $3000. About 30 minutes away from me.

2. Gravely 44Z. Used commercially, has 369 hours. Sold by a landscape supply company. Selling for $2850. About 90 minutes away from me.

3. Toro GrandStand 36. Excellent condition, has 200 hours. Used commercially. Selling for $2500.

All mowers have Kawasaki engines. Which mower would you recommend?

I was leaning toward the 44Z because it's the largest mower I can use and because I want to sit, but I hear that the GrandStands are more maneuverable and more comfortable than most people expect. ???

Thanks in advance for your advice!

primerbulb120 said:

I am preparing to purchase a used zero turn mower for my business. It will be used for a maximum of 10 hours per week on residential yards from 0.15 to 0.33 acres. Previous mower is a custom Honda 21 inch walk behind. It did a great job, but I want to pick up some more yards and I'm tired of walking in the Florida heat. :laughing: I have a few light slopes, but nothing very large or steep. Yards are fairly level and most of them have nice thick grass. I will have to back up frequently, so I don't want a walk behind with sulky. My budget is $3000. Here are my choices:

1. Gravely Compact Pro 34. Like new with 47 hours. One owner, they don't need it anymore (don't have enough work for it.) Selling for $3000. About 30 minutes away from me.

2. Gravely 44Z. Used commercially, has 369 hours. Sold by a landscape supply company. Selling for $2850. About 90 minutes away from me.

3. Toro GrandStand 36. Excellent condition, has 200 hours. Used commercially. Selling for $2500.

All mowers have Kawasaki engines. Which mower would you recommend?

I was leaning toward the 44Z because it's the largest mower I can use and because I want to sit, but I hear that the GrandStands are more maneuverable and more comfortable than most people expect. ???

Thanks in advance for your advice!

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If the Toro Grandstand has only 200hrs it's just about getting broke in. Not only will it be more maneuverable but it will have a greater rate of productivity than the other mowers. I've been using mine for the last almost four years and I wouldn't trade it for any ztr. Mine has the 15hp Kawasaki FS 541 with the speed control and it will cut about anything you need to cut and I have somewhere around 700 hrs and never had an issue. The Toro also has a 5 year 1200 hr warranty.
As far as being more comfortable goes, it's like you said people don't realize just how comfortable the machines are.

The flex ride platform is fantastic. You can ride the thing all day long and not be tired when you step off. Some of the advantages to the Grandstand is the easy on and off when you have to pick something up or move something out of the way, lots quicker than the ztr. You also have the option of the walk behind feature if you like.

It' also great on slopes and has a lower center of gravity than any ztr and most any other standers. I can mow slopes with it I would never put a ztr on to mow. You may want to look at the build quality an compare things like the deck ga. and spindles sizes, you'll find the Grandstand is a lot more heavier duty than the others and it's easily maintained, mine is all sealed bearings, No greasing and no I've never had any bearing issues in all 700 hrs. With the Grandstand and a set of G6 Gator Blades you'll be down town. Let me ask you if the guy would let you use the Grandstand or demo the machine.

Ric,

Thanks for your response! I've got a few questions for you:

1. I am short, will this make the controls uncomfortable to operate during use as a walk-behind?

2. On rough terrain, do you think I will find it hard to hang on to and control the mower? I have small hands and I'm worried that the controls will be difficult to operate.

3. The GrandStand is longer than either of the Compact Pros. How would that make it easier to maneuver?

I am a die-hard user of G6 Gator blades, I will definitely be installing a set on whichever mower I buy.

The seller probably would let me try out the mower, but it's 1.5 hours away from me and I don't want to make that drive till I'm sure I want it. I will probably check one out at a local dealer first.

primerbulb120 said:

Ric,

Thanks for your response! I've got a few questions for you:

1. I am short, will this make the controls uncomfortable to operate during use as a walk-behind?

2. On rough terrain, do you think I will find it hard to hang on to and control the mower? I have small hands and I'm worried that the controls will be difficult to operate.

3. The GrandStand is longer than either of the Compact Pros. How would that make it easier to maneuver?

I am a die-hard user of G6 Gator blades, I will definitely be installing a set on whichever mower I buy.

The seller probably would let me try out the mower, but it's 1.5 hours away from me and I don't want to make that drive till I'm sure I want it. I will probably check one out at a local dealer first.

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How short is short? I'm only 5'10" and not the biggest guy in the world or have large hands and at 65 years of age I'll take the stander over my ZM anytime if that tells you anything. I really don't see your size being much of an issue. The Mower does have a bit of a learning curve though, that's why I asked about the speed control. After you get use to the mower and get to know it you'll never want to use anything else.

As far as the size of your hands go, it has the front and rear stationary bars with the lap bars so to speak in the middle so your hands being small I don't see being a problem because you'll be moving your hands to one or the other bar for driving and it's also automatic blade disengage if you let go. I've found times I've mowed or drove the mower with one hand, it's not difficult I assure you.

As far as the walk behind feature goes, if your real short it could be a bit of a problem but to be truthful I find very little if anything I can't mow from the Flex ride platform. I can count on one hand and not use all my fingers the times I've used the walk-behind feature, but it's nice to have and the times I have used it, it has worked good for me.

The mowers being compact really doesn't have or make much of s difference, my Z-Master 48 is compact and I'm just as fast if not faster with the 36"Grandstand. What in my opinion makes the Grandstand the better mower is the fact it's not a mid-mount deck mower, you can mow places you can't get to with a ztr and do things that a ztr can't do. A lot of yards I mow are smaller lawns and have a 36" to 40" gate for back yard access and the 36" saves me a lot of push mower time which is money in my pocket. (not so many trips back and forth to the trailer)

Now I don't know where you are at in relationship to me but I would highly recommend you demo the mower if he would let you take it for a day not just a drive up and down a driveway at his house because you can't really tell what the mower can do unless you have it for a while. I tell you if your close enough to my to come over and I'll take you to an empty lot and turn you lose with mine for a while.

Ric,

How do you manage the GrandStand when it's raining or has just rained? It would seem like you would have to walk behind it to avoid leaving ruts.

Do you wish you had a deck lift pedal like the sit down ZTR's? It seems like that would be really useful for going over roots or preventing scalping.

I was thinking the Gravely 44" would be more productive than the Toro 36" because it has a bigger deck. But if you'll take the 36" Grandstand over a 48" sit down, I'm probably wrong.

Thanks!

primerbulb120 said:

Ric,

How do you manage the GrandStand when it's raining or has just rained? It would seem like you would have to walk behind it to avoid leaving ruts.

Do you wish you had a deck lift pedal like the sit down ZTR's? It seems like that would be really useful for going over roots or preventing scalping.

I was thinking the Gravely 44" would be more productive than the Toro 36" because it has a bigger deck. But if you'll take the 36" Grandstand over a 48" sit down, I'm probably wrong.

Thanks!

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As far as leaving ruts goes it's not as bad as the ZTR, it's about 200plus pounds lighter than the ZM but I do recommend as with any riding mower you change mowing patterns when needed. The rain doesn't effect the ability of the mowing no more so than any ZTR mower. I in fact prefer the Grandstand when the grass is wet, it cuts better than the ZM. If your judging productivity by the size of the deck then certainly the difference could be measurable if the same type mowers are used.

Look at productivity as a time saving feature. Say you have two clients house, the same set-up. They have the same size lawn, fenced back yard which is fairly good size. You start with your 44" mow the front, I start the other with the 36" stander. Your gain will be maybe one or two pass less than I make but while your messing around going the trailer to unload another mower I'll finish my front and be in the back before you can be there and be back to the trailer before you can be done with back yard with another mower. At that point when you get back to the trailer you have two mowers to load and tie down, I only had one and I'm trimming and back to the truck before you get finished and off to another yard.

Now your laughing and say that isn't a big deal but if I can save that much time 10 or 12 times a day it amounts to a bunch of money or enough time to add maybe another client say nothing about the gas savings you'll gain because the stander will run a lot cheaper than the ztr. It all comes down to overhead.

The Gravely is about 30 pounds lighter than the Toro but it has larger tires to make up for that. Still, I could walk behind the Toro and make it 125 pounds lighter. I can't do that with the Gravely.

I don't have the money for two mowers right now, I wouldn't even consider the Gravely if I couldn't do the whole yard with it. But most of the gates in my area are 48" and the Gravely will go through them just fine. If I was dealing with 36" gates my decision wouldn't be so hard. :confused2:

In addition to the postage stamp yards I also do yards up to 1/3 acre, some of them are nice and open and I think the Gravely would really shine on those. So it's really a trade off between the two. :frown:

I'm not laughing at you, I understand what you're saying and I appreciate your input and advice. Thanks! :smile:

Ric said:

As far as leaving ruts goes it's not as bad as the ZTR, it's about 200plus pounds lighter than the ZM but I do recommend as with any riding mower you change mowing patterns when needed. The rain doesn't effect the ability of the mowing no more so than any ZTR mower. I in fact prefer the Grandstand when the grass is wet, it cuts better than the ZM. If your judging productivity by the size of the deck then certainly the difference could be measurable if the same type mowers are used.

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Must be a toro thing my zmasters cut wet grass better as well. I've used a grandstand for 2 weeks while 1 of my zmasters was in the shop for warranty work . I loved it but it doesn't fit my business needs . Most of my accounts are in a rural area with average yard being 2 acers . If I had a bunch of city yards or a couple big cemeterys to mow it would be in my shop ready for work .And as far as toro goes it would be hard to buy a better constructed mower when you get in their commercial line.

RDA.Lawns said:

Must be a toro thing my zmasters cut wet grass better as well. I've used a grandstand for 2 weeks while 1 of my zmasters was in the shop for warranty work . I loved it but it doesn't fit my business needs . Most of my accounts are in a rural area with average yard being 2 acers . If I had a bunch of city yards or a couple big cemeterys to mow it would be in my shop ready for work .And as far as toro goes it would be hard to buy a better constructed mower when you get in their commercial line.

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If your mowing with a ztr I don't understand why a stander wouldn't fit your business needs. You can get them from a 36" to a 60" cut. Both the ZM and Grandstand are better in wet grass, I think the Turbo Force decks are far better than most others.

Ric said:

If your mowing with a ztr I don't understand why a stander wouldn't fit your business needs. You can get them from a 36" to a 60" cut. Both the ZM and Grandstand are better in wet grass, I think the Turbo Force decks are far better than most others.

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Probably because of the extended mowing time. I think it would be more comfortable to sit than stand if you're mowing a big yard. But I could be wrong, which is why I am getting more experienced advice from people like you. :smile: