Buying Advice Kubota ZD1511 Mower

RGustafson

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I’m looking to upgrade from present John Deere Z820A zero turn. I’ve recently been able to test drive both ZD1211 and ZD1511.

Goals for upgrade;

1. Switch from gasoline to diesel. We have a 300 gallon diesel tank but, I have to haul ethanol contaminated gasoline in 5 gallon cans, about 20-25 gallons per month. Mowing is my major gasoline consumer.

2. Wider cut, mow faster. The JD has 60” 7 iron deck and planning to upgrade to a 72” deck.

3. Stay cleaner. JD has side discharge and planning on changing to rear discharge.

After test driving the ZD1211 and ZD1511 I’m inclined towards the ZD1511 because of air ride seat, Diesel engine, more HP, heavier machine.

I’m curious if anyone else has experience with the ZD1511 with 72” rear discharge deck?
 

Darryl G

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Personally I think I would steer clear of the 1511 due to the DPF. No experience with either machine or any diesel mower other than my 1998 JD 855 pulling a bush hog though.
 

jekjr

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Kubota makes quality products. I own a L3540 HSTC tractor that I recently purchased used and a ZG222 lawn mower that we use to get up leaves and bag. I just traded a L3010 GST tractor in.

I ran a ZD326 mower for about 800 hours.

The issue is. Do you want a Kubota or do you want to cut grass?

We cut incredible amounts of grass. 90 plus yards every 2 weeks in the peak of the season and at times we have cut over 25 acres in a day.

In 2014 I demonstrated a Scag.

Today I have 3 Tiger Cat Scags with Kawasaki motors on them. The difference in the cut is absolutely amazing or has been for me anyway. There is absolutely no way I knowing what I know would pay the difference in the money to own another Kubota mower.

There is nothing that I have seen run that will touch a Scag mower. Many companies make mowers that are as good as Kubota when it comes to cutting grass and even reliability. Gravely, Bobcat, Hustler, and some others. None will cut stemmed grass with the Scags with the Velocity deck.

You can buy a Tiger Cat II with a 52" deck and a Kawasaki motor for $9K or less. Unless you run one like we do it will last you 20 years if you take care of it.

I have a Tiger Cat that was bought in July of 2015 that has something like 1700+ hours on it that abused is not a strong enough word to describe how hard it has been run. It runs daily.

If you want a Kubota by all means get one. If you want to cut grass get a Scag. If there were a better mower sold by a dealer in my area I would be running them.
 

jekjr

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Kubota makes quality products. I own a L3540 HSTC tractor that I recently purchased used and a ZG222 lawn mower that we use to get up leaves and bag. I just traded a L3010 GST tractor in.

I ran a ZD326 mower for about 800 hours.

The issue is. Do you want a Kubota or do you want to cut grass?

We cut incredible amounts of grass. 90 plus yards every 2 weeks in the peak of the season and at times we have cut over 25 acres in a day.

In 2014 I demonstrated a Scag.

Today I have 3 Tiger Cat Scags with Kawasaki motors on them. The difference in the cut is absolutely amazing or has been for me anyway. There is absolutely no way I knowing what I know would pay the difference in the money to own another Kubota mower.

There is nothing that I have seen run that will touch a Scag mower. Many companies make mowers that are as good as Kubota when it comes to cutting grass and even reliability. Gravely, Bobcat, Hustler, and some others. None will cut stemmed grass with the Scags with the Velocity deck.

You can buy a Tiger Cat II with a 52" deck and a Kawasaki motor for $9K or less. Unless you run one like we do it will last you 20 years if you take care of it.

I have a Tiger Cat that was bought in July of 2015 that has something like 1700+ hours on it that abused is not a strong enough word to describe how hard it has been run. It runs daily.

If you want a Kubota by all means get one. If you want to cut grass get a Scag. If there were a better mower sold by a dealer in my area I would be running them.

If larger and diesel are your only reasons. Turf Tigers I know can be purchased with diesels. I am pretty sure even a Kubota Diesel.
 

RGustafson

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Personally I think I would steer clear of the 1511 due to the DPF. No experience with either machine or any diesel mower other than my 1998 JD 855 pulling a bush hog though.

I’m not concerned with Tier 4 and DPF regeneration. One of our tractors is Tier 4 and no issues. You don’t even know it’s in a regen. cycle unless you look at dash.
 

RGustafson

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Joined
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Threads
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Kubota makes quality products. I own a L3540 HSTC tractor that I recently purchased used and a ZG222 lawn mower that we use to get up leaves and bag. I just traded a L3010 GST tractor in.

I ran a ZD326 mower for about 800 hours.

The issue is. Do you want a Kubota or do you want to cut grass?

We cut incredible amounts of grass. 90 plus yards every 2 weeks in the peak of the season and at times we have cut over 25 acres in a day.

In 2014 I demonstrated a Scag.

Today I have 3 Tiger Cat Scags with Kawasaki motors on them. The difference in the cut is absolutely amazing or has been for me anyway. There is absolutely no way I knowing what I know would pay the difference in the money to own another Kubota mower.

There is nothing that I have seen run that will touch a Scag mower. Many companies make mowers that are as good as Kubota when it comes to cutting grass and even reliability. Gravely, Bobcat, Hustler, and some others. None will cut stemmed grass with the Scags with the Velocity deck.

You can buy a Tiger Cat II with a 52" deck and a Kawasaki motor for $9K or less. Unless you run one like we do it will last you 20 years if you take care of it.

I have a Tiger Cat that was bought in July of 2015 that has something like 1700+ hours on it that abused is not a strong enough word to describe how hard it has been run. It runs daily.

If you want a Kubota by all means get one. If you want to cut grass get a Scag. If there were a better mower sold by a dealer in my area I would be running them.

Thanks for all the info. I’ve looked at the Scag line but, as far as I can tell, they do not offer a rear discharge deck. Secondly the only diesel they offer is a 3 cylinder 25 HP unit.

I am going diesel.
I am going rear discharge.
I am going 72” deck.
 
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