New guy with questions

KerryJon

Forum Newbie
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Jan 26, 2018
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Hi everybody!
I currently have an old, beat up Simplicity Regency rider with a 38 inch deck. It has a knock, smokes a bit, the transaxle smells hot when I'm done mowing, and it floods the crankcase with gas if I leave the tank full! However, it still cuts great if I keep the blades sharp! Obviously, I need to repair or replace it, which is why I'm here. I need the experience of a large group to make a decision about my next mower. I live on a hill, only about a half acre, but the Simplicity is dangerous on the side hills, and the driveway can be a bear in the snow! My neighbor helps me all the time by plowing my driveway, but his four-wheeler really only scrapes most of the snow away, and he may move in the next few years. I have a large, walk behind two stage blower, and a small single stage snow blower that will clean down to the asphalt, but walking up and down the hill twenty-one inches at a time is getting old.
I have been looking at front mount mowers, thinking I could mow in the summer, plow and/or sweep snow in the winter. I am assuming four wheel drive is an obvious requirement? Do they work well? I checked on used smaller ones, looks like a Kubota GF1800 (4WD) would run about three grand with just the mower, and be about as large as I could fit in my shed.
Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated.
 

Catherine

LawnWorld Support
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Jun 13, 2015
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Welcome to the forum! :welcome:

I'm going to move this thread over to our mower and equipment buying and pricing section to see if we can find you some advice.
 

Rivets

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Mar 11, 2012
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It looks like you are trying to get your cake and eat it to. You don’t say how large your lawn or driveway are, this will dictate how big of a unit you will need. A 4 wheel drive Kubota will do the job but as you have found out that are a it pricey, especially if you add a blower. If you do bite the bullet, a Kubota will serve you very well and last you for many years if serviced properly. You must be looking at used units as to my knowledge the GF series is no longer made. This means you may be getting someone else’s unit, which you have no idea how it was serviced. I would recommend getting to separate units, like a Kubota T series tractor and an Ariens 2 stage blower 30” Deluxe with heated grips and snow cab. Yes, this is also pricey, but you will have units with will last you many years.
 

bertsmobile1

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Nov 29, 2014
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Expensive to buy is generally substantially cheaper in the long run.
I have mowers from the 60's that cost better than a months wages when new.
But amortised over 60 years the cost is less than a couple of beers per year.

Yard equipment is very cometative and if you make it know you would love the top shelf stuff but can not quite afford it, generally vendor finance will follow, oft interest free for a few years.
 
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