Engine Kohler Courage PRO?? any good?

porkchop

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Hello all. I am thinking of purchasing a Husqvarna MZ 5225 mower. The mower comes with a Kohler Courage pro v-twin 25hp engine. does anyone know if this is a good engine. I typed in kohler courage and searched for it and got a lot of negative reviews on the internet. My Kohler command on my snapper has been perfect. This is why I am so surprised. I am just looking for a zero turn NEW around 4500.00 or less with a serviceable transmission and a good engine. So far in my price range I find either a good engine with a non serviceable transmission or the other way around. sorry if transmission is the wrong term... maybe transaxle?? thanks for your time in advance! take care.
 

RatRacer

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Yeah, the Commanders were good. Mine still runs well after 9yrs.
From my shopping excursions, take a look at the Big Dogs A346 and R748.You get Kawi's and zt-3100. After harsh negotiations with my dealer yesterday, I'm in a '12 R745 for a benji over your budget.
 

porkchop

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Yeah, the Commanders were good. Mine still runs well after 9yrs.
From my shopping excursions, take a look at the Big Dogs A346 and R748.You get Kawi's and zt-3100. After harsh negotiations with my dealer yesterday, I'm in a '12 R745 for a benji over your budget.

Wow nice mower congrats. I have heard big dog mowers are nice but the dealers are to far away from me. :( Thanks for the reply though. I have pretty much every other mower company around me beside exmark. I like the Hustler sport its just it uses ezt's instead of zt-2800 or zt-3100's.
 

djdicetn

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Hello all. I am thinking of purchasing a Husqvarna MZ 5225 mower. The mower comes with a Kohler Courage pro v-twin 25hp engine. does anyone know if this is a good engine. I typed in kohler courage and searched for it and got a lot of negative reviews on the internet. My Kohler command on my snapper has been perfect. This is why I am so surprised. I am just looking for a zero turn NEW around 4500.00 or less with a serviceable transmission and a good engine. So far in my price range I find either a good engine with a non serviceable transmission or the other way around. sorry if transmission is the wrong term... maybe transaxle?? thanks for your time in advance! take care.

porkchop,
I'd stay away from the Kohler Courage...from waht I've read NOT the same quality as the Kohler Command series!! On the Husqvarna ZTR's I would recommend the M-ZT 52(but it's $5,499:0(
If you have a Dixon dealer, Husqvarna owns them now and they are competetively priced. Another one(more in your budget) is the Toro Titan ZX. The Gravely ZT HD, if you have a dealer nearby are worth looking at and then using for comparing the others(but at $5099 would be a better machine than the $5499 Husqvarna). If you could spring another $600 I think you would like the Gravely(of course I'm a little biased since I bought a Gravely last September:0)
 

TnHusky

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porkchop,
I'd stay away from the Kohler Courage...from waht I've read NOT the same quality as the Kohler Command series!! On the Husqvarna ZTR's I would recommend the M-ZT 52(but it's $5,499:0(
If you have a Dixon dealer, Husqvarna owns them now and they are competetively priced. Another one(more in your budget) is the Toro Titan ZX. The Gravely ZT HD, if you have a dealer nearby are worth looking at and then using for comparing the others(but at $5099 would be a better machine than the $5499 Husqvarna). If you could spring another $600 I think you would like the Gravely(of course I'm a little biased since I bought a Gravely last September:0)

dj, that ain't to nice. :laughing: Look, if all the Courage engines were bad we would see ton's of peploe on here fussing all the time. Most of the problems I've seen is or was with the single cylinder engines and they suppose to have that fixed now. I've seen more problems with the Briggs Inteks than I have out of the Kohler Twins. You can even attest to that dj. So is the courage engine ok, I think so. Are they as good as a Kaw probably not but there are alot of mowers out there with the Courage engines on them.
 

djdicetn

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dj, that ain't to nice. :laughing: Look, if all the Courage engines were bad we would see ton's of peploe on here fussing all the time. Most of the problems I've seen is or was with the single cylinder engines and they suppose to have that fixed now. I've seen more problems with the Briggs Inteks than I have out of the Kohler Twins. You can even attest to that dj. So is the courage engine ok, I think so. Are they as good as a Kaw probably not but there are alot of mowers out there with the Courage engines on them.

TnHusky,
All I can say is I have read a WHOLE BUNCH of user reviews on this and the Tractobynet sister forum that mentioned a sundry of design flaws with the Courgage line. The posts never eluded to single or twin cylinder and I am only going on what I have read. I have never owned a Kohler engine(I had two Briggs & Strattons...a 16hp twin cylinder Vanguard which after 19 years ran like a new one and a 24hp Intek that was junk). Like anything, you can get a good one or you can get a bad one(my Commercial Kawasaki may go south on me, you never know). But the number of complaints were overwhelming for the Courage and I cannot recommend it with because of that. I am truly glad you got a good one, but I see it as a potential luck of the draw. Sorry:0(
 

Ric

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Hello all. I am thinking of purchasing a Husqvarna MZ 5225 mower. The mower comes with a Kohler Courage pro v-twin 25hp engine. does anyone know if this is a good engine. I typed in kohler courage and searched for it and got a lot of negative reviews on the internet. My Kohler command on my snapper has been perfect. This is why I am so surprised. I am just looking for a zero turn NEW around 4500.00 or less with a serviceable transmission and a good engine. So far in my price range I find either a good engine with a non serviceable transmission or the other way around. sorry if transmission is the wrong term... maybe transaxle?? thanks for your time in advance! take care.

Are the Kohler Courage engines any good, I'd say you wouldn't go wrong with a Kohler Courage. I've run the Courage engines for years and never had a problem with any that I've run. I ran the single 20hp in my Cub Cadet Lt 1045 had just over 400 hrs and never a problem, I've ran the 20hp V twin for almost 500hrs and the 22hp and still running it's and it knocking the door on 700 hrs The Kohler Courage is a great Engine just change the oil and oil filter every 50 hrs and clean the air filter every 25hrs and it will give you years of service and DON'T run synthetic oil in it or you will have problems, Kohlers don't like synthetic oils of any kind. Something I mite add I ran and run those Kohlers six days a week in my business without a problem.
 

djdicetn

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Hello all. I am thinking of purchasing a Husqvarna MZ 5225 mower. The mower comes with a Kohler Courage pro v-twin 25hp engine. does anyone know if this is a good engine. I typed in kohler courage and searched for it and got a lot of negative reviews on the internet. My Kohler command on my snapper has been perfect. This is why I am so surprised. I am just looking for a zero turn NEW around 4500.00 or less with a serviceable transmission and a good engine. So far in my price range I find either a good engine with a non serviceable transmission or the other way around. sorry if transmission is the wrong term... maybe transaxle?? thanks for your time in advance! take care.

porkchop,
I know you are trying to stay in budget, but have you looked at the Husqvarna M-ZT 52? It's about $800 more than the MZ 5225, but the ZT-3400 trannies, cast iron spindles, 12" rear tire upgrade and the Briggs Commercial Endurance would be well worth the extra $$(it is a full-fledged entry level Commercial ZTR). See link below if interested:

Husqvarna M-ZT 52 - Zero turn mowers
 

porkchop

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Ric, TnHusky, djdicetn, Thanks for all your input!!! I have decided to go with the mz5225 using the Kohler Courage pro 25hp engine. I asked the salesman who I have dealt with for years and sold me my Snapper back in 06 if he knew about the Courage line and if they had problems. He told me exactly what I had read on the internet but said Kohler fixed the issues with the engines. I think he is right for several reasons. One so many different mower companies would not be putting these engines on their machines if they were that bad. Also I have dealt with this dealer for years and they have always told me the truth and have been honest with me. My family has spent a lot of money with this dealer and I don't think they want to lose us as a customer. DJdicetn thank you for the recommendation on the MZ-T 52 but I cant afford it. You guys have been very kind and I appreciate your feedback! I should have the mower by the end of this month. Stay tuned as they say in the TV industry! When I get the mower ill give you guys an update on the mower and the engine. Take care all!
 

TnHusky

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Ric, TnHusky, djdicetn, Thanks for all your input!!! I have decided to go with the mz5225 using the Kohler Courage pro 25hp engine. I asked the salesman who I have dealt with for years and sold me my Snapper back in 06 if he knew about the Courage line and if they had problems. He told me exactly what I had read on the internet but said Kohler fixed the issues with the engines. I think he is right for several reasons. One so many different mower companies would not be putting these engines on their machines if they were that bad. Also I have dealt with this dealer for years and they have always told me the truth and have been honest with me. My family has spent a lot of money with this dealer and I don't think they want to lose us as a customer. DJdicetn thank you for the recommendation on the MZ-T 52 but I cant afford it. You guys have been very kind and I appreciate your feedback! I should have the mower by the end of this month. Stay tuned as they say in the TV industry! When I get the mower ill give you guys an update on the mower and the engine. Take care all!

Porkchop I think you made a wise decision. The engine with the proper care will give you hrs of great service. I did read on the Kohler site though to run non syn oil for 50 hrs or more to let the rings seat good before running syn oil. Just go to Kohlers web site and read the Maintenance suggestions. I'm going with straight Pennzoil 10-30 in mine for now.
 
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