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Capabilities of Toro Zero Turns???
#1
J
jmrubicon
J
jmrubicon
Hello, first off I am new here. I am a homeowner with approximately 11 acres that I need to mow. Currently I mow about 3 acres of the 11 with a Husqvarna 54" lawn tractor. The remainder of the acreage I have been bush hogging a couple times a year. Unfortunately the tractor that I was using, I no longer have access to. So I need to come up with a solution to keep it mowed. At first I looked at used tractors and all I could find in the 5-6k range was 30yr old machines. Also I do not have a place to store a tractor and my knowledge of a diesel engine is pretty limited. So I have started to look at the possibility of mowing it all with a zero turn. The land flat to gently rolling but is probably pretty bumpy since it hasn't been mowed with a mower in 4 years. Ideally I would like to mow the 3 acres I presently mow as well as half of the remaining acres weekly, rotating the halves so in a two week period I would mow the entire property. I am looking at the Toro MX6000 with a 60" deck. I would like to get feed back on if this is a heavy duty enough mower to handle this load and also how much time I would be looking at weekly to mow the 3 acres plus half of the remaining 8. Sorry for being so long winded but wanted to give as much info as I could to get accurate feed back thanks.
#2
TaskForceLawnCare
TaskForceLawnCare
this will make Ric mad because he's a toro fan boy, but before you buy one sit it next to another heavy duty ztr and you do the comparison. the dealer I buy from sells Dixie choppers, Scag and toro. he just told me he's dropping toro because they're nothing but trouble. they might be better in certain parts of the country and different terrains. I can only speak for Dixie choppers or scags since that's all I've owned.
#3
exotion
Toro and exmark are the big ones up here. Toros are awesome machines. I blame operator for trouble not the machine
exotion
this will make Ric mad because he's a toro fan boy, but before you buy one sit it next to another heavy duty ztr and you do the comparison. the dealer I buy from sells Dixie choppers, Scag and toro. he just told me he's dropping toro because they're nothing but trouble. they might be better in certain parts of the country and different terrains. I can only speak for Dixie choppers or scags since that's all I've owned.
Toro and exmark are the big ones up here. Toros are awesome machines. I blame operator for trouble not the machine
#4
D
dannyray
I would look at the Kubota 's they got out now. I use to cut 10 acres of the church with one no problems at all usually done 4 hrs
D
dannyray
Hello, first off I am new here. I am a homeowner with approximately 11 acres that I need to mow. Currently I mow about 3 acres of the 11 with a Husqvarna 54" lawn tractor. The remainder of the acreage I have been bush hogging a couple times a year. Unfortunately the tractor that I was using, I no longer have access to. So I need to come up with a solution to keep it mowed. At first I looked at used tractors and all I could find in the 5-6k range was 30yr old machines. Also I do not have a place to store a tractor and my knowledge of a diesel engine is pretty limited. So I have started to look at the possibility of mowing it all with a zero turn. The land flat to gently rolling but is probably pretty bumpy since it hasn't been mowed with a mower in 4 years. Ideally I would like to mow the 3 acres I presently mow as well as half of the remaining acres weekly, rotating the halves so in a two week period I would mow the entire property. I am looking at the Toro MX6000 with a 60" deck. I would like to get feed back on if this is a heavy duty enough mower to handle this load and also how much time I would be looking at weekly to mow the 3 acres plus half of the remaining 8. Sorry for being so long winded but wanted to give as much info as I could to get accurate feed back thanks.
I would look at the Kubota 's they got out now. I use to cut 10 acres of the church with one no problems at all usually done 4 hrs
#5
Nwatson99
Nwatson99
What part of Ky you from?
#6
J
jmrubicon
J
jmrubicon
I am mainly asking about the Toro's because I have a dealer close to home that I would like to purchase the unit from. I can get the MX6000 for around $5600 or the 2000 series Zmaster for $7800. Obviously I would love to save the money but if I can't get the 7 or so acres mowed weekly in under 3 hrs then I am going to have to come up with a different solution. Does any one have any experience with these particular machines?
I am in Harrodsburg KY.
I am in Harrodsburg KY.
#7
Ric
I think in different parts of the country there are manufacturers that push mowers more than others. Toro and Exmark are the big two that everyone uses here followed by Hustler then Dixie chopper. As exotion said Toros are awesome machines and the Exmark is owned and made by Toro so it's only reasonable they would be in the top two. The Scag and John Deere fall way short in the commercial market here. The one thing IMO I'll say is if your looking to mow 11 acres you'd better forget that MX 6000 because you don't want a residential mower to mow 11 acres. If you want the Toro I'd start looking at the Commercial Z-Master series with the FX or FS engine because that FR isn't made for what your looking at.
Ric
this will make Ric mad because he's a toro fan boy, but before you buy one sit it next to another heavy duty ztr and you do the comparison. the dealer I buy from sells Dixie choppers, Scag and toro. he just told me he's dropping toro because they're nothing but trouble. they might be better in certain parts of the country and different terrains. I can only speak for Dixie choppers or scags since that's all I've owned.
I think in different parts of the country there are manufacturers that push mowers more than others. Toro and Exmark are the big two that everyone uses here followed by Hustler then Dixie chopper. As exotion said Toros are awesome machines and the Exmark is owned and made by Toro so it's only reasonable they would be in the top two. The Scag and John Deere fall way short in the commercial market here. The one thing IMO I'll say is if your looking to mow 11 acres you'd better forget that MX 6000 because you don't want a residential mower to mow 11 acres. If you want the Toro I'd start looking at the Commercial Z-Master series with the FX or FS engine because that FR isn't made for what your looking at.
#8
R
Rivets
R
Rivets
For once Ric and I agree, the 6000 will not be the best unit for your property, I would also look at the Z-Master series.
#9
J
jmrubicon
J
jmrubicon
Ric, thanks for the reply. I really hate to step up into the commercial units due to cost but if the MX 6000 will not do the job it would be wasted money I guess. Would you recommend the 2000 series Zmaster or is that unit not suited for me either?
#10
Ric
If you want to get the Z-Master do it while the $500 off the price it's Valid on purchases made through September 14, 2014 @ 0% for 48 months. The Z-Master 2000 would do what you want and it comes in a 48", 52" and a 60". The nice thing about the ZM is you get the FX engine which is the top of the line Kawasaki, you also get an 8 gallon tank which if your doing 11 acres would be nice. It's also has sealed bearing on wheels and spindles so there's little or no maintenance and with the 4yr 500 warranty it's hard to beat IMO.
You mentioned that you could get the MX6000 for around $5600 or the 2000 series Zmaster for $7800, which ZM or size are you talking about? They should be able to do better than that on the price especially with the 500$ off from Toro.
Ric
Ric, thanks for the reply. I really hate to step up into the commercial units due to cost but if the MX 6000 will not do the job it would be wasted money I guess. Would you recommend the 2000 series Z Master or is that unit not suited for me either?
If you want to get the Z-Master do it while the $500 off the price it's Valid on purchases made through September 14, 2014 @ 0% for 48 months. The Z-Master 2000 would do what you want and it comes in a 48", 52" and a 60". The nice thing about the ZM is you get the FX engine which is the top of the line Kawasaki, you also get an 8 gallon tank which if your doing 11 acres would be nice. It's also has sealed bearing on wheels and spindles so there's little or no maintenance and with the 4yr 500 warranty it's hard to beat IMO.
You mentioned that you could get the MX6000 for around $5600 or the 2000 series Zmaster for $7800, which ZM or size are you talking about? They should be able to do better than that on the price especially with the 500$ off from Toro.
#11
J
jmrubicon
J
jmrubicon
For around $7800 dealer told me he could do the 2000 series Z master with 60" cut. Do you have an idea of how long it would take to mow 11 acres or I guess 7 acres weekly. As I said I would like to mow 3 of it each week and 4 more acres every other week. The 4 doesn't have to be cut short, I just want to keep it manageable.
#12
J
jmrubicon
J
jmrubicon
I think he will do better than $7800 but didn't want to go too low until he sees my trade in. I have two Toro dealers fairly close so I can kinda play them against each other lol
#13
Ric
A lot would depend on the terrain and the operator and how fast he runs the machine but realistically I think you would be looking somewhere around 3 to 3 and a half acres per hour with a 60" cutting deck. If you used a 48" about 2 maybe 2 and a half acres per hour.
Ric
For around $7800 dealer told me he could do the 2000 series Z master with 60" cut. Do you have an idea of how long it would take to mow 11 acres or I guess 7 acres weekly. As I said I would like to mow 3 of it each week and 4 more acres every other week. The 4 doesn't have to be cut short, I just want to keep it manageable.
A lot would depend on the terrain and the operator and how fast he runs the machine but realistically I think you would be looking somewhere around 3 to 3 and a half acres per hour with a 60" cutting deck. If you used a 48" about 2 maybe 2 and a half acres per hour.
#14
J
jmrubicon
J
jmrubicon
That's really not too bad. It is taking me 2 hrs to mow the 3 acres now with my lawn tractor. The terrain is flat with just a slight roll but is probably going to be pretty bumpy for at least the first season. Do you think letting the grass grow up for 2 weeks between cuttings on the other 8 acres would put too much strain on the mower?
#15
exotion
If you get a commercial mower you cant strain the mower lol
exotion
That's really not too bad. It is taking me 2 hrs to mow the 3 acres now with my lawn tractor. The terrain is flat with just a slight roll but is probably going to be pretty bumpy for at least the first season. Do you think letting the grass grow up for 2 weeks between cuttings on the other 8 acres would put too much strain on the mower?
If you get a commercial mower you cant strain the mower lol
#16
Ric
The problem with letting the grass grow for two weeks, it's like me doing bi-weekly lawn cuts. It takes twice as long to cut and uses more gas so I can't or don't make any money. I would think it would be a losing proposition for you also considering your trying to save time as well as gas money and I would also think it would be worse on the mower.
Ric
That's really not too bad. It is taking me 2 hrs to mow the 3 acres now with my lawn tractor. The terrain is flat with just a slight roll but is probably going to be pretty bumpy for at least the first season. Do you think letting the grass grow up for 2 weeks between cuttings on the other 8 acres would put too much strain on the mower?
The problem with letting the grass grow for two weeks, it's like me doing bi-weekly lawn cuts. It takes twice as long to cut and uses more gas so I can't or don't make any money. I would think it would be a losing proposition for you also considering your trying to save time as well as gas money and I would also think it would be worse on the mower.
#17
V
vaskeet
V
vaskeet
for toro and exmark if you have horses check into the equine savings program 26% off msrp
#18
J
jmrubicon
J
jmrubicon
So I totally get that a commercial is much better built. But the MX 6000 has an MSRP of $5999. I would think it could mow 3.5 acres an hour??? So I would want to mow prob 3 hrs a week with this mower. Surely a 6k mower should handle 3 hrs a week?? Like I said I understand a commercial for someone mowing 5-6 hrs every day but thats not what I am gonna be doing. For the $7500 price tag of an entry mower I think I would be better off with a tractor and a finish mower. I am not trying to dispute all that you guys are saying but whst would someone be getting for spending 6k on one of these things.
#19
TaskForceLawnCare
TaskForceLawnCare
I can tell you that you're probably cutting tall fescue maybe blue grass with a nice mixture of white clover. you'll hate that toro the first time you're trying to cut 10-12" s of grass. plus its a mass produced model. I'd buy a 60" silver eagle Dixie chopper, maybe a ferris if you're looking for comfort, but 3 acres an hour maybe if its perfect conditions.
#20
Ric
The Silver Eagle would be nice but the problem is he will end up over 10K for the mower. There online pricing is based on there 2744 with payments at 165.58 monthly for 60 months without Taxes, doc fees, finance charges @3.99% and other crap not included. As Ferris goes I wouldn't touch anything the B&S has to do with.
As far as acreage per hour, it's based on the size of the deck, Bts and how many Fpm it's capable of mowing. If you use a Landscape calculator a 60" deck at 6 mph can mow 142.560.00 ft per hour or 3.27 acres per hour.
What an individual can actually cut per hour would depend on the terrain and the operator and other factors like I said before.
Ric
I can tell you that you're probably cutting tall fescue maybe blue grass with a nice mixture of white clover. you'll hate that toro the first time you're trying to cut 10-12" s of grass. plus its a mass produced model. I'd buy a 60" silver eagle Dixie chopper, maybe a ferris if you're looking for comfort, but 3 acres an hour maybe if its perfect conditions.
The Silver Eagle would be nice but the problem is he will end up over 10K for the mower. There online pricing is based on there 2744 with payments at 165.58 monthly for 60 months without Taxes, doc fees, finance charges @3.99% and other crap not included. As Ferris goes I wouldn't touch anything the B&S has to do with.
As far as acreage per hour, it's based on the size of the deck, Bts and how many Fpm it's capable of mowing. If you use a Landscape calculator a 60" deck at 6 mph can mow 142.560.00 ft per hour or 3.27 acres per hour.
What an individual can actually cut per hour would depend on the terrain and the operator and other factors like I said before.
#21
J
jmrubicon
J
jmrubicon
Right now there are all kinds of grass growing on the property and it is high but I plan to hire someone to cut it with a tractor a couple times before I tried to mow it with the mower. Also I do not see it getting a ft tall in 2 weeks. After more research I have almost decided against the Zero turn option all together. I just can't see throwing that much money into a mower. With a trade in on the MX I was looking at around $4500. Stepping up to commercial adds at least 2k to that. Hell I can pay someone else to cut it with a tractor twice a yr for 20 yrs for that.
#22
V
vaskeet
with most good dealers MSRP is a joke. I think almost anyone can get 10-15% off msrp if you shop around Hometown heroes gives you 18% equine savings gives you 26%. Ask for prices on demo units. check into the savings programs. Ask for the dealers best price DO NOT PAY MSRP shop around if that is what dealer wants
V
vaskeet
So I totally get that a commercial is much better built. But the MX 6000 has an MSRP of $5999. I would think it could mow 3.5 acres an hour??? So I would want to mow prob 3 hrs a week with this mower. Surely a 6k mower should handle 3 hrs a week?? Like I said I understand a commercial for someone mowing 5-6 hrs every day but thats not what I am gonna be doing. For the $7500 price tag of an entry mower I think I would be better off with a tractor and a finish mower. I am not trying to dispute all that you guys are saying but whst would someone be getting for spending 6k on one of these things.
with most good dealers MSRP is a joke. I think almost anyone can get 10-15% off msrp if you shop around Hometown heroes gives you 18% equine savings gives you 26%. Ask for prices on demo units. check into the savings programs. Ask for the dealers best price DO NOT PAY MSRP shop around if that is what dealer wants
#23
Elendil
Exactly. With shopping around and working a couple of dealer against each other, I was able to move from a decent residential unit to a full commercial unit for less than a $1400 increase in price. Especially at this time of year, dealers don't want to be carrying a lot of mowers into the winter season. Push hard and you might be surprised at the kind of deal you can get.
Elendil
with most good dealers MSRP is a joke. I think almost anyone can get 10-15% off msrp if you shop around Hometown heroes gives you 18% equine savings gives you 26%. Ask for prices on demo units. check into the savings programs. Ask for the dealers best price DO NOT PAY MSRP shop around if that is what dealer wants
Exactly. With shopping around and working a couple of dealer against each other, I was able to move from a decent residential unit to a full commercial unit for less than a $1400 increase in price. Especially at this time of year, dealers don't want to be carrying a lot of mowers into the winter season. Push hard and you might be surprised at the kind of deal you can get.
#24
Nwatson99
If you want to maintain your property properly you must pay for the ability, but the more you post sounds like you just want weeds knocked down and will not spend the money for the proper mower to do the job.
If you can get someone to bush hog then that is your best option and keep mowing like you are mowing.
I mow more than I originally thought after walking it all down today, but I am mowing close to 16 acres per week with a commercial zero turn and I haven taken hay fields and they look like yards now, but I purchase the proper mower to do the job.
Nwatson99
Right now there are all kinds of grass growing on the property and it is high but I plan to hire someone to cut it with a tractor a couple times before I tried to mow it with the mower. Also I do not see it getting a ft tall in 2 weeks. After more research I have almost decided against the Zero turn option all together. I just can't see throwing that much money into a mower. With a trade in on the MX I was looking at around $4500. Stepping up to commercial adds at least 2k to that. Hell I can pay someone else to cut it with a tractor twice a yr for 20 yrs for that.
If you want to maintain your property properly you must pay for the ability, but the more you post sounds like you just want weeds knocked down and will not spend the money for the proper mower to do the job.
If you can get someone to bush hog then that is your best option and keep mowing like you are mowing.
I mow more than I originally thought after walking it all down today, but I am mowing close to 16 acres per week with a commercial zero turn and I haven taken hay fields and they look like yards now, but I purchase the proper mower to do the job.
#25
Vanousb
Vanousb
I bought an Exmark pioneer s 60 inch for my 3 plus acres. Kept the price into my budget as it is just shy of full commercial. Has a lot of high end features for power, speed, cut, etc. I an totally happy with it. I choose over gravely bad boy and hustler (local dealers for these) as I felt for the money the ride, build, and cut performance was better. Other Mowers mentioned are all quality machines as well. Suggest stay local with trusted dealer and demo as any as your dealer will let to see what feels right to you.
#26
Carscw
Carscw
Not sure why your being told the mx6000 will not handle 11 acres a week.
I know a guy cuts his 9 acres with one every week. Takes him 4 hours.
I see no reason for you to spend a extra 2 grand on a mower that is not going to get the job done any faster or better.
Some say it will not last as long
How do they know?
Have they used one for more then 500 hours?
Some say a ztr with the ezt drives will not last long. But truth be told they last longer then the serviceable units.
I have bought the low end mowers just to see how long they will hold up. They do a lot better then people that have never used them say they will.
On here it does not matter if you are cutting 11 acres or just half a acre you will be told to get the biggest baddest mower that is over your budget.
Just dig deeper and get a toro grounds master 72 inch and cut the 11 acres in a hour and a half.
I know a guy cuts his 9 acres with one every week. Takes him 4 hours.
I see no reason for you to spend a extra 2 grand on a mower that is not going to get the job done any faster or better.
Some say it will not last as long
How do they know?
Have they used one for more then 500 hours?
Some say a ztr with the ezt drives will not last long. But truth be told they last longer then the serviceable units.
I have bought the low end mowers just to see how long they will hold up. They do a lot better then people that have never used them say they will.
On here it does not matter if you are cutting 11 acres or just half a acre you will be told to get the biggest baddest mower that is over your budget.
Just dig deeper and get a toro grounds master 72 inch and cut the 11 acres in a hour and a half.
#27
Carscw
Carscw
This is a 2006 Z480
Does not have a hour meter but I will say 4000 hours plus.
Have never touched the hydros not even the drive belt.
Have replaced the spindle bearings 4 times. Spindle housing and shaft are original.
Some claim this mower will not last 500 hours.
I abuse this mower more then most people could think of doing.
Does not have a hour meter but I will say 4000 hours plus.
Have never touched the hydros not even the drive belt.
Have replaced the spindle bearings 4 times. Spindle housing and shaft are original.
Some claim this mower will not last 500 hours.
I abuse this mower more then most people could think of doing.
#28
J
jmrubicon
I do not care to pay for the "right mower". But I also do not want to pay extra $$$ for a mower just so I can say I have a commercial mower. I can afford a commercial if I wanted to, but that is not the point. A mower that is over 5k should be able to handle 3.5 hours of mowing a week in my opinion. The one I have now was 2.5k and it handles the 2hrs a week I mow now just fine. Just seems to me that with this logic the larger residential mowers are useless. Either buy a small one for 3 acres or so or buy a commercial.
J
jmrubicon
If you want to maintain your property properly you must pay for the ability, but the more you post sounds like you just want weeds knocked down and will not spend the money for the proper mower to do the job.
If you can get someone to bush hog then that is your best option and keep mowing like you are mowing.
I mow more than I originally thought after walking it all down today, but I am mowing close to 16 acres per week with a commercial zero turn and I haven taken hay fields and they look like yards now, but I purchase the proper mower to do the job.
I do not care to pay for the "right mower". But I also do not want to pay extra $$$ for a mower just so I can say I have a commercial mower. I can afford a commercial if I wanted to, but that is not the point. A mower that is over 5k should be able to handle 3.5 hours of mowing a week in my opinion. The one I have now was 2.5k and it handles the 2hrs a week I mow now just fine. Just seems to me that with this logic the larger residential mowers are useless. Either buy a small one for 3 acres or so or buy a commercial.
#29
J
jmrubicon
I feel like this has happened with a few posts but not the majority. The thing is more than half of this property cannot be seen from the road and therefore I see no need to keep it looking like a golf course. I would be perfectly happy to cut it on the highest setting of the mower. I do not want to spend 5-6 hours a week cutting grass. I am not doing this for a living.
J
jmrubicon
Not sure why your being told the mx6000 will not handle 11 acres a week.
I know a guy cuts his 9 acres with one every week. Takes him 4 hours.
I see no reason for you to spend a extra 2 grand on a mower that is not going to get the job done any faster or better.
Some say it will not last as long
How do they know?
Have they used one for more then 500 hours?
Some say a ztr with the ezt drives will not last long. But truth be told they last longer then the serviceable units.
I have bought the low end mowers just to see how long they will hold up. They do a lot better then people that have never used them say they will.
On here it does not matter if you are cutting 11 acres or just half a acre you will be told to get the biggest baddest mower that is over your budget.
Just dig deeper and get a toro grounds master 72 inch and cut the 11 acres in a hour and a half.
I feel like this has happened with a few posts but not the majority. The thing is more than half of this property cannot be seen from the road and therefore I see no need to keep it looking like a golf course. I would be perfectly happy to cut it on the highest setting of the mower. I do not want to spend 5-6 hours a week cutting grass. I am not doing this for a living.
#30
jekjr
jekjr
You would be $$$ ahead to hire somebody to cut your grass and not buy anything.
#31
J
jmrubicon
I have found someone to bush hog it for $150, so you might be right about that.
J
jmrubicon
You would be $$$ ahead to hire somebody to cut your grass and not buy anything.
I have found someone to bush hog it for $150, so you might be right about that.
#32
Nwatson99
You stated you wanted to mow 3 acres now and 8 additional acres every week alternating 4 of those acres weekly, why not get the proper mower and mow it all and be done with it?
Larger residential mowers are just that, they come equipped with the lower quality engine, some have different transmissions, they are a suped up residential.
Get something that will last you an why are you hell bent on Toro for, what part of Ky are you from, I mean we have all dealers and plenty of them?
Nwatson99
I do not care to pay for the "right mower". But I also do not want to pay extra $$$ for a mower just so I can say I have a commercial mower. I can afford a commercial if I wanted to, but that is not the point. A mower that is over 5k should be able to handle 3.5 hours of mowing a week in my opinion. The one I have now was 2.5k and it handles the 2hrs a week I mow now just fine. Just seems to me that with this logic the larger residential mowers are useless. Either buy a small one for 3 acres or so or buy a commercial.
You stated you wanted to mow 3 acres now and 8 additional acres every week alternating 4 of those acres weekly, why not get the proper mower and mow it all and be done with it?
Larger residential mowers are just that, they come equipped with the lower quality engine, some have different transmissions, they are a suped up residential.
Get something that will last you an why are you hell bent on Toro for, what part of Ky are you from, I mean we have all dealers and plenty of them?
#33
Ric
IMO you wouldn't be paying extra $$$ for a mower just so I can say I have a commercial mower. I know 3.5 hrs a week doesn't sound like a lot of hrs but when you consider that a normal homeowner, that being someone with a residential size lot will put that much time on his mower in a month 3.5 hrs a week is 14 hrs a month. Now I can say that I run both types of ZTR mowers right now, the Cub Cadet Z Force 48" with a 22hp commercial grade Kohler and The Z Master 48" with a FX 20.5 hp Kawasaki and there's no comparison between the two.
Right at the moment the CC is about 4 yrs old and I have to say it has been a great little mower and the Kohler is in great shape with 750 hrs but I'm looking a replacing all the spindles and I'll bet probably a couple of pulleys, also replacing all the bushings in the front end and wheel bearings in the front wheels and shortly doing something with the zt 2800 drives so I was faced with spending a bunch of money on a 4 yr old mower or buying the Z Master which I did and the CC will be going away. The thing is hour for hour my Toro GS with a 15hp Kawasaki has 630 hrs on it in two years and I've never done or have to do any of the things to it that I would have to do to the CC if I kept it and I expect it will be the same for the ZM
Now for another comparison try comparing separate pumps and wheel motors to your hydro gear drives. MY GS has the separate pumps an wheel motors and the difference between it and the ZM is daylight and dark.
The other thing you may want to consider is ease of maintenance, most of the decent commercial stuff is all sealed bearing there's no messing around with grease guns and doing spindles and wheels and what ever else ever 25 hrs.
Ric
I do not care to pay for the "right mower". But I also do not want to pay extra $$$ for a mower just so I can say I have a commercial mower. I can afford a commercial if I wanted to, but that is not the point. A mower that is over 5k should be able to handle 3.5 hours of mowing a week in my opinion. The one I have now was 2.5k and it handles the 2hrs a week I mow now just fine. Just seems to me that with this logic the larger residential mowers are useless. Either buy a small one for 3 acres or so or buy a commercial.
IMO you wouldn't be paying extra $$$ for a mower just so I can say I have a commercial mower. I know 3.5 hrs a week doesn't sound like a lot of hrs but when you consider that a normal homeowner, that being someone with a residential size lot will put that much time on his mower in a month 3.5 hrs a week is 14 hrs a month. Now I can say that I run both types of ZTR mowers right now, the Cub Cadet Z Force 48" with a 22hp commercial grade Kohler and The Z Master 48" with a FX 20.5 hp Kawasaki and there's no comparison between the two.
Right at the moment the CC is about 4 yrs old and I have to say it has been a great little mower and the Kohler is in great shape with 750 hrs but I'm looking a replacing all the spindles and I'll bet probably a couple of pulleys, also replacing all the bushings in the front end and wheel bearings in the front wheels and shortly doing something with the zt 2800 drives so I was faced with spending a bunch of money on a 4 yr old mower or buying the Z Master which I did and the CC will be going away. The thing is hour for hour my Toro GS with a 15hp Kawasaki has 630 hrs on it in two years and I've never done or have to do any of the things to it that I would have to do to the CC if I kept it and I expect it will be the same for the ZM
Now for another comparison try comparing separate pumps and wheel motors to your hydro gear drives. MY GS has the separate pumps an wheel motors and the difference between it and the ZM is daylight and dark.
The other thing you may want to consider is ease of maintenance, most of the decent commercial stuff is all sealed bearing there's no messing around with grease guns and doing spindles and wheels and what ever else ever 25 hrs.
#34
S
Shughes717
S
Shughes717
There are commercial zero turn mowers with 60" decks between the 5k and 6k range if you want to shop all brands. An example would be the snapper pro s125xt. It's offered with the fs series kawasaki engine 60" deck and zt3400 hydros for $5500. Someone saying they don't want to buy anything a company has anything to do with is an uninformed opinion about that product. All brands offer similar components, and most have comparable machines. Some companies put higher price tags on their machines, but if you look at the main components such as drive train and deck you will see that they all offer a well built machine. My suggestion is to shop every dealer and all brands in your area. This is a good time of year to purchase a mower.
#35
exotion
Good advice
exotion
There are commercial zero turn mowers with 60" decks between the 5k and 6k range if you want to shop all brands. An example would be the snapper pro s125xt. It's offered with the fs series kawasaki engine 60" deck and zt3400 hydros for $5500. Someone saying they don't want to buy anything a company has anything to do with is an uninformed opinion about that product. All brands offer similar components, and most have comparable machines. Some companies put higher price tags on their machines, but if you look at the main components such as drive train and deck you will see that they all offer a well built machine. My suggestion is to shop every dealer and all brands in your area. This is a good time of year to purchase a mower.
Good advice
#36
Ric
I agree there are a lot of ztr mowers you can buy cheaper but keep in mind, you get what you pay for. You buy cheaper you get cheaper. An example would be the snapper pro s125xt and according to there site it's offered in a 52" or 61" deck they don't list a 60" and some of the components are similar or made by the same company's but not everything is the same if you want to compare models.
When I look at the snapper pro s125xt FS series Kawasaki engine 60" deck and zt3400 hydros for $5500 I don't see any comparison to the Z-Master 2000 with the FX series engine financing $6100
Ric
There are commercial zero turn mowers with 60" decks between the 5k and 6k range if you want to shop all brands. An example would be the snapper pro s125xt. It's offered with the fs series kawasaki engine 60" deck and zt3400 hydros for $5500. Someone saying they don't want to buy anything a company has anything to do with is an uninformed opinion about that product. All brands offer similar components, and most have comparable machines. Some companies put higher price tags on their machines, but if you look at the main components such as drive train and deck you will see that they all offer a well built machine. My suggestion is to shop every dealer and all brands in your area. This is a good time of year to purchase a mower.
I agree there are a lot of ztr mowers you can buy cheaper but keep in mind, you get what you pay for. You buy cheaper you get cheaper. An example would be the snapper pro s125xt and according to there site it's offered in a 52" or 61" deck they don't list a 60" and some of the components are similar or made by the same company's but not everything is the same if you want to compare models.
When I look at the snapper pro s125xt FS series Kawasaki engine 60" deck and zt3400 hydros for $5500 I don't see any comparison to the Z-Master 2000 with the FX series engine financing $6100
#37
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Shughes717
I was simply pointing out there are commercial mowers out there in the op's price range and used the s125xt as an example. Does the z master you priced have the 60" deck or the 48"? No dealer can touch that price for a zmaster with a 60" deck here. Even the op said he could get one for $7800. The s125xt is twice the mower the Mx 6000 is and has a lower list price. I would rather pay $5500 for a commercial mower than $5600 for a residential myself. And I do see a comparison between the zmaster 2000 and the s125xt. Yes the zmaster has the heavy duty commercial engine, but it also cost much more. The s125xt has a commercial engine and hydros and has a lower list price than the one the op got for the residential mx 6000. I'm not pushing the snapper pro, I am saying the op should shop every brand and dealer in his area and get the mower that fits his needs for the best price. Btw I would put my snapper pro s150xt up against a zmaster the same size any day. Mine has the fx series kawasaki engine, zt5400 hydros, and I purchase it for $5300 in 2012. It only has the 48" deck, but it handles my lawn great with no issues. The only difference in commercial mowers is a few features, paint, and price. You can get the same drive train options on just about any brand. It just depends on how much you want to spend. I have used many brands, including exmark and toro. All good mowers some just cost more for the same options. And most offer similar financing.
S
Shughes717
I agree there are a lot of ztr mowers you can buy cheaper but keep in mind, you get what you pay for. You buy cheaper you get cheaper. An example would be the snapper pro s125xt and according to there site it's offered in a 52" or 61" deck they don't list a 60" and some of the components are similar or made by the same company's but not everything is the same if you want to compare models.
When I look at the snapper pro s125xt FS series Kawasaki engine 60" deck and zt3400 hydros for $5500 I don't see any comparison to the Z-Master 2000 with the FX series engine financing $6100
I was simply pointing out there are commercial mowers out there in the op's price range and used the s125xt as an example. Does the z master you priced have the 60" deck or the 48"? No dealer can touch that price for a zmaster with a 60" deck here. Even the op said he could get one for $7800. The s125xt is twice the mower the Mx 6000 is and has a lower list price. I would rather pay $5500 for a commercial mower than $5600 for a residential myself. And I do see a comparison between the zmaster 2000 and the s125xt. Yes the zmaster has the heavy duty commercial engine, but it also cost much more. The s125xt has a commercial engine and hydros and has a lower list price than the one the op got for the residential mx 6000. I'm not pushing the snapper pro, I am saying the op should shop every brand and dealer in his area and get the mower that fits his needs for the best price. Btw I would put my snapper pro s150xt up against a zmaster the same size any day. Mine has the fx series kawasaki engine, zt5400 hydros, and I purchase it for $5300 in 2012. It only has the 48" deck, but it handles my lawn great with no issues. The only difference in commercial mowers is a few features, paint, and price. You can get the same drive train options on just about any brand. It just depends on how much you want to spend. I have used many brands, including exmark and toro. All good mowers some just cost more for the same options. And most offer similar financing.
#38
Ric
It's the 48" I would have liked to had the 60" but with my residential lots it just would be on the trailer the majority of the time, the 48" for my use is a lot more productive. The things that I look at when I look for a mower besides the engine and drive are things I mention before like the spindles, there size and if there sealed bearings or not, the size of the frame and the gas tank, is the front end and wheels all sealed bearings, how easy or assessable is it for oil changes etc. The Z Master is set up for a guy who mows daily.
Ric
I was simply pointing out there are commercial mowers out there in the op's price range and used the s125xt as an example. Does the z master you priced have the 60" deck or the 48"? No dealer can touch that price for a zmaster with a 60" deck here. Even the op said he could get one for $7800. The s125xt is twice the mower the Mx 6000 is and has a lower list price. I would rather pay $5500 for a commercial mower than $5600 for a residential myself. And I do see a comparison between the zmaster 2000 and the s125xt. Yes the zmaster has the heavy duty commercial engine, but it also cost much more. The s125xt has a commercial engine and hydros and has a lower list price than the one the op got for the residential mx 6000. I'm not pushing the snapper pro, I am saying the op should shop every brand and dealer in his area and get the mower that fits his needs for the best price. Btw I would put my snapper pro s150xt up against a zmaster the same size any day. Mine has the fx series kawasaki engine, zt5400 hydros, and I purchase it for $5300 in 2012. It only has the 48" deck, but it handles my lawn great with no issues. The only difference in commercial mowers is a few features, paint, and price. You can get the same drive train options on just about any brand. It just depends on how much you want to spend. I have used many brands, including exmark and toro. All good mowers some just cost more for the same options. And most offer similar financing.
It's the 48" I would have liked to had the 60" but with my residential lots it just would be on the trailer the majority of the time, the 48" for my use is a lot more productive. The things that I look at when I look for a mower besides the engine and drive are things I mention before like the spindles, there size and if there sealed bearings or not, the size of the frame and the gas tank, is the front end and wheels all sealed bearings, how easy or assessable is it for oil changes etc. The Z Master is set up for a guy who mows daily.
#39
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Shughes717
All features on my mower are commercial. Yes I grease the casters, but it only takes about 5 minutes for me to grease every zerk on my mower. I have run sealed bearings and greaseable on farm equipment. Can't get any heavier duty than that. For the heaviest work, such as disking, the bearings are always greasable. So are the front ends of tractors. It is also easy to change the oil on my mower. The spindles are heavy duty 2.4" diameter ball bearings greaseable on my mower as well. My drive wheels are 22x11-10 and so are the ones on the s125xt. The drive wheels on the 2014 s150xt mowers are 23x9.5-12. The ones on the zmaster 2000 are 22x9.5- 12. The 2014 s150xt 48" also holds 10 gallons of fuel compared to 8 on the zmaster 2000. You have not mentioned anything that isn't matched on the snapper pro mowers. Some cases even better. And you can get the snapper pro mowers at a better price. You are comparing to mowers you obviously have no experience with.
S
Shughes717
It's the 48" I would have liked to had the 60" but with my residential lots it just would be on the trailer the majority of the time, the 48" for my use is a lot more productive. The things that I look at when I look for a mower besides the engine and drive are things I mention before like the spindles, there size and if there sealed bearings or not, the size of the frame and the gas tank, is the front end and wheels all sealed bearings, how easy or assessable is it for oil changes etc. The Z Master is set up for a guy who mows daily.
All features on my mower are commercial. Yes I grease the casters, but it only takes about 5 minutes for me to grease every zerk on my mower. I have run sealed bearings and greaseable on farm equipment. Can't get any heavier duty than that. For the heaviest work, such as disking, the bearings are always greasable. So are the front ends of tractors. It is also easy to change the oil on my mower. The spindles are heavy duty 2.4" diameter ball bearings greaseable on my mower as well. My drive wheels are 22x11-10 and so are the ones on the s125xt. The drive wheels on the 2014 s150xt mowers are 23x9.5-12. The ones on the zmaster 2000 are 22x9.5- 12. The 2014 s150xt 48" also holds 10 gallons of fuel compared to 8 on the zmaster 2000. You have not mentioned anything that isn't matched on the snapper pro mowers. Some cases even better. And you can get the snapper pro mowers at a better price. You are comparing to mowers you obviously have no experience with.
#40
S
Shughes717
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Shughes717
As I said earlier all brands offer comparable mowers. It just depends on what you are willing to pay for the particular brand's features and drive train options. There are other brands out there that offer great mowers at a good price. The best way to find the right mower is to look at all of them instead of dismissing a certain brand because someone doesn't like engines the parent company manufactures. Those engines aren't even offered on the commercial mowers. The only one that is the commercial turf and it is also offered on other brands as well. The vanguard is offered on most commercial brands and they are considered great engines. Uninformed opinion!
#41
Ric
Ric
The 125 Frame is 1.5x2" 11 ga. The ZM is 1.5x3" 10ga. so it's larger and heavier. The spindles Are a 6" 4 bolt the ZM spindles are an 8" 6 bolt spindle larger and heavier and both are cast Alum. Everything on the ZM is or has sealed bearings, nothing needs to be greased except the idler pulley And the spindles on the 125 need greasing along with the casters and wheels and it has a 5 gallon tank and the ZM has an 8 gallon. It also has adjustable dampers for your lap bars. The 150 your talking about is more comparable to probably the ZM 3000 which is more money, not the 2000.
#42
TaskForceLawnCare
TaskForceLawnCare
just buy a Scag and be done with it, I'd put my 36" Scag walkbehind up against either of your mowers snapper or toro any day. out perform and have better resale.
I'm really just trolling don't get mad
I'm really just trolling don't get mad
#43
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Shughes717
Zmaster 2000 $6100 48" deck, s150xt $6000 48" deck. S150xt offers a bigger fx series engine, bigger hydros, larger tires, and a larger fuel capacity. Compare the z master 3000 if you want but still proves my point that you can get a comparable mower for a better price. You were comparing a 48" mower with a $6100 price tag to the s125xt with a 60" deck at $5500. The op is looking for a 60" deck mower heavy enough to mow 11 acres between 5 and 6k. No toro suits his needs for that price range. You need to have experience with mowers before you bash them. Have used all of them. The lap bars on the snapper pro are also adjustable btw. Sealed bearings are not better than greaseable bearings either.
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Shughes717
The 125 Frame is 1.5x2" 11 ga. The ZM is 1.5x3" 10ga. so it's larger and heavier. The spindles Are a 6" 4 bolt the ZM spindles are an 8" 6 bolt spindle larger and heavier and both are cast Alum. Everything on the ZM is or has sealed bearings, nothing needs to be greased except the idler pulley And the spindles on the 125 need greasing along with the casters and wheels and it has a 5 gallon tank and the ZM has an 8 gallon. It also has adjustable dampers for your lap bars. The 150 your talking about is more comparable to probably the ZM 3000 which is more money, not the 2000.
Zmaster 2000 $6100 48" deck, s150xt $6000 48" deck. S150xt offers a bigger fx series engine, bigger hydros, larger tires, and a larger fuel capacity. Compare the z master 3000 if you want but still proves my point that you can get a comparable mower for a better price. You were comparing a 48" mower with a $6100 price tag to the s125xt with a 60" deck at $5500. The op is looking for a 60" deck mower heavy enough to mow 11 acres between 5 and 6k. No toro suits his needs for that price range. You need to have experience with mowers before you bash them. Have used all of them. The lap bars on the snapper pro are also adjustable btw. Sealed bearings are not better than greaseable bearings either.
#44
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Shughes717
I'm not mad just don't understand why people are so brand loyal and preach about how much better their mowers are than the others without even ever using the other brands. I don't have a problem with scag. Good mowers, but I don't believe there is a commercial scag with a 60" deck offered in the price range the op is looking for.
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Shughes717
just buy a Scag and be done with it, I'd put my 36" Scag walkbehind up against either of your mowers snapper or toro any day. out perform and have better resale.
I'm really just trolling don't get mad
I'm not mad just don't understand why people are so brand loyal and preach about how much better their mowers are than the others without even ever using the other brands. I don't have a problem with scag. Good mowers, but I don't believe there is a commercial scag with a 60" deck offered in the price range the op is looking for.
#45
S
Shughes717
The mx 6000 is the mower that compares to the s125xt in price. The mx 6000 is residential and the s125xt is commercial. No comparison in quality there.
S
Shughes717
The 125 Frame is 1.5x2" 11 ga. The ZM is 1.5x3" 10ga. so it's larger and heavier. The spindles Are a 6" 4 bolt the ZM spindles are an 8" 6 bolt spindle larger and heavier and both are cast Alum. Everything on the ZM is or has sealed bearings, nothing needs to be greased except the idler pulley And the spindles on the 125 need greasing along with the casters and wheels and it has a 5 gallon tank and the ZM has an 8 gallon. It also has adjustable dampers for your lap bars. The 150 your talking about is more comparable to probably the ZM 3000 which is more money, not the 2000.
The mx 6000 is the mower that compares to the s125xt in price. The mx 6000 is residential and the s125xt is commercial. No comparison in quality there.
#46
Ric
Now there you go talking about being brand loyal, what's wrong with being brand loyal? Preaching about how much better one feels a mower is than another without even ever using the other brands? I guess if I count the John Deere, Dixie Chopper, Hustler,Scag, Cub Cadet plus the Honda and B&S push mowers the county purchased on bids over the years I think I've used a few other mowers in forty years.
The thing is like I said before I wouldn't buy Snapper because there owned by B&S which IMO sells nothing but low end, low quality equipment. As far as Scag, hey there's nothing wrong with Scag They've earned there name in the Industry but like the John Deere IMO there over priced for what you get.
The thing is I really don't care what the op buys, it really doesn't make a difference to me, if he wants the MX 6000 by all means have at it it's a good mower and will probably last him a long while. I just thought for the price difference the Z Master was a better buy. As far as being brand loyal goes you have that all wrong also because I'm not brand loyal, however I am Dealer Loyal and every piece of equipment I own came from the same dealer, it's earned me great discounts when purchasing equipment, great service when needed at very little cost. I take care of my dealer he takes care of me. Nothing wrong with being Dealer or Brand Loyal, it has saved me a lot of money.
Ric
I'm not mad just don't understand why people are so brand loyal and preach about how much better their mowers are than the others without even ever using the other brands. I don't have a problem with scag. Good mowers, but I don't believe there is a commercial scag with a 60" deck offered in the price range the op is looking for.
Now there you go talking about being brand loyal, what's wrong with being brand loyal? Preaching about how much better one feels a mower is than another without even ever using the other brands? I guess if I count the John Deere, Dixie Chopper, Hustler,Scag, Cub Cadet plus the Honda and B&S push mowers the county purchased on bids over the years I think I've used a few other mowers in forty years.
The thing is like I said before I wouldn't buy Snapper because there owned by B&S which IMO sells nothing but low end, low quality equipment. As far as Scag, hey there's nothing wrong with Scag They've earned there name in the Industry but like the John Deere IMO there over priced for what you get.
The thing is I really don't care what the op buys, it really doesn't make a difference to me, if he wants the MX 6000 by all means have at it it's a good mower and will probably last him a long while. I just thought for the price difference the Z Master was a better buy. As far as being brand loyal goes you have that all wrong also because I'm not brand loyal, however I am Dealer Loyal and every piece of equipment I own came from the same dealer, it's earned me great discounts when purchasing equipment, great service when needed at very little cost. I take care of my dealer he takes care of me. Nothing wrong with being Dealer or Brand Loyal, it has saved me a lot of money.
#47
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Shughes717
How many snapper pro or ferris mowers have you ever ran? Just because b&s purchased the companies it doesn't mean the quality of the product goes down. How can you have an opinion on machines you have never used? I'm in no way brand loyal. I think you can see that by most of my posts. Can point to anything that suggests either brand is low end? You are really going to suggest a residential mower like the mx 6000 over another brand that is better made with commercial components at a lower price? Talk about blind brand loyalty. Your logic makes no sense.
S
Shughes717
Now there you go talking about being brand loyal, what's wrong with being brand loyal? Preaching about how much better one feels a mower is than another without even ever using the other brands? I guess if I count the John Deere, Dixie Chopper, Hustler,Scag, Cub Cadet plus the Honda and B&S push mowers the county purchased on bids over the years I think I've used a few other mowers in forty years.
The thing is like I said before I wouldn't buy Snapper because there owned by B&S which IMO sells nothing but low end, low quality equipment. As far as Scag, hey there's nothing wrong with Scag They've earned there name in the Industry but like the John Deere IMO there over priced for what you get.
The thing is I really don't care what the op buys, it really doesn't make a difference to me, if he wants the MX 6000 by all means have at it it's a good mower and will probably last him a long while. I just thought for the price difference the Z Master was a better buy. As far as being brand loyal goes you have that all wrong also because I'm not brand loyal, however I am Dealer Loyal and every piece of equipment I own came from the same dealer, it's earned me great discounts when purchasing equipment, great service when needed at very little cost. I take care of my dealer he takes care of me. Nothing wrong with being Dealer or Brand Loyal, it has saved me a lot of money.
How many snapper pro or ferris mowers have you ever ran? Just because b&s purchased the companies it doesn't mean the quality of the product goes down. How can you have an opinion on machines you have never used? I'm in no way brand loyal. I think you can see that by most of my posts. Can point to anything that suggests either brand is low end? You are really going to suggest a residential mower like the mx 6000 over another brand that is better made with commercial components at a lower price? Talk about blind brand loyalty. Your logic makes no sense.
#48
S
Shughes717
S
Shughes717
I like several brands. I am a fan of exmark (toro), hustler, bush hog, country clipper, bobcat, snapper pro, John deere (commercial models), grass hopper, ferris, and husqvarna (commercial). I have used them all. I went with the snapper pro because I got the most mower for the money I had. If I could afford to get one I would either have a super z, an is2100, or a country clipper defender. I have never used a bad commercial quality zero turn mower. Each have different features, but as I said all offer similar drive train and have heavy made decks. Some may have different gage frames, but have you ever seen the frame crack or break on any commercial mower? I haven't.
#50
Ric
The MX 6000 has a Commercial-grade 24 hp Kawasaki for heavy-duty residential use It's BTS is Rated at 18000, it also has the ZT 3100 drives that are designed for commercial applications, it's also has a 1.5x 3 tubular frame which larger and is heavier than your snapper 125 so yes I would suggest it over the Snapper. I did not however suggest he buy the MX 6000 I said if that's what he wanted to buy have at it, It's a good mower and would probably last him a good while. I suggested he buy the Z master 2000 for the price difference I thought and do think it's a better buy than the MX 6000 or any of the B&S Snapper Mowers.
If you want proof of low end, low quality How about this a B&S crank torn up by a blade adapter shear pin.
Ric
How many snapper pro or ferris mowers have you ever ran? How can you have an opinion on machines you have never used? I'm in no way brand loyal. I think you can see that by most of my posts. Can point to anything that suggests either brand is low end? You are really going to suggest a residential mower like the mx 6000 over another brand that is better made with commercial components at a lower price? Talk about blind brand loyalty. Your logic makes no sense.
The MX 6000 has a Commercial-grade 24 hp Kawasaki for heavy-duty residential use It's BTS is Rated at 18000, it also has the ZT 3100 drives that are designed for commercial applications, it's also has a 1.5x 3 tubular frame which larger and is heavier than your snapper 125 so yes I would suggest it over the Snapper. I did not however suggest he buy the MX 6000 I said if that's what he wanted to buy have at it, It's a good mower and would probably last him a good while. I suggested he buy the Z master 2000 for the price difference I thought and do think it's a better buy than the MX 6000 or any of the B&S Snapper Mowers.
If you want proof of low end, low quality How about this a B&S crank torn up by a blade adapter shear pin.
#51
Carscw
Carscw
What kind of oil does each brand use?
#52
S
Shughes717
We aren't talking about b&s engines on push mowers. We are talking about commercial zero turn mowers made by companies that happen to be owned by b&s. These companies also have the exact same drive train options as every other commercial brand on the market. A tube that is one inch longer doesn't make it sturdier. As I said before have you ever seen the frame break on any commercial zero turn? Mx 6000 fr series Kawi 3100 hydros. S125xt fs series Kawi zt3400 hydros and $100 less expensive. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which has the better options.
S
Shughes717
The MX 6000 has a Commercial-grade 24 hp Kawasaki for heavy-duty residential use It's BTS is Rated at 18000, it also has the ZT 3100 drives that are designed for commercial applications, it's also has a 1.5x 3 tubular frame which larger and is heavier than your snapper 125 so yes I would suggest it over the Snapper. I did not however suggest he buy the MX 6000 I said if that's what he wanted to buy have at it, It's a good mower and would probably last him a good while. I suggested he buy the Z master 2000 for the price difference I thought and do think it's a better buy than the MX 6000 or any of the B&S Snapper Mowers.
If you want proof of low end, low quality How about this a B&S crank torn up by a blade adapter shear pin.
View attachment 23277
We aren't talking about b&s engines on push mowers. We are talking about commercial zero turn mowers made by companies that happen to be owned by b&s. These companies also have the exact same drive train options as every other commercial brand on the market. A tube that is one inch longer doesn't make it sturdier. As I said before have you ever seen the frame break on any commercial zero turn? Mx 6000 fr series Kawi 3100 hydros. S125xt fs series Kawi zt3400 hydros and $100 less expensive. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which has the better options.
#53
TaskForceLawnCare
if you put another $2500 with your highest range you can get close. the deal is you get what you pay for. you can argue seat belts tube size and lap bars all day but at the end of the day all the stickers that say commercial and other propaganda in the world won't make it a better mower. producing results day after in harsh conditions is what makes it. I've been paying attention around central Indiana and haven't seen a competitive business using the brands those 2 are arguing. personally I would get a heavy duty ztr that fits your budget to mow 11 acres of my private property. at least 60" deck though.
TaskForceLawnCare
I'm not mad just don't understand why people are so brand loyal and preach about how much better their mowers are than the others without even ever using the other brands. I don't have a problem with scag. Good mowers, but I don't believe there is a commercial scag with a 60" deck offered in the price range the op is looking for.
if you put another $2500 with your highest range you can get close. the deal is you get what you pay for. you can argue seat belts tube size and lap bars all day but at the end of the day all the stickers that say commercial and other propaganda in the world won't make it a better mower. producing results day after in harsh conditions is what makes it. I've been paying attention around central Indiana and haven't seen a competitive business using the brands those 2 are arguing. personally I would get a heavy duty ztr that fits your budget to mow 11 acres of my private property. at least 60" deck though.
#54
S
Shughes717
There are companies around here that use all the brands I mentioned except the country clipper. My point is that all the talk about one brand being better than another is ridiculous.they all offer similar components. Very few differences except for different features, paint, and dealer support. What is offered on a comparable scag that is going to make it last longer than the mowers mentioned? I noticed years ago that they are all similar. Same main parts and a welded (or stamped in jd mowers case) decks. All made heavier than a residential mower and designed to last much longer.
S
Shughes717
if you put another $2500 with your highest range you can get close. the deal is you get what you pay for. you can argue seat belts tube size and lap bars all day but at the end of the day all the stickers that say commercial and other propaganda in the world won't make it a better mower. producing results day after in harsh conditions is what makes it. I've been paying attention around central Indiana and haven't seen a competitive business using the brands those 2 are arguing. personally I would get a heavy duty ztr that fits your budget to mow 11 acres of my private property. at least 60" deck though.
There are companies around here that use all the brands I mentioned except the country clipper. My point is that all the talk about one brand being better than another is ridiculous.they all offer similar components. Very few differences except for different features, paint, and dealer support. What is offered on a comparable scag that is going to make it last longer than the mowers mentioned? I noticed years ago that they are all similar. Same main parts and a welded (or stamped in jd mowers case) decks. All made heavier than a residential mower and designed to last much longer.
#55
Ric
The point with the photo was to show the quality of what B&S puts on the market, it doesn't matter if it's a push mower or a commercial mower the quality is the same. I agree a tube that is one inch longer wouldn't make it sturdier if we were talking about length but were not and the 3" tube is stronger. The Z Master Has the FX engine and 3400 drives and it's clearly a better built mower than either of the other two and is worth the extra money IMO.
Ric
We aren't talking about b&s engines on push mowers. We are talking about commercial zero turn mowers made by companies that happen to be owned by b&s. These companies also have the exact same drive train options as every other commercial brand on the market. A tube that is one inch longer doesn't make it sturdier. As I said before have you ever seen the frame break on any commercial zero turn? Mx 6000 fr series Kawi 3100 hydros. S125xt fs series Kawi zt3400 hydros and $100 less expensive. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which has the better options.
The point with the photo was to show the quality of what B&S puts on the market, it doesn't matter if it's a push mower or a commercial mower the quality is the same. I agree a tube that is one inch longer wouldn't make it sturdier if we were talking about length but were not and the 3" tube is stronger. The Z Master Has the FX engine and 3400 drives and it's clearly a better built mower than either of the other two and is worth the extra money IMO.
#56
exotion
I see what you did there lol.
Brand loyal because its what works best for them and what they have good luck with. Some is very b&s loyal some treat them lil Walmart.
I have used scag, exmark, toro, bob-cats, craftsman, Honda, and many mtd.
I am very loyal to toro and exmark because they have been my favorite scag is close second
exotion
What kind of oil does each brand use?
I see what you did there lol.
Brand loyal because its what works best for them and what they have good luck with. Some is very b&s loyal some treat them lil Walmart.
I have used scag, exmark, toro, bob-cats, craftsman, Honda, and many mtd.
I am very loyal to toro and exmark because they have been my favorite scag is close second
#57
S
Shughes717
I agree that the fx engine is a better option, but the zt 3400 hydros are the same ones as on the s125xt. The s150xt offers a fx series engine and zt5400 hydros at a lower price than the z master 2000. What is your point? You have not answered my questions from earlier posts. How can you comment about equipment you have not used? How is it cheaper made if it has the same parts as other brands? Your logic makes no sense. Up until a couple of years ago b&s had a factory in Newbern Tennessee which is about 20 miles from where I live. They made engines and small implements. I wouldn't buy any of them, but I never saw one snapper pro or ferris roll out of that factory. B&s owns the companies, they don't build the mowers at b&s factories. I won't argue with you about b&s engines. I don't like them either, except for the vanguard, but that has nothing to do with snapper pro or ferris.
S
Shughes717
The point with the photo was to show the quality of what B&S puts on the market, it doesn't matter if it's a push mower or a commercial mower the quality is the same. I agree a tube that is one inch longer wouldn't make it sturdier if we were talking about length but were not and the 3" tube is stronger. The Z Master Has the FX engine and 3400 drives and it's clearly a better built mower than either of the other two and is worth the extra money IMO.
I agree that the fx engine is a better option, but the zt 3400 hydros are the same ones as on the s125xt. The s150xt offers a fx series engine and zt5400 hydros at a lower price than the z master 2000. What is your point? You have not answered my questions from earlier posts. How can you comment about equipment you have not used? How is it cheaper made if it has the same parts as other brands? Your logic makes no sense. Up until a couple of years ago b&s had a factory in Newbern Tennessee which is about 20 miles from where I live. They made engines and small implements. I wouldn't buy any of them, but I never saw one snapper pro or ferris roll out of that factory. B&s owns the companies, they don't build the mowers at b&s factories. I won't argue with you about b&s engines. I don't like them either, except for the vanguard, but that has nothing to do with snapper pro or ferris.
#58
S
Shughes717
That is great. There are more reasons to be loyal than just saying the mower is made better. That is ridiculous. Being brand loyal is fine if you have a great dealer in your area, but implying that a mower is cheaper made because the company is owned by another company makes no sense. All of the main power components are made by the same companies. If you look at every thread on this site where someone has a problem with any commercial mower it is usually an engine problem, or a hydro problem. So how does that make any better than the next? Every commercial mower I have ever sat on ran and cut great.
S
Shughes717
I see what you did there lol.
Brand loyal because its what works best for them and what they have good luck with. Some is very b&s loyal some treat them lil Walmart.
I have used scag, exmark, toro, bob-cats, craftsman, Honda, and many mtd.
I am very loyal to toro and exmark because they have been my favorite scag is close second
That is great. There are more reasons to be loyal than just saying the mower is made better. That is ridiculous. Being brand loyal is fine if you have a great dealer in your area, but implying that a mower is cheaper made because the company is owned by another company makes no sense. All of the main power components are made by the same companies. If you look at every thread on this site where someone has a problem with any commercial mower it is usually an engine problem, or a hydro problem. So how does that make any better than the next? Every commercial mower I have ever sat on ran and cut great.