Newbie-WHICH $3000 ZTR?

Brucebotti said:
I have been looking at the Ariens ZoomXL48 and the Gravely equivalent. They look identical and even the manuals I downloaded are identical. The only difference was that the Ariens now has a Kohler versus a Kawi in the Gravely.
Bruce
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Brucebotti,
Even if it wasn't a Gravely I'd go with the Kawasaki over the Kohler:0)
 
Thanks guys for the responses.
I'm only mowing just shy of an acre and a half. Its not perfectly flat and I do have two culverts to mow in.
I'd like to see the mower I get to last at least five years. I always do annual maintenance...oil, filters, clean machine, sharpen blades and scrape deck.
As for price, I just can't see spending more than $3000 to mow my lawn.
I do prefer the Kawaskie engine over the rest, so that limits me to the Gravely ZT or the Hustler Raptor. Raptor is very simple & no frills, low center of gravity and looks like an entry level machine. The Gravely has a higher stance and seems to show a few other features...4 point deck mounting, 4 deck wheels, foot controlled deck.
Gravely has 36 month financing and Hustler has 48.
Both dealers are local and charge $55 pickup fee for repairs.
On a side not, anyone know why powered baggers are offered on these machines? Never needed a power system on my Cub rider.
Thanks again guys!
 
vetteless said:
Thanks guys for the responses.
I'm only mowing just shy of an acre and a half. Its not perfectly flat and I do have two culverts to mow in.
I'd like to see the mower I get to last at least five years. I always do annual maintenance...oil, filters, clean machine, sharpen blades and scrape deck.
As for price, I just can't see spending more than $3000 to mow my lawn.
I do prefer the Kawaskie engine over the rest, so that limits me to the Gravely ZT or the Hustler Raptor. Raptor is very simple & no frills, low center of gravity and looks like an entry level machine. The Gravely has a higher stance and seems to show a few other features...4 point deck mounting, 4 deck wheels, foot controlled deck.
Gravely has 36 month financing and Hustler has 48.
Both dealers are local and charge $55 pickup fee for repairs.
On a side not, anyone know why powered baggers are offered on these machines? Never needed a power system on my Cub rider.
Thanks again guys!
Click to expand...

vetteless,
Loaded question.......why do you use/want a bagger system???? Do you use the grass clippings to make your own compost/mulch/fertilizer? Or do you use it simply to avoid leaving piles of grass clippings on your lawn when you are done mowing? Just an FYI, I had a mulch kit on my 2006 54" Craftsman(Husqvarna) lawn tractor....AND....a $300 lawn sweeper to pull behind it "specifically" to get rid of piles of grass clippings. Effective, but the lawn sweeper was a REAL HASSLE to dump!!!! With my new Gravely ZTR(without a mulch kit) I have yet to see evidence of ANY grass clippings after I am done mowing(and the lawn sweeper is collecting dust in my garage until I can give it to my son..who inherited the old Craftsman). When I bought my Gravely I told the dealer I would probably be buying a mulch kit and he asked me why. When I told him he smiled and said "mow with this Gravely before spending that money....it is in a completely different league than that Craftsman". I often wonder why users shopping for a ZTR are so insistent that they want a bagger, so enlighten me:0)

P.S.
I cannot attest, though, that a $3,000 ZTR will have the deck design and or blade tip speed to effectively disperse grass clippings like my ZTR.
 
djdicetn said:
vetteless,
Loaded question.......why do you use/want a bagger system???? Do you use the grass clippings to make your own compost/mulch/fertilizer? Or do you use it simply to avoid leaving piles of grass clippings on your lawn when you are done mowing? Just an FYI, I had a mulch kit on my 2006 54" Craftsman(Husqvarna) lawn tractor....AND....a $300 lawn sweeper to pull behind it "specifically" to get rid of piles of grass clippings. Effective, but the lawn sweeper was a REAL HASSLE to dump!!!! With my new Gravely ZTR(without a mulch kit) I have yet to see evidence of ANY grass clippings after I am done mowing(and the lawn sweeper is collecting dust in my garage until I can give it to my son..who inherited the old Craftsman). When I bought my Gravely I told the dealer I would probably be buying a mulch kit and he asked me why. When I told him he smiled and said "mow with this Gravely before spending that money....it is in a completely different league than that Craftsman". I often wonder why users shopping for a ZTR are so insistent that they want a bagger, so enlighten me:0)

P.S.
I cannot attest, though, that a $3,000 ZTR will have the deck design and or blade tip speed to effectively disperse grass clippings like my ZTR.
Click to expand...

Just as you mentioned, the only reason I was looking at a bagger was to keep all the clippings off the lawn. My current Cub leaves trails of clippings. I'll typically mow twice, bagging on the second run. Takes all day, but I have the best manicured lawn in the hood (I only bag once every month). If the ZTRs don't leave the lawn a mess, I'd be a happy camper. One thing I wont know until I get it though.

Went out to another dealer today, looked again at the Gravely ZT50 $3k. I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on that one. Dont see the need to bump up to the next level at $4k, unless someone out there has a valid reason. When you jump up from the Gravely ZT, the motor stays the same, but frame gets a bit thicker and back tires get a drop taller. I can do without that.
 
djdicetn said:
vetteless,
Loaded question.......why do you use/want a bagger system???? Do you use the grass clippings to make your own compost/mulch/fertilizer? Or do you use it simply to avoid leaving piles of grass clippings on your lawn when you are done mowing? Just an FYI, I had a mulch kit on my 2006 54" Craftsman(Husqvarna) lawn tractor....AND....a $300 lawn sweeper to pull behind it "specifically" to get rid of piles of grass clippings. Effective, but the lawn sweeper was a REAL HASSLE to dump!!!! With my new Gravely ZTR(without a mulch kit) I have yet to see evidence of ANY grass clippings after I am done mowing(and the lawn sweeper is collecting dust in my garage until I can give it to my son..who inherited the old Craftsman). When I bought my Gravely I told the dealer I would probably be buying a mulch kit and he asked me why. When I told him he smiled and said "mow with this Gravely before spending that money....it is in a completely different league than that Craftsman". I often wonder why users shopping for a ZTR are so insistent that they want a bagger, so enlighten me:0)

P.S.
I cannot attest, though, that a $3,000 ZTR will have the deck design and or blade tip speed to effectively disperse grass clippings like my ZTR.
Click to expand...

I have to disagree with this last statement... I used a sub $3k ztr for 15 years and was very pleased with the quality of the cut. so unless the current crop of $3k mowers have really gone down hill. I have to believe any of the mowers discussed would do as well as my snapper and it lasted 15 years. (only 1 belt and the deck never rusted through!)
 
txzrider said:
I have to disagree with this last statement... I used a sub $3k ztr for 15 years and was very pleased with the quality of the cut. so unless the current crop of $3k mowers have really gone down hill. I have to believe any of the mowers discussed would do as well as my snapper and it lasted 15 years. (only 1 belt and the deck never rusted through!)
Click to expand...

Notice my disclaimer of "I cannot attest, though".....so maybe you "have attested" that a $3k ZTR(or at least the Country Clipper) does not leave grass clippings without using a mulching or bagger system.
 
If I mow weekly, and blow off my sidewalk's when done... you will never see clippings. If I go 2 or more weeks, you might see some.
 
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