Please help me narrow it down...

[Kiwi]

I'm on a new lifestyle block which was all pastoral grazing when we bought it. Now its about half an acre of mowing with a lot of newly planted trees. Over the next couple of years I expect to have more like 2 acres to mow with more open spaces and driveway verge. It's flat land but no bowling green and plenty of rocks in the ground that seem to keep coming up, especially for the newly converted lawn areas.

I use a very old and very crappy rideon now that has a turning circle bigger than my truck. Mowing around the trees is a major pain in the ass.

From what I've read so far this is what I think I know ( but maybe I'm wrong)
- A zero turn would be great for getting around the trees.
- a fabricated deck 11 gauge or better will survive rocks better than a pressed/lightweight deck
- I don't know if I need a catcher or mulcher. I don't want to be raking up after cutting long grass so I guess I need one or the other?
- I don't know how well a zero turn will cope with bumpy ground. Much of what I mow is converted grazing, so not finely landscaped (yet)
- brands that are sold here (so parts are available) include Walker, Hustler, Husqvarna.
- I like the idea of a Honda or Kawasaki engine having spent too much of my life swearing at B&S engines on walk behind models over the years.

Any wisdom on what size and type I should think about welcome.

 

[Kiwi]

One more thing - budget is $3000 to $3500

 

[Black Bart]

One more thing - budget is $3000 to $3500

I looked at a Hustler this spring when I was shopping for a new ZTR it looked really well built and had a Kawasaki with the biggest pumps I ever saw on a mower but it was $ 11,800 after tax it was over 12K so it looks like you are going to be looking at a used machine with your budget.

 

[Kiwi]

Thanks for that. Hustler Sport is in my budget range I think.

 

[Kiwi]

Anyone....? I should also add, I'll be buying it in the US and shipping it over here so really any model available there is an option, but first I'm trying to figure out what type of machine would be best suited for me.

 

[Oddball]

- I don't know if I need a catcher or mulcher. I don't want to be raking up after cutting long grass so I guess I need one or the other?

I can't help with most of you're questions, and maybe not even with this, having no experience with Zero Turn mowers. However, having used residential push and riding mowers with baggers and mulchers for many years I can say tall grass neither mulches or bags well. You either leave clippings behind the mulcher to be raked or you constantly clog the bagger and have to stop to unclog it. Maybe the big 20+ horsepower commercial type ZTs are better equiped to mulch or collect tall clippings, I don't know. I guess it would depend on how tall you let it get before cutting.

 

[Black Bart]

Mulching only works if you cut 1 inch or less and it is real dry. I would not buy a mulcher.

The cheap mowers with baggers depend on the blades to push the grass up the tube and into the bag that will only work if the grass is very dry and you mow VERY SLOW.
The better ones have a blower that mounts on the end of the deck and blows the grass into the bags.

The old saying you get what you pay for is true the cheaper non blower units are a big joke.

I have a blower on my 180 JD and I have one for my 725 Grasshopper and both work great.

Either plan on cutting and leave it lay or buy one with a blower you will get tired of cleaning the plugged tube real fast if you get one of those cheap units that uses the blades to push it up