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OK. Need to find a tough machine for my property. Unfortunately, I am often faced with moles (I've tried, but I can only keep them to a dull roar) and not so great grass. I range from the main, fairly well manicured lawn, to the rougher area where the moles (pocket gophers, the size of a Norway rat) etc. are and over the septic field. Some bumps and holes etc.

I'm guessing due to price I would have to be looking at used machines. I'm just not sure what type of machines. Could I get some suggestions, please?

Should also mention, ease of maintenance/repairs is important to me.

Willing to bet most will suggest the mower they are using. Not knowing your price range or acreage makes this difficult. I run a lawn care service and use all toro commercial mowers . I'm happy with mine one has over 1300 hours no major problems.

Price range I kept open cause I'm guessing I'll need a commercial used in order to be able to afford a machine which will do what I need it to do. Size wise? -Depending on the day from 1acre to 3 acres.

I also run toro but would not buy them used.
You might want to look at a new bad boy.
I have looked at them and feel you can get a very nice well built mower for $4000

Carscw said:

I also run toro but would not buy them used.
You might want to look at a new bad boy.
I have looked at them and feel you can get a very nice well built mower for $4000

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I've also looked at bad boy mowers. I have a couple friends running them. They are a good mower. Well built American made and good availably of parts .

Thanks. I've never heard of bad boys before. I may need to take a road trip to go see them.

ironbrew said:

Thanks. I've never heard of bad boys before. I may need to take a road trip to go see them.

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Any brand commercial mower you look at will be a tough, well built machine. They will all offer similar drive train options, and a heavy duty deck. You should look at what's available in your area, rather than listen to what other members suggest you try. There may be dealer support in their area for a particular brand that isn't available where you live. You don't want to have to order a part online for your mower and have to wait on it for a few days to arrive, so you can finish the job.

Shughes717 said:

Any brand commercial mower you look at will be a tough, well built machine. They will all offer similar drive train options, and a heavy duty deck. You should look at what's available in your area, rather than listen to what other members suggest you try. There may be dealer support in their area for a particular brand that isn't available where you live. You don't want to have to order a part online for your mower and have to wait on it for a few days to arrive, so you can finish the job.

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I appreciate what you are saying. The problem is I have zero knowledge of riders/zero turns and all these names give me a starting point. There is a semi local dealer of bad boy, so I will check it out. I can get toro locally, and john deer/massey etc. but only by getting informed do I have a hope of finding everything.

The low Canadian dollar really hurts too...

And consider a different landscaping option for the area where the moles live.
Low growing herbage like Clover that does not need to be mowed along with some low growing shrubbery.
Moles are happy and you are happy, win,win win.

bertsmobile1 said:

And consider a different landscaping option for the area where the moles live.
Low growing herbage like Clover that does not need to be mowed along with some low growing shrubbery.
Moles are happy and you are happy, win,win win.

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My moles and I get along just fine. I makes sure they want nothing in my yard and they go to my neighbors yards. I love technology. I have no idea what it is but an old friend of mine makes this stuff (all natural he says) I apply is once a month and no moles. Cost $20.00 a month and I only apply around the border of yard. About 3 ft wide. Stinks to all heck for a few days but works. One thing I know it has in it is peppermint oil. You can smell it a little.

BlazNT said:

My moles and I get along just fine. I makes sure they want nothing in my yard and they go to my neighbors yards. I love technology. I have no idea what it is but an old friend of mine makes this stuff (all natural he says) I apply is once a month and no moles. Cost $20.00 a month and I only apply around the border of yard. About 3 ft wide. Stinks to all heck for a few days but works. One thing I know it has in it is peppermint oil. You can smell it a little.

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A lot of people around here grow peppermint as borders. Keeps snakes moles and lots of bugs away.
I love the smell of it.

bertsmobile1 said:

And consider a different landscaping option for the area where the moles live.
Low growing herbage like Clover that does not need to be mowed along with some low growing shrubbery.
Moles are happy and you are happy, win,win win.

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The moles are moving into the septic field area. I've been trying to take care of them, but they keep sneaking in.

It is something that people seem to have troubles coming to terms with.
We live on a single planet with a lot of other species.
Every one of them has a specific purpose in the bio-sphere except 1 people.

Learning about the ones we do not want to closely co-habit with, then providing for them in an area where we will not be bumping into each other is the best way to go.
Set things up properly and they look after themselves with little effort nor cost to yourself.
Peppermint as previously mentioned sounds like an excellent idea
keeps the moles away from where you will be actively using your real estate , reduced the amount of mowing that you need to do and you can eat & drink it to boot.
Sounds like a win win to me.

If you need help, look for a company that advertises itself as a "Pest Management" organization rather than a "Pest Exterminator".
The former should help you to set us a system where you all can exist together is relative harmony.
The latter will set you up as a repeat customer to regularly contribute to their pension fund.

We had a house in the mountains and I built a nice timber deck to look out over the bushland.
However the cockatoo's took a fancy to the timber handrails.
we spent hundred on bird scarers, hot foot gel, netting, slack wires all sorts of stuff which did not work.
A friend gave me some wonderful advice, work with them not against them.
So I changed the handrail to a steel one.
So then the same birds that gave me indigestion, gave me a circus performance and hours of entertainment, all for the cost of a quick squirt with the pressure washer once a month.
Added bonus was we put some phospherous hungry shrubs under the edge of the deck so the bird poo went to good use.
When we sold the house it was a selling feature and we got thousands more than we though because the new owners kids were in stitches watching the birds go through their routines.
That was the start of my rethinking about how to live well in the enviroment without fighting it and a short stroll down the permaculture pathway which has been unbelievably profitable to me over the years.

Peppermint oil water and a tiny bit of dish soap in a spray bottle and it keeps most bugs and Spiders away. Like I said before, remove the food and the spiders go away too. It is funny to spray your garage all except the main door and then sit back and watch the bugs and spider leave as fast as they can.

BlazNT said:

Peppermint oil water and a tiny bit of dish soap in a spray bottle and it keeps most bugs and Spiders away. Like I said before, remove the food and the spiders go away too. It is funny to spray your garage all except the main door and then sit back and watch the bugs and spider leave as fast as they can.

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This is what my mother does.
She hates spiders.

Carscw said:

This is what my mother does.
She hates spiders.

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Not as much as I hate the things the eat like flies, mosquitos, cockroaches, silverfish, slatters etc etc.
Have not sprayed the house or workshop for years got spiders to do that for me so all I have to do is clean up the old cobwebs once every year or so.

Cottage garden with winding paths to house so you rub up against the tea trees, penny royal, lavender etc keeps bugs off you and your cloths.
Even better they smell nice to boot.

Possum boxes either end of the roof keeps possums happy and out of the ceiling cavity ( aussie possum is no relation to your rodent opossum ).
Bat boxes where the cat & snakes can not get to them, pond full of frogs takes care of mossies.
Rock pile way over in a corner near the road keeps brown snakes away from the yard ( I will try peppermint ) and clear close mowed lawns between there and the workshop means baby snakes have to run the gauntlet of owls at night & kookaburras , butcher birds & magpies during the day.

Only thing that is not in control is the red back spiders that like to live under old mowers in the graveyard, but they can't bite through light leather gloves.

Just to clarify what I said. It is peppermint oil not peppermint flavoring or any thing else. It also can be put on cotton and put on hurting tooth and the pain will go away for weeks. It will also make you gag and maybe throw up.

BlazNT said:

Just to clarify what I said. It is peppermint oil not peppermint flavoring or any thing else. It also can be put on cotton and put on hurting tooth and the pain will go away for weeks. It will also make you gag and maybe throw up.

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Oil of cloves is good for tooth ache as well but tastes foul.