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So I went shopping for a zero turn, simple I thought, go out test some mowers I thought and boom buy the perfect lawnmower so I thought. Bazinga was I wrong . Went to 5 dealers selling 2-3 brands, what a nightmare. So need some help solving the mystery of the perfect ZTR. Below is my list of candidates. All come in the 48" deck ,all with 3 blades. Dealers are all around the same distance from home.It should be noted I live in Ontario, Canada so all prices are in Canadian dollars.

Big Dog Alpha MP- Kawasaki engine- 5600.00
Scag LibertyZ- Kohler engine -5400.00
Dixie Chopper-Zee2- Kawasaki engine-5300.00
Country Clipper Boulevard-Kohler engine-5895.00 only lawnmower with a joystick control and flip up deck
John Deere-Z535m-Briggs engine-5100.00
John Deere-Z445-Kawasaki-engine-5100.00
Simplicity Courier-Briggs engine-4800.00
Ferris 600Z-Briggs engine-7200.00
Toro Titan ZX-Kawasaki engine-7100.00
Gravely ZTXL- Unsure about engine-5000.00
Snapper 550Z Kawasaki engine- 5900.00 this is supposedly a pro series with a 61" cut. I only put this on the list as it seems to be a very good price

As you can see it was a busy day with no clear winner, Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Please pick your top three and if you can state the reasons for your choices that will be great

Ferris 600Z-Briggs engine-7200.00 with out a doubt. It is better all around. It is also the most expensive. You listed them and I just looked at all the specs and choose what I would buy out of the list not taking into account price.

BlazNT said:

Ferris 600Z-Briggs engine-7200.00 with out a doubt. It is better all around. It is also the most expensive. You listed them and I just looked at all the specs and choose what I would buy out of the list not taking into account price.

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Thanks for the response. I would like to narrow it down to three so what would your 2nd and 3rd choice be, I will modify my question to reflect this.

Sandman1964 said:

So I went shopping for a zero turn, simple I thought, go out test some mowers I thought and boom buy the perfect lawnmower so I thought. Bazinga was I wrong . Went to 5 dealers selling 2-3 brands, what a nightmare. So need some help solving the mystery of the perfect ZTR. Below is my list of candidates. All come in the 48" deck ,all with 3 blades. Dealers are all around the same distance from home.It should be noted I live in Ontario, Canada so all prices are in Canadian dollars.

Big Dog Alpha MP- Kawasaki engine- 5600.00
Scag LibertyZ- Kohler engine -5400.00
Dixie Chopper-Zee2- Kawasaki engine-5300.00
Country Clipper Boulevard-Kohler engine-5895.00 only lawnmower with a joystick control and flip up deck
John Deere-Z535m-Briggs engine-5100.00
John Deere-Z445-Kawasaki-engine-5100.00
Simplicity Courier-Briggs engine-4800.00
Ferris 600Z-Briggs engine-7200.00
Toro Titan ZX-Kawasaki engine-7100.00
Gravely ZTXL- Unsure about engine-5000.00
Snapper 550Z Kawasaki engine- 5900.00 this is supposedly a pro series with a 61" cut. I only put this on the list as it seems to be a very good price

As you can see it was a busy day with no clear winner, Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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Picking a model out of the ones you posted is really six of one and a half dozen of the other. The choice comes down to maybe what engine manufacturer you may want to go with or like, Kohler, Kawasaki or Briggs and how much money you want to spend on that particular quality line of mower. There all High end Residential with a few commercial things added to help sales.
Yes when you look at the spec's you'll find some will be running 3400 drives while the other may have a 3100 drive unit and the difference between the two is minimal at best in that range of mower and the same with the engines.
You'll have people telling you there favorite based on maybe there personal experience with one or the other or what particular engine they like or company they prefer when you should be looking at warranty, dealers and what type of service they have and if they back up there equipment or not.
If I were to make a choice I'd go with the Toro TitanZX then Dixie Chopper and Scag in that order.

To add a twist I can buy a 2014 used 50 hours ferris 700 52" for 6500.00 or a new 2015 ferris 600 48" for 6150

Sandman1964 said:

To add a twist I can buy a 2014 used 50 hours ferris 700 52" for 6500.00 or a new 2015 ferris 600 48" for 6150

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I was going to suggest looking into a good used commercial mower, maybe off Craigslist or something of that nature. Even with 4 or 500 hrs a commercial would be a better mower than the ones your looking at. Ferris, Simplicity and Snapper are all made by Briggs and Stratton. Bad Boy is made Excel Industry same as Hustler and you may want to look at something like the Hustler Fastrak SD it's a better mower than any you've posted.

What dealer has the best reputation for service and back up?

Customers come to me not to buy my named product but to buy what I suggest.

closest dealer is 40 min away. I have had no dealings with any dealer in particular.

Narrowed it down to four

2014 ferris 700 52" used fifty hours asking 6500.00
2015 ferris 600 48" 1 year old but brand new 6150.00
2015 snapper 550Z 52" 1 year old but brand new 5900.00
2015 gravely ZTXL- 48"1 year old but brand new 5000.00

What does everyone think?

1. 2015 ferris 600 48" 1 year old but brand new 6150.00
2. 2015 snapper 550Z 52" 1 year old but brand new 5900.00
3. 2014 ferris 700 52" used fifty hours asking 6500.00 (I think it is too high priced take $500 off and its very strong #2 or #1)

Not in the running
2015 gravely ZTXL- 48"1 year old but brand new 5000.00

BlazNT said:

1. 2015 ferris 600 48" 1 year old but brand new 6150.00
2. 2015 snapper 550Z 52" 1 year old but brand new 5900.00
3. 2014 ferris 700 52" used fifty hours asking 6500.00 (I think it is too high priced take $500 off and its very strong #2 or #1)

Not in the running
2015 gravely ZTXL- 48"1 year old but brand new 5000.00

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Where would you rate the big dog alpha mp someone else voted for it as #1

Sandman1964 said:

Where would you rate the big dog alpha mp someone else voted for it as #1

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#3 or #4

Sandman1964 said:

Where would you rate the big dog alpha mp someone else voted for it as #1

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The alpha is a good mower, but not in the league with the ferris mowers you mentioned. It is a residential mowers, where as the Ferris mowers you mentioned are all commercial. If you want to compare a big dog mower to the IS600 or IS700 then you should look into a big dog stout.

If you are looking at a snapper ztr mower, then why haven't you looked into the Snapper Pro s125xt? It is a commercial mower in the $5500 range. Zt3400 hydros, and either commercial turf engine, or FS series Kawasaki. It is a better mower than the snapper you are looking at.

Shughes717 said:

The alpha is a good mower, but not in the league with the ferris mowers you mentioned. It is a residential mowers, where as the Ferris mowers you mentioned are all commercial. If you want to compare a big dog mower to the IS600 or IS700 then you should look into a big dog stout.

If you are looking at a snapper ztr mower, then why haven't you looked into the Snapper Pro s125xt? It is a commercial mower in the $5500 range. Zt3400 hydros, and either commercial turf engine, or FS series Kawasaki. It is a better mower than the snapper you are looking at.

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The snapper is being sold by a small engine repair and I believe he just wants to get rid of it quickly. There are no other snapper dealers close by.

Offered 6000.00 for the used 2014. Wait and see

Sandman1964 said:

The snapper is being sold by a small engine repair and I believe he just wants to get rid of it quickly. There are no other snapper dealers close by.

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Good luck. I think you can get it for that.

BlazNT said:

Good luck. I think you can get it for that.

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I hope he can. I can get a new 2016 61" IS700 here for $6500

Shughes717 said:

I hope he can. I can get a new 2016 61" IS700 here for $6500

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So as of today these are my three options
2015 Ferris 600Z-6150 48"
2015 Ferris 700Z-6950 52"
2014 Ferris 700Z- 6500 52" used, offered 6000 but haven't heard back

Is it worth the 800.00 to get the 2015 700 over the 600

Where in Canada are you?

My choices are:

Big Dog Alpha MP- Kawasaki engine- 5600.00

Dixie Chopper-Zee2- Kawasaki engine-5300.00

Ferris 600Z-Briggs engine-7200.00

I do know of a dealer in Keswick,Ontario, who has a Hustler Fastrac SD with a 48" cut and a Honda engine for just under 6K.

But the Big dog or the Ferris 600z or is it the 600is may be your other choice, all I have heard is good things. To me the major points were a Fab. deck/zt3400 tran./ and a good engine. Now I hear a good seat is also something to look at.

Good luck!

Ric said:

I was going to suggest looking into a good used commercial mower, maybe off Craigslist or something of that nature. Even with 4 or 500 hrs a commercial would be a better mower than the ones your looking at. Ferris, Simplicity and Snapper are all made by Briggs and Stratton. Bad Boy is made Excel Industry same as Hustler and you may want to look at something like the Hustler Fastrak SD it's a better mower than any you've posted.

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If you could find a good used Scag Tiger Cat with a Kawasaki motor you would be ahead of the game too. Those are incredible mowers or we have had great success with them. I can't say that they are that much better than some of the other brands you have listed because I have not had that much experience with the others. Like somebody else said in the thread. If you buy new the dealer is probably as important as the brand.

Sandman1964 said:

So as of today these are my three options
2015 Ferris 600Z-6150 48"
2015 Ferris 700Z-6950 52"
2014 Ferris 700Z- 6500 52" used, offered 6000 but haven't heard back

Is it worth the 800.00 to get the 2015 700 over the 600

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If you want the 52" deck that it is worth it. But if 48" will work then I would not pay the extra money.

So they would only come down 200.00 on the used 700. The 2015 600 is 6300.00 and another100.00 to install armrests bringing it too 6400.00. I can buy the new 2015 700 for 6950.00. I'm leaning at the new 2015 700.
What do you think

Sandman1964 said:

So they would only come down 200.00 on the used 700. The 2015 600 is 6300.00 and another100.00 to install armrests bringing it too 6400.00. I can buy the new 2015 700 for 6950.00. I'm leaning at the new 2015 700.
What do you think

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If you like the mower, and can afford it, then go for it.

I would if you can afford it as well.

Pick up the 2015 700 tomorrow

Pictures or it did not happen.:laughing::laughing:

Stupid computer won't let me download picture states file is to big

Sandman1964 said:

Stupid computer won't let me download picture states file is to big

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Open picture in paint and change size.

Here she is

One nice looking rig. And now the wanting a new mower sets in. :thumbsup:

Nice choice, My Ferris is 16 years old and still running strong without any problems.