My SCAG 54" FreedomZ cost $5500 with tax, but that was in 2008. I suspect they go for a little more now, but it’s still only a few grand over the wanky ZTRs sold at the home centers and commercial quality for homeowner use. And the best thing about buying something good is that parts availability will be there for a very long time. In fact, I picked up a part today that I’ve been meaning to replace for some time now. Ordered it yesterday at noon…it was at the shop today at about the same time. That doesn’t happen for machines bought from the box-stores…
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Indeed. Folks need to go and touch both versions to get a genuine “feel” for the quality difference.
G.
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Great information as I’m also in the market for a heavy duty mower.
Many people I know said the same, not to buy at big box stores.
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They are fine for a city lawn, just not that durable for the more aggressive type of farm mowing.
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Guilherme, I loved that comparison. Currently, we’re looking at Exmark and Bobcat as that dealership is less than 5 miles away, they maintain high stock levels, do repairs in house, etc. Everyone’s input has been awesome and I’m following their advice!
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You will never regret buying quality…
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VERY well said!!!
G.
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Applies to everything.
So thanks to the information provided on this thread, I’m going shopping for a mower this week.
Thank you all.
Little trick for those getting a zero turn mower, buy one of those grabber sticks and carry it onboard.
They sell them in the grocery and hardware stores here:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/1-32-in-Orang-U-Tongs-Standard-15202-00/206661995
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ettore-Pr…NynhYpgI89zImc
They are wonderful to pick up any you come across you don’t want to run over, like a smaller tree limb, a plastic bag that blew in, a plastic bottle someone discarded in the wrong place, a string laying there, etc.
You don’t have to stop and get off to move things out of the way.
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Ferris** all the way. I use an IS3100z (4 wheel independent suspension) with a suspension seat. They have the only robust suspension design available on the market that I’ve seen. I cut my pastures when they reach 6-8" and set my deck at 5" (max height)
** Simplicity is a related brand to Ferris. The same suspension designs are available on the higher end Simplicity models.
I have mowed with a similar fixed-chassis mower (Kubota 327?) and found I needed to crawl over pastures and any ground that horses have ever set foot on. Invisible bumps beneath the grass will just crush your spine, bit by bit. I had to go about half of my normal speed just to tolerate it until my Ferris was repaired. Kubota, Exmark, Hustler, SCAG, etc all make an excellent mower but without a suspension for rougher ground the investment is wasted. Those fancy super-cut deck designs are no advantage if you have to go 1/3 speed the whole time.
I’ve also used a Ferris IS1500z and it did a nice job but not as fast or as powerful for blasting through a 10" deep pasture grass.
The downside is Ferris are more expensive and have more moving parts so keep up with your greasing maintenance including the ones down deep under the seat. Take good care of it - it’s not a simple push mower so budget a little time each week to check oil / sharpen blades / grease / clean loose grass from the deck / etc.
As I see it, the point of a zero-turn is to get a quality cut quickly. On the farm, I believe in spending money most freely when it returns time to you. Invest fully and enjoy the time savings for years to come.
If your property has any amount of trees or uneven ground, consider paying a landscaper to mow it for the rest of this season. They should understand it’s a temporary gig and if they’re big enough to have several mowers, they will be able to produce a very useful recommendation for the best size of mower deck for your property. This is how I chose a 61" and not a 54 or 72. As it turns out, 61" is just about right to squeeze through the tight spots and still cover good ground on the open areas.
David
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That sheet is awesome. I printed it! Now on to more shopping.
