Zero turn mowers- school me

[boosten lebaron]

Im looking at buying a new mower and looking for some suggestions.

Under $5000 new
Gotta be kind of fast. I am mowing 4 or 5 acres.
I dont want to deal with clipping so bagger or mulcher?
Needs to have a good servicability. John deere are out automatically. My neighbors have a few and they are always complaining about simple repairs being nightmares due to having to constantly deal with jd for everything.

Im using a craftsman rider now to mow with a bagger and its a pain in the ass and im sick of it. Like 6 hours to mow every weekend and about 20 dumps of the bagger. I need something faster and easy to deal with. Its fine for an acre or so but i just have too much yard now.

I am really liking the Bad Boy brand. I liked Dixie choppers years ago but they seem to have gone downhill which is a shame as i would have just bought one now.

[GearHd6]

I just serviced a Bad Boy, imo, they're crap. Look for a used Scag. My nephew just picked up a mint low hour Scag for about $5k.

Edit, I followed your mistake. I think you meant Bad Boy?

[boosten lebaron]

I just serviced a Bad Boy, imo, they're crap. Look for a used Scag. My nephew just picked up a mint low hour Scag for about $5k.

Edit, I followed your mistake. I think you meant Bad Boy?

Yes, i made the mistake too lol. I have corrected it.

Do you know which model and engine you serviced? What didnt you like about it? Most things i read online seem to say they are pretty good but most dislike the Kohler motor. The lower end none serviceable diff puts people off as well.

I have been looking for a Scag for a while but they get snapped up quickly. I am also weary of buying a used model without really knowing what i am looking at. This will be one of the few things i buy new.

[GearHd6]

It was a 15 CZT Elite 6000. The deck is nice and heavy duty but the spindles are non greaseable. And yes, the drives are super cheap looking when you know what a quality drive looks like. They call the drives commercial grade but they're far from it. And the control levers are just cheap feeling, sloppy and sometimes don't like to find neutral easily. This one had the biggest Briggs available that was totally drenched in oil. The customer thought it was leaking valve cover gaskets, turned out to be a totally blown and burnt out head gasket.

[jimmycapp]

I think there’s another thread here on this topic but my yard is 2.1 acres. Mostly grass. Not wide open fields, but also not super technical. I can mow it all in around 1hr with hustler fastrack. 24hp, 54 or 56” deck. Chosen due to some narrow obstacles. Thinking now, I would have gone 60+ Deck size. Previous owner had traditional garden tractor with 63 inch deck and spend 2.5 hrs mowing. Zero turn is almost always the right answer. 4yr 400hr warranty. Used for failed hour meter at 100 hrs and failed oring on quick drain oil setup. Easy part availability. About $6k zero percent loan, with led light kit and spring front wheels to handle roots and stuff. Happy with my decision.

[Point37]

I think there’s another thread here on this topic but my yard is 2.1 acres.

yea i started one a while back...had to gather a lot of into before making a decision...#47 posts in i changed my mind and ended up with a regular rider but there is some good zero info in that thread from much more knowledgeable people...i think i had narrowed down to exmark, gravely and scag for a zero

Zero Turn Mower Advice

[Point37]

https://capecod.craigslist.org/grd/d...296980796.html

https://hartford.craigslist.org/grd/...297727320.html

https://hartford.craigslist.org/grd/...298475530.html

[boosten lebaron]

I saw the old thread and debated about bringing it back but it seems most of the links were dead or outdated so i figured start a new one.

Thanks for the links point37. The low hour one seems a decent deal.

[MattR302]

My next door neighbor just inherited a nice Ariens from our other neighbor who passed a couple months ago. It seems pretty neat, he’s got a few attachments for it, it’s got a mower/bagger, and a thatcher rake. He thatched my yard in like 5 minutes this past weekend.

Apparently there is a learning curve when it comes to driving them. He scratched up the bumper on his car, knocked out a baluster on his deck stairs, and took out a small bush so far.

[TIMMYDUCK]

I bought my better half a Ariens last spring to do 2.5 acres of grass. She loves it . I have only driven it on and off the trailer, it's her baby.

[02redhawk]

Ahh. The romantic angle. I've got to try that one on my wife.

[jhawley]

My next door neighbor just inherited a nice Ariens from our other neighbor who passed a couple months ago. It seems pretty neat, he’s got a few attachments for it, it’s got a mower/bagger, and a thatcher rake. He thatched my yard in like 5 minutes this past weekend.

Apparently there is a learning curve when it comes to driving them. He scratched up the bumper on his car, knocked out a baluster on his deck stairs, and took out a small bush so far.

I need to thatch my yard, how wide is his unit? im supposed to rent a unit friday.

as for the zero turn my MIL has a nice one for her yard about an acre, out in Smuttyland its a blast to rip around, other then being careful when turning as you'll rip up the yard easily.

[boosten lebaron]

I admit i didnt give Ariens a good look. Ive been less than happy with the snowblower i bought several years ago. It was fine for a year or so then developed all sorts of problems. Kinda put me off the brand really.

[TIMMYDUCK]

I admit i didnt give Ariens a good look.

Here's a better picture of it . This is there top model . 52 inch cut. Listed for 3599 . I took it for 2800 cash.

P.S. Sit them, ones personal preference to seat comfort is important and the comfort levels vary dramatically.

[boosten lebaron]

Here's a better picture of it . This is there top model . 52 inch cut. Listed for 3599 . I took it for 2800 cash.

P.S. Sit them, ones personal preference to seat comfort is important and the comfort levels vary dramatically.

Did you buy it used? Thats quite a big cash discount.

[TIMMYDUCK]

Did you buy it used? Thats quite a big cash discount.

No brand new . Local dealer whom has know me since I was 6 buying .040 replacement master links for my mini-bike chains.

[db79]

No brand new . Local dealer whom has know me since I was 6 buying .040 replacement master links for my mini-bike chains.

My friend's parents own that store and I picked up my Ariens (ZTM & snowblower) at a good price.

[boosten lebaron]

So whats a good motor i should be looking for? Seems like its a choice betwen kholer and kawi with kawi being a lot more, like 20% more in some cases. I think at my price point those are my only options for brands

[jimmycapp]

Not sure about Kholer. Seems like Kawasaki is most popular.

[GearHd6]

I've replaced a lot of head gaskets on V twin Kohler engines.

[RandyO]

I've replaced a lot of head gaskets on V twin Kohler engines.

no doubt, there are a lot of Kohler engines out there, they've been makin em a long time

[GearHd6]

no doubt, there are a lot of Kohler engines out there, they've been makin em a long time

I'm talking fairly new low hour units.

[RandyO]

I'm talking fairly new low hour units.

like I said, there are a lot of units out there

[GearHd6]

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...3666850482371/

[jimmycapp]

I would get as wide a deck as possible, for that much acreage. Speed and deck width. I wish I went with 60"+, now that I have an electric weedwacker. The couple spots I fit through with the mower could easily be taken down with weedwacker. Oh well.