Opinions on new ZTR Purchase 5 acres

[waendo]

Thanks in advance for your replies.
I just purchased a 5 acre property, 2 of the acres are irrigated yard turf, and 3 are rough. The entire property is mostly flat, though the rough area does have some dips.

The former owner kept the turf area very well with a JD X500 w/ bagger. I need to purchase a mower this week and have narrowed it down to a few ZTR models which I hope to use on both sides of the property. Here are the quotes I received from a local shop, any advice on pricing, selection, bagging ability, and durability appreciated:

Ferris IS700Z 52 Inch w/ Bagger Price $6,649 mower + $2275 bagger
Toro Titin MX5400 w/ Bagger Price $5,999 mower + $1480 bagger
JD Z445 54 Inch w/ Bagger Price $4,700 mower + $1,050 bagger

All had Kawasaki motors

Other models considered: Snapper Pro x150, Husqvarna MZT52

Other models I checked out: various Hustler, various Gravely, various bad boy, various Kubota

 

[BigBoyToys]

Welcome!

We have a couple acres of "irrigated yard grass" to mow as well. We use a ZTR and it is perfect. Mows fast and obviously super maneuverable. My wife likes to do some of the yard work and the ZTR is perfect for her. I ended up buying a Bad Boy ZT Elite with a 48" deck. We have a number of large mulch beds and the 48" was the best size for us. For the money it was a much better deal than the other major players. We also looked at JD and Ferris as well.

It looks nice sitting next to the Kubota too!!! :laughing:

ZT Elite Mowers | ZTR Mowers | Best Residential Lawn Mowers - Bad Boy Mowers

 

[JJZ 109]

Bought a Ferris IS500Z 52 inch a couple of years ago. No bagger, if remember correctly about $5k. ZTs are nice and save a ton of time. But beware if you get into any wet stuff. The 2 ZTs that I've owned seemed to lose traction a little easier than lawn tractors did in my experience.

 

[CCWKen]

I have an old (circa 1986) Woods with a 52" cut and couldn't live without it. I restored it, rebuilt the engine (minor parts) and resealed the Eaton pump/drives a few years ago. They don't call them Mowing Machines for nothing.

No matter what you decide on, check on the ease of replacing belts and blades as well as adjusting the deck. Going from lawn to weeds should be simple. Cup holders and fancy panels are for urban weekenders so base your decision on the work it can do.

 

[MF283]

Whichever you go with, make sure it has a commercial deck, the JD you mentioned typically comes with the cheaper "yellow" deck.
While they cost more, they'll give you years of trouble free service if maintained & used properly.

Ronnie

 

[Tompet]

I have an old (circa 1986) Woods with a 52" cut and couldn't live without it. I restored it, rebuilt the engine (minor parts) and resealed the Eaton pump/drives a few years ago. They don't call them Mowing Machines for nothing.

Nice job on the Woods. The front deck I'm sure is nice to do routine maintenance.

I have the Simplicity Citation version of that Ferris mentioned also with the Kaw engine and really like it. The shocks work. This is my second z turn on all of them I installed the mulching kit. They work very well and really eliminate the dust and blowback while mowing. I also take care of a property that has a Citation I use, but with a B & S engine.

The bagging kits are pretty pricey...is there a significant difference in the setup and operation between the brands listed? Some of those appear kind of clunky. For that price you could get a Trac Vac zero turn model. For leaves and really heavy grass I use an old cub cadet and a Trac Vac trailer model with an 8" hose...it works great.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

waned, why do you want to bag instead of mulch? Bagging fall leaves is one thing, but why bag grass clippings? I'd mulch them instead and return those nutrients to the soil. A full mulch kit (including the proper mulching blades to make the kit work right) will be MUCH cheaper than a bagger.

Of the three mowers you listed, I'd pick the Ferris because of the suspension if all else was equal on the mowers. It works.

But I'd want to know exactly what engines were on each of them - size, model and hp. Kawasaki rates their mowers as FX (highest rating - full commercial model), FS (commercial but without the better air filtration system) and FR (residential).

 

[ecruzin]

I bought a Ferris IS700Z with the 52" deck two years ago (3 mowing seasons) and have no regrets. It has the B&S 28hp commercial engine and have had no problems other than a broken belt. The dealer gave me a new belt under warranty and no further issues. It has about 120 hrs on it now. World of difference between the Ferris and the Toro Z5030 that it replaced.

 

[MESSMAKER]

I am not sure about any of those. The two bottom ones are residential mowers. The ferris is OK but when you get to that price, you have a lot of options. If you are going to bag a 5 acre lawn, your life will suck. Consider a mulching deck as mentioned above. The $1000-$1500 will let you upgrade to a better model. I would get a 60 inch deck With about 5hp per foot of deck.. It would make about 15 min difference each time you mow. That is 8-10 hours a year.Make sure you have a top speed of at least 9-10mph. You will seldom go that fast but it will give you a better grade hydro system. Nothing wrong with John Deere(I own one) or Toro, Just not those models. I don't know what dealers you have around but I would add Scag, Exmark, Bad Boy,Snapper Pro,Gravley to your list. Most brands make good mowers. Some make some to sell for less that causes them to cut corners.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

. . . If you are going to bag a 5 acre lawn, your life will suck. . . .

I agree. He will spend more time emptying the bags than he will spend mowing.

. . . I don't know what dealers you have around but I would add Scag, Exmark, Bad Boy,Snapper Pro,Gravley to your list. . . .

I would add Grasshopper to that list. I'm trying to close a deal on a Grasshopper front-mount with a PowerFold deck tomorrow.