John, Ventracs are basically used for commercial operations, national monuments, parks, etc. so they are built like tanks, and unfortunately priced like the heavy duty pieces of equipment they are. My unit cost me about $9000. I will say it was/is worth every penny because I am no longer in fear when I mow. Further, its speed, while not quite up to a ZTR's speed, has cut nearly an hour a week off of our mowing time. The quality of the cut is simply amazing it is almost impossible to scalp the lawn, even on rough bumpy uneven ground. I can mow the same spot of ground with my Ventrac and my Cub and my NH and only the Ventrac will follow the contours of the ground and not scalp it.
I have places on my property that the Cub Cadet would spin its wheels climbing even with 75# weights and snow chains, the Ventrac simply climbs up them without a wimper and powers the mower deck at full speed while climbing. I tried a couple of JD mowers and the mower deck would shut off to give the power to the wheels. My Cub would power the mower deck, but about 20% of the time it would shut off the deck to give more power to the wheels.
The articulated and oscillating body follows every contour and keeps all 4 wheels in contact with the ground at all times, it is effectively a 4wheel drive, 4wheel steer tractor that will go virtually anywhere.
As for sales, they do not sell direct, but what they will do is bring one to you from a dealership. I did not have any dealer near me, so a regional rep for Ventrac went to a dealer, loaded up a tractor and some implements and drove to my house. (5 hours one way!!!) He showed me how to use it and told me to go out and mow the lawn so I did. I was sold in about 30 seconds (despite the fact that I didn't have a price yet) but I test drove it on every part of my property climbing slopes, running the flats at full speed, zipping circles around the pine trees. I was simply amazed. TALK ABOUT THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB, this thing simply goes anywhere, does what it is supposed to do, has plenty of power for the task, and never complains while doing any of it. I was under NO OBLIGATION to buy the unit, he did NOT even give me any pressure to buy it, he brought it out for me to try. He made all the arrangemets so the test run fit MY schedule. So the guy was great, but the clincher was the fact that the Ventrac is THAT good at doing its job that it simply is worth the steep price.
The only draw back has been my brother. He is about as mechanically inclined as you can get. He's brilliant, but if he gets any tool in his hand more dangerous than a roll of duct tape we have to take it away from him for his safety and the safety of those around him. Well he like my Ventrac. He came over one day and drove it. An hour late he came running in the house saying it was like driving a video game. Now every time he comes over I have to hide the keys or he will run over some new plant that the lovely Mrs_Bob just put into the ground.
I found the little slip scoop front bucket to be a great addition. I can now carry things into parts of my property that would always tip over a garden cart or wheel barrow. I also purchsed a leaf blower, it is more like a controlled tornado than a leaf blower, it has enough power to blow rocks and debris off a parking lot so doing simple things like blowing leaves is child's play.
