Help in deciding on new Zero Turn Mower

[Steve C]

I don't know what catagory this fits in. It big, heavy and a bit unrefined. It doesn't have any stylish plastic covers or decorations. If you read the review in the attached link you will see that Consumers guide rated as a best buy.

I have no affiliation with Swisher or any of their dealers and I have little experience with consumer zero turn mowers. I do have a professional 36" walk behind Zero turn mower that weighs 500# and the construction details of the swisher look very similar. I am very pleased with mine.

Swisher Max Z ZT2660B zero-turn mower Review: Powered by ConsumerGuide and HowStuffWorks
http://products.howstuffworks.com/swisher-max-z-zt2660b-zero-turn-mower-review.htm

Our local tractor supply has one on clearance for $3500. I bought one last year (used for $1500, had 8 hours on it) and I like it a lot.

Since you require dealer service you might want to look around to see if any of your local dealers handle them.

It has a 60" deck, 26 HP and weighs 910 lbs

 

[DK35vince]

I'm still in the market for a ZTR and I'm trying to narrow my search a bit. I have read this forum and many others and I appreciate the interest and dedication most contributors have to the various "commercial" machines. However, I find myself facing the certain realities in my search and believe that what I need is a high end residential mower and I should be able to find a new one for $5,000. What I want to know is what componants or considerations are most important given my financial price point. Is the engine brand, say Kawasaki vs Kohler, more important than say the type of drive motors, integrated hyro drives vs seperate wheel motors. Are larger tires, say 22" compared to 18", going to make a difference the average user will notice? I understand that a heavy fabricated deck is important to the commercial user but should it be a significant consideration for someone who will only put 90 to 100 hours a year on the machine?

I was looking for a high end residential ZTR last summer in about the same price area.
I got a Hustler Fastrac for around $5300 + tax.
4 year warranty
Lifetime warranty on frame
21 HP Kawasaki motor
54" heavy guage welded mower deck
Commercial duty Hydro Gear ZT 2800 transmissions
10 gallon fuel tank
Arm rests
Seems to be a solid built machine and should last me a long time.

 

[rvaitor]

I was looking for a high end residential ZTR last summer in about the same price area.
I got a Hustler Fastrac for around $5300 + tax.
4 year warranty
Lifetime warranty on frame
21 HP Kawasaki motor
54" heavy guage welded mower deck
Commercial duty Hydro Gear ZT 2800 transmissions
10 gallon fuel tank
Arm rests
Seems to be a solid built machine and should last me a long time.

I'll put another plug for the Hustlers. I bought a pretty well used(surplus FL(IE 12 months a year use)) Hustler SuperZ with a knocking motor. I had the motor rebuilt $800 and the machine is awesome, tremendous acceleration, great cut, heavy, Heavy, HEAVY. I've got about three grand in it and hope it will last the rest of my life.

 

[MilesToEmpty]

We had a 5k home owner 60" Encore... Was a great mower that did a great job on our 5 acres of grass... However we ended up selling it because we felt like we were abusing it and bought a Scag... INCREDIBLE unit. Got a 08 model when they were trying to get rid of them, think it cost $8400?

 

[westbrooklawn]

Of the ones you've listed, the Gravely would be my choice. I would look at a Hustler fast trac... they can be had for a little over $5k.

 

[rvaitor]

We had a 5k home owner 60" Encore... Was a great mower that did a great job on our 5 acres of grass... However we ended up selling it because we felt like we were abusing it and bought a Scag... INCREDIBLE unit. Got a 08 model when they were trying to get rid of them, think it cost $8400?

My brother in law has run Scags and loves them. I drool over them at my outdoor center. Still pretty comfortable with the Hustlers as well.

 

[milkman]

Might try used, I got this one for less than $4500 including tax. Should last me as long as I need a mower.

 

[fountain42]

NWGreen I upgraded from a residental mower to comercial faster blade speed which resulted in not being able to use our lawn vac? mower deck had to much air and debris the vac couldn't suck it as fast as it came out.

 

[Alan L.]

I have that same Scag Wildcat (mine is a liquid cooled 26 hp kaw) and it is a great machine, but did cost about $8300. I am putting so far just about 100 hours a year on it, and it seems like pretty heavy use that I wouldn't trust to a residential model. Of course thats not much use at all for a commercial grade ZTR.

The only drawback I have found is that the ZTRs with all that blade speed and their ability to just eat up acres of grass EAT blades. I remove and sharpen about every 20 hours. Not a huge deal, but with the old Craftsman those blades got sharpened maybe once a season. But of course we are mowing about 10 times as much acreage with the Scag.

By the way, neither of the 2 Craftsman riders I have owned were junk at all. Well worth the little that they cost and both lasted 10 years or so mowing an acre or so every couple of weeks.

By the way I am pretty sure it just does a better job in addition to be sturdier. If I had a $5000 budget I would try to find a used commercial, I do realize its not that easy because I tried.

The Hustler residential seemed pretty solid to me, but I never did try it out. Just looks solidly built in person and the 4 year warranty is great.

 

[RickB]

I paid $4000 for a used Scag Freedom Z with 80 hours on it last spring. 26hp Briggs engine (they also offer a 26hp Kawasaki and 54 inch deck) and 48" deck. New list was around $5200, I believe. Not up to Turf Tiger or Wildcat specs, but suits my needs very, very well.