Need a new zero turn mower(new or used)

[flyingdutch16]

Hey guys,


First of all i wanna start by saying that im 16 years old and trying to expand my little lawn business.

So im looking for a decent zero turn mower, with at least an 50inch deck. Im really tight on budget. My budget is max of 3000. Now i know that it is really tight but i hope to find one. I have been looking at some toro products they look like solid equipment but im gonna be mowing at least 4 lawns in one day so its needs to be some what sturdy.

Right now im using a crafstman lt2000 which runs great but it just takes to long to mow lawns.

Hope you guys can help me out!

Thanks

 

[zzvyb6]

I found that the JD F900 series diesel mowers in 60" and 72" decks are a good buy if you can find a relic. Easily in your price range, look or advertise on Craigslist. They are easy to fix and update, can do snowblowing for the 'Offseason' mowing jobs. Mine goes faster than my butt can tolerate on bumpy ground.

What ever you get, consider making a brush or roller attachment for behind the deck to give it that 'stadium stripe' look. That usually wows lawn care customers, and, their neighbors will 'gotta have it', too.

Good luck on your enterprize. Don't believe that a brand new mower will pay for itself. Put the money into the hauling trailer's tires to keep a disaster from occurring.

There are other equivalent models to my F935 from Kubota, etc. I'm just sayin' settle for a fixer upper because the grass is not ready for cutting, yet. Get some good tools, a string trimmer, and a blower and you will be successful.

Good luck once again !:thumbsup:

 

[gerard]

Around here all the commercial guys use either Ferris, Exmark, Dixie Chopper, Scag, or John Deere. I've never seena commercial guy use Toro so I would give that some weight. I personally have a Scag Tiger cub, 52inch deck, rated for 3.8 acres per hour, which I've been pretty happy with. I paid $6k new about 7 years ago. Only put on about 80 hours per year so it should last a LONG time. Try and find one from an original owner that used it for personal (not commerical) use. I fear if you get a used commercial one it's going to have been "ridden hard and put away wet." I can tell you now, you aren't going to get a good machine new for your budget though if you're not doing this as a full time business you MIGHT be able to get away with a residential one which will still be leap years better than a conventional tractor type mower.

 

[sweettractors]

Hey guys,


First of all i wanna start by saying that im 16 years old and trying to expand my little lawn business.

So im looking for a decent zero turn mower, with at least an 50inch deck. Im really tight on budget. My budget is max of 3000. Now i know that it is really tight but i hope to find one. I have been looking at some toro products they look like solid equipment but im gonna be mowing at least 4 lawns in one day so its needs to be some what sturdy.

Right now im using a crafstman lt2000 which runs great but it just takes to long to mow lawns.

Hope you guys can help me out!


Thanks

We sell the new Dixon ZTR with 52 inch cut for $3995 + about $150 shipping to a business in Pa or a truck terminal nearby. The gentleman that mows our yard has 35 to mow per week. He mows all of them in 3 days and hunts and fishes the other 4. He is a retired school teacher. He has owned Dixon ZTR mowers for 15 years and would not consider another brand. Ken Sweet

 

[PoorMansCat]

We have had our Toro for 3 years now. It is by far.. THE best mower we have ever owned. It can mow as fast as you can hang onto it. Make sure that whatever you get has servicable components. Non-greasable spindle assemblies and such won't make it very far when you are mowing commercially.

 

[flyingdutch16]

We sell the new Dixon ZTR with 52 inch cut for $3995 + about $150 shipping to a business in Pa or a truck terminal nearby. The gentleman that mows our yard has 35 to mow per week. He mows all of them in 3 days and hunts and fishes the other 4. He is a retired school teacher. He has owned Dixon ZTR mowers for 15 years and would not consider another brand. Ken Sweet

Wow that looks like a very solid piece of equipment. $3995 is a little pricy tho, anyway possible to lower the price?

 

[sweettractors]

Wow that looks like a very solid piece of equipment. $3995 is a little pricy tho, anyway possible to lower the price?

I can handle that. How about a New 46 inch cut Dixon ZTR SpeedZTR for $2995 delivered to a business or picked up at a local truck terminal. I would want your parent to ok the deal and let one of them make the purchase. Ken Sweet

 

[flyingdutch16]

If you remove the seat, front tires and mowing deck you should be close to your price range.

To be a little more serious if you have $3000 to put in to it now would you consider financing another $1000? You would likely need a co-signer but would give you a chance to get new with warranty, and establish your own line of credit. You may find a tractor company that would give you 0% interest as well. Just something to think about.

Haha sucks that you cant do anything with out the tires LOL

but yeah i will have 3000 bucks once i sell my crafstman so i will have to see, maybe its better for me to borrow money from my dad(which garuantees 0% interest)

and Ken Sweet, thank you so much im going to talk to my parents get a few more customers and i will get back to you.

 

[kjung17]

Dutch,
I have to admire a young man trying to make a living. The F series JD mowers are great machines. The potentially high repair costs would be a drawback on a used machine,though. I would try to find a used zero turn in the 20+ hp range.

 

[flyingdutch16]

Dutch,
I have to admire a young man trying to make a living. The F series JD mowers are great machines. The potentially high repair costs would be a drawback on a used machine,though. I would try to find a used zero turn in the 20+ hp range.

Okay, after what ken sweet offerd me it made me wanna try even harder to get as many customers as i can get so that i can easily pay back, and even make a small profit. so i will probably be buying new equipment. Thank you

 

[wallace]

Flyingdutch16
Hey check out my web page! Click on the used equipment, scroll all the way down and check out the Simplicity I have.
If your interested in it, I'll take $2,500:thumbsup:

 

[098673]

Dutch, I know new sounds nice, but I will tell you I put 1500 hours on a toro and did not get rid of it because it was broken. The main thing to worry about with a used mower is how well its been maintaned. A well maintaned commercial grade mower such as a commercial toro, exmark, commercial John Deere, etc. will easily do what you want and never give you a minutes trouble, and you can save your loan payment for more equipment down the road. Good luck

 

[ae_ted]

Consider used...I got a 2001 Kubota ZD21 60" with 700hrs for $3500 this past spring. Awesome commercial mower. I am a happy camper. Buying used might get you a commercial grade mower in your price range. Look around. Good Luck to you!

 

[flyingdutch16]

Flyingdutch16
Hey check out my web page! Click on the used equipment, scroll all the way down and check out the Simplicity I have.
If your interested in it, I'll take $2,500:thumbsup:

Thanks for the offer i appreciate it. But after what ken showed me im pretty much sold on that piece of equipment. Thanks again tho

 

[jgrreed]

Good for you for getting out there and working, that's really admirable!! I'd probably lend you the money if you were closer and could mow my lawn!!

-Jer.

 

[flyingdutch16]

Good for you for getting out there and working, that's really admirable!! I'd probably lend you the money if you were closer and could mow my lawn!!

-Jer.

Thank you, i hope the people that i mow for think the same way

Now do you guys have any tips on when to advertise, should i start right now or should i wait a little?

 

[sweettractors]

Thank you, i hope the people that i mow for think the same way

Now do you guys have any tips on when to advertise, should i start right now or should i wait a little?

Around here, the "The early bird gets the worm" so it is never to early to start advertising. Just don't go overboard. Word of mouth about a job well done, is going to be your best selling/growing tool. I would consider undercutting what potential customers paid last year and then when you get off to a good start, bump the rates up a little. Ken Sweet

 

[flyingdutch16]

Around here, the "The early bird gets the worm" so it is never to early to start advertising. Just don't go overboard. Word of mouth about a job well done, is going to be your best selling/growing tool. I would consider undercutting what potential customers paid last year and then when you get off to a good start, bump the rates up a little. Ken Sweet

Okay sounds good, i usually ask 30 bucks a cut, some of my neighbors pay like 50 bucks.

And one question i saw that dixon has striping kits but cant find the price do you know how much they are?

 

[Diamondpilot]

You get what you pay for, especially in a ZTR. My neighbor is a commercial mower. He runs Ferris and one Scags.

Chris

 

[sweettractors]

Okay sounds good, i usually ask 30 bucks a cut, some of my neighbors pay like 50 bucks.

And one question i saw that dixon has striping kits but cant find the price do you know how much they are?

Custom mowers here walk each yard and figure in how many shrubs and trees and size of the yard that they have to mow around before they will give a quote for mowing. We have 1 acre with about 50 things to mow around and we pay $65. The striping kit is not available for that mower, however, one can be fabricated from some heavy matting or belting material and bolted to the back side of the deck for a cost of zero. Ken Sweet