Good Zero turn for 6 acres?

[2ndhalf]

I think any of the major brand names would be okay. I would shop for a good local dealer. I went with Bad Boy because of price and dealer. But I am not stuck on one brand.

After I had ordered mine with a 60" deck and a Kohler engine the dealer's daughter, who graduated high school with one of mine, came up to me and strongly suggested I get the 6" narrower deck. She said the wider deck tended to scalp yards. She also said to use the money saved from that to get the Kawasaki engine. Said they never worked on them. I took her advice.

Funny how you will take the advice of a very attractive young blond over a male mechanic. But she was right on both counts. I have been happy with my mower.

RSKY

Yes, there is a reason the Kawi motors cost a little more... they are worth it! When I bought mine I wanted the kawi motor and we went out to look at it in the storage barn and the dealer said "I ordered them with Kohler engines, I don't know why this one has a Kawi engine?" I said thats ok I'll take that one I prefer Kawi.

 

[Sigarms]

I think any of the major brand names would be okay. I would shop for a good local dealer.

That's why I'm looking at the Ferris, because it's what this guy carries. He's no more than 15 minutes down the road and has been in business for a long time. End up using him a lot on the weekends because they have a hardware store to, and very helpful people (day and night between a box store). Ultimately, whatever brand he carries would be the one I'd be looking at.

Per the other recommendation, will probably lean towards the larger engine of the two I mentioned. Will need to take the ROP off though as a lot of overhaning trees, not too hilly anywhere, and my other mower didn't have one as well (the ROP doesn't fold on the 48" but does on the 52", but don't think it's worth the extra coin).

Just wanted to make certain there were no horror stories to some extent as well.

 

[RalphVa]

First question I'd ask yourself is why you're regularly mowing 6 acres vs. just letting sit and mowing every other year with a bush hog to get rid of saplings? Just regularly mow maybe a 1/2 acre that you use.

Ralph

 

[mikester]

My old zero turn has about 1,000 hours on it, but want to buy local for service as this older one has been nothing but a headache finding people to service it AND get parts (love the mower, hated the dealer support). Just past the point of high dollar parts turning into a yearly $500 bill (the seat was $450 which I refused to replace due to price LOL).

Local store down the road from me carries Ferris.

They have a 23HP for like $4,200 (400S) and a 25 HP for around $5,200 (600Z).

Just wondering if anyone is familiar with either model and what my expectations should be.

After the years of trying to find dealers for my old mower, just looking for somthing I know that has support and parts.

I'm running a 2010 Kubota ZD326 I bought new in 2010.

It's built like a tank.

7 years running and only repairs are

1. new blades approx 1 set/year
2. One new mower belt
3. One set of front anti-scalp wheels (crappy plastic bearings - come on kubota, everything else was built tough why cheap out there)
4. Sheet metal seat positioner lever fatigued and broke - I re-welded it.
5. Normal maintenance items like oils and grease

It's relatively expensive but it's diesel, cuts extremely fast and I actually like cutting grass now.

My only complaint is that it needs an air ride seat. And the scalp wheels are gonna need replacing again.

 

[EddieWalker]

I bought a brand new Scag Wildcat with a water cooled Kawasaki engine about 8 years ago and it was great for the first couple of years, then electrical issues started happening. It has too many safety sensors, and the ignition key switch is a piece of junk. Over the years, I've replaced or bypassed just about every aspect of it to the point that to start it, I have to turn on the key and then touch two exposed wires together. Once going, it's great, but because of the electrical issues, I wouldn't recommend Scag to anybody anymore.

 

[Sigarms]

First question I'd ask yourself is why you're regularly mowing 6 acres vs. just letting sit and mowing every other year with a bush hog to get rid of saplings? Just regularly mow maybe a 1/2 acre that you use.

Ralph

Lawn around the house with over 50 grown trees. Honestly, it looks like crap if it isn't cut every week.

 

[Old Red]

I might have mentioned this here or another thread.

I bought a used 2001 Grasshopper 928D with 415 hours on it that looked brand new for $5,200....I stole that thing....but the guy was happy to sell as he was moving out west where there isn't any grass. I have not replaced anything. Mows like a beast....there are attachments you can get for it which I have that work awesome. I have an aeravator - might be the best aeration equipment on the planet... I have a vacuum system that is incredible, and I did have a sweeper broom that worked extremely well also. The cut and the striping is great.... I just can't say good enough things about grasshopper euqipment. Been cutting with Grasshopper since 2006. My first one was a 725K and it was fabulous as well. Go get you a grasshopper my friend.

They make a snow blower, snow blade, and cabs for them. All of which you can pick up used for fairly cheap. Aeravators are expensive used or new, but you can make your money back by doing your neighbors yards after the envy yours.

 

[Sigarms]

Completely agree about the Grasshopper and ZD mower. Actually looked at both of them before buying the F3080 couple years ago. That said, the 6 acres is filled with trees and my one boy hates driving the Kubota, and since this older zero turn is on it's last legs, looking for something to replace it where I can buy local and spend no more than 5k (would of course prefer to pay less).

And yes, I'd pay $5,200 for a used grasshopper in a hartbeat, but don't think I'm going to find one LOL

 

[2ndhalf]

My old zero turn has about 1,000 hours on it, but want to buy local for service as this older one has been nothing but a headache finding people to service it AND get parts (love the mower, hated the dealer support). Just past the point of high dollar parts turning into a yearly $500 bill (the seat was $450 which I refused to replace due to price LOL).

Local store down the road from me carries Ferris.

They have a 23HP for like $4,200 (400S) and a 25 HP for around $5,200 (600Z).

Just wondering if anyone is familiar with either model and what my expectations should be.

After the years of trying to find dealers for my old mower, just looking for somthing I know that has support and parts.

To answer your original question.. My nephew owns a big Ferris and did mow 7 acres with it; he loves it. He is in the commercial lawn and landscape business and is a pretty mechanically smart kid. I would buy one just off of his comments.

The only knock I had heard on Ferris from being on a mowing site years ago was that the suspension systems needs revamped after several hundred hours. But this was from commercial guys putting lots of hours on each year.

I think they would make a great homeowner option.

 

[Gary Fowler]

That's why I'm looking at the Ferris, because it's what this guy carries. He's no more than 15 minutes down the road and has been in business for a long time. End up using him a lot on the weekends because they have a hardware store to, and very helpful people (day and night between a box store). Ultimately, whatever brand he carries would be the one I'd be looking at.

Per the other recommendation, will probably lean towards the larger engine of the two I mentioned. Will need to take the ROP off though as a lot of overhaning trees, not too hilly anywhere, and my other mower didn't have one as well (the ROP doesn't fold on the 48" but does on the 52", but don't think it's worth the extra coin).

I have the 52" Ferris and the ROPS does indeed fold but it was still too high and I was constantly hitting limbs so I just removed it completely after mowing all my property several times and found that even in the extreme slopes, there was no danger of overturning.
Yes I agree that the surcharge for 4" is a bit much but that is true for any mower. I just cant see the $$$ needed to make that 4 or 6 " extra cut on the deck. 52" was perfect for my use as it will just barely fit between my shop and fence line and the extra width makes up for the overlap so I really get a full 48" or more cut all the time.