Help a newbie out!?!?!?!

[Crevnas1983]

Hello everyone! New to the forum but I have lurked for awhile trying to glean information.

I'm very new to the world of zero turn mowers and need some help.

Background information to help with your advice. I moved into our current location 1.5 years ago. It is a 5 acre lot with some rolling hills. At the bottom it tends to be a little wet and the grass is MUCH thicker. We do have some landscaping to navigate. I'm located in Illinois.

I currently mow with a Husqvarna 54 inch mower and it takes on avg around 3 hours to complete. I'm very busy at work and dont have 3 hours a week to dedicate only to mowing. It can be quite painful at the bottom area of our property due to that thicker, sometimes wetter grass. The generic Kohler 26 hp just doesnt have the power needed to handle it in the husqvarna.

I've been looking at zero turns to speed up my mowing and I would like something that can handle the beating of our hills. I want to buy once and be done. That has led me to the commercial end of zero turns. I've looked at Scag, Exmark, Hustler, and Ferris.

I believe I've narrowed it down to Scag and Ferris based on price and dealer location.

What I have in front of me for offers is a Scag Turf Tiger II with the 26 hp DFI kawasaki engine that is liquid cooled. I believe this is a leftover as they now havea different Kawasaki motor available. The out the door price is essentially $12,000. This dealer is 5 miles from my house and will pick up/deliver for free for maintenance issues.

I like that it is a water cooled engine and is direct shaft mowing instead of a belt. I've only read great things about the velocity decks.

Alternatively the Ferris dealer is about 20 minutes away. They have an IS 2100 with the 28 hp Vanguard with oil guard and the new fancy seat for $10,300 out the door. They charge anywhere from 25-50 for pick up for maintenance for the time of year. I like the price and the oil guard motor set up.

Both are 60 inch decks.

So my question is...what do you think of the prices? Which would you recommend at said prices? Anything I should try to negotiate? Thank you very much in advance for the help.

 

[Wagtail]

G'day Mate and welcome to TBN from Downunder.

I'm not familiar with Z-turns however several other owners have expressed concerns about operating on the side of a hill... a recent z-turn thread is discussing 'bar' tyres, as opposed to the regular turf tyres, to address this.

Enjoy the site... from wherever in the world you're from.

 

[mddorange]

:welcome:
To the OTT forum. You came to the right place to get answers.

Since you don't have your location in your profile, I have to guess at your conditions.

I have a Kubota ZTR with a 22 hp air-cooled Kohler engine. It has a full pressure oil pump which is very important for mowing on hills. Mine has the air suspension seat which is a must for bumpy areas.

You can get a very good Kubota for less money and get 0% interest. If you have a dealer near by you may want to go by and compare notes.

 

[weathda]

You can't go wrong with any of the mowers you mentioned. The horse power you mentioned would be a minimum for me on a 61" deck. I've been looking for awhile at the commercial mowers to replace my 54" deck.

The older I get the more I like the idea of a softer ride. I keep steering away from the rigid frame mowers. The Ferris you mentioned has the suspension which would be a bonus.

If I were spending your money, I get the Ferris IS3200 with the 37hp Vanguard. I think you can pick it up for $11,600. I would also look at the new Bad Boy Renegade. It's new for 2019 and has a horizontal shaft 37hp Vanguard with the 3-link suspension. It's sealed spindles. Has a very simplistic design. It's a beast of a mower if you see it in person. It's also $11,600 (cash price).

 

[Crevnas1983]

Thanks for the input. I ended up with the 28 hp EFI Vanguard 2100z. I would like the 3200z with the 37 hp motor but is probably much more than I need. I'm already beyond what I really need but I want to buy once! I'll keep you posted on how it performs...too wet here right now to mow. Hoping to get out in the next few days!

 

[weathda]

Nice! Congrats. As you get some hours on it, let us know what you like, don't like, etc.