How much per hour. . .

[manwith2jd]

X740, 54" deck w/mulch kit, bar tires, around $9200 new. 490 hrs., used primarily mowing, some broadcasting and spraying. Still using original 2 sets if blades. Routine maintenance, including trans fluid and filter change, fuel filter, outer air filter. I use full synthetic Rotella in crankcase. I also use 1oz. Seafoam per gallon diesel fuel. I've had 2 mechanical failures since new, right side motor mount rubber failed ($25)and I recently had the alternator/cooling V drive belt fail ($16). I'm thinking the motor mount might have had a flaw in manufacturing process, because the others seem to be functioning just fine with 2x the hours if the one that failed. I am also pretty **** in reverse blowing out the radiator. Seems to be a brute and I use it!

 

[Ledgemere Farm]

1994 325 all Ive done is replace battery, battery cables, scraper blade, skid shoes and belt on thrower. almost 900 hours. Still runs like a champ and uses 0 oil. (knock on wood).

 

[jimbo64]

Thank you all for your responses. You are just validating what I've already found out. Quality is worth every penny you pay for it. Others may have better luck with the inexpensive lines of mowers from JD, but my-oh-my, I've taken good care of this mower and it has taken a toll on my wallet. More responses are welcome.:thumbsup:

have a gt 245 with 650 hrs on-7 yrs old- cost 5k- only maint other then routine oil filters has been to change the blades twice, change the belts once and the battery once- thats it- runs and starts perfectly-54 inch cut-

 

[mjncad]

2005 L(emon)130 with ~83-hours mowing a combination of high plains native grasses and weeds.

Still have the original battery, on my third set of mower deck belts, third set of blades as I recall (weeds are tough on them), fried electric clutch and PTO switch at 56-hours , broken deck idler pulley bracket, sucks gas, and I thought I heard the beginnings of the telltale deck spindle squeak the other day.

I'm hoping I won't have to mow anymore this year, which would make for a total of 2; but a normal year is about 3-mowings with the worst year being 6-cuttings.

Did I expect this thing to be in the same league as an X-series mower? No; but I didn't expect it to be a PITA either.

Cost per hour to operate including gas...I'd hate to know.

 

[Stubee]

Bought a 1992 LX176 HST w. lift blades & rear bagger from a JD dealer who sells mostly ag stuff about 8-10 years ago. $1200. No hour meter but I use it a lot for mowing + hauling a heavy steel 4X8 trailer loaded with brush & gravel + bagging countless e.g. hundreds & hundreds of bushels of oak leaves, pine needles & the impossible-to-avoid dirt & rocks. Only expense = maintenance like blades, a drive belt, etc. Runs great. I do change oil, clean air filter etc. regularly.

I like this LX so much that when I started shopping for a CUT really wanted a JD but got a Kubota only because the latter fit my needs--different use-better than comparable JD CUTs.

Got a used 'Scotts made by JD' gear rig with about zero hours at another property that is a POS compared to my LX. & I only bought it cuz it was $450 w. baggers & I know enough about 'em to keep it running...barely! Need to pull & redo carb on that one but also issues with switches, etc.

 

[jenkinsph]

2005 L(emon)130 with ~83-hours mowing a combination of high plains native grasses and weeds.

Still have the original battery, on my third set of mower deck belts, third set of blades as I recall (weeds are tough on them), fried electric clutch and PTO switch at 56-hours , broken deck idler pulley bracket, sucks gas, and I thought I heard the beginnings of the telltale deck spindle squeak the other day.

I'm hoping I won't have to mow anymore this year, which would make for a total of 2; but a normal year is about 3-mowings with the worst year being 6-cuttings.

Did I expect this thing to be in the same league as an X-series mower? No; but I didn't expect it to be a PITA either.

Cost per hour to operate including gas...I'd hate to know.

Matt, it might be rough terrain is the larger issue for you. I thought that your area has had several heavy rains and hail storms this year and would have abundunt growth. I mow my lawn with the L130 every Sunday morning and that is about 2.5 acres on one tank of gas. Sometimes I will run out just before I finish but not often. If the tranny slows down more this summer I will likely have to add more fuel.

Fescue is a lot easier to mow than the weeds I use to have, I am down to three hours mowing and trimming now and it used to take six or seven hours.

 

[mjncad]

Steve:

I have no doubt that your assessment is correct regarding my experience with my L130. Although we had a very wet spring, it's been bone dry of late and the vegetation cut easier than usual the other day. I still allocate 4-hours actual mowing time for my 1.8-acre lot, and two tanks of gas as I take it so slow to give the mower deck more time to cut a given area, and sometimes the ground can be bumpier than others.

Almost everybody uses a BBM grade lawn tractor around here, with some holding up better than others.

Actually the weeds are slowly being taken over by grass from wind blown seed.

If I could afford it, I'd like your X749 due to the obstacles I have on my relatively flat ground. However; if anyone could use AWS with HST it's my neighbor since they are both avid gardeners. The number of obstacles he has to go around is enormous. He uses a 10+ year old Craftsman garden tractor with manual transmission.

 

[grsthegreat]

Leave the key on while attached to a battery charger and your price per hour will go down as the hour meter reading goes up, thereby making you feel better about your purchase, and not as guilty when you find some sucker willing to purchase it...
David from jax

YOU STOLE MY IDEA :laughing: :laughing:

But i don't care what my Huski riding mower cost me...cause it beats pushing the old mower. I figure i am now carrying a few extra pounds that i can blame my riding mower on. Maybe you need to re-figure out your costs on pounds gained per hour riding the mower.

 

[jinman]

But i don't care what my Huski riding mower cost me...cause it beats pushing the old mower.

You, sir, are a lawnmower salesman's dream customer.:dance1:

 

[AKfish]

X300R - going on 3 years and close to 90 hours now. I work the dog crap outta that mower - no crazy abuse - but I use it to spread fert, spray weeds, thatch, and mow.

Mow ~1.5ac every 10 days - 2 weeks from the end of May to mid-Oct. Spray weeds on 15 acres; twice a year.

Fertilize 4 acres - 3 times per year. Usually 250lbs or so with a 175lb spreader.

Thatch 2 times per year with a 48 inch front mounted thatcher.

Have done nothing to the machine except routine service and level the deck! :thumbsup:

AKfish

 

[AKfish]

Oh, yah - the machine cost $4K and I've bought a new set of blades (not installed) and likely $50/year on filters, oil, grease.

So, that's $4,150/90 hours = $461/hour.

Hopefully, that number will continue to go down with a few more years of use....

AKfish

 

[jinman]

So, that's $4,150/90 hours = $461/hour.

AKfish

Let me make you a happy guy by telling you that you slipped the decimal. Your current cost is $46.10 per hour. From your description, you'll have many more hours of frustration free work to do with that X300R.:thumbsup:

 

[grsthegreat]

Let me make you a happy guy by telling you that you slipped the decimal. Your current cost is $46.10 per hour. From your description, you'll have many more hours of frustration free work to do with that X300R.:thumbsup:

hmmm, i see some Obama math here LOL

 

[AKfish]

hmmm, i see some Obama math here LOL

Nah... I get all my figures from that Ryan guy - he's got it ALL figured out!!!

AKfish

 

[pennwalk]

GOODNESS Jim you just saved AK so much money he ought to drive down to Texas and buy you dinner. Maybe his calculator will thaw out while he is there. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Chris

 

[PioneerMan]

Well I haven't spent money on maintenance but since I am at .2 hrs that comes out to $30,000/hr. Ouch! And I haven't even gotten a mow for all that money!

 

[mjncad]

Well I haven't spent money on maintenance but since I am at .2 hrs that comes out to $30,000/hr. Ouch! And I haven't even gotten a mow for all that money!

A mow or a blow? :laughing:

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Jim, I just stumbled across this thread and now gotta put in my 2 cents.

You have "uncovered" a great unknown secret(for the last few decades) for the average riding mower owner. An hourmeter. :laughing: So many folks have been blindly happy in the fact that they've gotten 10 or more years out of their mower while in fact, it only has maybe 400 hours on it.

My LT180 has a bit over 100 hours and I've had it for 7 seasons. I only mow about an acre with it. You have to throw out the average consumables (batteries, oil, filter, blades, etc.) to do an accurate pricing. This is because you would have to spend that on any brand of mower. You bought the 3 blade electric PTO deck, which is naturally higher maintenance and costs. The other major cost on these is the rear transmission which there is an awesome thread to rebuild these yourself here on TBN. My dealer encouraged me to move up to the LT180 due to the Kawasaki engine and simple belt engaged mower. I have rebuilt my own spindle with 2 bearings bought at the parts house for about $10. Don't ask me about blades as I have rocks. Some that my children "sneak" into the yard. I wanted a rear bagger and the dealer said I needed to stay with the 42" deck unless I wanted the expensive powered bagger. The bagger I got fits on the rear and uses the mower deck's air to push the stuff to the bags. It works great but fills up fast. I only use it now for leaves in the fall. With the bagger, I paid a bit over $3000 for it. So, I guess I'm still at about $30/hour...Ouch! I knew I should of kept my old Snapper RER...:laughing:

 

[PioneerMan]

A mow or a blow? :laughing:

:laughing:
At those prices, whatever it is it out to be good!

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Well I mowed the tiny bit of yard I'm watering today and I noticed I have 125 hours. Woohoo! That brings my cost down to only $24/hour. I need to go mow all my neighbors places to get the cost per hour down. Thats better than leaving the key on IMO. At least something gets done.