My concerns are the plastic I am seeing on parts around the engine. Also looks like you need a hoist or ramps to get to the blades. Are you having any issues with malfunction or parts wearing out.
This machine is a gasser. Wish it were diesel.
The diesel is nice ... But it does add weight, and potential higher costs down the road. However, I'm hoping for a lifetime mower with this unit.
I have not noticed any plastic parts near the engine that have been of concern.
Which mower deck will this one come with? I have the XR-7 deck, but I've heard that the newer VX-4 deck provides a better cut.
This unit has been excellent! The only thing I've had break is the mower clutch engagement bracket (my term). Basically it's a metal bracket that grabs part of the clutch off the engine (when you pull the PTO switch to engage the deck) ama it grabs the wheel to power the deck.
I think the dealer wanted $40 for a bracket, but I just made my own with $.50/cents of scrap metal. Very easy fix.
Dealer said (and the manual says this too) to engage & disengage the PTO at low RPM's. My fault, I hadn't been regarding that, and had been engaging the deck at high RPM, which is probably what snapped the bracket.
Oh wait, I did have another issue... Apparently I neglected to tighten one of the blades all the way after a sharpening, and on a job one day, the blade fell off, loosening the spindle, thus loosening the belt, and causing the belt to come off and get damaged. My fault, and that has never happened again as I am more conscious of tightening the blades properly.
Speaking of that, I don't think changing the blades is any more difficult than most mowers. What I do is back it up on ramps (back and front), lay on my back, and access the blade bolts. I use a block of wood, wedged between the blade and deck wall, as a stop when removing the bolts.
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I would value the unit you're looking at at around $5,000. I think new, it would've been around $6500-7250.
