TORO and CUB CADET

[Travis_R]

Hey,

Am fixing to buy a mower for 3/4 of an acre. Will be pulling a dump cart and cutting the grass only with the mower. My question is, are the Cub Cadet and Toro mowers that are being sold at Home Depot any good? I like the price of the Yard Machines, but don't think they are of good quality. What size mower do I need for 3/4 an acre? I use a 20 year old, but real good shape, slow, but very tough Snapper with a 30" cut. Time to upgrade. Probably about 15 years past time to upgrade!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[ToadHill]

I'm not sure about newer Cub products but I believe Toro is now made by MTD and my history with products they make is that they are throw away products. I've never had one last very long. The only Cubs I've owned have been older models with Kohler engines and a driveshaft to the Hydro. They have been very reliable machines.

 

[gamble77]

Obviously gentlemen, Cub and Toro make what some of you are calling "throw away" machines however, they also make some of the best lawn and garden/commercial turf care products on the market today.

Anyway, the Toro's that are being sold at HD these days are indeed being made by MTD. Other Toro's on the high end of things are still being produced by Toro themselves. Apparently Toro couldn't make a quality machine at a low enough price themselves so they looked to the largest outdoor power equipment manufacturer in the world for help!!

Any lawn mower less than 2K I think some of you will label as cheap, and I won't argue with that. However, if someone has a small lot and are only going to put somewhere between 15-35hrs a year on the unit then you can't blaim them for spending less thank 2K. In fact to them that is probably already over kill! There is a difference between buying cheap and buying for your needs. Someone in a situation like I just described is buying for their needs, someone who has 3-4 acres to cut and goes to buy a lawn mower at a big box store is cheap.

 

[Joe1]

My 48" "Toro built" Toro takes around 75 minutes to cut my 3/4 acre lawn. I assume you will also be mowing year round, and at that rate would put 60 - 70 hrs per year just mowing. With some other uses, you might be putting 75 - 100 hrs per year on it; more with a 42" deck. I have not looked at the HD Toro's by MTD. You might be better of with an entry JD or an AYP product; one with the cast iron front axle and pressure lube engine.