Used ZTRs - how many hrs r 2 many?

[Roper14]

I (think) I know I little about tractors - but these ZTRs are "new" to me - I have a JD LX279 and at some point am going to sell it and go for something a little faster.....like a lot of the people on here - I will be looking used - yet what type of hours can I expect to be "good" hours on a used ZTR and it last me 5-7 years with no high $$$ maintenance cost --- I've read on some of these threads where ENGINES were being replaced at just over a thousand hrs...ouch... I dont care if that is a resdential or commerical unit...maybe i live in a fantasy world...what happened to all of the ole JD lawnmowers that run for 20+ years? (like everything else - don't make them like they used to?)
anyway - that's the question -
i have kinda "narrowed" the long list down to bad boy - grasshopper - JD - gravely - dixie chooper -hustler (maybe)...so i have a long way to go - yet i am not in a hurry...looking to do something when the "time is right" ---anybody interested in a LX279 -j/k

 

[Kernopelli]

I mowed with a Grasshopper for several years but for the last 5 years just used my rear finish mower. This year my 14 yr. old son wanted to do some mowing for extra money and we bought an old Grasshopper. I haven't used any other brand to make a comparison but Grasshppers are built like tanks and the quality of cut is great.
The one I found for him is approx. a 1990 model. I did rebuild the engine before he mowed the first yard but I suspect it had +2000hrs ( hour meter was showing 1548 hrs w/ a blown fuse and the previous owner said it wasn't working when he got it and he had been mowing 6 1/2 acres for several years and never bothered to see why the meter didn't work). It still mows very well compared to most new mowers...much less one that is 18 yrs. old.

 

[wushaw]

Good question.
I would say it all depends upon how the unit was taken care of weather it has low hrs or high hrs. You could find a unit with 500hrs but the oil has never been changed and the spindels have never been greased and you would be looking at $$$ in short order.

It's all about maintence.

 

[Roper14]

I love using that word...as it can be used in every situation I encounter...yet you are correct - I have a 4 wheeler with over 6000 miles - but it is only a 2002 and has only had about 20 miles put on it in the past 3...so maintenance is key... but even though "someone" may tell you they did such and such...did they grease the bearings every 8, 18, or 80 hrs - everybody has a different idea of "taking care" of their equipment...some people will not let their cars go over 3k miles no matter what between oil changes - others - ahhh 6500 is fine (which probably is...)...you see my point....
yes personal inspection of a unit will tell the tale to a point - unless some of the working parts are 97% gone - then it will be more on the person selling the mower....which goes back to the original question...which maybe I should have asked...from personal experiences - what has everyone seen concerning the # of hrs on the used ZTR's...I'm not really into rebuilding anything - the next guy can do that....

 

[AlanB]

I have 2 exmarks and a Dixon, not sure the hour meter works on any of them.

On these, you buy on condition and recognize that you are rolling the dice.

I just bought one of the exmarks, never looked at the hour meter honestly.

My neighbor just sold a Hustler 60 for $4500, I think it had 250 hours on it, just out of warranty (he thought) and it had a blown wheel motor which is why he bought another mower.

Used commercial, you roll the dice and take your chances.

 

[wushaw]

I love using that word...as it can be used in every situation I encounter...yet you are correct - I have a 4 wheeler with over 6000 miles - but it is only a 2002 and has only had about 20 miles put on it in the past 3...so maintenance is key... but even though "someone" may tell you they did such and such...did they grease the bearings every 8, 18, or 80 hrs - everybody has a different idea of "taking care" of their equipment...some people will not let their cars go over 3k miles no matter what between oil changes - others - ahhh 6500 is fine (which probably is...)...you see my point....
yes personal inspection of a unit will tell the tale to a point - unless some of the working parts are 97% gone - then it will be more on the person selling the mower....which goes back to the original question...which maybe I should have asked...from personal experiences - what has everyone seen concerning the # of hrs on the used ZTR's...I'm not really into rebuilding anything - the next guy can do that....

If your not into the possibility of having to rebuild a component or two on the mower then you may want to look into getting a new unit and let warranty take care of any failures.

 

[jk96]

If your not into the possibility of having to rebuild a component or two on the mower then you may want to look into getting a new unit and let warranty take care of any failures.

True, however I just purchased a 2003 grasshopper 932 with 1200 hours on it for $5400. These run close to $14k new. For that type of price difference I could rebuild more than a component or two and still come out way ahead. Especially since I'm only using it for my own property and probably won't put more than 60 hours a year on it.

FWIW, a friend of mine mows commercially and has a grasshopper with the 28hp liquid cooled kubota gas engine. His just turned over 4000 hours, although he is a stickler on maintanance.

 

[Roper14]

I've got no problem rebuilding minor parts (had the starter rebuilt on the LX279 last year - but I took it off - took it to a shop and spent less than $100) - when "you" start talking about rebuilding the engine...that is when I will start to get a little leary of the mower - sorry that i didn't clarify better...there are some people who will not change the battery if needed - I know "a little" more than that - yet I also know when to say uncle....

 

[Dargo]

FWIW, a friend of mine mows commercially and has a grasshopper with the 28hp liquid cooled kubota gas engine. His just turned over 4000 hours, although he is a stickler on maintanance.

I know of at least a couple of commercial mowers as well as a school corporation that doesn't trade off their Grasshoppers with Kubota diesels until between 10,000 and 12,000 hours. They all have maintenance logs and are well maintained, but that's some pretty serious hours on 21 and 28 hp small diesel engines.