Need new riding lawn mower, what kind??

[EIEIO]

Well, since riding mowers might not really qualify in this section I'll start by saying my new Vermeer disc mower was awesome when I cut hay this year and would recommend it to anyone.

Now, I need a new riding lawn mower. Will be used on about 1-2 acres. So far I have looked at the Deere 300 series and the Kubota 1700 (I think). Need something with a mulching deck as well.

The Deere and Kubota dealers were both within an hour of me so I'll have to venture out further to find another brand but don't mind doing it if I can find something better.

Any suggestions?? Have not really thought about a ZTR type but have heard some good things from folks about Gravely's.

Don't want to spend over 3K on one but will if it will get me a mower that may outlast me.

Any opinions welcome.

Thanks,

J

 

[AngusLimoX]

Easy for me to give a quick answer on that one - whoever has the best parts inventory/supply and service and is CLOSEST!

Most of my field machinery is a certain colour for various reasons and the dealership is 45 mins away, but a different colour place is just down the road a few miles. I wish I had bought the riding mower at the close place.

Even though I have maybe one or 2 repairs a year it is a pain to drive 1.5 hours just to get a part to mow lawn! :lol:

And ya can't leave it half done until the next time your in that town. What will the neighbours think?? Ole AngusLimo was into the whiskey again, fell of the mower and couldn't finish the lawn! :lol: :lol:

( Now while it may be the truth sometimes it isn't all the time!! ).

 

[dun]

For the most bang for your buck, get a Murray. The may not have the glamour name, but they're solid hard working pieces of equipment. A friend of mine is the local warranty and service dealer for them along with several other brands. He claims they're the most trouble free mowers he knows of. All they do is their job, year in and year out.

dun

 

[KenB]

For the most bang for your buck, get a Murray. The may not have the glamour name, but they're solid hard working pieces of equipment. A friend of mine is the local warranty and service dealer for them along with several other brands. He claims they're the most trouble free mowers he knows of. All they do is their job, year in and year out.

dun

Yes and probably half the price of an orange or green one.

 

[dj]

ditto what dun says about the Murrays the MIL abused one for 4-5 years with just belt replacements and getting the deck welded a couple of times.
the little bride had 1 Cub Cadet for 16 yrs and is into the 4th yr on the 2nd.
for the money i'd get an old 9N and a 5 ft brush hog and buy another cow with what you saved.

 

[EIEIO]

I'm replacing the Murray that lasted just over 3 years. Cost was around $1500 at WM and it had a 42 inch cut and auto transmition. We grow a lot of rock around these parts, that and I had a kid mowing the yard when I broke my ankle a couple of years ago that I guess did not know how to check oil in equipment and I guess that is what did it in. Don't think I'll own another Murray.

I just went and looked at a Gravely. Dealer is about 30 minutes from me and was real impressed with both the mower and the dealer. It's one of those ZTR type mowers.

J

 

[ffscj]

Buy a finish mower for the tractor, as long as you don't have to go through a small gate to get to the yard.

Chris

 

[Herefordcross]

Want a long lasting heavy built mower- JD GX345
Want a few year and throw away- Buy a Murray.

Either way however you cut it, the will cost you the same on a yearly/lifetime basis.

 

[cmjust0]

for the money i'd get an old 9N and a 5 ft brush hog and buy another cow with what you saved.

Replace the 9n with an 8N and replace the 5' brush hog with a beat up, $200 finish mower, and you've got my lawn mowing rig.

And post hole digging rig.. And plowing rig.. And disking rig.. And cultivating rig.. And brush hogging rig.. And .........

Do all THAT with a $6000 ZTR, and I'll buy it! :lol:

 

[dun]

I guess Murrays aren;t as good as I thought. Ours is 7 years old and I have no idea how many hours. Replace the blades once a year, replaced one built about 4 years ago, that's it. Blow out the air filter once a year, still has the original sparkplug.
At the other farm it was used about 3 hours a night 3-4 days a week, here it only gets about 2 hours of use 2 nights a week. I have had to surgically modify the blade housing. Hitting 6 in high stumps at full speed and mowing rocks the size of wash tubs seem to cause the fragile thing to get bent.

dun

 

[Crowderfarms]

I guess Murrays aren;t as good as I thought. Ours is 7 years old and I have no idea how many hours. Replace the blades once a year, replaced one built about 4 years ago, that's it. Blow out the air filter once a year, still has the original sparkplug.
At the other farm it was used about 3 hours a night 3-4 days a week, here it only gets about 2 hours of use 2 nights a week. I have had to surgically modify the blade housing. Hitting 6 in high stumps at full speed and mowing rocks the size of wash tubs seem to cause the fragile thing to get bent.

dun

We have a couple customers who are retired from the Murray plant that was here in Tennessee. They've told me if I ever bought a Murray they'd dis-own me.

Ya''ll might laugh, but we bought a Craftsman 20HP mower 2 years ago and have not had a minutes worth of trouble with it. We cut about 1.5 acres with it.

Whatever you do, stay away from the MTD manufactured mowers. I've heard way too many horor stories about them. Brands such as Troy-Bilt, Husky,MTD and several others are originated from MTD factories.Almost forgot, MTD owns "Scrub Cadet" too.

 

[Jovid]

I guess Murrays aren;t as good as I thought. Ours is 7 years old and I have no idea how many hours. Replace the blades once a year, replaced one built about 4 years ago, that's it. Blow out the air filter once a year, still has the original sparkplug.
At the other farm it was used about 3 hours a night 3-4 days a week, here it only gets about 2 hours of use 2 nights a week. I have had to surgically modify the blade housing. Hitting 6 in high stumps at full speed and mowing rocks the size of wash tubs seem to cause the fragile thing to get bent.

dun

We have a couple customers who are retired from the Murray plant that was here in Tennessee. They've told me if I ever bought a Murray they'd dis-own me.

Ya''ll might laugh, but we bought a Craftsman 20HP mower 2 years ago and have not had a minutes worth of trouble with it. We cut about 1.5 acres with it.

Whatever you do, stay away from the MTD manufactured mowers. I've heard way too many horor stories about them. Brands such as Troy-Bilt, Husky,MTD and several others are originated from MTD factories.

Craftsman over Murray.....That's a no brain er......Craftsman would be my choice

 

[Crowderfarms]

FWIW, Craftsman is manufactured by Electrolux Corp. Yep, the once upon a time vacuum cleaner folks.

 

[ollie']

A friend of mine owns a grass hopper. It's a very , very good rig. I don't like murry or craftsman personally. The decks aren't too swift. The grass hopper is a machine. Lots of difference in price though. I guess they are 8 or 10G.

 

[tom4018]

I guess Murrays aren;t as good as I thought. Ours is 7 years old and I have no idea how many hours. Replace the blades once a year, replaced one built about 4 years ago, that's it. Blow out the air filter once a year, still has the original sparkplug.
At the other farm it was used about 3 hours a night 3-4 days a week, here it only gets about 2 hours of use 2 nights a week. I have had to surgically modify the blade housing. Hitting 6 in high stumps at full speed and mowing rocks the size of wash tubs seem to cause the fragile thing to get bent.

dun

We have a couple customers who are retired from the Murray plant that was here in Tennessee. They've told me if I ever bought a Murray they'd dis-own me.

Ya''ll might laugh, but we bought a Craftsman 20HP mower 2 years ago and have not had a minutes worth of trouble with it. We cut about 1.5 acres with it.

Whatever you do, stay away from the MTD manufactured mowers. I've heard way too many horor stories about them. Brands such as Troy-Bilt, Husky,MTD and several others are originated from MTD factories.

I have had a Southern States mower Made by MTD for 8 years. Some belts, i set of blades spindles, bushings in the front end and regular services. Mows about 2 to 2.5 hours every week. For the money its been cheap to operate, could not see twice the money for a JD.

 

[Cowboy 2.0]

We've had nothing but problems out of our Craftsman.

 

[Crowderfarms]

We've had nothing but problems out of our Craftsman.

Put gas in it next time. :lol:

 

[Cowboy 2.0]

I guess we just got a dud. Should have known something was wrong when it came from the factory with the gears backwards.

 

[EIEIO]

Crowder, I've owned 2 Craftsman push mowers in the last 15 plus years and one is still going strong. I'd still have my first but it got some wire wrapped around the bottom of it and developed an oil leak.

After looking at the Gravely I think I'm going to get one. Dealer is within 30 minutes of me and has been around a long time plus the mower was real heavy duty compared to anything I've seen yet.

Sat on a Kubota, Husky, and Deere 300 series and all felt "cheap" compared to the Gravely. Will be spending around 3K for it which is about the same price as the Deere and Kubota. We just built a new home and my folks are living part of the year on our ranch in our old home so dad and I will be sharing the yard work on both places which are about a 1/4 mile apart and I have a tilt trailer I got with my ATV I can use to haul the mower back and forth. I like my yard neat but don't have a lot of time to spend on it.

Too many tree's and buildings around for a 8 or 9N Ford or older gas Massey (my favorite) with a finish mower, would just take too long and I'd spend half a day with the weed-eater to make it all look good.

Glad I got some calves and one cull cow headed for the sale next week to pay for the thing!

J

 

[MrBilly]

We have had a Woods Mowin Machine 60 inches for six years. 25 horse Kohler, hydraulic heighth adjuster and not a spec of trouble . We mow about 10 acres of grass. Yep, expensive I think now around 8 grand, but well worth the extra cost. Also has an adjustable seat and you can adjust the seat to the amount of bounce your back can take. The latter is why I bought it. We've had a couple grasshoppers and they were good also, but I think the Woods is better.


http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictu ... 621&idx=19

Billy