I need to get a riding mower

[WV460hunter]

This will be the first mower I've ever bought as we lived in a townhouse for 25+ years. I might pick up a used Cub Cadet from a friend here but they is starting to look like it will fall through so I may have to buy a new one.
The two I've looked at so far are a John Deere 48" zero turn and a similarly priced Cub Cadet 50" zero turn. The guy at Home Depot said they'd had less returns or issues with the Cubs and that their Kawasaki engine is better than the JD.

Can anyone help steer me in the right direction? We have and acre and a half to mow and it's already pretty long .

Must be a better Cub Cadet than my brothers. He bought a Cub Cadet and 1 week after he had it the motor blew up . He got his a Tractor Supply .. had a big fight with them before they finally made good on it .

 

[Johnnu2]

I simply DOWNSIZED when I was in my 40's; AND then got a gardener to take care of the place when I hit my 60's.
A man's gotta consider his limitations and aging....PLAN AHEDA
J.

 

[kentucky yeti]

Lots of passion and loyalty on here about lawn mower brands- maybe more so than the different gun brand discussions

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Lots of passion and loyalty on here about lawn mower brands- maybe more so than the different gun brand discussions

Well, many of us probably use our lawnmowers a lot more than we use our guns.

 

[GypsmJim]

Lots of passion and loyalty on here about lawn mower brands- maybe more so than the different gun brand discussions

Many people have brand loyalty because of many positive experiences with one brand, and lousy results with others. It's as simple as that.

Then there are the bunch who just prefer one brand no matter what. My FIL swore by Ford cars, even though every one he ever had was a rust bucket and frequently found on road dead.

 

[rwp315]

Thanks for all the great info guys! I've learned a lot from this already.
I will definitely check out some of the local dealers instead of Home Depot.
The reason I leaned toward a zero turn is because there are 15-20 trees and shrubs to mow around. Would it be that much tougher or slower with a regular riding mower? Is the maintenance significantly less?

Look at the Hustler Fastrak series. Been using them since 1994. Just bought our third, sold the second one only because we moved. Our first one from 1994 is still used by our da and son-in-law. 1200+ hours. Had a friend install a crank seal and tune up. Runs like a champ. Cuts 10 acres now.

No. Hydraulics, mechanical and cadmium painted hardware.

 

[Taterman]

Well I ended up picking up a Bolen riding mower from a friend of my neighbor. It's only 38" but it just barely fits through the gate to the small fenced in area for our dog. I'll at least use it for that and probably towing a yard cart, and it buys me time to find a ZTR.
I'm sure it will get old fast doing the whole yard with it.

 

[Hvymax]

Deck size is a big consideration. A 42" deck will fit on most small cheap 48" utility trailers and through most shed doors. Anything bigger will require deck removal or a substantial trailer. Bigger decks can choke on taller grass especially if you mulch. I mulch so I have to slow down way more often than I did with a 42" deck. 20+hp and a 42" deck will tear through most anything that doesn't bend the blades. Of course a bigger deck covers more ground but if you have to crawl because the deck is choking on tall dense grass any time advantage is lost. I don't do Zero Turns because I need a hand free for my drink.

 

[dchmule]

We bought a Bad Boy 10 years ago. It had a Kawasaki engine that burned oil almost from day One. I swapped the engine out for a Kholer engine, easy swap. That was 6 years ago. Other than the bad engine, we've had great service from our Bad Boy and we keep 2+ acres mowed.

 

[Ranger]

We have two zero turns. For just mowing, they are hard to beat and a lot faster than the more traditional style.

One of our zero turns is an exmark frontrunner. It is no longer made; but has worked well for us. The deck out front helps with getting under trees and pond edges. It is also easier to sharpen blades; but adds maintenance issues. We got the bagger attachment. Cost a lot and wouldn't recommend that attachment; but the machine itself has been good for about 14 years.

The other is an altoz 766i tracked mower. Pretty amazing machine if you have high grass (small trees), wet areas, etc. Costs more and not many dealers. Ours has been impressive. Our dealer sells many to contractors who mow solar farms use them. Understand that contractors who mow around municipal waste water lagoons and such use them a lot too.

Brother has a couple exmarks and has used the Dickenson out of them with good luck.

I think the kabotas are good machines.

 

[bykerhd]

The wife took pity on me about 3 years back.
She bought me a John Deere X354 42", Kawasaki engine with 4 wheel steering.
A last year's model with discount that was less than the X350 I was thinking about and not much more than the big box store's top of the line model.
Turning radius is not as quick as a zero turn but I am happy with it.
Does a good job on my Florida flat 1/2 acre lot.

 

[gjgalligan]

Lots of opinions here, and not all facts are correct.

Cub Cadets have Kohler engines. Ask your dealer how many have burned the house down. Mine almost did. First time in my life I ever had to run for a fire extinguisher. (they say its corrected now, but are ya feelin lucky?)

Deeres have their own engine brand, but they are made my Briggs. IMHO since B&S has stood the test of time, that'll be what I personally buy.

Depends on what size tractor you want to buy. If its a relatively small one, the model that Home Depot (or other box stores) sell is exactly the same as the one the JD sells. If you want a bigger one, you are stuck with the JD dealer.

Buy a JD online and you might get free delivery.

Zero turns are nice, but the current "regular" tractors have an amazing turning radius, so I would not buy one at that elevated price.

Looked at 3 or 4 different models on the CC web site and they all had Kawasaki listed for engines.

 

[GypsmJim]

Looked at 3 or 4 different models on the CC web site and they all had Kawasaki listed for engines.

I have had many lawn mowers over the last 50 years and the ONLY one that was a disaster had a Kohler engine.

Now, when I go to a Home Show or an Outdoor equipment venue the first thing I do is lift the hood to see the engine label.

In the past 5 years every CC I personal looked at had a freaking Kohler engine. Enuff for me. Not going in MY garage. I realize 3 strikes is out, but for me, 1 srike is too much.

Maybe I was only looking at the smaller models, or maybe Kawi makes Kohler, I dunno.

Mr. Briggs was a consultant to Ole Evinrude. All I need to know.

 

[Taterman]

Well I've been shopping around and I really like two (at the top of my price range) the most so far.
They are a 54" Toro with their new deck that hangs from chains to prevent damage if you rub up against trees or such. It has a Kawasaki.
The other is a 50" ExMark, but unfortunately it has a Kohler.


Any thoughts on these two?

 

[WAYNO]

Wow, this Kohler aversion.

In my lifetime, industrial and recreational equipment powered by Kohler was a positive feature. I am surprised to hear on this thread, how Kohler is now looked down upon.




.

 

[PRichardson87]

Kohler commercial engines are quite a bit different from their consumer grade. Just an FYI

 

[kentucky yeti]

Wow, this Kohler aversion.

In my lifetime, industrial and recreational equipment powered by Kohler was a positive feature. I am surprised to hear on this thread, how Kohler is now looked down upon.




.

Kohler used to be premiere, to me at least, until 10-15 years ago. Kohler "Courage" series that was used by some manufacturers in their mowers has what is currently the worst reputation in small engines. They have an extremely high failure rate. B&S engines had several issues a few years back with their Intek, which ultimately led to their bankruptcy in 2020. I used to be a B&S guy- loved working on them when I ran my mower shop. They were simple and efficient. Despised working on a Tecumseh, once they had any major wear. They were great until they started to wear, then basically it was cheaper to replace than to repair. They were known for cylinder wear in an egg-shaped manner- making it virtually impossible to hone and rebuild. I no longer buy B&S or Kohler- simply due to watching them deny liability or warranty on their engines for manufacturing defects.

 

[peachhead]

I have had many lawn mowers over the last 50 years and the ONLY one that was a disaster had a Kohler engine.

Now, when I go to a Home Show or an Outdoor equipment venue the first thing I do is lift the hood to see the engine label.

In the past 5 years every CC I personal looked at had a freaking Kohler engine. Enuff for me. Not going in MY garage. I realize 3 strikes is out, but for me, 1 srike is too much.

Maybe I was only looking at the smaller models, or maybe Kawi makes Kohler, I dunno.

Mr. Briggs was a consultant to Ole Evinrude. All I need to know.

Well just to be a pain, I will say the only one that has lasted me 18 years so far is a Kohler.

 

[Taterman]

Kohler used to be premiere, to me at least, until 10-15 years ago. Kohler "Courage" series that was used by some manufacturers in their mowers has what is currently the worst reputation in small engines. They have an extremely high failure rate. B&S engines had several issues a few years back with their Intek, which ultimately led to their bankruptcy in 2020. I used to be a B&S guy- loved working on them when I ran my mower shop. They were simple and efficient. Despised working on a Tecumseh, once they had any major wear. They were great until they started to wear, then basically it was cheaper to replace that repair. They were known for cylinder wear in an egg-shaped manner- making it virtually impossible to hone and rebuild. I no longer buy B&S or Kohler- simply due to watching them deny liability or warranty on their engines for manufacturing defects.

Would you avoid an ExMark with a Kohler in it? I'm not sure if it's a commercial or consumer grade, it's a 22hp Kohler 7000 Series KT725.

Edit: The website says:
"Based on the KOHLER Command PRO® commercial engine design, the air-cooled, V-time 7000 Series will run rings around your neighbors. It features a 3 year, unlimited hour, limited warranty."

https://engines.kohlerenergy.com/en/products/KT725

 

[kentucky yeti]

I just did a search on the Command Pro, and see very few issues. The Courage was designed badly, but the Command Pro seems to be dependable.