Zero Turns

[Brandon Webb]

Anyone have one? I test drive my buddies dad's the other day. Don't try one if you don't want to buy one, they're fun. Wouldn't want to mow much of a slope on one.

[George Willer]

We bought one when the Drs stopped me from riding my favorite mowers for health reasons. I do get to move it sometimes.

[trac48]

Mr. G.W.

Now I know how to seduce a young girl

Gilles

[Cub-Bud]

Here are the three brands we sell here at the store:

http://www.ferrisindustries.com/index.php

http://www.exmark.com/

http://www.hustlerturfequipment.com/

[WKPoor]

Here is my new mower. It will easy mower on a 1:1 slope either direction. One drive on the baby and I was sold. I first demo'd all the major brands and this model won hands down. It is a Hustler in different paint but the price tag from the Great PLains dealer was much less. The deck on these is incrediblely tough built as is the frame too. Quality off cut is unmatched. I mowed side beside my nieghbor with the Lazer Z and its no contest. Its silky smooth to operate and it has a neat feature. When you open up the handles the brakes set. No need for a seperate brake handle.

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

Last fall I bought a Simplicity Citation (almost identical to the Ferris Bud listed), and am very happy with it. My main reason for that particular brand was my ground is rough, and I have a bad back and artificial hip, so the independent suspension really helps.

[evielboweviel]

we run Ferris zero turns at work.
THERE WILL BE NO MORE FERRIS'S BOUGHT HERE!!!!
Bought them new after demo everything on the market. Like the indepent supension, that works good. CAN'T get parts for them in a resonable time, all special order. The second one was in the shop miore than with us the first year. from date of delivery early may until late August we put 11 hours on it. Dealer claimed it worked and it wouldnot run for more than 1/2 hour, charged us to repair it. My boss talked more than once with the owner of the company about, still stayed in the shop. This dealership has over 7 locations and is considered the biggest JD dealer in Ohio. Will not buy anything else there.
Hustler Super Z is a fantastic mower if you need a commercial mower. Need to add the Flex forks and cushion seat to match the ride of the Ferris and then you have a great mower
Ron

[WKPoor]

Eviel, I've heard mixed ideas on the flex forks. Some says ride is improved other say too much bounce and it shows in the cut. I too want to maybe check out the spring seat. However a guy at work has a spring seat and says its not all that much. Hate to spend a couple hundred to find out I don't really need it. The mower though is fantastic. On a couple of Mowing forums I read the Super is not as good a hill climber as the regular Z. Course if you don't have hills that doesn't matter. Either way the Hustler does appear to be a good mowing mouse trap. Everyone that has demo'd mine said wow! I want one of those. Even a commercial cutter who operates Exmarks after riding the LandPride took pictures and wanted to know where to buy one. All anyone says is what the heck is LandPride??? Then when they see it, its like thats heavy duty!

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

Ron, sounds like your problem is your dealer more than the brand mower. I talked to a dealer (has several stores in the St. Louis area) that I refused to deal with because of his attitude.

[John(videodoc)]

I got a cub cadet z-60 commercial tank z turn mower. I love it. zoom through just about anything. Had three years now, no problems.


I have heard the NON Commerical cadets z-turn mowers where pretty cheaply made though........

Friend mine bought one, (non commerical z-turn cadet mower) engine blew up first mowing, got new one as a replacement, traded it in on regular garden tractor next season as he was completely disatisfied with it. Even with the new cadet mower he totally disatisfied with it as well, looking for an old cadet now, and wanting to get rid of his new cadet.

John

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

One note about buying Zero Turn mowers, get one with a deck at least 2 inches wider than the rear wheels. It makes trimming around trees, etc. easier. I was told by a dealer that made it a lot handier, and they were right, unfortunately, the one I bought was too good a price to pass up, so now I put up with the difference.

[evielboweviel]

John
that dealer no longer carries Ferris. always got along good with the govt salesman there and get treated ok by the shop for the bigger equip. Definitly won't deal agin on small stuff. Found another Ferris dealer who is helpfull same deal parts take over a month to get if they don't stock them. so we stock the more common belts, etc

WK got to where 204 turns south just east of 310 and talk to the Kuhn's. They sold our Steiner's to us and carry the Hustler brand now too. He had the whole stock of the new seats this spring nobody else had any. He will let you test drive one of his with the flex forks and the nice seat. Great service there too. However no more than you more it probably won't make a difference. i expect the guys to average 6 hours a day 4 days a week on a mower, weed eating the rest of the time
Ron

[evielboweviel]

John
Also the factory was no help when we had all the problem with the second mower. We bought it outright and nobody worried after that. The next mower willl be delivered and run for a week if it holds up the PO will then be released.
Ron

[Jackman]

I have 2 Exmarks a 56" LazerHP and a 60 LazerZ, Exmark is the top dog when it comes to commercial mowers , Oddly enough the Toro company actually owns Exmark, many parts are the same but Toro has a totally differant deck design and trac vac unit.

[WKPoor]

From a marketing standpoint Exmark was very smart when they entered the commercial market a little over 10yrs ago. They sold their mowers at or near cost. They very quickly gained market share and probably made lots of money selling parts for the 10's of thousands of units that were out there with impecable service. Whenever people talk ZTR they say " what do you see on almost all the commercial guys trailers?? Well of course Exmark" And its true at least in my area its the most recognizeable brand.
I don't know just how much room is left in the ZTR market to be able to say its flooded, but it will be intersting to see in the next few yrs if a weeding out will occur in the industry. The current target ( as is easy to see) is residential. Probably much room there to grow and some companies like Cadet are running headstrong at it since they failed to capture the commercial about 10 yrs ago.

I recently had 2 ZTR walk behinds for sale. Both on craigslist. A CC Commercial Series 5418F hydro and a Bobcat 48 beltdrive. I could have sold a dozen of the Bobcats but had a hard time with the Cub. People just don't identify Cadet as being comercial like they do the Bobcat name even thought the Cadet was twice the machine.