[AT] mowers - ztr vs tractor style

[Brad Gunnells]

The other thing you may want to do is prepare yourself for sticker  
shock! Unless you've been looking through the papers and looking at  
dealers lots you might have a bit of surprise. But being most of us  
on here appreciate a well built piece of equipment or tool you'll  
soon see there is a difference between the commercial grade machine  
and the homeowner series.

I bought an Exmark (Toro is the parent company) demonstrator with the  
Kohler Command 20HP and 52" deck with ~30 hrs for just under $6K.  
That was as good a price as I could find. I wanted a 60" with the  
25HP but couldn't justify the additional $2 -3K above that price.

As others mentioned see what the commercial mowers in your area are  
using and talk to them. In fact, if you're not set on a brand new one  
you may be able to pick up one of theirs at a good price at the end  
of the season. Many of them trade regularly and while the machine  
will have a fair amount of hours, a quality machine used personally  
will still last a long time. I know a friend who bought one from the  
local mowing contractor at the end of the season that way.

My next door neighbor picked up a used CC homeowner version cheap  
because it wouldn't run (forget what minor problem it wound up  
being). While my machine probably cost 3x the CC new it didn't take  
more than a casual glance to see that mine probably had 3x the steel  
in it. I hope the one I bought is the last one I need to buy.

Brad

On Jun 9, 2009, at 8:15 AM, Stephen Offiler wrote:

> Excellent advise, thanks Mark.  The little bit I've learned so far
> tends to agree with everything you say on the hydro and the fabricated
> deck.  I have only looked at Cub Cadet so far, and need to expand my
> horizons.  The only CC model I had any interest in was a commercial
> (according to them) machine, the Enforcer 44.  The difference with
> this machine versus the homeowner-grade CC is just as you say, real
> hydro and a fabricated deck.  The good news here is that the very
> closest tractor dealer to my home is just 10 minutes away, and they
> carry Toro and Gravely; I simply haven't gotten up there yet (it has
> to be a Saturday AM).  I find myself at the CC dealer instead because,
> of course, I've been dealing with the ressurection of a dead CC 1812.
>
> SO
>