stl_commuter
Well-known member
Could use some advice for purchasing a new zero turn for our property.
We currently run a 2007 JD Z425. Bought it at a year old from a JD employee. It was great when we had a 3/4 acre property but with four acres around the Head Shed where we live now, this ZTR is not keeping up. We mow about 2.5 ac that was row crop fields eight years ago - couple places where this ground is really bumpy and a suspension would help.
My intent was to keep the JD for another year or two, but had a major problem last week. Wife wanted to mow so I thought I’d move the mower up to the back patio so she would not have to walk out to the barn. Filled the gas tank, checked the oil level and drove it up to the patio. When I stopped at the patio, a huge cloud of smoke covered me up. Turned around and smoke was pouring out of the engine compartment from oil hitting the engine and smoking. Immediately shut the engine down.
Oil had poured out of the engine and all over my barn driveway and the new stone path we’d laid from the house patio to the barn last fall. I’m guessing most of the oil was out of the mower. Weird thing is the engine never stuttered or missed before I shut it down. Didn’t lose compression at all.
I checked the JD engine over and could not find the source of the oil leak. Checked the drain plug and still no luck. Took it into the shop but it’s three weeks before they can even look at it.
Even if it’s fixable, I think I need to advance my schedule for replacing the JD. So I started looking at ZTRs. Quickly narrowed my list to Scag and Ferris then test dove the Ferris and think that’s where I’ll land - so here is the issue.
I can buy a 2020 Ferris 700 with a 61 in deck and a 27 hp Briggs motor for $7300 all in (incl tax). These machines have a good suspension but I don’t like the Briggs motor, which is all you can buy now in 2020 700s.
Or I can buy a 2020 800 with a 61 in deck and a 24hp Kawasaki for about $1400 more. Better suspension and much better engine (I think).
I hate to drop nearly $9K on an unplanned purchase like this but I guess that’s what an emergency fund is for. And I should have added, we don’t finance anything but our house. Kinda a Dave Ramsey thing.
Any advice?
We currently run a 2007 JD Z425. Bought it at a year old from a JD employee. It was great when we had a 3/4 acre property but with four acres around the Head Shed where we live now, this ZTR is not keeping up. We mow about 2.5 ac that was row crop fields eight years ago - couple places where this ground is really bumpy and a suspension would help.
My intent was to keep the JD for another year or two, but had a major problem last week. Wife wanted to mow so I thought I’d move the mower up to the back patio so she would not have to walk out to the barn. Filled the gas tank, checked the oil level and drove it up to the patio. When I stopped at the patio, a huge cloud of smoke covered me up. Turned around and smoke was pouring out of the engine compartment from oil hitting the engine and smoking. Immediately shut the engine down.
Oil had poured out of the engine and all over my barn driveway and the new stone path we’d laid from the house patio to the barn last fall. I’m guessing most of the oil was out of the mower. Weird thing is the engine never stuttered or missed before I shut it down. Didn’t lose compression at all.
I checked the JD engine over and could not find the source of the oil leak. Checked the drain plug and still no luck. Took it into the shop but it’s three weeks before they can even look at it.
Even if it’s fixable, I think I need to advance my schedule for replacing the JD. So I started looking at ZTRs. Quickly narrowed my list to Scag and Ferris then test dove the Ferris and think that’s where I’ll land - so here is the issue.
I can buy a 2020 Ferris 700 with a 61 in deck and a 27 hp Briggs motor for $7300 all in (incl tax). These machines have a good suspension but I don’t like the Briggs motor, which is all you can buy now in 2020 700s.
Or I can buy a 2020 800 with a 61 in deck and a 24hp Kawasaki for about $1400 more. Better suspension and much better engine (I think).
I hate to drop nearly $9K on an unplanned purchase like this but I guess that’s what an emergency fund is for. And I should have added, we don’t finance anything but our house. Kinda a Dave Ramsey thing.
Any advice?
