Time to decide on a zero turn

[JOE.G]

I never heard of the spartan but it looks like a well built machine ( Just going by the pictures ) It is a nice looking machine as well, I see they offer it with the Kawi motor and I would try to get one with it. I would be nervous since it is a new company and what happens if they fold?

The gravely is also A nice machine and has been around a while. If that is your price range I would not count the Husky I linked to above.

 

[2Busy]

Looking at what the commercial lawn guys use in our area, more than half of what’s in service around here are Exmarks. Maybe that’s just a regional thing, certainly there are lots of other good brands too, but it’s probably not an accident that they’re so popular with the pros.

 

[JOE.G]

Exmark/Ferris/Scag and JD are the popular Commercial choice here. Dixxie Chopper is very popular on the very rough and wet/muddy landscape.

 

[PearlWhiteGT]

Few of my buddies have SCAG Liberty Z's and run them hard. They've had zero issues with them.

 

[jives]

If you can be patient and look for deals, many of the retailers may have demo units or trade-ins of commercial units. I'd be wary of the commercial trade in, though. Look for leftover units. Last year I bought a leftover SnapperPro sx125, which is basically a Ferris IS600 without the suspension. HG 3400 hydro units, 27 hp Briggs commercial turf engine, 61" Ferris ICD deck. $5800. I am now using it to mow 2 ac of "lawn" and 3.5 ac of old pasture that I am trying to reclaim. Really slow going on the pasture due to the roughness of the land, and only time will tell if the mower will hold up. I've only got 50 hrs on it so far.

If I had to do it all over again I would have waited, saved another $3K or so, and bought a used SCUT with either a mid-mount mower or rear finish mower. I've got a lot of other tasks and the zero turn cannot do them. Beyond that, though, the ZT requires too much vigilance while mowing, marks up the yard if not careful, cannot get any traction if the ground is any bit wet, and bounces all over the place. Of course, the ZT is not designed for the pasture, but even my lawn to too bumpy to go at high speed.

 

[byoungblood]

I never heard of the spartan but it looks like a well built machine ( Just going by the pictures ) It is a nice looking machine as well, I see they offer it with the Kawi motor and I would try to get one with it. I would be nervous since it is a new company and what happens if they fold?

The gravely is also A nice machine and has been around a while. If that is your price range I would not count the Husky I linked to above.

Yeah, the Spartan really impressed me. It makes almost everything else in its price range look like a toy. Many functional features that you'd have to spend much more money to find on other manufacturer's models. I think if they had been around for 10+ years with a solid track record I probably would have bought one first thing this morning.

I'm about to head out and take a look at the Gravely and Spartan again and let the wife sit on and operate both since she will be using them as well. That will probably be what ends up swaying me one way or the other right now.

 

[Semi-hole mechanic]

Bad Boy builds their residential mowera on the same frame as their commercial units. The Maverick is the closest thing to a commercial mower that you are going to find. They are also built in the USA (Arkansas) using 100% USA parts. As long as the company I work for has sold them I've only had one come back, and it was due to a bad hydrostatic pump and they shipped a new one out that day and it was repaired and back in the customer's posession within the week.

 

[danniel]

When I saw this issue I researched. yes it is a new company but it promises a future.

 

[danniel]

Exmark/Ferris/Scag and JD are the popular Commercial choice here. Dixxie Chopper is very popular on the very rough and wet/muddy landscape.

It really upset me that john deere 325 was not included in this list. It is enough for such a large land for both commercial and private use.