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How much does a decent riding lawn mower cost?

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Damn. Got good news/bad news today on my mower. It's a 4 year old ZTR Cub that I paid $1700 + $250 extended warranty on. It was worth about $3000 but it was a refurb @ Home Depot. It only had 70 hours with the mower engaged. Hydrostats went out and they couldn't repair. They are refunding me back my $1700 but I can't get anywere as nice a mower as I had for the money.

Am probably going all in on a big diesel Simplicity or Kubota that I can mount an end loader on. Lucky in that the Dad of my wife's best friend is a Simplicity dealer and would give me close to dealer pricing on it. Still not *really* keen on dropping $10k on a mower. But hopefully it'll be one of the last ones I ever have to buy.
 
Zenmervolt said:
Bolens used to make good stuff (before the name got bought by MTD or some such consumer-crap company) and that's a pre-buyout tractor. If the hydrostat on that thing is still good that's a hell of a deal for a workhorse tractor that likely just needs a carb rebuild.

ZV
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Dad had a Bolens 12 hp that we used to mow, snowblow and yardwork.

Great toy
 
not everyone needs a daily use item. that is ridiculous outside of professional use in this case. I got 15 years use out of a Toro WheelHorse Model 1438HXL before its maintenance repair bill exceeded the value of the lawn tractor so I gave it up.

i'd advise someone on the market look at the home websites of riding mowers. you will learn a name like MTD is made in the same building as much more well known, expensive advertised names. Sears has sold million of bicycles but they didn't build a single one.

you can get a ride for $1500-2500 if you don't need a honking big unit. something to keep in mind is if a model is popular where you live. if the local repair/maintance doesn't not sell Brand X you can't expect them to have many parts on hand for it.

John Deere are nice but pricey just for the popular name alone. MTD are a good every-day guy name made by a heavy-hitter company, it is their more affordable line. The most important thing is the motor. If you don't get enough HP you will be over-taxing the unit and it will lead to shorter life.

Cub Cadet are nice too but expensive. There are also little differences in how it's made that make it a better product.

I don't know who makes Sears but a lot of their stuff has been around many years. They can't afford to sell junk and piss off customers.

Protecting your mower from the elements in the off season is a key thing to long mower life. Get the accessories you'll want too, it's worth it. Remember you don't have to walk in with all cash, there is financing available. Check out a few dealers. Where I live one dealer tries to make as much money as he can on every sale. IMHO they suck, and I rarely ever go there. I have to drive twice as far to a shop where the guys give excellent prices, advice and service, and it's worth the drive every time.
 
stock-photo-little-boy-rides-piggy-back-while-dad-mows-the-family-s-front-yard-dad-is-grimacing-and-child-is-47189065.jpg
 
VerticalHold said:
not everyone needs a daily use item. that is ridiculous outside of professional use in this case. I got 15 years use out of a Toro WheelHorse Model 1438HXL before its maintenance repair bill exceeded the value of the lawn tractor so I gave it up.
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Toro is a very high-end brand and Wheelhorse models were essentially miniature commercial-duty machines. They were WELL above the quality of anything currently manufactured by MTD.

EDIT: I'm thinking of the 80's and early 90's Wheelhorse and Toro brands, not the 2007 and later models after Toro outsourced to MTD.

ZV
 
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I've seen a few people complaining about mowers without hydrostatic drives. I used to mow my parents lawn with a small 80s john deere unit that just had gears. I didn't really think it was much of a chore.
 
PingSpike said:
I've seen a few people complaining about mowers without hydrostatic drives. I used to mow my parents lawn with a small 80s john deere unit that just had gears. I didn't really think it was much of a chore.
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Compared to a hydro a clutch and manual transaxle is a huge deal when mowing. A lot of those 70s/80s model deeres with variators had inertia and you had to wait until the drive stopped before shifting into gear or it would grind away. :biggrin:

Of course those Kohler cast iron series engines with automatic compression release were bulletproof as long as you kept them oiled. The starters whined worse than a Chrysler but got the job done. Speaking of starters probably the smoothest starting engines were those Kohlers on the 70s Cub Cadet models that used a PM starter off a belt. Once the engine was running the starter doubled as a genny to charge the starting battery! :awe:
 
Anyone have a comment on the Kubuta GR2120?
http://www.kubota.com/product/GR2020/GR2020.aspx

Very interesting machine. It's basically an uber high end lawn tractor, no PTO on the front/rear. But it is 4WD, is damn near zero turn radius, is a shaft driven belt, and best yet it's a very reliable diesel engine. I guess these things just absolutely sip fuel.

It's priced at a point where it's right in Simplicity Legacy XL entry and Deere 700 series. It's also about $1000-$2000 less than *true* tractor material like the Kubota BX. But after looking at the BX that's just waaaay too much tractor for what I need. I'd look like a fool puttering around on that in my yard. But there's a lot of landscaping stuff that it would be nice for.

With that GR series Kubota I can get a Johnny Bucket for $1200 to do light bucket work, and it'll take a snow blower up front. The diesel and 4WD will get me around the yard just fine and the nearly zero turn in combination with a 54" deck will get the yard mowed in no time.

They are expensive though...A little over $9000 :'(
 
Rubycon said:
Compared to a hydro a clutch and manual transaxle is a huge deal when mowing. A lot of those 70s/80s model deeres with variators had inertia and you had to wait until the drive stopped before shifting into gear or it would grind away. :biggrin:
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I remember when I was growing up we had an old Allis-Chalmers-era Simplicity with a "Shuttle Drive". The mower had a 4-speed gearbox, but there was a big lever for forward, neutral, and reverse that was independent of the gearbox, so you never actually needed to shift the transmission itself. And there was the traditional clutch/brake combo pedal as well. Great system overall, it really felt sturdy and well-built. God I miss that old thing.

ZV
 
Zenmervolt said:
I remember when I was growing up we had an old Allis-Chalmers-era Simplicity with a "Shuttle Drive". The mower had a 4-speed gearbox, but there was a big lever for forward, neutral, and reverse that was independent of the gearbox, so you never actually needed to shift the transmission itself. And there was the traditional clutch/brake combo pedal as well. Great system overall, it really felt sturdy and well-built. God I miss that old thing.

ZV
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Sounds interesting especially since it's capable of reverse. If it "hooks up" fast sounds like a good way to do wheelies. :biggrin:
 
Rubycon said:
Sounds interesting especially since it's capable of reverse. If it "hooks up" fast sounds like a good way to do wheelies. :biggrin:
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I was too young to think to really investigate it at the time. Looking through some parts manuals online later though, it looks like it was a planetary gearset in front of the traditional transmission with the shuttle lever controlling the brake bands for the planetary set. Pretty nifty little arrangement.

When using the lever it didn't hook up that quickly but it could chirp the tires on cement if I selected 4th and dumped the clutch with the lever already set to forward. Not bad for a mower from back when a 14hp Briggs single was common power for a higher-end garden tractor. I remember that dad was not terribly amused with me leaving lawnmower-sized tire marks on his driveway.

ZV
 
kazaam said:
Wow, 5+ grand is not gonna happen right now. 🙁 I don't even think our yard is that large...it just takes for freakin ever for some reason. We have a lot of trees, but they shouldn't be a problem since they're reasonably spaced out.
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Cub Cadet is like the BMW of the lawn mower world (or at least used to be). I've heard quality has slipped but price hasn't...
 
Zenmervolt said:
I was too young to think to really investigate it at the time. Looking through some parts manuals online later though, it looks like it was a planetary gearset in front of the traditional transmission with the shuttle lever controlling the brake bands for the planetary set. Pretty nifty little arrangement.

When using the lever it didn't hook up that quickly but it could chirp the tires on cement if I selected 4th and dumped the clutch with the lever already set to forward. Not bad for a mower from back when a 14hp Briggs single was common power for a higher-end garden tractor. I remember that dad was not terribly amused with me leaving lawnmower-sized tire marks on his driveway.

ZV
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:biggrin:

"Turf saver" tires make such a squawking noise on pavement. It's like recording the sound of a red fox mating and slowing it down to 1/5 speed and playing through a large loudspeaker capable of enormous (bass) output...


pontifex said:
she knows about everything. i am convinced she is an AI or something.
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I had to pay for my ipads if that tells you anything...
 
Rubycon said:
:biggrin:

"Turf saver" tires make such a squawking noise on pavement. It's like recording the sound of a red fox mating and slowing it down to 1/5 speed and playing through a large loudspeaker capable of enormous (bass) output...




I had to pay for my ipads if that tells you anything...
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hmm...she buys apple products, maybe she isn't so smart after all? 😉
 
edro said:
lolwut
Cub Cadet is middle grade residential.
It is more like a Chevy.
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You missed the "used to be" part.

Way back in the day, Cub Cadet was International Harvester's small tractor line, but MTD bought them in 1981. For quite a while, MTD simply left Cub Cadet as an independent subsidiary and most of the IH designs simply continued with no real difference. It wasn't until about the early 90s when MTD started to get really aggressive about bringing Cub Cadet into step with the rest of their line.

You're right that current Cub Cadet models are middling at best though.

ZV
 
I went cheap, REAL cheap and got one of these, http://www.weedeaterone.com/ already had to repair the steering and adjust the shifter right out of the box. Thing vibrates like all hell, has that "cheap" feel all over. 3 year warranty but it's $50 for pick-up-return service, unless you enjoy working on mowers stay away..
 
BUTCH1 said:
I went cheap, REAL cheap and got one of these, http://www.weedeaterone.com/ already had to repair the steering and adjust the shifter right out of the box. Thing vibrates like all hell, has that "cheap" feel all over. 3 year warranty but it's $50 for pick-up-return service, unless you enjoy working on mowers stay away..
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Looks like it would be pretty unstoppable with a triple-red-shell power-up.
 
Zenmervolt said:
Toro is a very high-end brand and Wheelhorse models were essentially miniature commercial-duty machines. They were WELL above the quality of anything currently manufactured by MTD.

EDIT: I'm thinking of the 80's and early 90's Wheelhorse and Toro brands, not the 2007 and later models after Toro outsourced to MTD.

ZV
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My Wheelhorse/Toro 269h is awesome. Cast iron front axle, Kohler motor, solid steel frame. Can't beat it.....
 
BUTCH1 said:
I went cheap, REAL cheap and got one of these, http://www.weedeaterone.com/ already had to repair the steering and adjust the shifter right out of the box. Thing vibrates like all hell, has that "cheap" feel all over. 3 year warranty but it's $50 for pick-up-return service, unless you enjoy working on mowers stay away..
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For some reason, that looks like it's fun to ride :^D Looks narrow. I'd likely tip it on my hills.
 
I have a Simplicity Broadmoor with a 52" deck to mow my nearly three acres. American made, built basically better than the MTD types at the big box stores. It has a "floating deck" which works pretty well. It's not commercial grade (which can have faster blade speed by law) or zero turn, but it's turning radius is pretty tight, like 18", I believe. I have a lot of trees to go around, and I manage.

I no pudendum swinging, material mistress of the universe type like dear Rubycon. 😉 There are times when I wish I had a commercial grade, zero turn Exmark or Gravely, sure. You spend more, you get more. What I got I felt was a reasonable trade off for what I need, and was willing to spend.
 
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curious, are landscapers about $25 a week where you have larger lawns? We live on 100x80'ish lots (half house, half lawn) around here and that's how much they charge just for mowing.
 
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