Riding mower recommendations
#6552902
06/10/19 07:51 PM
06/10/19 07:51 PM
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 10,407 Northeast Oklahoma
Mike in A-town
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 10,407
Northeast Oklahoma
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My father-in-law passed away in May and my mother-in-law is facing a serious health crisis herself. So taking care of her yard has fallen to me. She wants to buy a new riding mower and asked me to look into getting a good one.
The yard is 1-2 acres out in the country. And aside from the ditch in the front yard the terrain is pretty flat. Most of the consumer models sold at Lowe's, Home Depot, etc... strike me as cheap junk. I'm thinking it needs to be a higher end consumer model or a smaller commercial model. I'm not worried too much about bells/whistles/creature comforts. It needs to be something reliable and not flimsy.
I looked at the Bad Boy mowers and I think they would be great. But that might be a little more than she wants to spend. And I've seen John Deere recommended on here before... But with the caveat that it should be one of their higher end models.
Any advice on models to look at or avoid completely would be appreciated.
Mike
One man with a gun may control 100 others who have none.
Vladimir Lenin
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Re: Riding mower recommendations
[Re: Mike in A-town]
#6553044
06/10/19 10:42 PM
06/10/19 10:42 PM
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,494 Garden,Michigan
Buck (Zandra)
trapper
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trapper
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,494
Garden,Michigan
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I have the D105(at least that's what they call them now),the cheapest mower that Deere makes at $1500.We have 5 acres,not all 5 are mowed but probably 3 of it is.I bought it 10 yrs .ago and it runs great,never had it in the shop.Here in northern Michigan we mow from May to around the middle of October,2-3 times a week,then we put it up for the winter.This past spring I took it out of the shed,found I forgot to disconnect the battery in the fall.For $$its and grins I choked it and turned the key and away it went like I drove it off the showroom floor.After 10 yrs. of use I was a little surprised it took off like it did to tell the truth,but like I said it hasn't let me down yet.
Last edited by Buck (Zandra); 06/10/19 10:49 PM. Reason: change
Buck(formely known as Zandra)
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Re: Riding mower recommendations
[Re: Mike in A-town]
#6553106
06/11/19 01:01 AM
06/11/19 01:01 AM
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,588 SE Minnesota
dustytinner
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,588
SE Minnesota
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I have a JD z445 zero turn. Bought it used 8 years ago have had issues with the deck support u- bracket breaking at the corners, I had a new one made and I welded gussets in the corners and has been good. I mow 2 acres very similar to what you described in 1hr 18 minutes. I would also look at a used Graevely. More commercial made .
Life member Minnesota Trappers Association FTA,Sportsmen's Alliance
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Re: Riding mower recommendations
[Re: Mike in A-town]
#6553107
06/11/19 01:10 AM
06/11/19 01:10 AM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,041 USA MN
Snowpa
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,041
USA MN
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I have an X590 JD my recommendation is not one of those its 25 HP and not overpowered 54 inch deck {cheapest I have owned } When not mowing deck only raises a couple maybe 3 inches .Hydro seems noisy and every once in a while the motor will smoke when you start it up for a short time . JD says normal.
Never Confuse Stupid With Crazy
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Re: Riding mower recommendations
[Re: LDW]
#6553142
06/11/19 06:46 AM
06/11/19 06:46 AM
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 14,922 Greene County,Virginia
run
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 14,922
Greene County,Virginia
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Ferris zero turn. Has coil over shocks on all 4 corners for a very smooth ride. Definitely get a zero turn, you will cut mowing time in half. All things considered, make sure you have a dealer fairly close. Stay away from stuff in the big box stores. X2 I don't have experience with Ferris. But I love z-turn .
wanna be goat farmer.
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Re: Riding mower recommendations
[Re: Mike in A-town]
#6553144
06/11/19 06:52 AM
06/11/19 06:52 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,891 Pa
Wright Brothers
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,891
Pa
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I'd like to have a listing of all models made by mtd so I can shop the others.
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Re: Riding mower recommendations
[Re: Mike in A-town]
#6553224
06/11/19 08:57 AM
06/11/19 08:57 AM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 23,851 New Hampshire
Nessmuck
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 23,851
New Hampshire
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I bought a Husquarvana 42 inch cut last year with my Beaver Bucks.....1500.00 and pulls my 250 lbs up hills ...no problem.
It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.
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Re: Riding mower recommendations
[Re: Mike in A-town]
#6553293
06/11/19 10:56 AM
06/11/19 10:56 AM
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,986 Shenandoah County, VA
l1ranger
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,986
Shenandoah County, VA
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i've been running a cub cadet lawn tractor for 6 years with no issues.
its a 54" deck with a 24 hp kohler under the hood - it was more or less, their top of the line consumer model at the time.
Josh
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Re: Riding mower recommendations
[Re: Mike in A-town]
#6553303
06/11/19 11:24 AM
06/11/19 11:24 AM
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Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 913 North Carolina
DaYooper14
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trapper
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 913
North Carolina
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Bobcat crz on my 3 acres of mowing. Tough little bugger and the added robustness is helpful for when the neighbors kids get enlisted while I'm off hunting.
-- It seems all of Greece knows what is the right thing to do, but it is only the Spartans that do anything about it. --
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Re: Riding mower recommendations
[Re: ~ADC~]
#6553329
06/11/19 12:25 PM
06/11/19 12:25 PM
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 10,407 Northeast Oklahoma
Mike in A-town
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 10,407
Northeast Oklahoma
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Look into lawn mowing folks in your area. Its way cheaper often times than you think. She could likely pay someone to mow her lawn for much less money than a good new mower for the rest of her life and you would have more free time. In fact sell your mower and do the same. $.02 What's free time? Lol Mike
One man with a gun may control 100 others who have none.
Vladimir Lenin
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