New here - Buying a mower tomorrow - need advice

[Lawn-Scapes]

Hi all...

I just found this site and glad I did! I'll go into detail about myself another day. Right now I need some mower buying advice. I'm leaning toward a 60" LazerZ. I stopped to check out a Grasshopper today and was impressed. But... The 61" deck won't fit in my trailer and it was $500 more. I can modify (cut) my trailer to fit it but it's a little inconvenient. The attractive thing about the Grasshopper was the financing... 7.25%. The Lazer is 14%.

The prices:

Lazer - $6999
Grasshopper $7500

My questions:

Are these prices negotiable?
What's the mark up on these things?
Would I be equally happy with either of these machines?

Thanks,

[John DiMartino]

How much you putting down?At 14% interest the exmaerk will kill you in the pocket.That is the one I would want,but go out and get your own loan,save at least 4%,then compaer the #'s and see which is the better value,and factor in the dealers distance ,and service dept too,if you dont do your own work.

[65hoss]

eXmark:blob3: eXmark:blob3: eXmark

I have the Lazer HP and love it. The quality of cut is awesome. The machine is very high quality.

[lawnboy82]

i dont think that you can do much of a deal on these things. maybe if you go and buy a couple of them you can work something out. but the guys who i work for, they make 5 % on their machine sales. a turf tiger that sells for 10,000 they make 500 off of. however when you sell a couple of them a week it isnt that bad. you probably are better off goin to a bank or whatever. and if you want to negotiate i would say buy a good amount of other stuff too.

[CLARKE]

I just two words and here there are DIXIE CHOPPER,
Bought 1 last year and a nother this year. the nicer the
lawn looks the more lawns you get, thats just the way
it is.I love my choppers. CLARKE.....:cool:

[wuli60]

Go with the Grasshopper! Pricing is always negotiable! Would figure the margin in mowers(depending on where you are located)to be similar to a new car-say 10%...
Not sure which model of Grasshopper you are looking at but anyone of them (with the possible exception of the 928) will hold a 52 inch deck and it will work supper, without time loss, on most every job and fit on your trailer! On anything in the one to two acre range the 52 will save you time!
The new series deck grsshopper-now has- is a killer...Pay the extra money for the flip up deck and hydrolic lift...YOU WILL NOT BE DISSAPPOINTED!!!:blob3:

[wuli60]

I guess the old saying,"different strokes for different folks," has to apply to this machine but I have yet to see one that will dress turf the way a Grasshopper will do with its blade speed!!!

[Keith]

Get the Exmark. I have a Grasshopper and a Kees ZTMax (almost an Exmark). The Grasshopper is a more complicated machine. The Kubota engine is top notch, but the pulley/powershaft/driveshaft/gearbox system eats power and cost more $ to maintain. Compare this to replacing a belt only. Grasshoppers are well built, I won't argue that. But the dealer/distributor and ultimately Grasshopper hung me out to dry in 1997. Their support sucks! I urge you to use the search feature on this board before you buy.

As far as the high financing rate, thats up to the dealer. Transamerica and Sheffield both offer better rates than that. Don't believe everything the dealer tells you. Exmark doesn't finance, it's up to the dealer to let you know about the deals. Check here http://www.exmark.com/ez-buy.htm

[Lawn-Scapes]

Thanks for the replies guys.

The Grasshopper I am looking at is the 225-61 midmount deck. The Lazer is the LZ60.

If I go with a smaller Grasshopper (52") will the 10" difference in deck size be huge in regard to cutting time? Should I get the optional 25hp Kohler over the 20hp Kohler for a 52" deck?

If I went with the Lazer... Should I go with a 23hp Kawasaki or a 25hp Kohler?

Thanks again!

[Island Lawn]

eXmark w/ kaw

[TLS]

Go with the Lazer with the 23 Kawi. Go to your local bank and get a home equity loan. Or just wait till you have the money to pay cash $7000 isn't all that much when the moneys flowin in! BTW is that $6999 for a Kawi or Kohler? Sounds like a good price!

A Dixie probably will not fit on his trailer either. A 60" Lazer deck is 61.5" overall width. A Dixie is a lot wider than that.

Good Luck.

[swn]

I can not comment on the Exmark- I have limited experience with these. But I have grasshoppers and love them. All of mine have the decks outfront. I have a 48", 52", and a 61". I do think there is quit a bit of difference in the 52" and the 61", but their is quite of bit horsepower difference as well. The 52" has an 18 hp and the 61" has a 25 hp, both kohlers. I stopped at my dealers yesterday and tried the 225 with 61" deck that you are talking about. I thought it was great.

[awm]

i guess i owe it to exmark to give their machine my vote.
mine is 5 yrs old and has superior cut with little problems of any kind.i havnt tried the others but can tel you the exmark lazer is a real good mower. later