Quinstar

[yardboyltd]

Anyone own, operate, or seen a Quinstar mower? Thoughts of cut and reliability and overall machine? I'm looking to purchase one used.

I doubt many of you have even heard of them. They use to be made in Quinter, KS but now are in CAN. Two series Lawn Sport is residential and Lawn Pro is well pro.

[Dochere]

Is there a web site?

[vipermanz]

sounds weird

[yardboyltd]

http://www.mtnia.com/cpm/Quinstar.html

I've decided to buy it,$2300 ($4600 new) It's the Lawn Sport(residential) but only has 300 hrs. Front deck, Folds up. The ZTR is small and only has a 16hp twin vanguard w/ OHV and pressurized lube. I've heard of these engines lasting twice as long as the Kohler Commands on this site.

This mower will allow me to step up my business image and cut time in half mowing. There about only 4 lawn co.'s with ZTRs. 98% of customer won't the difference between this machine and a good commercial mower. The mower will last me long enough till I can buy a commercial Z new when I need it.

[Guido]

I like the fold up deck, but it doesn't look like the machine will hold up to commercial abuse.

I know you already made your decesion, so I won't bust your chops about the mower, just wanna say one thing.

Make sure you OVERmaintain this piece of equipment. If you take extra good care of it and keep up a preventitive maintenance program on it you should be able to turn over 3 times what you paid for it and get you a commercial grade "Z".

Good Luck with it!

[yardboyltd]

Your right guido. I knew this machine wasn't meant for commercial use before I looked at it. 11 gauge deck... I plan on making a maitnence sheet with hours and checklist(oil, blades, grease, deck clean, etc.) The engine will most likely will outlast the mower by double. I'll just baby it and I bet it will last as long as I need it. (2 years max.)

Basically my reasoning for getting this is I wanted to cut my mowing time, because I do lots of turning around and going around trees and the rider takes for ever. Plus I couldn't see spending $4000+ for a good used commercial ZTR if I really didn't have a need for it. I have just enough cash for this mower.

If I get as many yards as I have proposed I should be able to afford a nice WB next spring then be able to buy a nice Z by the end of the year.

P.S. This mower you feel like your sitting on the ground practically. It also doesn't have the bulky solidness I've felt on big comm. Z's.

[vipermanz]

Good luck with it!! Give us results and info

[Richard Martin]

yardboyltd wrote:
................................
I've heard of these engines lasting twice as long as the Kohler Commands on this site.
................................

This is the first I've heard of this! While it may be true that some of the 25 Kohlers did have a problem with head gaskets and lifter rap I haven't heard anyone saying that the engines blew up or wore out prematurely. Heck, Eric has one that has almost 4,000 hours on it. A friend of mine has a 12.5 Kohler that is over 11 years old and is still going strong doing commercial work.

[yardboyltd]

I got the info doing a search on Vanguards.

It's late tonight, but tomorrow I'll post the topics I read the other night. I recall one post had a few replies that said the vanguards were getting 5000hrs. A few others had said they got under 3000hrs on the commands. I know it's very possible to out last that, but have you ever looked at eric's maitnence page? I bet few out there take has good of care as he does. I plan to maintain just as much to keep my goin' :)

Maybe they meant the magnums which I hear when it hits 2000 it's usually limping.

[yardboyltd]

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14724&highlight=vanguard

Read the end of the above post, especially the last half. When I first got introduced to commercial mowing, I thought the same thing of BS from my expierence with their small hp motors on mowers and my team's racing kart(Cheap engine class, blew a motor ever other week). Now I've ridden some buddie's mowers and searched here and have new opinion.

Theres a couple more. You can read more by searching for vanguard.

[KirbysLawn]

I would not even consider a used no-name mower. Why not buy a used Scag, BobCat, or Lesco walkbehind with velkie? When I first started I bought mine for $1500 and used it until I could afford a ZTR, then I sold it for $1200. Used walkbehinds are fairly easy to find. Good luck finding parts if you ever need them, keep up posted if you decide to buy it.

[vipermanz]

yea, what he said

[Richard Martin]

yardboyltd wrote:
................................
Read the end of the above post, especially the last half.
................................

It is well know on this website that John DiMartino doesn't like Kohlers.

Read the thread entitled "2000 Hour Club" for a bunch of testimonials about how long a Kohler will last.

[yardboyltd]

I've bought it, getting it tomorrow. Paying Cash with all the mowing money I saved into a 5% percent interest account.

Richard, I know Kohlers are good engines and BS outlasting may be wrong. Oh well, does it really matter if their is a Kohler or BS on there? I don't need online testimonials to tell me, the Kohler, which an option on practically any commercial ZTR is a good lasting motor. I only plan to use this until I can afford a better commercial ZTR. Calculate how many hours I'd have to put on this machine at $ an hour till I'd have enough for a new commercial ZTR...

I think it will last as long as I need it.

Kirby I looked for wb's. I haven't EVER seen a bobcat, lesco, or scag dealer. I know all the serious lawn mowing co'.s in town and most of their equipment. I hit up several and most wanted more than what it was worth. Plus I'd be restricted to JD and Toro for good local dealer support if I wanted to buy out of town.

Your right about the parts. I can get anything for the motor next day of course. Most regular replacement parts are available in two days. Anything big like body parts, deck, and parts specifically made for the mower has to come from canda. 9 days... I don't plan on something serious happening(knock on wood)but my mechanic has had good expiernce with them for the last decade.

[KirbysLawn]

So you are saying you have no Scag, Lesco, or BobCat dealer but you have a Quinstar dealer? http://cwm.ffrepublic.com/s/cwm/cwm/uhoh2.gif What are the odds of that? What's wrong with Toro?

Heck I see good walkbehinds on Ebay all the time, there are 6 right now. Again, I really hope it works out since you have already bought it, I just would not have done it myself. Sorta like buying a Yugo....:confused:

[vipermanz]

Originally posted by KirbysLawn
So you are saying you have no Scag, Lesco, or BobCat dealer? Sorta like buying a Yugo....:confused:


Man That's Good!!

[65hoss]

Good luck, I really hope you don't regret it. I bought a commercial w/b that I regreted afterwards. Its just not as good as others. I realized within a month I should have bought exmark first instead of the encore. I learned a lesson, but it cost me $2800 to learn it.

[mowingmachine]

Quinstar stopped making machines a couple of years ago. They use to always be down at the show in Louisville. They also use to make front mount ZTR's for the Swisher company. They seem to be a little on the light duty side for commercial work. That is just from observation though. I have not actually seen one mow or seen the results after hours of use.

mowingmachine

[vipermanz]

How's Your Quasar Today>?

[yardboyltd]

I don't think I have Quasar, if you mean one of those stellar bodies that gives off immense amounts of radiation and waves.
I don't have the Quinstar either, yet, if that's what you meant.

Kirby, I haven't even seen a scag, bobcat or lesco anything except bobcat skidsteers(website says nearest dealer is 90 miles). When the mowers were made close to me regionally, no doubt they're going to have dealers close to me regionally. Brand density of mowers is all regional, kind of like farm tractors. On our family farm in West Ill. everthing in the county was international. Go East you see JD everywhere. Go south, Case.

I think the purchase will work out. I've done my homework, I've talked to several people on opinions. In fact my Toro dealer(the former quinstar dealer also. He was looking for used wb's for me on the market) is the one who suggested I go look at it when he heard it was for sale. I calculate the risks precisely before any capital is invested. (I'd never buy a Yugo, I own a nice 69 firebird that paid for myself at 12)

Sometimes you have to risk more to gain more... Not even that big of a risk but it seems you think it is more risky compared to buying some scag walkbehind off of ebay 800 miles away that I can't even test drive from some guy I can't even see or believe. Not to mention the nearest scag dealer according to their website is 72 miles away and don't know his reputation for their work. If this mower doesn't work out, so what, it's a part of business and you have to learn to cope with it if you want to get anywhere.

Trust me if you lived in SE KS. in a small town, same business situation, you'd(if you were smart) be doing the same thing.

[KirbysLawn]

Trust me if you lived in SE KS. in a small town, same business situation, you'd(if you were smart) be doing the same thing.

No I wouldn't. The nearest BobCat dealer is 90 miles away and the Scag dealer is 72 miles away, big deal that's an hour or so drive. How far away is the nearest Quinstar dealer?

[vipermanz]

when do you get it?

[Max]

We were a Quinstar dealer here in Marshalltown, Iowa when they were made in Quinter KS. We are still a dealer for the Regent manufactured by Buhler Manufacturing in Canada. We still have a 1850 PRO in stock that was made in KS. It on sale for $6000.00, List for $6950.00. We do stock a few parts and have been able to get what we've needed from Buhler. Hope this will anwser some of your questions.

Max @ Country Pine Mowers

[jkelly]

just bought a Quinstar 14 ls like yardboyltd. Anybody have any info on this puppy? Like what to put in it for hydraulic fluid?
Thanks
jk