Rank these mowers

[lawnkid]

Please rank these 3 mowers:

2002 Exmark Turf Tracer HP 52"
w/17hp pull start Kaw

2002 Great Dane Scamper 52"
w/17 hp pull start Kaw

2002 Scag SWZ 52"
w/17 hp pull start Kaw

I'm getting pretty serious about buying a new mower but I'm stuck on these three. The one I buy will also include a swivel sulky from mowerSulky. The only thing holding me down is my parents, cause they think my current mower is fine. The only one I've been able to demo is the Great dane and it did a great job. The Scag dealer runs demoes through 3 states so it's kinda hard to get one and the Exmark dealer hasn't emailed me back yet from an email I sent like 2 weeks ago. Give me your thoughts about them. (Advantages and Disadvantages)

[marley]

I don't know about great dane or scag but I do own a exmark 48 inch hydro viking that is in it's fourth season and it is indestructable / super dependable. Could not be happier with it's performance and durabilty. I have a friend who owns a 2001 52 inch turf tracer, same story.

[LAWNGODFATHER]

So if your mower is just fine why buy another?

[leeslawncare]

I've got a 52"tracer hydro an i love it !it's a 99 model .i don't know much about the other brands but they are all good

[dlandscaping]

First off your comparing a floating deck exmark with fixed decks of other machines. Scag offers floating but gd doesnt. How big are your 14 accounts. Seem a little small to have a $5000 machine going. I had always thought bigger is better but unless your really going to be using the machine all day every day after school or w/e than you should wait on getting something else.

[SLS]

I cannot comment on the Scag or Great Dane as I've never owned one.

But I did purchase a 2002 Exmark Turf Tracer 36" with a 15 hp Kawasaki and ECS Controls last tuesday. It also has a Jungle Jim velky. It is simply AWESOME! Powerful, and stripes nicely.

....now if I can only learn to drive it better and faster! :blush:


This is my first commercial walkbehind (hence the need for practice time) and I bought it for very small lawns and for gated situations. I bought a 2001 Lazer Z last spring (60" w/ 23 Kaw.) and absolutely love that machine but found myself turning away potential work due to small size of lawns and gates.

I decided to stick with Exmark due to the quality and dependability exhibited by the Lazer and because I really appreciate my dealer. Yep, I'm 'spoiled' on Exmark now.

I hope I can get the hang of operating the walkbehind as quickly as I did the ZTR. In 'position 6' the Turf Tracer really covers some ground...6.5 mph, or so says the manual. I believe it too.

[mklawnman]

Well lets see here, first off what is your current mower? If it is running fine and is efficent enough for your business and making you decent money then keep the machine you have for a few more years.
Since yoru only 14 and going to school, i suggest saying to your parents that with a new faster mower you can get done quicker than say a garden tractor which means you can get to that homework that your parents want you to focus on:D That may help.
Im only 19, and have been fortunate enough to have my dad help me in my business that i havent had to pay for a mower by myself, just pitch in some money for it, and pay him back later when i go off on my own. I too go to school and with my brothers help now and two ZTR mowers, Tiger and SWZ it has gone alot faster. My vote is for SWZ, dealer told me its the best selling Walkbehind Hydro, have a 52inch 17Kaw stripes great, pulls us around nicely, built to last.
Good Luck
Matt(lawnman)

[lawnkid]

LawnGodfather,

The reason I'd like to buy a new mower is several things. The mower has a lot of hours on it, track adjustment is screwed up, engine is too weak for tall grass, cut quallity is starting to deteriorate and it it really costing a lot to fix it so y not just buy a new one that will last the next five years at least. They think my mower is fine but they don't know how bad it really is.

dlandscaping,

My lawns are mostly from 15,000 to 30,000 sq. ft. so they are pretty big but they are no pastures. The thing is a lot of people don't want a rider on they're nice lawns so... I also don't have the financing for one.

mklawnman,

The mower has been sold two times so far and really needs replacing. I mean it runs ok but should be a lot better.
I have always loved the Scag SWZ but I'm wanting to try something different. Well I might change my mind after a demo with the Scag and Exmark which I haven't done yet but I plan to do this week , and go with the Scag afterall. I see a lot of SWZ's on trailers around here. Don't see too many Scampers but I see a lot of Chariots and surfers around but i still don't see any Exmarks at all.

[gene gls]

lawnkid:

I would recommend an electric start on anything over a 14HP.

Gene

[LAWNGODFATHER]

What kind of mower do you have now? Be specific.

Now most all those mowers run about $5k or so.

Do you really want to spend that on a mower just yet?

Would a small ZTR be better?

Would a lower cost belt drive work?

Can you justify a new mower?

Can you pay cash for it?

How do you transport it?

How well do you do maintenance?

What are you really looking for in a mower?

[lawnkid]

LGF,
Currently I run a 1996 Scag SWZ w/14hp Kaw., with like 800 hours, a single wheel velke, and a plastic catcher,
Well I'd like to get a reliable mower for the next couple years befroe college and maybe even use it through college. A small ZTR would be better but they are more expensive. A belt would work but I can afford a Hydro and they are better for the lawns I do. I;ve used a hydro before on the lawns and it doesn't work very well. Currently I am financed for a new mower with cash that has been collected over like 2 summers. Currently my transportation is my mower riding in the strret to the accounts. I'm too young to drive yet. I must doa a pretty good job if i have people calling me from the next street over asking when I can do their lawn when i limit my work to my street only because of transportation. What i'mm looking for basically in a mower is cut quallity, (in like tall grass and wet grass and overall) mower that stripes well, strong engine, easy to operate, and well built.
Thanks for the comments guys, keepum coming.

[Kent Lawns]

My vote of for the TTHP 52/17
Spend the $200 for the Electric Start on those cold October mornings.

[lawnkid]

I've never really thought about this but can an electric start mower start by a pull start if the electric start is not working one day or do you have to fix it before starting it again.. Another question is if 17hp would be enough hp to run doubles on? Really curious how much better they are than singles.
Thanks for the posts

[1stclasslawns]

Kid,

I like to encourage young people to get out and get it, go for it, I wish I had never taken a full time job I would be better off now if I had mowed for the last 20 years! And yes I know the value of excellant equipment.

However, 800 hours is not even half worn out! If that kawasaki won't last another 800 hours then shame on you for not taking care of it. as for the repairs just what is going wrong? For a few hundred dollars you can rebuild what you have got except the engine and transmission. The reason I am saying this is to keep you out of debt. Fix what you have and save for the new machine.

I needed a walk behind to do some hills with that are too steep for my Great Dane Z so I traded a 97 model 42" cub cadet for a 95 model 48" john deere gear drive walk behind, Yes I would have liked to loaded up a brand new w/b but I didn't want to go into debt any more.

If as you mention "not enough power for wet tall grass" then you need to mow more often and you will make more money for your new machine faster.

BTW my 48" jd w/b cuts wet heavt grass better then my 61" 25 hp great dane. It is the deck design.


jim

[LAWNGODFATHER]

Exmark kid!!!!!

get the electric start also.

[little green guy]

My vote is for scag

I have had 2 exmarks belt drives and can't say anything bad about them, I have a lazer, it's a great machinbe and would never buy a scag rider. I never used a great dane walkbehind but have put alot of time on a surfer. All of them are good companies. But I have a 52" scag hydro and that thing is indestructible. I woudn't buy the exmark 52" because of the floating deck, I hate those stupid things.

The next walkbehind i buy will most likly be another scag 52" hydro. Oh yah, I wouldn't get the electric start, it's so much eaiear to just pull the rope than deal with dead batteries or lose wires. Those 17 kawi's aren't hard to pull and they usually fire pretty quickly.