Advise on buying equipment

[MJ]

I'm looking for advise. I want to start lawn care next summer. Talked to a John Deere dealer today who offered me a Walker he'd taken in trade for about the same as a JD 166. I think a 42". He'll put a new 20hp unit in it. I realize neither is ideal, but it's what I can afford for a start up. He'll provide service either way, though I doubt the Walker would have much of a warranty. Told me he would provide a loaner if I needed for the Walker. It just seems to me I'd be better off with a 4 yr old Walker than a new home owner LT. Any opinions?

Thanks,
Mick

[BIG D]

Why would the Walker not be ideal? Its one on the best machines made. Don't even think about the Junk Deere. Not for commercial use. I would think the walker would be ideal. I wouldn't worry about the warranty in the commercial industry not much comes out on warranty.

[Eric ELM]

I would get the Walker too. It has to be better than that homeowner JD. If he will give you a loaner if the Walker breaks down, it seems like a good deal especially with a new motor on it. Walker gets my vote of those two.

[guntruck]

I must agree with them two, go with the walker if not you may be very sorry.

Rich

[Davis TLC]

Go with the Walker, the cut will be much better than the homeowner JD. Plus the productivity of the Walker will be far greater than the JD.

[DMC300]

Are these your only choices?If so i would not pass up the walker for a J.D..Please make sure this mower will be serviced unbiasly by the J.D.dealer as he promised.If not you could have an unpleasent /expensive first year.Not that many of us did'nt,but that's why you're asking...

[MJ]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, I would expect that he'll make good on his promises of service. We're totally rural where I live in Maine and we live or die by our reputation. One unkept promise gets spread like fire and can put you out of business.

Mick

[osc]

The only problem I have with the Walker is the 42" deck. Mowing is all about cutting grass quickly. Walkers are slow and with it only cutting 42" per swipe, you are going to be all day on a few residential accounts. 150 dollar days on that machine will be maxing out time and speed and daylight.

My advice is to get atleast a 52" deck. That is 10" more and it is still small enough to mow small yards without looking rediculous or scalping. I have a brand spankin' new 48" belt drive wb that never ever comes out of the barn. I've used it once. We have 5-61" mowers and the 48 costs me money in time and labor every time I look at it. the 61's will do evrything a small mower will do, only much faster.

As a matter of fact, the 48" will probably go up for sale in the on the used equipment forum for 1,200 bucks. It has a 14.5 Kawasaki and that is plenty of power on that unit.

OSC

[Edited by osc on 01-09-2001 at 07:42 AM]

[Greenkeepers]

Follow everyones advice here. Of those choices, definately go with the walker. Just make sure that the dealer is going to service the unit for you. Walkers are good machines and much better that a homeowner unit.

[MJ]

Thanks. That was why I wanted as many opinions as possible. One thing I'm finding is that a new guy can avoid a lot of mistake by paying attention here. I have already. Another I hadn't even thought of was getting that big of a deck (big to me). Makes a lot of sense though and clearly would pay for itself in productivity. Like most people, I'm just used to taking what comes with it from the store. Have to change my thinking. Would a 20hp be enough for a 50"+ deck? Or should maybe get a 26? I already know enough to pay attn to the brand as well as the hp.

Thanks for all the advise.
Mick

[MOW ED]

I started with a Toro Lawn tractor and burned it up in 1 season. Trans, steering, tires. This was doing less than half the work I did the next year with the Walker.

I'm just repeating the above, dont get a lawn tractor for commercial work, no matter how much you cut.
Good Luck

[BIG D]

I see a post that reads a Walker is slow? Maybe if you are mulching or using a side discharge. I am not saying they are the fastest. Ground speed is slower than a lot of belly mount mowers, true. There is a speed up kit available. Where you make up your time is not having to stop and unload your catcher as much. If you spend a lot of time behind a walkbehind now you'll know what I'm talking about. Walkers are known for their grass handling ability and quality of cut, not speed. It is much better than what most people start with. If you buy it keep an extra set of belts with you at all times!!!

[Runner]

If you're preparing to ENTER the industry, then prepare yourself with something that's BUILT for the industry. Go with the Walker, or any other quality COMMERCIAL unit you can get ahold of. Just make sure it's mechanically sound. The Walker probably will be.

[Fantasy Lawns]

on the bigger deck (52 or 54) your going to wish you had at least a 25hp ...but I'll say the 42" GHS at 20hp is a great mower

[lbmd1]

Mick,
You didn't say about how much you would be spending for this unit, or how much you are willing to pay to get into lawn care. Where in central Maine are you located? I used to live in Portland many years ago. They have just opened up a Turf Depot somewhere there. I suggest you travel down there and check it out. They carry only commercial units, Exmark, Toro, Scag, etc.. I do alot of business with their parts department in Nashua ,NH. There are VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE! They are usually pretty competetive on mower pricing. You might be able to pick up a Toro 48-52" compact ZTR from them for around the $5400 range with a full warranty. Also if you have any questions about Walkers, ask Brian C. from Ideal Landscaping. He's located in the Portland area as well. He may be of some help. Also, I'm located only 45 minutes south of Portland on the NH seacoast. MY dealer is tax free and is great about demos and loaners. Good luck.


Mike

[65hoss]

Find the exmark dealer!

[MJ]

Thanks, Mike and 65hoss. I wasn't really given a price. That dealer sells JDs and said he'd sell me a used Walker for about the price of a new LT 166. He was making that point that the JD wasn't the better choice for commercial use. A new 166 is listed on sale at $3279 with a 48" deck. Mike, I'm from Palermo - half way between Augusta and Belfast. I'm going to check on the Turf Depot. I had done some checking for an Exmark dealer and none in Maine that I found. There's a Walker dealer up the road from me about 1/2 mi. Just sells them from his home as far as I know - I'd never thought to ask if he can service them.

Mick

[cut-rite]

Mick, call me about this I am from Belfast, and I have 2 walkers for sale . even if your not interested in mine I may be able to help with info- have owned 8 of them.B.T.W. there is an Exmark dealer in Bangor 207 338 0892 brad

[LJ lawn]

i think the first thing you want to ask yourself is what kind of lawns do i mow? or have in the area? big? small? residential/commercial? do you want to collect the grass or side discharge it? i'm sure you get tons of leaves to clean in the fall.i use a walker and a toro z and a 32" wb.so i have all the bases covered.i have different mowers for different applications.but if i had to buy just one,i'd go with the walker.but i'd find a diesel oneif i could.a little heavier,but tremendous fuel savings.

[jkinchla]

I liked the comment about tax-free NH, that is a great thing. I have been buying equipment out of state to avoid sales tax, and I have even gone to Quebec to cash in on the exchange rate. With NAFTA you can get most products manufactured in North America across the border for no tariff. I suggest you look into that a bit if you want to maybe save some money and get more for your $$. Good luck.

[Mowman]

MICK,
DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND BUY THE WALKER. I KNOW WHAT IT IS STARTING OUT WITH LITTLE OR NO CASH FLOW. I BOUGHT A USED WALKER LAST JUNE AND HAVE NOT BEEN SORRY YET. THEY ARE GREAT MACHINES. I HAVE A MT-54 W/20HP KOLHER. I PAID $3650.00 FOR IT. IF YOU GET THE LAWN TRACTOR YOU WILL BE LIMITED TO WHAT YOU CAN BID ON. LARGER JOBS WILL BE NO PROBLEM WITH THE WALKER. IF THE DEALER WILL GIVE YOU A LOANER IF YOURS IS IN THE SHOP THAT'S ALSO A BIG +. SINCE OWNING THE WALKER I WOULD BUY ANOTHER ONE.
IF YOUR MOWING LARGE AREAS 3ACRES+ THEN MAYBE A DIXIE OR EXMARK WOULD BE A BETTER CHOICE. IT'S ALL IN WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE.
GOOD LUCK,
Mowman

[MJ]

Thanks, everyone. I think I'm going to limit anything to less than 3 acres, so probably the Walker would be best. Also, as buying in NH would be great except that Maine takes a very dim view of that. So much so, that there is a space on the state tax return to declare stuff bought out of state and pay tax on. Up till last year, unless you specifically showed on the tax return that you didn't buy anything out of state, then the state automatically taxed you for NH purchases based on a percentage of your income. If you said you didn't and they could show that you had bought something from NH then you paid penalties, tax and interest. How many others have to put up with this? God can't even help you if you bring something back from Canada without declaring it. (meant to be "tongue in cheek" - no blaspemy intended). Read in the paper one time about a woman who had her engagement ring confiscated until she could prove it had been bought in the US.

Anyway, thanks for all the great help. CutRite - I'm going to call you to look at those Walkers.

Mick

[slabpile]

Walker work great in Maine. i have had mine for three yrs. neaver been disappointed. go to union farm they will do you right and if you do have a problem they take care of you right away. have a friend who is buy new and selling old if you are intersted email at slabpile@gwi.net. by the way in in waldoboro

[MJ]

Thanks. Slabpile welcome to the forum. I just emailed you, too.

I wonder how many on here don't know what a slabpile is?


Mick

[slabpile]

It's a road- dirt road!!

[lbmd1]

Bet alot of them haven't been to Moody's Diner either!

Mike

( Slabpile, our family has a summer place in Chamberlain)