My new Mini Fastrak!

[EC-Rider]

Just bought my new Mini Fastrak a few weeks ago!
The cut quality is awsome! The ride is fun! I've only used it three time and can't wait for summer to have more fun. :blob3:
Although a home owner's machine, this thing is build tough! I looked at everything from Snapper, Dixie Chopper, Scag, John Deere and everything else in between, with the 36" GHS Walker a close second.
The difference was not so much the price, but the dealer, Gautreaux's Lawn Care. They are great, honest, very helpful. :angel:
We service and repair all kinds of equipment including large and small commercial grass cutting equipment so I know the difference in build, problems,and issues, believe me, everyone has some.

Hustler has a great product and nothing to be ashamed of, in fact I wish the name "Hustler" was out in front and sides so people would stop asking me who makes it and I could keep on Z-riding! LOL!. :waving:

[CottonPatch]

Just bought my new Mini Fastrak a few weeks ago!
The cut quality is awsome! The ride is fun! I've only used it three time and can't wait for summer to have more fun. :blob3:
Although a home owner's machine, this thing is build tough! I looked at everything from Snapper, Dixie Chopper, Scag, John Deere and everything else in between, with the 36" GHS Walker a close second.
The difference was not so much the price, but the dealer, Gautreaux's Lawn Care. They are great, honest, very helpful. :angel:
We service and repair all kinds of equipment including large and small commercial grass cutting equipment so I know the difference in build, problems,and issues, believe me, everyone has some.

Hustler has a great product and nothing to be ashamed of, in fact I wish the name "Hustler" was out in front and sides so people would stop asking me who makes it and I could keep on Z-riding! LOL!. :waving:

Congratulations and welcome to the Hustler family. If I could get all my dealers to be like the Gautreaux's, I would not have to work nearly as hard. Keep us posted in the future how the mower is doing and spread the word in LaPlace.

[CottonPatch]

Congratulations and welcome to the Hustler family. If all my dealers were like the Gautreauxs, I would have a lot easier job. Thank you for purcahsing a Huslter and spread the word in Laplace. We have a warehouse full of Fastaks to sell.

[EC-Rider]

It looks like a good strong family to me! LOL! :cool:

CottonPatch, your warehouse full of fastraks should diminish considerably this summer. Frankly, other than the Hydro-units it could easily pass for a full commercial unit and the cut is just as good as and even better than a lot of them. I got the bagger with mine and the cut looks much better then my neighbor’s who gets his professionally cut with a large commercial ZTR. :p

I do realize that a lot has to do with sharp blades, clean deck (for better suction) etc. which is why I insist on doing it myself and enjoying it for as long as I can.
I see a many large residential homes and commercial areas with a lot of nook and crannies where a smaller machine would be perfect, and at the fastrack speed it would be fast! Which might explain why Gravely, Dixie, Walker, etc. are all coming out with smaller decks in their lineup?

I have seen commercial units not build as well as these. Moreover, machines are like humans (sort of) in that a human can get a new heart and keep on ticking, but when you get old you can't get a new body! LOL! Like wise if an engine or hydro goes out you can just replace and keep going, that is, if you’ve a good body and Hustlers do! :cool2:

Which would lead me to the inevitable question, how hard would it be to replace them with commercial type units?
I plan on getting a acre or two a few years form now, and it may get used a lot more since I may not want to trade up for a bigger unit because there may be a lot of nooks, obstacles, gates, etc. and trees to squeeze around.

[CottonPatch]

These pumps have at least an 800 hour rating on them. So even if you expand your property, you should be fine. Just check with the Gaurteaux's and schedule periodic maintenance on the machine. It will be well worth it in the future. Keep turning their heads in Laplace and send some customers on over to Gonzales. If you have any problems whatsover, please do not hesitate to let me know. Once again thank you for the business.

[dagrel42]

How much do you mow and how fast can you mow with the mini fastrak. I am interested in purchasing a ZTR this spring/summer and have approximately 1.75 acres to cut with numerous trees, etc. I have a John Deere 42 inch riding mower and it takes about 3-3.5 hrs. to mow. I would be very happy if I could cut the time in half.

[Gautreaux's LNG]

We sure appreciate the nice words and we're glad you're enjoying your new FasTrak!

You know where we are if you need us!

[Advance The Man]

I would suggest a 52" cut. You have a large yard and think a mini, although would be faster than what you have now, would still be a chore. 3.5 hour! too long. You need a ZTR!

How much do you mow and how fast can you mow with the mini fastrak. I am interested in purchasing a ZTR this spring/summer and have approximately 1.75 acres to cut with numerous trees, etc. I have a John Deere 42 inch riding mower and it takes about 3-3.5 hrs. to mow. I would be very happy if I could cut the time in half.

[mowerconsultant]

How much do you mow and how fast can you mow with the mini fastrak. I am interested in purchasing a ZTR this spring/summer and have approximately 1.75 acres to cut with numerous trees, etc. I have a John Deere 42 inch riding mower and it takes about 3-3.5 hrs. to mow. I would be very happy if I could cut the time in half.

If you went with the 42" Mini FasTrak, you would easily cut about 45 minutes to a hour off your time, the maneuverability of the zero turn mower is going to free up a lot of your time!

Pj

[dagrel42]

Thank you for your reply! I agree, that much time is toooooo long to spend on a mower and I certainly intent to look at the Hustler fastrack line as a dealer is only about 5-6 miles away.

[tn mac]

I cut 2.2 acres with 52 inch ZTR 30 mins,at my house,good luck with the new mower.

[EC-Rider]

How much do you mow and how fast can you mow with the mini fastrak. I am interested in purchasing a ZTR this spring/summer and have approximately 1.75 acres to cut with numerous trees, etc. I have a John Deere 42 inch riding mower and it takes about 3-3.5 hrs. to mow. I would be very happy if I could cut the time in half.

I had a John Deere 42" also that I bought last August and got rid of after my last cut of the season. No offence to John Deere, it never gave me any trouble, but there's no comparison in cut quality (which is my main concern) and the speed is at least twice as fast for me since I have a gate, and trees planted close together, plus other landscaping obstacles to navigate. Just for comparison on what you save on time, with the Deere you have to press a switch when you want to go in reverse without disengaging the PTO, and if you forget, which I did, it died! Not with the Fastrak! :nono:
Trees?? You just hug all around them no going back and forth…That’s more like a chore I would say…With the Fastrak it’s all fun! :D
I could not help but to go on the street and give it full throttle just to see all that my baby had, and it was like riding a go Kart! :blob2:
Even my son was interested…He wouldn’t go near the Deere…I guess he was afraid I might have told him to cut the grass with it! LOL! :nono:

Why did I get the Deer? Well, I almost passed out after cutting with a walk mower in the middle of the day (no choice either it rained everyday here, at four, for over a month! LOL!). I did not want a cheap home unit since I know better, (check out this link http://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/garden.html) and the only half way decent quality dealer in my town is Deer. They are better suited for a straight no obstacles area. This time around I took my time and test-drove many brand mowers and the Hustler had the most quality for the money and the better features. For example, I really liked the Walker, but to adjust the deck height you’ve got to get out and change four pins on the deck, and only in half-inch increments! :nono:
With the Fastrak I just press the foot pedal and drop one pin (quarter or half) from my seat! Now that’s smart for a commercial like unit! :gunsfirin

Last word of advice, measure the tightest spots you have to get through and choose the largest deck you can get away with. If in doubt choose smaller or get out the push mower…Huff! :drinkup:

[Gautreaux's LNG]

for 1.75 acres I would recommend the 44" FasTrak or the 42" MiniFasTrak. The size of the deck is not everything. The speed and manuerverability of a ZTR will save you a plenty of time.

The 44" would probably cut your time in half. The 42", like mentioned before would save you about an hour.

Of course I wouldn't talk you out of the 52" FasTrak... if you insisted!! :D

Good luck and Happy shopping!

[EC-Rider]

We sure appreciate the nice words and we're glad you're enjoying your new FasTrak!

You know where we are if you need us!


I only speak the truth…LOL! :angel:

I will be sure to stop by and get an extra set of the high lift blades like the ones you brought over to me last time, and the extra blade that I forgot for my Remax stick edger. It also works great! :drinkup:
I guess I was too exited with the toy replica of the Hustler Mini-Z you guys gave me and I forgot it! LOL! :waving:

[dagrel42]

Thanks for all the replies. Yes, the John Deere I have has that darn reverse switch which does hinder mowing but have recently defeated it by bypassing the cutoff. I also have a mulch only deck which works fine for most of my yard although my back yard gets really thick and I have to really slow down to cut it in areas. Having three relatively large dogs in the back yard doesn't help things much (lots of fertilizer). I was considering either the Fastrak 44 or the Minifastrak 42 as I have a gate to go through which wouldn't currently allow a larger mower (although that could certainly be changed if necessary). However, price point also enters the equation and larger mowers = more expense. I feel that the ability to turn much easier and faster will really reduce my mowing time considerably as I probably have around 40-50 trees of which most are 10- 30 inches in diameter. While the John Deere (LT 155) has been a rather dependable mower, I feel like I have been doing some heavy exercise by the time I finish the yard with all the turning I need to do around the trees, obstacles, etc. as well as the time I have to sit on the mower and absorb the pounding over uneven ground. Would I actually be able to mow at close to full speed with either of these mowers in areas which are not too thick and how do the fastrak/minifastrak ride at this speed? I see that the mini comes with the suspension seat and is optional on the Fastrak. Most of my yard is flat although small bumps/depressions are occasionally present. I also have a sloped area near the road (about 25 feet across) which I mow with the John Deere and I have read that the Hustlers appear to do well on slopes due to their lower center of gravity. I would be very happy to be able to mow in 1.5 to 2.0 hrs. Again, all replies/input are very much appreciated as nothing can beat actual experience with a piece of equipment.

[EC-Rider]

Humm…Sounds like the 44” FasTrak will easily meet that goal. payup

According to the deck size = productivity chart 1.5 to 2.0 should be attainable. ..Oh yeah I forgot how much trouble and tiring it is to steer without power steering! :nono: LOL!

With the FasTrak, just one easy lever pull gives you a smooth quick turn, no jerking or hesitation, after an hour you’ll know the difference.
With a 52” it just might be all it takes! :gunsfirin LOL!
May not even need the suspension seat or arm rests, although always an option in case you want to go one more round for joy! :blob1: LOL!

Might have to enlarge the gate thou…The lower center of gravity will definitely come in handy on the incline…I find that alone less tiring, much like riding a road bike vs. a recumbent bike, were you peddle with you feet up, while your back is in a recline position… gotta watch out for those crazy motorist though! :eek: LOL!

As for the thick grass, if you’re lucky and find a dealer like Gautreaux’s he’ll thro in the mulching blades and let you see which works best for you, high lift or mulch. On my first cut, the ground was soaked with recent rain and I side discharged the grass with the mulch blades into smithereens as though they were dry! :gunsfirin LOL!
But then again I said there was no comparison in cut with the Deere...Maybe it’s the commercial like blade tip speed??

Best of luck with your decision, like in any other investment, it pays to do your own research.

Regards,

EC-Rider :waving: