[4curbappeal]

You may be right?????????? I am very much into quality of cut. If my lawns don't look great, then I don't get any new customers. My area is very oversaturated with lawn care companies. It is very cut-throat as is Orlando, Lake Mary and many areas in central Florida. Check out the Husler sight here on lawnsight. The Mini-Z is a very good machine especially on bahia and st. augustine.

 

[Pumper]

I understand what you are wanting to do, I am just not sure about the Enforcer being the right model. I would suggest either the Pup from Bad Boy or the Silver Eagle from Dixie Chopper. Both are the entry level commercial machines from their suppliers. Both have commerical decks and both have commercial drive systems (pumps and motors) rather than the integrated systems used on the big box store models.

One thing to think about as far as warranty, I think most list a time frame AND an hour limit, whichever is met first. Like the warranty for your car, 3 year or 36,000 miles. You may want to check this out before you assume it will be covered for both years.

 

[All_Toro_4ME]

If thats the case then my point of view is I want to own them for 2 years only as it will have about 2000 hrs by then, I mean what good is a $9000 toro with 2000 hrs in 2 years from now.

Wow!! I can't believe you would ask this. Toro's along with other comm equipment hold their value VERY well. You would still be able to sell it and get an extremely nice return on that investment. Take a look on eBay. You'll see what I'm talking about.

 

[All_Toro_4ME]

I am not trying to be cheap here as money isnt even an issue.

I can buy a $9000 mower, 2 years later it has 2000 hrs, warranty is done for and then im here having to pay for breakdowns after the 2 years are up.

Or I buy a $4400 mower, 2 years later it has 2000 hrs, 2 years later with the money I saved I could buy another new ztr under warranty again.

All I care is that it lasts 2 years and nothing more, Ok so maybe a "cheaper" ztr will break down after 1000 hrs... well thats one of the questions, isnt it under warranty? Sure belts and stuff like that are not, but they aernt in the $9k machines either.

Costs are part of the business. You have to account for them. They happen. And a warranty is not going to "save you" from repairs like you might think. The warranty is there for defects on the manufactures side, not from wear and tear and abuse from employees. You need to look at other areas to cut costs and reduce overhead instead of trying to half a$$ on your equipment.

 

[DoetschOutdoor]

Why dont you look around for a barely used ztr that someone bought and doesnt need? Find one that a guy bought and put 20 hours on this year and still has a 2 year warranty. Or just search around until the dealers have left over models and will discount them. I hope the yards are smooth and easy if you are planning on getting one of those small bouncy ztr's bc I dont think it would be fun. Like everyone else has said, a hydro walk behind will be just as fast on 1/8 acre yards but it is your money.

 

[privatelawn]

I know expenses are part of the business, I could go and buy every crew an f450 and a diesel ztr but do they need those?

Around here almost nobody has walk behinds mowing the same 1/8 acres, when im in a subdivision theres 10 other lcos in it also mowing. I run my business as a business with everything decaled up and employees uniformed.

Now my trucks are black, the enclosed trailers will be black, the enforcer is black would look nice and its also one of the lowest priced. Ive read alot of threads about the enforcer and seemed like it worked good for them.

I dont mow jungles but I do mow alot of houses per day though they are 1/8 acre so maybe im still abusing the machine less then 1 who mowes 5 acre properties. Ive looked at the exmarks, theres a 19hp for $5999, brand may be better but price is $1600 more with less HP.

If everyone thinks I need $8k machines then thats what I might end up getting as thats the reason for this thread.

 

[privatelawn]

Just bought my second 2004 f150 supercrew a few days ago.

My setups are simple, black f150, small black 7x14 enclosed, 52" ztr, 1 blower, 2 trimmers 1 edger 1 22" toro and 2 guys per truck.

 

[cutbetterthanyou]

Ive been doing this for 1 year, now have a bit over 100 accounts, im planning ahead for next year with hopes on adding 2 more crews.

A $4400 machine split in 2 years is only $2200 a year, after that the machine is either garbage or a backup machine or sold, either way $2200 per year is no big deal. Any amount is probably no big deal but yet all I want is to use machines up through warranty and get rid of them after that.

If 2200 is no big deal then why don't you buy the 9K mower and in 2 years sell it for about 4K. Leving you 2500 a year invested. I am sure you can get 3-4 out of a 2K hour mower that is 2 years old. Then you don't have to worry about it being in the shop more than what it is on your trailer. I have exmark lazers and they are broke enough i can't really see a lower class mowers will hold up very well. I also have all black trucks and tralier, but your comment on the wb was it was to hot, think of how hot black mowers must be.

 

[topsites]

Oh now I get it, you're one of those guys sits in the office all day never actually has to handle the stuff in the field...

I think you should stand out there with a string trimmer sometime on a 98 degree day under full sun after you're done driving the black truck and make sure to wear all that black stuff too, at least try it so you can see how that stuff boils you up.

I've never tried it, the only time I wear black is when it's chilly outside (below 60 but really 40 degrees) because even then I can FEEL the heat from the sun thou at that time it usually feels good. I can only imagine what that has got to feel like on a hot day, omg I only think to myself that must feel like murderously hot.

I really wish you guys would think about the implications before the cosmetics, more so when your workers are concerned.
You want to get more work done then make the workers comfortable, at least don't go out of your way not to.
Yet another reason I don't work for someone else anymore.

 

[privatelawn]

Yeah I actually googled a few times before I bought my black trucks to find out if black trucks are hotter then white, after a few hours of reason a few scintific test and stuff it seemed like black trucks dont really get hotter, thought about the ztr's also.

I currently have a toro with 2300 hrs, the last few weeks I had to spend about $1500 on it. I dont know all that much about machines thats why I ask and read. After reading a few threads about the enforcer I was almost convinced it is a decent machine yet almost nobody uses 1, but even say HUSTLER machines, a search for them on ebay or craigslist find almost nothing so worldwide there not used much so I couldent let that just influence it all.

I dont mind the idea of buying expensive equipment and reselling it after 2 years only that it would seem much simpler to not worry about the resell price, after 2 years maybe it looks like junk. That and I pay for everything cash so more cash on hand right now means more to spend elsewere like advertising.

If 2200 is no big deal then why don't you buy the 9K mower and in 2 years sell it for about 4K. Leving you 2500 a year invested. I am sure you can get 3-4 out of a 2K hour mower that is 2 years old. Then you don't have to worry about it being in the shop more than what it is on your trailer. I have exmark lazers and they are broke enough i can't really see a lower class mowers will hold up very well. I also have all black trucks and tralier, but your comment on the wb was it was to hot, think of how hot black mowers must be.

 

[privatelawn]

This year I have been the one out there everyday, I use 2 part time guys, 1 at a time most the time, they normally work about 20 hrs each I am out there 40 hrs. I wont wear black out there

Oh now I get it, you're one of those guys sits in the office all day never actually has to handle the stuff in the field...

I think you should stand out there with a string trimmer sometime on a 98 degree day under full sun after you're done driving the black truck and make sure to wear all that black stuff too, at least try it so you can see how that stuff boils you up.

I've never tried it, the only time I wear black is when it's chilly outside (below 60 but really 40 degrees) because even then I can FEEL the heat from the sun thou at that time it usually feels good. I can only imagine what that has got to feel like on a hot day, omg I only think to myself that must feel like murderously hot.

I really wish you guys would think about the implications before the cosmetics, more so when your workers are concerned.
You want to get more work done then make the workers comfortable, at least don't go out of your way not to.
Yet another reason I don't work for someone else anymore.

 

[privatelawn]

By the way if I didnt care about the employees id get them walk behinds as I wont be on the second crew myself.

 

[petekief]

i wouldn't buy cheap - especially with employees - whatever it is it will get torn up - i have cub and Lesco commercial mowers and like them - that price sounds like the homeowner series - i don't think it would hold up - if i had lots and lots of small lots (1/8) i would get a stander - jump on cut - jump off trim, blow, whatever - jump on - git - quick - nimble - fast - small

 

[jbell113]

Trying to compare ztr prices on ebay as manufacturer websites dont have prices, was looking for decent sized deck size, So far for the cheapest ive found cub cadet 48" enforcer 21 hp kawasaki engine for $4399, I think the 44" is just a bit cheaper but the extra 4" are probably worth it.

My business plan, a crew of 2 has 1 ztr and its ran about 1000 hrs a year, warranty is 2 years so I figure if I buy cheaper priced ztr after warranty is over I can pretty much just give them away.

Whats the downside to the cheaper machines? I mean there under warranty so fixing them shouldent be a concern? I see speed is 1 downside but 95% of my customers are 1/8 acre lots so I probably dont need speed yet id take it if price isnt that much more.

I rarely ever see a cub cadet being used.

The extra 4" is not worth it especially on 1/8 acre props. I have the 44" and I also used A 52" in the past. I like the 44" cuz it gets through more gates. I dont know why but down here in Ga. fence installers like 46" gates. Thats why I went from a 52" to a 44" ztr. I use ztr's on every yard I have.

 

[ed2hess]

Wright Sentar Sport 36" with 18HP Kaw and Rapid Height will do the trick for you....it will last two years and the warranty is pretty good. Same parts even has 3 years on it.....unit has seat or standing.

 

[adrianrog]

Privatelawn,

If you'd made up your mind, why'd you ask? 20 people can't be wrong, but you're going to buy one anyway.

 

[2k1yzfr1]

This year I have gone the opposite direction....I bought my guys a Exmark TTHP in a 48" and a 36" (both with mulch kits) and those have been the most efficent best cutting mowers I have ever owned. The 52" Toro Z sits in the trailer until 1/2 acre + yards anything smaller than that the 48" walkbehind (with a velkie) will run circles around any Z. I don't give a damn about a warranty more importantly how fast a dealer can get the mower back in service.

 

[jbannick18]

You may be right?????????? I am very much into quality of cut. If my lawns don't look great, then I don't get any new customers. My area is very oversaturated with lawn care companies. It is very cut-throat as is Orlando, Lake Mary and many areas in central Florida. Check out the Husler sight here on lawnsight. The Mini-Z is a very good machine especially on bahia and st. augustine.

Off topic but every where you turn in orlando there are lawn care businesses ><. I'd say go with a toro ztr.