[Helger Services]

Has anyone heard the rumors of the Exmark Staris stand-on mower being silently phased out of production due to poor sales? I've heard that Exmark fired the designer/engineer who designed the machine and are going to debut a new stand on at the Green Industry Expo in October.

I personally did a week long demo of the Staris and returned it on day three because I hated the entire machine from overall design, controls, operator comfort, safeties and cut quality. The dealer then asked me if I liked the Staris and would I be trading in my Vantage for the Staris and I laughed in their face.

I've run Exmark for the last 20 years and the Staris has been the worst mower they've debuted in a long time in my opinion. Anyone else heard these rumors or have experience with the Staris?

 

[douglee25]

Haven't heard that personally. The Staris is for sure the ugliest mower I've seen in several decades and I haven't seen one being in the field.

 

[Scott87]

So I have a 48" staris and have been pretty happy with it, over 400 hpurs on it. I like the controls, ergonomics and balance of it. The QOC is something I chase every day and I think my problems are with the short blades on the 48". I like how all the hydraulic line are solid and not rubber. I know they are not selling well around here and someone with some good negotiating skills could get one for a good price.
My guess is the cover will be redesigned so it doesn't look like something from the original BattleStar Galatica series and if they can get the platform you stand on to fold up completely so it can be used better as a walk behind that B nice.

 

[buttaluv]

I did hear there would be a new model next year

 

[Church2224]

I have seen and used the new prototype in person. A company in our area is demoing them to get the kinks out of the system and my dealer had one in the back the other day when I went to pick up a turf tracer


It basically looks like a red Wright stander x. Awesome machine for what it is.

 

[douglee25]

I have seen and used the new prototype in person. A company in our area is demoing them to get the kinks out of the system and my dealer had one in the back the other day when I went to pick up a turf tracer

It basically looks like a red Wright stander x. Awesome machine for what it is.

Any pics??

 

[grass man 11]

I have seen and used the new prototype in person. A company in our area is demoing them to get the kinks out of the system and my dealer had one in the back the other day when I went to pick up a turf tracer

It basically looks like a red Wright stander x. Awesome machine for what it is.

I also heard this, I'm on the demo list They don't have plans at this time to do the 36"

 

[SS Lawn Care]

It's funny that Exmark would let the designer/engineer run through the whole process of a bad design all the way down to the production and sales of the machine before saying, wait your fired. Seems like the designer/engineers' boss needs to be fired as well.

 

[Scott87]

If the new model is a complete redesign then I would look for a different position for mounting the hydro pumps. Now they are mounted to the top of the motor and removing the motor shroud to clean out the cylinders is not a simple operation for routine maintanance. Any one know of any other mowers mounting the pumps this way? I wonder if the engines are even designed for this?

 

[tdipaul]

It doesn't sound right placing blame on the Engineer. The marketing dept is supposed to do research and find out what the market wants.

 

[milo]

Has anyone heard the rumors of the Exmark Staris stand-on mower being silently phased out of production due to poor sales? I've heard that Exmark fired the designer/engineer who designed the machine and are going to debut a new stand on at the Green Industry Expo in October.

I personally did a week long demo of the Staris and returned it on day three because I hated the entire machine from overall design, controls, operator comfort, safeties and cut quality. The dealer then asked me if I liked the Staris and would I be trading in my Vantage for the Staris and I laughed in their face.

I've run Exmark for the last 20 years and the Staris has been the worst mower they've debuted in a long time in my opinion. Anyone else heard these rumors or have experience with the Staris?

my dealer that sells almost every brand said to never buy one and Exmark DID fire the engineer that designed it. He worked there 20 years. He said they have like 6 flaws that are like recalls and they are just bad mowers. He said buy the grandstand or v ride if want a stander. I have been dealing with this dealer for over 20 years and I never heard him go off on how bad a product is.

 

[douglee25]

It doesn't sound right placing blame on the Engineer. The marketing dept is supposed to do research and find out what the market wants.

Unfortunately that's how the corporate world works. When the company culture doesn't truly allow 'mistakes', it becomes cut throat and they look for scapegoats.

 

[Turf Tracer]

Same thing happened to lead guy on the Metro 26

 

[Scott87]

If anyone at Exmark cares about their customer experiance please contact me. I'd like to know why I should ever by another Exmark product again. I have stated I'm very happy with my Staris but if its going to be dropped and known as one of the biggest mistakes a manufacture has made recently my Staris will be absolutely worthless. I paid $10,000 for this machine and with 400 hours I wont be able to sell it for $4000 after the product line is dropped and becomes a joke.

 

[Brucey]

How much is it worth now, without announcement of the line being ended?

 

[Scott87]

Probably less than $5000. This is my first large mower purchase, is this kind of depreciation normal?

 

[Turf Tracer]

Trade it for a Tracer.

most you kids running around on Standers would be better off w/a Walk anyway.

 

[douglee25]

Probably less than $5000. This is my first large mower purchase, is this kind of depreciation normal?

Yes, fairly normal after 1-2 years of ownership.

 

[grass man 11]

If anyone at Exmark cares about their customer experiance please contact me. I'd like to know why I should ever by another Exmark product again. I have stated I'm very happy with my Staris but if its going to be dropped and known as one of the biggest mistakes a manufacture has made recently my Staris will be absolutely worthless. I paid $10,000 for this machine and with 400 hours I wont be able to sell it for $4000 after the product line is dropped and becomes a joke.

your worried about the wrong thing. Never buy a mower thinking your going to sell it for X. You buy it with the plan of running it 80% though it's life expectancy, and sell it for $2000-3000. The guys buying$2000 mowers will not care.

 

[grass man 11]

Staris isn’t that new. It’s a few years old now. Manufacturers switch product lines every 4-6 years. Some times it minor changes. Sometimes it’s major changes. Ford switched their body style in 5 years.