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eXmark Vantage is HERE!!!!

51K views 143 replies 46 participants last post by  LawnGuy110 
#1 ·
Got the 48"/24HP model. Picked it up this afternoon. I'll be cutting with it tomorrow.

Likes -

Platform/pad are comfy.

Motor raises and lowers with the deck, lowering the CG for hills.

Platform flips and locks up for use as a WB.

Hydro filter is EASY to get at.

Outer spindle covers on the deck pop on and off with no screws.

Digital hourmeter is nice.

Electric PTO(hate the manual PTO on my TTHPs).

Top speed adjustment is nice.

Dislikes -

Deck lift springs could help out a little more.

No anti-scalp rollers anywhere. Why?

All the controls(pto, throttle, keyswitch) are tilted AWAY from the operator and are pretty awkward to get at.

eXmark could have easily adapted ECS controls to this mower. I don't particularly like the way the controls are now, having to switch hand position to go from forward to reverse on a wheel. I suppose I will get used to it, time will tell.

No canister air filter system. This is assnine on a commercial machine especially considering what it costs.

Overall I think this mower will speed up my residentials after I get used to using it, and it will be a nice addition to my fleet of mowers.

Do I think eXmark hit a home run, I dunno. I realize that they're owned by Toro, and it's basically a copy of the Grandstand with a few changes, but I think they could have made some extra improvements to the machine.

I'll add some pictures and reports on how well it cuts etc. in the next couple days. It will REALLY get a workout Thursday and Friday.
 
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#3 ·
Competing aginst exmark, I was scratching my head wondering why they did not use the ECS. I mean common that is thier "selling point" and they allready own the pattent. Its fine by me though. Makes them easy to sell aginst now.
 
#4 ·
No canister air filter system. This is assnine on a commercial machine especially considering what it costs.
The reasoning for this was that with it sticking up in the front it will get beat up and damaged which as a Wright dealer I will agree with. The canisters get beat to death up there. And on the Toro/Exmark machine it could hurt visibility a little....and would be worse if they added a guard high enough to protect it.
 
#5 ·
I guess that's a good point. The filtration system is improved over the slightly older Kawasakis.

I have cut one lawn so far. Good news it cuts great like any other eXmark. Its going to take time to get used to the controls. Its a natural progression to go from a walk behind to the Vantage and eXmark screwed up big time. ECS would have made this machine much more efficient and fingertip control afforded by the ECS would be much more controllable.
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#7 ·
Well forget about using this as a walk behind. There is zero traction on any sort of slope with no weight on the platform.

I'm still giving this thing a chance but my initial impression has me wondering if I made a mistake.
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#9 ·
I haven't looked closely at one. I've done a few more lawns and my opinion is improving. I think I will get used to the controls... Even so, from just glancing at the scag I really don't see where it would have a large advantage.

Ill keep giving my input on the vantage. I don't plan on switching to scag unless my dealer starts treating me like crap:)
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#10 ·
Well forget about using this as a walk behind. There is zero traction on any sort of slope with no weight on the platform.

I'm still giving this thing a chance but my initial impression has me wondering if I made a mistake.
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Are you talking about heading up/down a slope or across? I am waiting for my 48"/24hp GrandStand to arrive and was planning on some walk-behind slope work. Does it matter if you use less throttle?
 
#11 ·
Both up/down and across. Across is marginally better but they're both like driving on grease.
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#13 ·
Yeah I think that is my biggest complaint. The controls I will get used to, I'm already working them better. I was hoping this would take the place of my WB n some days. That's not happening.
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#15 ·
Wow I stopped in at a dealer yesterday and they happened to sell exmarks. They would not stop going on and on and on and on about how great the exmark standon was "its going to revolutionize the mowing industry" blah blah blah. Im a wright user and ive tried every other standon out there and none of them even come close to it. He was like ya this thing blows the wright away, so I asked how much hes used it and hes like oh yeah i put a good 5 minutes on it on our 500 sq ft patch of flat turf we got out back. So I was like ya you must of really put it to the test to be able to say its the greatest huh, he says oh yeah this thing is the best. So I guess my point is these exmark douchebags are going on about how great it is but in reality they dont know ****. I'll believe it when I see it. He did offer to let me "demo" it on their tiny peice of flat ground like thats going to give me a feel for it. I will be very surprised if it even comes close to even matching what a wright can do.

Oh yeah and there dropping wright for this revolutionary mower cause exmark doesnt want there consumers to have a better choice.
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#16 ·
Ok, I don't want this thread to turn into a pissing match. I'm just trying to give an objective review to help out anyone who may consider buying one.
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#18 ·
Just got mine today, 52/24. Picking it up in the morning!!!!!!

fiveoboy, what did you pay? Just curious how the prices differ from state to state. Mine was 7699.00 or 8211.99 out the door. Could have had the 48 300 bucks less
 
#22 ·
Guess I'll have to take some pics, my mulch kit won't be in till monday, but I'm to damn impatient to wait, so tomorrow I'm lettin it flyyyyyyyyy
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#23 ·
I am going to be demoing a 52" 24hp tomorrow. Several of you have stated you wished it came with the ECS. I am glad it doesn't. I've hit large rocks, etc. with my turf tracer and have been thrown off the sulky and the mower kept going. At least with ztr type controls it will go to neutral.
 
#24 ·
That makes no sense. If its in gear and you get tossed off, the opc levers pop open and the machine shuts off... Unless you have them bypassed.
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