[S man]

Question. Why is the snapper rear engine rider I want to get and the john deere L100 the same price? It seems like the jd is lower quality for it to be that cheap. Has anybody used one of these or know about the durability of it is?

 

[Itsgottobegreen]

Listen! please do yourself a big favor. Stop thinking about residental equipment. It just screams scrub. Go buy a 36" belt drive walkbehind.
I was 13 when I bought my first 48" belt drive. Two months later I had a 32" belt drive (still got it) By 16 I owned two standers. I am 20 now and have a dump truck, enclosed trailer, bobcat, compact tractor, etc. You will never get there by buying homeowner equipment. You will just keep replacing it every year. Commerical equipment just flat out cuts better, is faster and allows you to strip lawns.

$2500 is the price of a Snapper or a JD L100. Its almost the same price as a 36" eXmark Metro.

 

[S man]

Okay. How about this? http://toro.com/professional/lce/midsize/floatinggear/30316.html

I need some ideas. I want something that has a 32" or 36" deck floating belt walk behind so I can use a sulky. Any good ones to suggest? How much would that toro cost?

 

[ToroLandscaper]

I dont know how much thta one would cost (call and ask) but i do know that that would is ALOT better than a snapper or a jd. And you might want to go with a hydro if you plan on wanting to use a sulky. Trust me a hydro is worth the extra $$$ ask you parents if you go half if they will.

 

[S man]

hmmmn. The hydro is really worth it? I still have to buy a truck and bp blower. If I got a cheap truck and got the commercial w/b would that work?

 

[TClawn]

ok, whats more important to you, the ability to transport your stuff, or getting better stuff?

can you drive on your own now? if it's going to be a little while before you can, I would get the wb. if you can drive right now, then go with the truck, and let it make you money so you can buy the exmark.

 

[valleylawn79]

that john deere you are speaking about is the home depot model; not a true deere product. manufactured under contract with ayp or someone to compete in that price range with craftsmen; snapper ;murray ; mtd etc. these type units will not hold up in the commercial sector. they are made to cut grass one or 2 times a week.find you an indepenpendent dealer that sells commercial grade equipment; maybe a good walk behind or a used ztr. these mass merchandisers are thru with u when they get your money. there are some great finanacing programs out thyere to ease the $ of getting into a comercial grade peice of equipment.

 

[foggyjr5]

I wouldnt get either just stick with what you have and get a truck first.

 

[Shuter]

S man, due yourself a favor and listen to what people are saying. Someone may be telling you to go commercial due to lessens they learned. I have Toro walkbehinds and a Z- Turn. My new Z replaces a Toro Z I just sold. Find a good dealer and stick with commercial equipment. Developing a good relationship with a good dealer far out weighs saving some money at Home Depot.

 

[jgtxusa]

I agree with the boys. Commercial equipment all the way. Any one of these guys can outwork any residential machine, big or small deck, with a 36" walk behind. I personally run the scag 36" belt drive and have for two years. Started out on the john deere hydros and then bought toros with the tbar. Scag will outwork both of those. Good luck.

 

[Itsgottobegreen]

Ok good We got you thinking the right way.

Now you really don't need a floating deck on a 32" or 36". You are a young guy. So you can deal with a belt drive. Most of us started with belt drives. Hydros are nice. But not nessary. I have had both.
Now if you are considering a 32" or 36". Go with the 32". You will be able to get into any gate with it.
As for a sulky on a belt drive. My 32" eXmark metro tows me just fine on a velke single wheel. I weight 195 lbs and it has single drive belts. 36" models have two drive belts.

The fix deck toros and exmark metros are the same machine. Except the controls. The Toro T bar, the toro/exmark pistol grip, the eXmark ECS. I am slightly old school. So I like the pistol grip.

 

[S man]

I think that the rider would be better right now for me. I could drive it to neighborhood lawns, it would esier for me, and later I could get the good equipment. I don't have a hugh business and don't need big mowers. I'll wait and get a little more into this first. That's why I'm getting the snapper. Anyway, it's better than those ayp made jds.

 

[Itsgottobegreen]

I used to walk from job to job behind a walkbehind. Until I was 16. I never had a velke until a couple of weeks ago.

If you just get a sulky you can just ride from job to job.

A new walkbehind will allow you to expand your business. It will give a better cut and you will be done faster. Which gives makes you more $$ per hour.

A rider still makes you look like the neighborhood kid using his dad's machine.
The walk behind makes you look like you know what you are doing and are in this for the long run.
Its all about professional image. Remeber that!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[S man]

I got ya. My dad is the one that thinks a rider would be better right now. I might just get it and wait next year for the w/b. It would cut better with two or more small blades than the single blade deck. Hmmmn. What should I do? I want something good but how would I hook up my wagon that has to come with the w/b?

 

[Itsgottobegreen]

Get two rubber straps. The black heavy duty ones. Lay the trimmer across the front caster arms. And sit the blower on the deck cover. Then strap them down with the straps. Did it for years. Also since the walk behind has a 5 gallon tank you don't need haul a fuel can. So you don't need to pull the wagon any more.

If not you can fab a little hitch on the back of the machine. I had one on my 48" walk behind. I used it to tow my cart around when moving mulch. I just stood on the tow bar when driving around.

 

[john_incircuit]

I have a Toro Rider sitting in my backyard. The cut quality is very good, but to be honest, you look like a fool sitting on that machine and you waist a lot of time with the 3 way turns. Most small lawns can be cut faster with a 21.

There is a lot of experience on this board. Trust the folks that went through the learning curve.

John

 

[Gautreaux's LNG]

Probably millions of yards are cut with the walkbehinds yearly. Did it my self for a while. Don't over burden your self with over head. Start small and grow. After you have established your business the save the walkbehind for small places and get a rider. Like Darrall Waltrop says "sperence". These guys have been down this road already. Good Luck.

 

[S man]

Thanks for all the help and advice. I went to the dealer I think is very experinced and professional and looked at the proline midsize mower and started talking to a lady who I think is the owner's wife. We talked and looked at prices and then I asked her about the snapper machines and she said they sold ALL of their rear engine riders. :dizzy: I asked if some pros bought some of them and she didn't know. So, then I asked her about the difference with ease of going down the street with both (snapper and proline) and she said the w/b seemed harder to use like that. Then she had a idea and talked to the owner who then recommended a snapper ztr. It had a 18 hp briggs intek ohv and some really nice features. Iasked about waranties and durability and she said it would last through some commercial years. It really looked nice and at 3000 was a little more than the w/b. I wanted a rider from the beginning and think this or the other thing would be good right now.

She said also the toro is harder to work on and it did look akward to me standing behind it looking at the controls.

I'm taking my dad back and we will see what to get. Also they sell stihl and echo handhelds. Does stihl make a good bp blower?

 

[splatz100]

get a walk behind, how hard is that to understand. If you get the RER you will be looking into another mower once you get a handful of clients. If you buy the walk, that thing will last and it may become a back up. Dont even look at the ZTR ( I have a feeling it is this http://snapper.com/scrambler.html) I guess you can do what you want but there are pros here, and they all started somewhere like you.

 

[S man]

Right link. I just didn't like it and the owner reccomended the snapper ztr over the w/b. I am tired of walking and want something different. They said you could do lawns with the rer but when I get 30 or more they said to get the snapper ztr or the w/b. The ztr and w/b are the same price.