Need input on equipment .....

[Scott Campbell]

Hi guys, my name is Scott Campbell and I have just become a member. I have been reading the site over the past few days and I am very impressed at the layout and the communication that Lawnsite delivers. I would like to bounce some questions off of you if I could.

I am interested in feedback on some equipment that I am looking to purchase. I am new to the commercial mowing, but I am not new to the residential mowing. I currently use a 13hp 42" Dixon ztr(along with a an 8N w/5' deck at home on 9 acres). I am now ready to buy an additional ztr, I prefer to stay with the mid mount's in the 20 to 27 hp range(Liquid Cooled if I can get it) and with 52" to 61" decks. I have looked at Scag's TT, Grasshopper's 200 & 300 series, Dixie Chopper, Snapper's pro cruiser zm2501kh, MTD's mmz25560, Dixon 7025 and the BobCat 200 series.

I have been on the Dixon, Scag and the BobCat. The others I have not run. I am unsure of the joystick on the Snapper, I am unsure of the MTD from performance (mfg bias, I guess). The Grasshopper I know nothing of their mids.

I have been trying over the last few days to go over previous discussions to find some of this info. I am sure that you have probably covered it before to some extent, but on the ones I did find there were some equipment names that I am not familiar with. At least not around my area. I am located in East Central Indiana, and I thought that maybe some of the ones I read aren't readily available around here.

Like the Lexmark, Lazer, Lesco and so on. I believe these are some of the names. Some maybe strictly wb, others may be both wb & ztr. That is why I am asking.

Any input on the ones mentioned would be of great help.

Thanks for your time.

Scott

 

[Skookum]

Scott,

Maybe you should take a trip to Indy and look at Toro and Exmark (Lazer). Are you able to get the free Indiana Auto & RV weekly mag? It is full of rural dealers as well as a few in Fort Wayne and Muncie. I have a Indy Phone book if you would like some phone numbers for dealers there. I deal with the Mower Shop on the North East side just off hwy 69.

Is there someway I might know you? Your name is awfully familier. I am originally from Indy but have lived in Lafayette for last 15 years. Did you go to school in Indy?

 

[LWNMWRMN]

Go out of you way to look at the Exmark LZ27LKA604, awsome machine.Check out exmark online for a dealer locater.

 

[Scott Campbell]

Hey Scott,

Thanks for the reply.

I will go out and pick up one of the RV mags tomorrow. That is one of the few that I have not been looking at.(mostly wheels & deals, and the local papers) I take it you do not care for any of the other equipment that I mentioned before. I was concentrating on equipment that I knew had local serviceability. Maybe these others do too, and I just haven't turned down the right country road yet.

Are the Toro and Exmark that much better than the others? If so, in your opinion what makes them that way?

You may or may not know me, I didn't go to school in Indy though. I graduated from a county school down from where I live. I did work in Indy for about 10yrs on the North side(Fishers) and the East side (Post Rd).

Since you are living up in West Lafayette I thought I would let you know, that I never played football in W Lafayette either. (I get that sometimes too.)

Thanks,
Scott

 

[Eric ELM]

Scott, If you go to the middle link on my signiture, I have a whole page of topics that you can just click on and read thousands of posts that have been posted here on Lawnsite. Each of those machines you mentioned are on this list. Just click on the brand name and it takes you to threads on that brand and there are 66 topics there now.

After reading, demo the ones you think you would like to possibly purchase. If your going to do this for many years, get a good ZTR and as wide as you can use on your properites.

If you want to talk to other owners about their mowers, I have 3 chat rooms on my website. All you have to do it have AOL Instant Messenger to access them and that can be downloaded on my site too. It's free to download and use.

BTW everyone, I'm glad to see you are using the Search pages I did. There is also one for the Snow Forum too.

Eric

 

[Scott Campbell]

Thanks Eric. Your links have made for some very interesting reading over the past few hours. I am so glad that I found this site.

Appreciate all the help

Scott

 

[Skookum]

Scott

I just mentioned the Toro line because you did not. I do use Toro mowers and I like them alot. If you have never tried Toro's T-bar steering, you should before you buy a walk behind of any kind.

Exmark is owned by Toro now, so they are starting to mix and exchange components on their new models. Both companies are big in the green industry and have great reputations. I just wanted to make sure you did not over look them since they are available around here in Indiana.

As to knowing you, sounds not likley, huh, but is strange. I grew up and ran around all of the east side around post road. My family owns a Lumber Yard in Cumberland. I went to Warren Central, just off of post road on 16th. Anyway, name was real familier.

But, do check out that Auto & R.V., I know I have seen dealers for both Exmark and Toro over on your side of the state. Also my offer still stands if you need a few dealers numbers in Indy.

Good Luck

 

[Scott Campbell]

Skookum thanks for the info. I am heading up to Anderson today to have a look at some Exmarks. Now that I have seen their web site, I remember seeing them before. It was very early on when I was considering an upgrade, and I didn't realize who the mfg was.

Hey, I will drop out another question while I am thinking of it. Do any of the higher end mid's have additional attachments like aerators, rakes, blades and such? I know most of the front mounts do, but I still think I am going towards a mid. Also are the mountable aerators worth the money, or are stand alone units better?

Thanks,

Scott

 

[Eric ELM]

JRCo makes front Rakes and Aerators for mid mounts. I use the front mount rake on my Dixie Choppers and you can get snow blades and snow blowers for them too. I read on some other post that some company makes after market snow blades for Exmark.

I use a pull behind Lesco/Classen spit axle aerator which I feel is one that would last for many years the way it's built.

 

[Scott Campbell]

Eric, how much did the pull behind aerator run? Also, how do you adjust the depth, add-on weights, adjustable wheels...? I have never seriously looked at aerating, in my own case, but I know that it is big for others. Especially in town. My mother-in-law pays about $75 a pop for someone to do her yard, she has less than a 1/3 acre. If they get that kind of money for just aerating, then it is another piece of equipment that I want to consider. If, the additional equipment isn't to outlandish in cost.

Like with the ztr's, I want to start off as right as I can in the equipment area. Even if it costs a little extra up-front. I want to bring exceptional quality with my work, not just quantity of clients being done.