[Sean Adams]

Perfect timing....

Bryant from Ground Breakers, makers of the Gator Rator, has graciously offered their product for the new Give Away. Like all the other Give Aways you will need to participate in order to be elligible.

There are four questions you will need to answer. Here they are...

1. What type of midmount ZTR'S are you currently using?

2. What was you best day aerating (sq footage/ acreage) and what were you using?

3. What were the Pro's & Con's of the machine you used?

4. How will the GATOR RATOR benefit your operation?

In order to participate, we ask that you are at least 18 years of age or older and a U.S. citizen (shipping purposes).

The winner will be announced on May 17, 2004.

To see the actual prize and to learn more about the Gator Rator, be sure to visit !www.Gator-Rator.com for more details.

Thanks everyone and good luck

 

[bobwright007]

1) I am currently Using a Gravely 260Z
2) I have actually never used a aerating system on my yards. I am a new business slowly starting and trying to expand.
3) Like I said before i am a new business and i havent expanded that far into my different services, But i bet if i had used some sort of aerator other that the Gator Rator i probally wouldnt of been too pleased.
4) How will the gator rator benefit my operation you ask? Well thats easy to answer. I am a brand new business owner in the smal town of warrensburg Mo, and i am willing to do anything to make my lawn business the best in the area and possibly expand into other areas. ANd if that means going with gator rator as my official aerator than i will. It takes the best to be the best, and with the best zero turn aerator on the market i beleive that i can take my business to higher levels, By offering my customers quaity yet affordable, due to the time saved and money saved with the Gator Rator Zero Turn Aerator.

 

[Phishook]

1. We run three mid mount's, a 61" Great Dane, 50" Bunton, and a 60" Exmark.

2. My best day aerating was my worst day. I did 1 acre in about two hours. Most of my accounts are too big for a WB unit, so I decided to use a homemade thing with some bricks piled on top.

3. Pro's? Learning not to attempt to use it in public again. Con's? Pulling a rusty pile of junk around, with brick's piled on top.

4. The Gator Rator will help me and my customers by being able to aerate large properties in a reasonable time, at a reasonable price. The ability to switch it between machine's will help with scheduling.

Here's my old unit.

 

[TreffertLawnWrx]

Currently my primary and only unit is a 2003 lazer Z HP 23/52.

My best day was about 9 acres before my pull-behind 42" broke. I rented a unit locally to finish off the season.

The machine that I use is not adaquite for the larger types of properties that I serivce. First I had to manufacture a hitch system to be able to pull the aerator which is a negative. At every property I have to skillfully back the mower and aerator off the trailer wasteing valuable time let alone swearing up a storm when you are just about to the edge of the trailer and one of the pullbeind wheels goes off the side of the trailer (or is that just me ) and then more back and forth maneuvering! Finally to get both pieces off and then lug over the 50+ lbs worth of weight off the trailer mount it on the aerator which is always fun. Then when you finally get to where you need to start, get off the ol'e saddle and lift the wheel legs up while making sure my size 14's are not under any spoons (only me again ). then proceed to finally turn a porfit. So now that I have covered all the negatives, The one positive would be the relatively low cost of a sears aerator ($250) to go with my $20,000 truck, $5,000 plow, and 10,000 mower!

So with that in mind this awesome unit would benifit my company in its professional look and performance performance which means happier customers, which makes me happy, and being able to offer services to a wider range of clients!! After all this business is all about customer service!!

thank you, scott

 

[twins_lawn_care]

1. What type of midmount ZTR'S are you currently using?
Currently, we are not using any. No better reason to get one!

2. What was you best day aerating (sq footage/ acreage) and what were you using?
Our best aerating day was last fall, estimating about 65,000 sq ft using a Ryan Lawnaire IV. (ouch, still feeling it)

3. What were the Pro's & Con's of the machine you used?
pros- easy to use, and had no mechanical problems
cons- heavy to unload, and use on hills

4. How will the GATOR RATOR benefit your operation?
we could market and advertise to larger areas where before small residentials was all we could handle.

A GATOR RATOR would add a whole new dimension in what we could offer as a business. amount of square feet could go up, with the actual cost to do it go down. I guess you cannot ask for more with a product like this!

 

[Jimbo]

1. Scag Cub 52" 23HP Kawi
2. Approx 3 Acres in a day with Ryan Lawnaire 5. (I dont do many aerations because I am still renting the machine and its a hassle to rent them advertise and then get the rental in time).
3. Pro of machine were that it did a good job.
Only Cons were that it wore me out and it wasnt very wide.
4. Gator Rator would benefit me because I would then own a unit and wouldnt be dependent on local rental shops. I would get more done in less time and wouldnt be tired when I got home.

Wish me luck!
Jimbo

 

[timinkc]

1. john deere 757
2. not doing any
3. na
4. would alow me to offer more services, and compete with people who already do it.

 

[GLS]

1. John Deere 757 Z-Trak.

2. Don't currently do a lot of aerating. Have been renting or using cheapo pull behind core aerator. Would like to buy a nice commercial aerator or win this one

3. (cheap agri-fab tow behind core aerator) Pros: don't have to walk behind it. Cons: Not made well, have to add weight, pain to back up...

4. Gator Rator would allow our company to expand in the area of aeration, productivity would go up.


Thanks for the opportunity Bryan

 

[ffemt1271]

i currently operate a exmark lazer z 60" mid mount mower

my best day was about 25,000 sq ft using a home depot cheapo aerator.

pro's was that it aerated.

cons is it is so small that it lacks the profitability of a larger commercial grade unit which my 1 yr old company cant afford to purchase

a commercial unit would allow me to offer this service to more clients, become more profitable, while spending less time aerating. and most of all provide a good quality of aeration to my clients

 

[DUSTYCEDAR]

i am running two 60 inch exmark lazers.
my best day aerating was when i rented a small tractor with a 5 foot three point hitch aerator and a ryan walk behind aerator.
we did several large homes each over an acre took all day with the loading and unloading of the machines, not alot of fun.
so i bought a lesco aerator so i could do the jobs when i felt like it.
good for the small lawns but a killer on the larger ones.
the nice thing about the smaller machine was it was easier to transport but way to slow on the large propertyes.
I am marketing organic based lawn care and with that i do a lot of aerating and reseeding. This fall will be a aerating bonanza.
If i am lucky enough to win the Gator Rator i will sure give it a workout.
Thanks for letting me play Dusty.

 

[YardMeister]

1. Howard Price. Later this year I'm adding another machine to the mix, a new Toro Z580.

2. Custom built pull behind, with oak logs for weight. Currently only aerating a few residential properties. About 7k to 9k square foot each.

3. Easy to use, very little maintence. It's a pull-behind, which makes it harder to manipulate in tight spaces.

4. Having a GatorRator would allow me to provide professional aerating to my customers, and provide me with a top notch piece of equipment.

 

[Soupy]

1)52" Hustler Z and 60" Dixie Chopper

2)I'm not sure about our best day, but we average about 150,000 sq ft a day. We use turfvent pull behind and Ryan Lawnaire IV walk-behinds. We use the pull behind for the open areas while a second guy walks the borders with the Ryan.

3)I have been happy so far with what we use except for the fact it takes 2 guys and 2 machines to operate this setup efficiently

4)Hopefully the Gator Rator would eliminate the need for a second man and a second machine. From the looks of it, it should get into tight spots a lot better then a pull behind.

5)Why should I win? Because I'm a nice guy that never has won anything . Pick me :blob3: pick me:blob3: pick me:blob3: . Man, that brought back memories of grade school sports.

 

[DLS1]

Originally posted by Sean Adams

1. What type of midmount ZTR'S are you currently using?

2. What was you best day aerating (sq footage/ acreage) and what were you using?

3. What were the Pro's & Con's of the machine you used?

4. How will the GATOR RATOR benefit your operation?

1. Hustler 52" mini Z.
2. Never offered the service since I don't have one.
3. n/a
4. Now I could offer the service while riding my ZTR to do it with no strain on my body.

 

[Big M LawnnSnow]

1. Currently we are using an Exmark Z 52
2. Truthfully I rented an aerator from Home Depot and Don't even remember the brand.
3.PRO. I didn't have to purchase the unit.
CON. It was a piece of garbage,It looked beat up and ran the same. Hard to operate. Maybe thats why I don't remember the brand.We only did a few small yards in one day with the unit.
4.The Gatot Rator would benefit my company greatly.
AS a small LCO,Just to be able to own my own Gator Rator would be a Huge benefit.
I could take more aerating jobs and be able to do them in a timely manner with a Quality machine that runs and looks Professional.

 

[MikesLS]

1 Am currantly running Hustler 23h/60in ZTR
2 Most we ever did in a day was abt 1 acre
with my son inlaws help,what a day,with a
walkbehind Ryan.
3I think it would help my production time,=
more money!!!!
4Since I`m such an old man I would really
be the perfect candidate for the free Rator

 

[Willmow4dough]

1. Exmark Lazer Z 60"
2. We did 20 lawns that are each about 1/3 acre one day with a Classen split-drive aerator. LONG day.
3. You have to run behind the machine and fight it even though it's split-drive and you can sort of turn it.
4. We saw a Gator Rator in action on another LCO's large property and we were impressed! The speed at which one can aerate and the quality of the core produced are impecable. We could no doubt triple our aeration revenue with a Gator Rator and increase efficiency by at least 30%.

Bryant, thanks so much for sponsoring Lawnsite and giving everyone the opportunity to win.

 

[Zach76]

I am currently not using a ZTR, but I have been looking at Exmarks and Scags with the hope of purchasing a 52" this fall.

My best day aerating so far would be last fall. 3 guys with 2 Ryan Lawnaire IVs did 21 residential properties for a total of about 7.5 acres. Paying that extra guy to rest so he could be ready for the next yard was a bit of a pain, but 2 of us would have tired out much sooner.

We found the Ryans easy to use, but a pain to turn.

A Gator-Rator would greatly benefit my small operation, because I could stop renting the Ryans and have a little more cash in my pocket at the end of the day and be able to service some larger properties that I have been turning down.

 

[Pecker]

Hello.

1. I have a Deere 757, 60/25, Kawi.

2. Currently don't do a whole lot of aerating as I recently added it as a service and am advertising it to my customers. A few takers. My best day would actually be an afternoon. About 48,000 s.f. in 4 hours. Unfortunately I was using a rented Bluebird and it was an older model.

3. Pros: it worked!
Cons: Very, very hard to maneuver. I had to pick up the back end to change directions.

4. All my customers tend to be long term and they trust me to be dependable and provide them the best lawn service available. No lawn or turf - grass is complete without regular maintenance, water, food, tender - loving - care, and AERATING. The Gator - Rator will benefit my operation by allowing me to provide my customers the quality lawn they deserve.

 

[TurfGuyTX]

1. I'm using a Scag Turf Tiger 61".
2. I've only been able to do about 4 or 5 in one day. Very tired. I was using a 26" Lesco model.
3. Pro: it aerated. Con: Hard to turn and tiring.
4. I'd be able to aerate our large commercial customers and make more money. I'd also be more willing to offer this service in general. Thanks for the opportunity!

 

[impactlandscaping]

We use a Snapper Z midmount.We have never used a front mounted aerator, only a Ryanaire we rent from our local Snapper dealer for $ 65.00 per day. Our best day was 7 residential yards, avg. of 15-18K each. The Ryan is a good, dependable machine, but is too bulky/awkward to use on some of the inclines we have to deal with here in WV. I also felt the after effects for the next day and a half from being beaten to death by some of the hard ground we had to break through. I like the idea of a front mounted aerator, especially with a high production rating of 3 acre / hour, over the arm punishing walk behind model we currently rent.It would be nice to ride while working, and get a higher production per hour figure as well. We service some of the nicest lawns in the area, and could use an equally attractive, dependable and quailty built machine like the Gator Rator on the front of our Snapper..