Who has a ride on mower?

[Philbie]

I gotta buy one, and it's all news to me.

Who's got one, and whats it like?

[cs123]

How much money have you got to spend, that makes a big difference.

I have a mtd, it's at the bottom end pricewise and isn't too bad but has some issues with the strength of some components. Rover are good, so too John Deere. Kubota would be an excellent purchase if you got plenty of dollars.

[Philbie]

what model MTD? they have come recommended to me...

As for cost - up to $4000

[SpoolMan]

Originally Posted by Philbie

As for cost - up to $4000

my brother just bought a new one $3300, i will get some details for you today..

[MotherNatureVer2]

Philbie ,.... its like most things in life ....... 'It's what you pay for" ..........

We have had a few ..... John Deere have been know to break ......I know its hard to do but ask my landloard ......

I am lead to believe Husquvana(sp?) are really good but pricey ........

[XP6]

Originally Posted by MotherNature

Philbie ,.... its like most things in life ....... 'It's what you pay for" ..........

We have had a few ..... John Deere have been know to break ......I know its hard to do but ask my landloard ......

I am lead to believe Husquvana(sp?) are really good but pricey ........

Yup my father swears by the Huski, he owns a 10acre block so it gets a fair work out, he uses it a tow vechile as well, tows a loaded 6x4 trailer easy... the huski's are worth a bit but as most things YGWYPF(haha new net jargon)his cost $8K. He had 2 before the huski, MTD and a JD. The MTD lasted about 2mths before being traded on the JD which was traded after 12mths of headaches and constant breakdowns... although the customer service was very good.
I found in my own experiance that JD small gear is over priced, take for instance the JD gators, its a ute version of a ride on mower they are charging around $12K for a base model, theres bugger all to them... even less than a ride on, its just 4 wheels a frame , motor, single gear with reverse and two seats few plastic parts. You could make one for less than $2k that would kick its ***.

YGWYPF=you get what you pay for!

[Feathers]

We've got one. NFI what it is though. Was from a bowling club, and didn't work, but we did it up. Works well now, as long as you don't put it in reverse.
It'd give the XR a run in reverse.

[cs123]

For $4k You'll get (just) a new MTD. I can't rememeber the model on mine and it's in the shed and I'm not!.

I'd look at a new MTD, as long as your not cruel and treat them well you'll get a lot of years of good service.

Are you mowing a "big yard" or doing some rough stuff?

[donno]

We, well dad, has a cox stockman with the engine on the back (ride on, not lawn tractor). Its 20 years old, and lasted 15 years on its first engine, mowing a yard about 2 acres. Its tough as nails, and the only things needed to be replaced have been a roller on the cutter deck (was wooden and dad just found a bit of scrap the right size, good as new) and the usual mower blades. I can't speak any higher of the quality of these things. Well, back in the 80s anyway, I'm not sure of the quality now.

[Discovery]

We've got a 4 month old John Deere. It's been fantastic so far. Had to go with them, that's what the council use and they are happy with theirs.

Cost.. around $4000.

[GTP 320]

Originally Posted by Discovery

We've got a 4 month old John Deere. It's been fantastic so far. Had to go with them, that's what the council use and they are happy with theirs.

Cost.. around $4000.

Sounds good,but has it got stripes lol
Cheers John

[460cixy]

if the going is tough like most aussie lawns stick with a cox or greenfield the seppo stuff is just too tinny and weak. much the same for huskys. if ya want a good comercial mower thats tough go for a walker :hihi:

[Paris Hilton]

hmmm you could always...mod your mower if it's too underpowered

seriously though, it wouldn't be too hard to make the 25hp motor pump out almost 50 would it?

[XRchic]

Um my insurance company wont let me drive my turbo ride on mower coz it has too many mods and the insurance was cancelled. Allianz didnt like the APS stage II I put on it.... :P

[TheSneakiness]

We've got a MTD. Can't remember horsepower or cutting deck size, but got it second hand for about $600 with a fridge ;)

Husqvarna is a good brand. Dear though.

[tickford2001]

dad built ours out of stuff that had been kicking around the shed, and its been going for about 20 years! he ended up making a business out of it for a while...and sold quite a few, as long as the owners didnt let wet grass sit in the cutting deck, theyre all still going!

[Pilch]

second hand Cub Cadet, built by yanks and looks like a "yank tank." It suits mowing large areas with its 50" cut deck and huge motor, over 17HP, but forget what?

If your mowing a large area, fork out the extra dollars for a wider cutting deck!

[Philbie]

Cub Cadet - there's another thats been recommended......also made by MTD....Hmmm, a pattern is forming

[GT 8888]

I have a Masport 15.5hp hydrodrive...use it to cut 2 acres...had it for 6 years and it has casued me nothing but problems.

Had my time again I would get a Greenfield

Brad

[tickford2001]

there is a point there actually, ive seen heaps of the old greenfields still getting around, so they must have been a decent unit

[Tote]

I've got a greenfield, well built, made in Aus but a bit on the expensive side.
Seppo mowers are made for a different market where they don't mow as short or as often as Aussies do hence most of their stuff has a single cutter bar without swingback blades.
Aussie designed mowers tend to have a circular deck with swingback blades which are a bit more forgiving when you run into rocks etc.
In the end for us it came down to the Cox or the Greenfield as they both have a simple drive system and are simple well designed machines.
www.greenfield.com.au
www.coxmowers.com.au
Regards,
tote

[Discovery]

I second the size of the cut being appropriate. One of the reasons we went with ours was the large deck, also the more powerful engine and turning circle. Beware of the turning circle on a lot of models, especially if you have a lot of trees.

In our case, including front verge that we mow, we are cutting about 3 1/2 acres. We have lots of trees and a few hilly bits. Ours handles it all with ease (and comfort, the seat is great, and the cup holder comes in handy if you do it all in one day)

[Stevo]

My ride on has no brakes, or reverse, and i have about 2 1/2 acres, and its HILLY.

I take my life into my own hands trying to rally the rideon, using trees as full speed U-turn marker points, and my feet as brakes. :

Needless to say, i have stopped using this, even tho its fun. Back to my push mower now!

[Discovery]

Originally Posted by Stevo

My ride on has no brakes, or reverse, and i have about 2 1/2 acres, and its HILLY.

I take my life into my own hands trying to rally the rideon, using trees as full speed U-turn marker points, and my feet as brakes. :

Needless to say, i have stopped using this, even tho its fun. Back to my push mower now!

2 1/2 acres with a push mower? *thud*

[DivHunter]

Originally Posted by Discovery

2 1/2 acres with a push mower? *thud*

Pffft I was doing that when I was 12, only got a ride-on after I stopped having to mow the lawns :

[cs123]

Originally Posted by Fairmont99

Pffft I was doing that when I was 12, only got a ride-on after I stopped having to mow the lawns :

Luxury, when I was a lad ....

[xr8edute]

IMHO you cant go past a Husqvarna. They have lots of models rangeing from a 15HP 36inch cut from just over $3000 right up to a 25HP 54inch cut for nearly $9000. I am actually in the business of selling and repairing ride on mowers and have found that the old saying is definitly true. You get what you pay for.
I think you should get the biggest HP you can afford because you can never have too much power, grunt! grunt!. :dr_Evil:
I have seen many of the newer L series John Deere mowers ruin their deck a long time before the motor has ended its usefull life. The John deere mower uses a very thin deck and quite light chassis for a big horsepower machine... so dont go near them.
Without knowing our price range or intended use it is hard to recommend the exact machine for you but i feel confident in saying that Husqvarna will have a mower for you.

Oh yeah i have a little bit of inside information that there is going to be an Autumn sale on soon so maybe wait for that.

PM me if you would like more info.

Cheers

[Zedjay]

lol i buy lawn mowing gear for a big contracting company and have tryed out heaps of diffrent ride ons over the years.stay away from anything built overseas their all shit compared to aussie built ones. of the aussie ride ons dont buy a current model rover rancher (they crack in the chassis) or the early model victa,s the new victa corvette is a cox king cat with a diffrent name and much cheaper $4400 or my pick atm is the cox lawn boss.its 13hp 32in cut and rrp $2990.

cheers.....ROD

[Discovery]

Originally Posted by EEDEE

my pick atm is the cox lawn boss.its 13hp 32in cut and rrp $2990.

I had a 'test mow' on one of these but the turning circle was not small enough for our needs. Tough machine though.

[tickford2001]

i know this is a bit off topic, but has anyone ever been to see the lawnmower racing?! its one of the funniest things ive ever seen