2014 Recommend A Lawn Mower

[TwoForFlinching]

I'm in the market for a new lawn mower. The trusty old rotary reel is just falling apart, and my new place is too big (I'm too lazy to reel 1/2 acre) so I'm going gas.

I'm pretty skeptical about the "value" mowers, but don't want to sink $400-$500 into a seasonal tool E-10's gonna trash in a few years anyway.

What have you had luck with over the years?

 

[dennishoddy]

Bad boy ZT, 27 hp.

Way too big for you.

I'm pretty sure the new mowers are designed to handle the ethanol.

 

[Electrician Mike]

I was told to stay away from the Bad Boys unless you have a very flat lawn. The fixed rigid decks tend to dig in and scalp with no flex or give.

 

[dennishoddy]

I was told to stay away from the Bad Boys unless you have a very flat lawn. The fixed rigid decks tend to dig in and scalp with no flex or give.

Well, I have a lawn that is not golf course flat, but I will say that the slope is gradual and I have no problem with the bad boy.

My deck is not fixed. It has a linear actuator to raise and lower as well as rolllers on the deck to keep it from digging in.

Not sure where you got that info. I can post pics tomorrow if you need confirmation.

 

[Electrician Mike]

I have looked at every zero turn around in the past couple weeks including the Bad Boy MZ Magnum 54". That was the salesmans #1 selling point was the fixed deck that you can stand on and it wont move. That was the one I was going to buy until it dug in and dug a divot in their yard while I was driving it.

 

[dennishoddy]

I have the 60" pro. with the rollers on the deck, its impossible to do what you described.

 

[Electrician Mike]

I only have 1 1/2 acre. As much as I would like the 60", it is way more mower than I need.

 

[rawhide]

Bought a Hustler Fastrak last year. Very happy with it

 

[dennishoddy]

I've got 4+ acres with 47 trees on it. My mowing time with a sears 48" lawn tractor was around 8 hours when we first moved out here. Second mower was a 50" sears with hydrostat that knocked it down to 6 hours.

The bad Boy has me down to 1.8 hours.

 

[Electrician Mike]

I've got 4+ acres with 47 trees on it. My mowing time with a sears 48" lawn tractor was around 8 hours when we first moved out here. Second mower was a 50" sears with hydrostat that knocked it down to 6 hours.

The bad Boy has me down to 1.8 hours.

Thats exactly why I am currently shopping for a ZT. It currently takes me over 2 1/2 hours with my John Deere 48" traditional rider. Last summer I was too busy and had to have a friend of mine who runs a lawn service mow for me, took him under an hour to mow my place.
After I find which one I want, I will be selling a nice John Deere.