Want A $17,000 Lawn Mower?

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BrotherBart

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17k is ridiculous. But so is spending 4500 for one that will last 'several seasons' as 'pros suggest'
 
I spent $1600 for a Craftsman, bought during an off season sale with the Kohler 18hp motor and 12 ga deck. That was 7 years ago. Still running strong and I work the heck out of it. I wish it had hydraulics for a tiller and front loader, but not at 11x the price.
 
Spent about $14k on mine ;)

Some of us have pretty big yards... And need a bigger mower :)
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I have Lazer Z. Which is the commercial line of Exmark. I bought it from a guy who had built the first McMansion in a new subdivision. After other people built houses he was embarrassed that he was the only guy who mowed his own lawn. Everyone else used a landscaper. He paid well over 10k. I bought with one season of use for 3k :) I really wanted a Walker with a kubota diesel but couldn't find a low hour one. Every one I found had over 2k hours and needed a little tlc from the abuse of low wage workers.

Going from a craftsman/mtd lawn tractor to a commercial zero turn is like going from a wildthing to MS660.

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Geesh - I bought my less than one year old Craftsman 24 horse with under 100hrs. for 725.00 and drove it home from the neighbors place. I am mowing a couple acres and given my 1st choice I would be on an Xmark but could not pass on this deal. I paid less for my 2011 Ford Escape Limited and my mower than this JD and it is not even a zero turn???

I will say x2 on paying someone to take care of your lawn if you have enough disposable income to buy a 17G mower but to each their own - certainly lubricates the economy when someone buys a new machine!!
 
17K!, for that price it better include the driver;).
 
Dexter needs to sharecrop that place.
 
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If I'm gonna spend 17K on a tractor it sure isn't going to be a tiny John Deere yard tractor!
 
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If you look at the list of optional attachments, it's not just a mower. The average mower doesn't have a 3pt hitch and rear pto available. Seems like an attempt to bridge the gap between mower and CUT. My guess is that it is a good mower, but probably lacking in tractor abilities.
 
Somebody paid the equivalent of around $16,000 for one of my IH Cub Cadet 149s in 1972 or 73.

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Forty years later, I'd say they got their money's worth. Quality is not cheap.
 
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As someone said earlier, for $17000, you can hire the lawn done. A lawn that size is more care than just cutting the grass. Fertilizer, insect and weed control, plus repair of winter damage. Then the watering if you are into that. I would rather look at a field of grass going through the normal season cycle than lot at a burned up lawn. Put up a fence and get some sheep or some goats! The grass gets cut and fertilized, you get wool or milk and cheeze.
I would use a push mower on my small lot, but with the ups and downs, and my ups and downs, I am safer sitting. Bought a new machine last year from Sears, Turns easier than any other I have owned. I have cart that I can load from the garage, go to the garden, and work out of the cart, then return as needed and my back is still intact!
 
The article did mention that the $17,000 includes the tractor, mower, snow thrower, and you also have to pay for that green paint.
 
Wow, I thought I was doing great when I bought (brand new mind you) a 15.5 HP Poulan lawn tractor for $1100 delivered. It's sure nice to go out and have a lawn tractor that just starts up, without blowing up the tires, charging the battery, and trying to get the thing running, like my old one.
 
Spent about $14k on mine ;)

Some of us have pretty big yards... And need a bigger mower

Dexter is that a COOLER on the right side?? If it is thats living
 
I'm not a fan of having a heavy tractor for mowing lawns. For $17K, I'd buy a dedicated lawn tractor or ZTR for much less and put the remainder toward a used larger CUT. Of course, this all depends on how much land you have to mow and manage.
 
Yes. It comes with a cooler mounted on the mower from the factory. It comes out for use, other than the mower, but is held snug in place by factory mounts. When on the mower. No cup holder. But unlike the Cub Cadet zero turn, when you let go of one stick, it stays where its at (kinda like cruise control). One stick must stay forward for the other to stay though. But that allows a free hand :) Or its easy enough to use a single hand when needing to grab a drink.

But as fast as it cuts grass? You don't build up that large of a thirst. I went from 5-6 hrs with my Craftsman rider (50" / 20 HP), then down to about 2.5-3 hrs with my Cub Cadet zero turn (52" / 22 or 24 HP?), now down to an hour with the Dixie (74" / 33 HP :)). Even with my Old Rider, I had to do 3 point turns because I like straight lines. No circles, or making rounds in the yard. Go around the outer perimeter and make a header to turn around in, then back and forth, back and forth. (On Google Maps, from the sky, you can see the lines ;)) My neighbor has a 72" Grass Hopper with a 35 HP Diesel (I think?) And his deck flips right up for maintenance and cleaning. He paid around the same price I did.

I wanted a CUT w/ FEL. But at this stage in my Life? I don't have much time (2 kids), so when there older, and grown. Then I will get the Tractor (better have a cooler mounted to it). and get to work. Till then, the yard is a job in itself

Dexter is that a COOLER on the right side?? If it is thats living

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My neighbor has a 72" Grass Hopper with a 35 HP Diesel (I think?) And his deck flips right up for maintenance and cleaning. He paid around the same price I did.

Dex, get yourself a Jungle Jack if you haven't already.



As far as a $17K mower is concerned..... That ain't no itty bitty lawn tractor. The X700 series is a lifetime machine that will mow, clear snow, move mulch (they are loader capable), till the 2 acre garden and sweep the driveway clean. And since Deere has been selling a TON of 4x5 series machines, and the X400, X500 series machines that replaced them, and the 1st generation X700's, I'd say they are doing something right.

There are a more than a couple of folks on this site that run a $1000+ saw to cut what a $400 saw would do as well. Is this much different?
 
There are a more than a couple of folks on this site that run a $1000+ saw to cut what a $400 saw would do as well.


And we could all cut wood with a bow saw. Nut much fun in that.

Go around the outer perimeter and make a header to turn around in, then back and forth, back and forth. (On Google Maps, from the sky, you can see the lines ;))

You always go for the same direction? Or do you try to make patterns? I like to go at a 45 degree angle to the last mowing to make diamonds. Occasionally I start in the center and go in a spiral pattern until I reach the perimeter.
 
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