What type and brand of riding lawn mower?

[RocketMan]

Our new launch control center in North Carolina sits on a half acre of land, much of it grass (or will be in the future).  Sure as heck not going to be using my push mower on all that.  A riding mower is definitely in our near future.

So, my questions three for the hive mind that is APS:

What type of riding mower, tractor type or zero-turn?
What brand of mower gets everyone excited about its quality, or everyone's knickers in a twist over its lack thereof?
What deck width would be most reasonable given our half acre of property?

[charby]

Do you have to mow around a lot of things?

[RocketMan]

Several large oak and hickory trees in the front and back yards, along with four smaller dogwoods.  We have a small downslope on the south side of the house, too.

[Boomhauer]

Do not buy a big box store mower.

There are a number of different quality brands. Are you looking to purchase new or used? Budget?

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Want a used dixie chopper?
Bout 1200-1500?
Its in va


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[charby]

Several large oak and hickory trees in the front and back yards, along with four smaller dogwoods.  We have a small downslope on the south side of the house, too.

Do you have mulch around the trees and shrubs?

[RocketMan]

Do you have mulch around the trees and shrubs?

No mulch around the trees yet, but will eventually.  Mulch in the flower beds around the house.

[RocketMan]

Do not buy a big box store mower.

There are a number of different quality brands. Are you looking to purchase new or used? Budget?

Looking for new, budget about $2500.  Are there any brands carried by a big box store that any good?  John Deere, others?

Might consider used if it is in good shape and parts are still available.

[RocketMan]

Want a used dixie chopper?
Bout 1200-1500?
Its in va

What's a Dixie chopper?  Never heard of that before.

[charby]

No mulch around the trees yet, but will eventually.  Mulch in the flower beds around the house.

Mulch not only good for the trees, makes mowing around them easier.

Dixie Chopper. http://www.dixiechopper.com/

Don't buy a John Deere at a big box store, not the same quality as the ones at dealerships.

[lupinus]

The big box store ones aren't all that good, well worth the extra little bit to get a decent one from a dealer. You'll end up saving money in the end.

[Boomhauer]

Looking for new, budget about $2500.  Are there any brands carried by a big box store that any good?  John Deere, others?

Might consider used if it is in good shape and parts are still available.

The big box machines can have poor parts availability and poor reliability. They are made to a price point, and while they tend to run OK at first, in a few years they tend to have issues. For much the same reason, you are better off buying chainsaws/weedeaters/leaf blowers and so on from a dealership vs. a big box store.

Stop by your local ag/turf dealers and see what they have used, and check craigslist for professional brands, used. Commercial mowers tend to be hard on their equipment but sometimes you can find machines that are used but not beat to hell.

[RoadKingLarry]

Most of the box store riding mowers are built by either MTD or AYP. (in my opinion the MTD is slightly better) A lot of times the only difference from one "brand" to another is the paint color. I've got a reasonably decent Craftsman but it is identical outside of color and graphics to both Poulan and "someotherbrand" carried at local box store and farm supply places.
If you want to buy what could be the last riding mower you'll ever need to buy you will need to go to a genuine dealer. About the only thing John Deere bought at Lowes has in common with a John Deere mower bought at a Deere equipment dealer is paint color and name.

[French G.]

Want a used dixie chopper?
Bout 1200-1500?
Its in va


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Possibly yes. I mow with a 12 year old Poulan cheap model. Most people would have given up on it 5 years ago, or when the spools wore out, or when it stuck a rod partway through the case, or possibly when the metal holding the seat rusted away. But I think it's got another season in it.

[Cliffh]

Last year I went through about 6 months of phone calls, letters & emails regarding the Briggs engine in my Husqvarna  (sp) 48".  During that time I found that Briggs engines are about done in at 350 hours - at least the ones sold in the big-box store units.  I'm praying the $950 replacement engine (bought at a local small engine shop) lasts longer than that.

Looking over one of the Snapper units at the local Wally World, it looks just like the Husqvarna except for the paint & decals.  Same frame, steering, deck layout, controls, etc.

I mow around a *lot* of trees and bushes.  Even with a 4' - 5' circle around some of them I end up backing and filling 3 to 5 times to get around them with the tractor type mower.  If it weren't for a couple other reasons (towing, hills, etc.) I'd prefer a zero-turn.  Actually, I'd still prefer a zero-turn.  From what I understand, a zero-turn is also usually faster in the straightaways than a tractor type.

[Calumus]

Talk to the guys at the Ag supply places. When my father went to replace his 27 year old John Deere STX38 last year he found out that there are a couple models that carry over between Home Depot and the JD dealerships. The dealers don't like selling them; but they have to for the pure price point customers. Before you buy anything, make sure you read the warranty. When I was helping my father find a new tractor I just happened to glance at the terms on a Craftsman he was looking at. At that point in time, use of any gas with ethanol blended in instantly voided your warranty. Since the only place in Jersey where you can get straight gas is at an airport or marina, Craftsman power equipment has no coverage at all in that fine state. That said, he got the cheapest of the "real" John Deeres and has been quite happy with it. He mows about an acre and a half, and pulls around a trailer full of weeds from time to time.

[Andiron]

Older John Deere riders are decent quality.  Think early 90's LX series,  ie LX186/176.  Hydrostatics trans,  Kawasaki engines.

http://www.tractorhouse.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=8104649

http://www.tractorhouse.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=8185281

We had both of those,  ran the living hell out of them,  and had very few real issues.  The 186 threw a rod through the block after 20 years, but it didn't owe us anything.  The 176 is still cranking right along, and it has the bagger attachment, but it gets used far less since we bought a Scag.  

[Marnoot]

The problem is, as far as buying new goes, the "real" John Deere models (X300 and up) start at $3K, out of Rocketman's budget. The 100 series (D1xx) that is sold at both big box stores and JD dealers is within budget. I'm actually potentially in the market as well with about a $2K budget as I just moved onto a half-acre lot. Plan to try my walk-behind mower in the spring and see if it just takes too long before I spring for a lawn tractor.

Is the hivemind's consensus that a used older John Deere would be superior to a new D1xx model, then?

Any thoughts on Ariens and Husqvarna lawn tractors?

[Boomhauer]

Is the hivemind's consensus that a used older John Deere would be superior to a new D1xx model, then?

By far.

[Cliffh]

On the warranty - the warranties I received with my new Husqvarna (both manufacturer & Lowe's extended) indicated how many months the warranty would cover (24 to 48 months), but neither made any mention about how many engine hours they'd cover.  Turned out that both companies thought 350 hours in 23 months was excessive and wouldn't be covered.  That over-sight on their part was instrumental in forcing them to cover the worn-out engine.

[RocketMan]

I'm actually potentially in the market as well with about a $2K budget as I just moved onto a half-acre lot. Plan to try my walk-behind mower in the spring and see if it just takes too long before I spring for a lawn tractor.

You, sir, are a braver man than I.  I have a decent walk behind and was too chicken to try it on my half acre lot without even trying it.

[RocketMan]

What is the hive consensus on a used Dixie Chopper in good shape?  Read some stuff about the newer models being less reliable and the manufacturer being a pita about warranties.
What other brands of used mowers would be worth looking at, assuming I could find something in good condition?

[Doggy Daddy]

Fairly frequently I see this type around here:


I've never used one.  Any personal experience among the hive? 

[charby]

What is the hive consensus on a used Dixie Chopper in good shape?  Read some stuff about the newer models being less reliable and the manufacturer being a pita about warranties.
What other brands of used mowers would be worth looking at, assuming I could find something in good condition?

Scag, Cub Cadet, Hustler, John Deere, Toro, Snapper, Ariens

[roo_ster]

Fairly frequently I see this type around here:


I've never used one.  Any personal experience among the hive? 

My near 80YO FIL manages to cut his half acre plus with one of those.  Don't take long.