Riding lawn mowers

[aitm]

My friend, if you're paying 70- 100 a month for lawn service and the tractor is around 1300- 2700 we have a couple simple scenarios here.

A: if you think you are actually going to stay with the gal long enough to "save" her money by mowing yourself do the math……

B: If you think that by mowing the lawn yourself and having the gal buy the mower an then dying during the course somehow enhances your standing…..well…yer dead. 

C: If her choices are new windows or the fucking lawn service and you haven't said a mother fucking thing about a fucking trip to ARUBA? WHAT THE MOTHER FUCKING HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU????

[stromboli]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJWmbLS2_ec

[Solitary]

APA, don't listen to these other guys, you want to get the job done fast, and this is the mower you need! 


olitary

[Gawdzilla Sama]

As above, get one that does everything you don't want to do. Leaves, snow, etc. And get a small trailer to move stuff around, and a larger trailer to take it to the doc when needed. Don't forget the snow chains for the tractor.

When you're picking a brand, look around your area. You want a brand that has a reliable service center nearby. Doesn't have to be exclusively the brand you buy, just one that has experience servicing that brand.

Finally, pay religious attention to the servicing schedule for the tractor. The y-donor spoiled more than one riding mower by not doing required maintenance.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJWmbLS2_ec

Been there. Just north of Indianapolis. That's Indiana. Why anyone would want to go to Indiana is beyond me.

[the_antithesis]

I used to work for a lawn mower company (Ferris Industries), so the temptation is to sell you on our product even though I don't work there anymore. But I can tell you what I know from the inside.

Most of what we'd make were zero turn radius mowers with the two control arms that you can make spin around in a tight circle if you want to. Such a thing is only necessary if your yard has a lot of tight corners and you need the mower to be highly maneuverable. Thing about these sorts of mowers is they are mowers and that's it. The tractor-style mower can also be a home tractor where you can get a backhoe or other attachments. If you need a versatile machine like that, and why wouldn't you if you're going to make that kind of investment, that's where you should look.

Get a deck that fits your yard. I wish I could give you an easy formula but I wasn't a dealer. But if your yard is as expansive as you say, you'll want to look into getting the largest deck you can afford. It'll take less time to mow.

But, make sure it's got a beefy enough mower to move that deck or you will hate it. Our main Ferris line was designated by numbers that was arranged in order of size. So the the 1500 was bigger than the 500. The 2000 bigger than the 1500, etc. Well, the markets started running the asylum and they found that people wanted a 2000-sized mover deck on a 1500-sized frame with a 1500-sized price. So we gave it to them and it was shit. It lacks power and it really hurt the brand. I wish I could tell you exactly how much horsepower you want to run a 60" deck properly, but I forget most of that. So, test drive it. Most dealers will let you do this. Hopefully they'll have an incline you can test it on since your yard has a hill. And when the salesman is pushing you towards a 60" deck with a 25 HP engine, give the 60" 30HP model a second look. It may cost more, but what's important is that you're satisfied with your purchase, not regretting it every single time you have to mow the lawn.

[antediluvian]

Jeeze APA, fuck the yard!

[AllPurposeAtheist]

We're looking at a craftsman 20390 42" tractor.  My gf seemed stuck on box store  husqvana or  ariens till we began doing homework and learned just how many are,  well junk.  The craftsman is backed by sears which by itself means exactly dick, but did some exhaustive digging and found out that for about $100 more it's a b&s v-twin platinum which has a great rating as opposed to the intech piece of crap sold in the box stores.. We're still digging and not entirely unsold by jd's.. I'm still hoping to get her to get the idea of the big box stores out of her head.. They don't service shit and if they do it's just a return policy type of bullshit..

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Jeeze APA, fuck the yard!

Oh you sweet ol gal.. I would,  but then my sweet old gal would wonder wtf is going on with sweet old gals on AF..

[AllPurposeAtheist]

My friend, if you're paying 70- 100 a month for lawn service and the tractor is around 1300- 2700 we have a couple simple scenarios here.

A: if you think you are actually going to stay with the gal long enough to "save" her money by mowing yourself do the math……

B: If you think that by mowing the lawn yourself and having the gal buy the mower an then dying during the course somehow enhances your standing…..well…yer dead. 

C: If her choices are new windows or the fucking lawn service and you haven't said a mother fucking thing about a fucking trip to ARUBA? WHAT THE MOTHER FUCKING HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU????

Dude, she already took me to New Orleans during spring break and put me up in a hell of a nice hotel,  good food,  good booze and the works.. Just because you don't wanna get off your dead ass for a piece of ass doesn't mean I won't.. Geeez!

[Ro3bert]

If walking is an issue, yes. But Honda and others sell self propelled mowers so you don't have to push it. But if you get the riding mower, get the best one you can afford. Toro, Honda, Cub Cadet and Husqvarna are all good brands.

I've had a Husqvarna riding mower for the last two years and before that a Honda that lasted 28 years before it needed replacing. Along with the Honda was (extra) a snow blower attachment. I have the same with the Husky along with a water filled roller and a trailer for whatever needs moving.

Robert

[aitm]

Dude, she already took me to New Orleans during spring break and put me up in a hell of a nice hotel,  good food,  good booze and the works.. Just because you don't wanna get off your dead ass for a piece of ass doesn't mean I won't.. Geeez!

well actually if yer as sharp as I think you are, you already limped over to the door and said, "honey let's just get a regular mower with front wheel drive, I am sure I can mow this myself. Maybe it will do my arthritis some good and its the least I can do for you…..hey worst case, I make it around two or four times and you can bury me in the back and get a younger model"

Damn woman will run out and get you a tractor with air conditioning…..serious….what? you think I would lie to you?

[AllPurposeAtheist]

well actually if yer as sharp as I think you are, you already limped over to the door and said, "honey let's just get a regular mower with front wheel drive, I am sure I can mow this myself. Maybe it will do my arthritis some good and its the least I can do for you…..hey worst case, I make it around two or four times and you can bury me in the back and get a younger model"

Damn woman will run out and get you a tractor with air conditioning…..serious….what? you think I would lie to you?

Uhhh.. Yes.  I think that you might consider lying to me about this.. No offense..

[Johan]

Question: Are you looking to do mowing only or mowing and other stuff?

As has been said earlier, if you think you'll want to pull a utility trailer, say to aid in yard cleanup etc or perhaps a front blade for pushing snow off the driveway, then a traditional riding mower is the way to go. But if you're absolutely sure cutting the grass is the only thing you will ever do with it, then I would recommend looking at a zero turn radius model. Even if you don't need the extra maneuverability, they offer comfort, visibility, stability, and often speed that  you just can't get in a tractor format. There is a reason landscapers use them almost exclusively.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Jeeze APA, fuck the yard!

Go jungle or go home.

Which would be a unitary option if you did, so there you are, problem solved.