I just ordered a Ferris Zero turn mower! Got it!

[gspren]

I'm interested to hear how the first cut went!

 It's been a good machine for 5ish years now, and while a zero turn still has some appeal I fear the speed would be too much for my extremely bumpy yard. 

I still have less than 3 hrs on it so not getting quite as close to buildings as I will after more seat time but I like it. Remember just because they say it will mow at 10+ mph doesn't mean you have to, you can mow as slow as you want and still get the maneuverability. My basic impressions after only 2 mowings is that it cuts much better without leaving clumps and sidehill behavior is better than expected. Getting a commercial grade zero turn gives you a wider rear wheel track than most homeowner grades which gives the better sidehill performance, the Ferris has a 4 point suspension but I never mowed with any other zero turn so I can't honestly compare ride quality. 

[Machinebuilder]

I'm interested to hear how the first cut went!

I cut around 3 acres on a Husq gth52xs or something, normal, not zero-turn, which is a shame as I've got lots of obstacles. It's been a good machine for 5ish years now, and while a zero turn still has some appeal I fear the speed would be too much for my extremely bumpy yard. I go pretty slow now and it's still abusive, and takes around 4-5 hours. Soon enough I'll have a tractor with which I'm hoping to blade off the high spots and fill the low, I'll also try to use it to mow the larger areas and see how it does.

I think you would cut your mowing time considerably with a ZTR. The time saved is in turning around.
I regularly mow around 1 1/2 acre and it takes me 45min. I can mow close enough I rarely use my weedeater ( also spray around some things ).
 My Scag has a suspension seat and some of the newer mowers have  much more sophisticated systems.
My yard is not real smooth, it needs work in a few spots, someone keeps driving a tractor over it and where trees landed really need work, but mostly its not bad enough to slow much.
I am pretty slow along parts of the ditch, I've slid into it a few times. Even the very heavy Scag doesn't have the greatest traction on a slope.
If it took me 4-5 hours to mow, it would grow up and be a briar patch, I don't mind mowing but not that much time every week for most of the year.

[aigheadish]

You are probably right Machinebuilder. My solution is to not turn very much, if I can help it. I'll likely look into a ZT sometime, and I have a dealer about a mile down the road that would likely loan me one for a day, but it's definitely not in the budget right now. While it is time consuming it also keeps the kids off the screens for a bit, when they help, and I don't mind much either. Headphones and a beer or two help most of those issues.

I like "...someone keeps driving a tractor over it..." That's my problem too. Lot of projects in all parts of the yard and I do a fair amount with a big backhoe that is not forgiving to the lawn.

[Tom King]

 


If it won't hold that, it will put you in the lake here.  This was the first time it was ever cut with anything but a string trimmer.  Had to do a little final grading with the new mower on that first cutting.

 


 

[Walnut Beast]

I've had big and small zero turns and some people think they can't mow steep slopes. They can and steep ones. Look at what commercial crews and tons of small mowing operations use hauling around on trailers. It's zero turns. They are the only way to go. Bagging and getting under stuff with the front deck models they have some advantages. I used a friends John Deere four wheel steer diesel mower and it didn't hold a candle to a zero turn. 

[21incher]

I just picked up a Kubota due to the epa tier4 coming and NY talking about banning small ice engines after 2025. They just did it with gas stoves and furnaces so I don't doubt it will happen. I can't believe  how fast it can mow and how comfortable it is. Actually they say no hills but I can go down the steep areas and get back up the other side. With the gas tank under the seat it actually  mows the steep banks along the road fine. I love it and hopefully it will last the rest of my lifetime. 


 

 

 

[SwampDonkey]

It probably will. We have a Kabota diesel engine tractor mower bought in 1988. My brother said the deck finally gave out last year when he struck something hard, probably a tree stump or root. That's when decks were made from thicker steel. 35 years ain't too bad. Engine is still great and worth something, definitely won't go into the trash. Plus still can be used as a buggy to pull a cart if nothing else. ;D

[21incher]

A dealer south of me has them from several different manufacturers and when I checked a commercial rated electric zero turn equivalent to the Kubota I got started at 22k plus tax. Plus they are quite heavy. 10k will buy me plenty of gas even at $ 7.00 a gallon for the next 5 years I plan on mowing. I don't know how the commercial landscaping guys will absorb the cost that will be even higher in 3 years.

[SwampDonkey]

Cheaper to use the hand scythe like 60+ years ago. I'll go to that before I fork that kind of dough over for a lawn mower. I'll swath it twice a year, good enough on a remote country road with hardly any traffic. ;D

[Mooseherder]

My Ferris was 6200.oo 27 years ago.  I replaced it with an Exmark 2 years ago for 6200.oo

[gspren]

The only hill related problem with my Ferris is if you try to reverse or back up much of a hill, don't have much reverse traction but there's only one spot in my yard where I need to remember to back down in and pull out forward.