Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Best zero turn mower under $3K

Any suggestions?

There's been some good threads on that subject,.......I can't help you on advice, cuz' I run OLD equipment.
Just be damn sure to get one with twin beverage holders, so you can alternate, and rest your arms periodically.

GTC.

we bought a toro timecutter with a 52" deck.
girl friend likes it so much,I haven't got to drive it since I got it set up back it April.
bought it used,barely, for like 1300

lol,.... I've thought about that, actually,...and I think I'm going to need a bota bag with a straw pokin' out of it.

Zero turn mowers are a 2 handed endeavor.

I'm sure you'll hear plenty of brands and models, but for that price range I'd consider the Cub Cadet with the Honda motor. Seems like it was 2800.00

How much you gonna be mowing?

I've devoted a ridiculous amount of time researching the various residential models, and so far I can't come up with anything better than the 42" Hustler Raptor.

It's a bit on the small size for 3.5 acres by today's perspective,...but the people who configure today's perspective didn't have an old man who expected them to keep 3 acres mowed with a 19" push mower from K-Mart.

About 3,...maybe 3.5 acres.

takes less than an hour to do about an acre with the toro mentioned

Lightly used Walker if you can find one.

That was my first choice, actually,....but there's hundreds of stinker reviews on that model.

Not for $3K you're not.

Well damn, wouldn't think it was engine problems.

If you are mowing 3 acres you would do well to spend another grand and get a Hustler 54". I have one and it will mow 3.5 acres an hour.

No,...it's not engine problems. Apparently, they eat belts like peanuts.

Cub homeowner ztr has a lot of pump/drive problems. About 1k to fix, your mower will have 2.
Be careful getting all wam and fuzzy about the engine brand. They all have taken to building cheap junk with their name on it.

ZTR's are just a frame, with off the rack components bolted on. On company makes most of the pump/trannis units. There are two basic models.
They use the same housing and the difference is certain beefed up components.
The best mower use seperate pums and hydraulic motors.
You won't get those for undr $3k

I had a Cub Cadet and it did a poor job of mowing. The cut was uneven and rough looking even with new blades.

I've thought about more deck size,.....but there's some advantage to going a bit smaller when you have obstacles in your part,...and this piece of land has a few obstacles.

From what I can gather, after searching long and hard when we bought the place, is that if you ain't prepared to drop a bunch of coin on a zero turn you are better off with a 'conventional' riding mower.

YMMV. Around the house is about 1 1/4 acres and another 1 1/2+acre field that I mow about every other time and I do it with a riding mower.

Under three grand, the only difference is color.

Ain't no free lunch.