Rear engined, air-cooled snob

rouxroux · 07-12-2007, 05:53 PM

OK, I must admit it...I am. I had more fun cutting my grass today than I've ever had. I broke down and bought an Exmark Zero-turn mower. Looked at tons of different makes, but this one is built like a tank. Have bought new cars that cost less, but this will be the mower to last me the rest of my life. Mowed my yard in less than 1/3 of the time of my John Deere lawn tractor (and I was going SLOW getting used to the track of the new one). The technology that goes into these things is pretty amazing, turns on a dime (actually had to slow down as I cut a few "divots" cornering). Very user-friendly and serviceable (even the hydraulics). The ride is good, and it even has a cupholder for my Bitburger. Cleaned, waxed & detailed after I was finished. I normally don't go "Tim Allen" over lawn implements, but this thing will have you going Aaargh, Aaargh, Uhhh, Aagh it's so much fun.

pwd72s · 07-12-2007, 06:06 PM

Racerbvd · Racerbvd's Garage

Good taste in beer too

john70t · 07-12-2007, 06:16 PM

Lawns suck.

dmcummins · 07-12-2007, 06:31 PM

Ive had a ExMark Lazer for a couple of years now. Ive never had any trouble with it. It does a very good job and cut fast too. Ive got the stripping attachement that the wife likes.

Rear engined, air-cooled is the way to go.

rouxroux · 07-12-2007, 06:35 PM

This one has the striping roller and mulching options as well. I looked at the LazerZ but it was just a bit too large for the garage (and about $2000 more). I can park this little Quest in front on the 911 and still have plenty of walking room in front and behind the car. After talking with commercial mowers who had tons of hours on their LazerZ's, I think I made the right choice.

on2wheels52 · on2wheels52's Garage

Probably one in my future. I notice most of them have no provision for hitching up a trailer/yard vac on the rear. One of the Deere models I looked at had no frame to the rear at all, just a tube bumper.
Jim

rouxroux · 07-13-2007, 04:46 AM

The Exmarks offer an optional hitch. I'll probably get one to pull a broadcast spreader (I could still use the John Deere, but it's way slow...)

kach22i · kach22i's Garage

Get your money back, it's missing a steering wheel.

Oh Haha · 07-13-2007, 05:54 AM

That's great.

Where did you get the RUF Yellowbird poster?

Joeaksa · 07-13-2007, 07:01 AM

Whats grass?

Zeke · 07-13-2007, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dmcummins
Ive got the stripping attachement that the wife likes.

????!!!!!

Pics?

BTW, great plate.

dmcummins · 07-13-2007, 07:18 AM

I went with the 60" deck and the Lazer Z because at the time I was mowing 5 acres. Ive sold 3 acres, so now my mowing time is really down.

I have a short piece of angle iron with a hole drilled that I clamp to the rear engine guard that I hook up my broadcast spreader to. Now that the new has worn off the mower I will probably just weld it in place.

Sorry Milt. No pics.

rouxroux · 07-13-2007, 07:45 AM

Thanks Milt...we just sort of ran with a theme for the plates. The wife's G35 started it with "BAYOU", and her white 911 says "BY YOU", so mine is just carrying that on.

Wayne, that is one of 2 RUF posters available from the Ruf shop out in DFW. They have another one of their red supercharged 997 "Red Baron" sitting next to a Fokker Dr.1 reproduction from the Cavanaugh Flight Museum (At the Addison airport, right across the runway from the RUF shop).

Tim Hancock · 07-13-2007, 10:45 AM

Congrats, I too made the switch to a front deck quick turning mower 3 yrs ago and could't be happier.

I replaced our worn out rider for the lawn with one of these locally built Schroeder "flip decks". The guy has built them for over 20 years in his small farm implement fab shop. I needed a 60" deck and all the big name brand stuff (John Deere) was typically 10k +. I paid 6k for this one and I just love it. Other than the hydrostat drive, it has NO hydraulics and is all double belt driven and has a relatively cheap to replace Briggs 21 hp Vanguard OHV twin. We are rough on mowers with 9 acres to mow. This one is built real simple (which means very simple/cheap to repair) and has manual steering via chain and sprockets (it turns effortlessly). My wife has fibro, so lever steering was out. The neatest patented feature is the ability to flip the deck at will to scrape clippings or remove and sharpen the blades.

While in theory I like the hydraulic/electronic "everything" on new John Deeres, this one mows fast, pivots on a dime and is simple and cheap to fix once it gets old and beaten.

Chocaholic · 07-13-2007, 12:48 PM

Now I wish I had more lawn to cut. Only about 1/2 acre. I wonder how I could justify spending $7k on a mower. Hmmmmm.

DanielDudley · 07-13-2007, 03:40 PM

I Spent 350.00 on my last mower, and 400 on the one I had for five years before that, which my father in law now uses.

I pay a kid 15 bucks to drive it once a week, but I only cut about two acres. I used to cut it with a push mower myself, but I resented it, for various reasons, which is also why I no longer clean the house with my signifigant other. She now has a teenager help her.

Nice mower. I'd be quite chuffed myself.

Zef · Zef's Garage

Hooooooooooo...I like it...BYE YOU....Louisiana heee...!!!