[Yardman]

Bet that got your attention...

So I was out mowing yesterday. I do most of my pondering while sitting on my mower. I have never really understood the whole SUV thing. If you live in or near any large city, you'll notice that most of the vehicals sitting in front of you in that traffic jam are SUVs. Not just SUVs, but 4X4 SUVs. Why? What do those city folks need with a 4X4 SUV? Where are they going to get stuck? Minivans are much more versiatile. Have you ever taken the seats out of an SUV? In a minivan, they fold into the floors now. Minivans get better gas milage and maintenance is much more affordable. But minivans are not sexy! Apparently, SUVs are sexy. Right? That's what marketing would have you believe.

What does this have to do with a mowing forum? I know you are asking...

Tractor style mowers are the SUV of our hobby. Dare I say ZTRs are the Minivans? That's not sexy, and ZTRs are very sexy! But what is the deal with all these tractor style mowers?

I'm not talking about Garden Tractors! If you NEED a 4X4 to get around and not get stuck, that's what you need. If you need a Garden Tractor to till your garden or move some dirt, that's what you need. But to mow grass, a tractor just isn't the best vehical. So why does every big box store carry five tractor style mowers to every ZTR? Marketing. That's what is selling, right? "I look sexy sitting on a tractor..." But it's a MOWER, it's NOT a tractor.

If nothing else, maybe this post will spur a little activity on the ZTR forum. I really thought there was more of a market for ZTR info, but looking at the stats, maybe I was wrong.

 

[Mark777]

Interesting, and probably a very realistic view Yardman.

Personally, I’ve never been one to keep up with the Jones’s. Originally, I moved in with a little Murry 12HP RER. What’s caused me to commit to another machine, newer or bigger is it’s design capabilities…and limitations. For instance, when I bought this property I would have been quite happy with my little Murry but it couldn’t keep up with my 2.2 acres so I purchased a Craftsman LT4000. It mows grass just peachy. It didn’t take long to realize that in addition to mowing, I have several muture trees, and with these trees comes lots of dead-fall, leaves and (with the pine trees) pine straw.

It became quickly evident that 2 weeks per month I had to pull a cart. I spent collecting fallen branches, pruning trees, raking leaves, toting pitch fork, rakes and all the goodies that accompany a chain saw (gas, bar oil, 2 cycle oil etc.)….which made the cart too heavy for the little Craftsman. Once again, time to make a decision to replace the Craftsman or add something more suitable to do everything BUT the mowing.

I found a Yanmar diesel tractor and with my DIY (limited) skills, either added to, or made a rake, box blade, rotary cutter (brush hog), front end loader and tiller. Plus it will pull any size trailer with the 2” ball welded to my box blade. But…it absolutely will not mow grass .

I retired the Craftsman just a few months ago and replaced it with an almost new Husqvarna 48” Hydrostatic drive. It was 3.1 hours old and came with a blown Kohler 24 HP Courage engine. Which is a whole new story….

 

[framedoctor]

Being a car-guy, I don't want to like minivans and will never admit to it. But they are very practical. My wife has a minivan and I have an SUV and a Dixon Speedztr, we usually take the van because it is more practical, and my wife can't drive the Dixon.