Can you recommend a ride-on

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Spana

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Can you recommend a ride-on
« on: July 02, 2011, 19:38 »
We need a new  ride-on lawn mower.  :ohmy: Anyone have any suggestions. :)

I've post this here because it has to do more than an average lawn.  To do everything it takes from start to finish- with out stopping - 4+hours.

It has to get up some steep slopes, do flat garden lawns, along roadways and paths,go round trees and give a really good finish, but cant be too wide.  Tall order i know.

We have a John Deere LTR 180 - http://tinyurl.com/6x2hquw - at the moment and OH has always said its not up to the job and he doesn't want another John Deere.  

So is there anything else that you know is worth looking at.  :)

Thanks

Edited to add, forget to mention, it has to collect the grass clippings as well
« Last Edit: July 02, 2011, 19:42 by Spana »

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Flatcat

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Re: Can you recommend a ride-on
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2011, 14:04 »
At work we have a C-series Countax, which has to deal with pretty much everything that you describe; slopes, lawns, verges, trees etc.

It is ok, but if you want rufty turfty, then I would reccomend either a Kubota or an Iseki, as they are on the same par as a John Deere, but would probably be better.

The only problems are that they are quite large :unsure:

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Spana

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Re: Can you recommend a ride-on
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2011, 21:14 »
Thanks very much Flatcat, thats really helpful.  All three look more like what we need.

 We're looking into finding a dealer who not to far away for each one and hoping to have a look at all three makes.

In the mean time OH has the John Deere in bits  and is picking up a new crank shaft pulley-if thats right  :unsure:- to fit tomorrow and hope it will keep going until we can sort a new  machine.

Thanks again  :)

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Flatcat

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Re: Can you recommend a ride-on
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2011, 22:02 »
I don't know what engine your John Deere has, but the Kubotas and Isekis all have small diesel engines, which are much better than the lawnmower type petrol engines in most ride on mowers.

The diesels would be most suited to your needs I think - very powerful, and should be very reliable. At my college we have both Kubota and Iseki ride on mowers, and they are very good machines. The countax's might be a little lightduty for what you need, but I'm sure you'll find the right one soon enough.

Damon

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joyfull

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Re: Can you recommend a ride-on
« Reply #4 on: July 05, 2011, 09:12 »
I agree a kubota would be ideal - we have a mini digger with a kubota engine in it and it's a good little motor. I'm surprised the John Deere though isn't up to the job unless you have got a really small one. There is also the alternative and you could go vintage and get a little grey fergie - you can get lots of attachments for them plus you can get narrow crop wheels to use in your veggie plot  :)
Staffies are softer than you think.

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Spana

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Re: Can you recommend a ride-on
« Reply #5 on: July 05, 2011, 12:51 »
I'm surprised the John Deere though isn't up to the job unless you have got a really small one. :)

Have a look at the link in post above Joyfull, tell me what you think :)

 OH  thought John Deere would be our best option.  We went to the local John Deere dealership and told them our needs and at the time they recommended  the LTR80 which we bought and it wasn't cheap.  It was delivered and within half hour a switch had broken and it wouldn't start. We called the chap back and he stuck it with tape saying he would get a new switch.
3 months  and many phone calls later still no switch and it had stopped working.  They came back and took it in and said it needed 2 new belts and wanted to charge me £350.00 saying belts are not covered by the guarantee.  I refused to pay saying I would be in touch with John Deere.  They then said OK they would do all repairs needed at the time free of charge.  Like fools we let them do it.
It has never run as it should.  It has run the best ever after OH took over and sorted it out himself.

Its probably not John Deere we have the issue with but the dealership we have locally which we would need to use if we bought another.

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Runwell-Steve

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Re: Can you recommend a ride-on
« Reply #6 on: July 05, 2011, 13:04 »
I don't know where you are based but I think Vincents Tractors in St Columb stock Kubota.

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joyfull

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Re: Can you recommend a ride-on
« Reply #7 on: July 05, 2011, 13:10 »
I think you were sold something that really isn't up to your needs. If I was to buy a John Deere it would be one more in the lines of the mower/agricultural tractor type, but they are very expensive (you probably are paying more just for trhe name though).
Would something like this be better:-
http://www.kubota.co.uk/page.asp?PageRef=48
You can buy all sorts of attachments as and when funds allow and kubota engines are really good.

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Spana

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Re: Can you recommend a ride-on
« Reply #8 on: July 05, 2011, 13:17 »
Would something like this be better:-
http://www.kubota.co.uk/page.asp?PageRef=48
.

No, too big and over the top for the gardens, but thanks for the suggestion :)
It doesn't have to do anything rough, just lots of grass mowing.  We have an Etesia  for anything rough  :)

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joyfull

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Re: Can you recommend a ride-on
« Reply #9 on: July 05, 2011, 13:34 »
there is always westwood tractors:-

http://www.westwoodtractors.com/garden_tractors.htm

we got given an ancient one which worked well but in the end it was the tin work that rotted away not the motor (it was about 20 years old when we got it

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Spana

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Re: Can you recommend a ride-on
« Reply #10 on: July 05, 2011, 14:39 »
They look useful, I've sent for a brochure along with Kybota, Countax and Iseki. :)

Some good suggestions, feel we are getting somewhere now.  Hopefully we'll make a better choice this time. :happy  Bang goes the world cruise  yet again  ;)  :D

Thanks  :)

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Spana

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Re: Can you recommend a ride-on
« Reply #11 on: July 05, 2012, 14:02 »
Was just having a look at whos on line and what everyone was looking at ::) and noticed a couple of people reading this topic from last year. ::)
So as an update, we bought a Kubota. Its strong, powerful,runs on diesel and does an excellent job, but was a bit pricey ::)

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arugula

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Re: Can you recommend a ride-on
« Reply #12 on: July 05, 2012, 14:05 »
Thanks for the update Spana, its useful when people leave an update. :)
"They say a snow year's a good year" -- Rutherford.


 

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