I have a Gravelly that is ok, but not great. It is a lower end model, however. I think their higher end commercial units are rated highly. Both my BIL's have Scags and love them. My parents have JD and love it. Toro, Ariens, Hustler, and Bad Boy all have decent commercial mowers.
I’ve had some seat time on a Walker, John Deere, and Ferris. The walker was a fantastic collection unit however for large lawns or slopes then it is not a good option. The John Deere is a solid unit and well built. We haven’t seen issues with it other than user caused and in general does a decent job, however if your lawn is uneven and bumpy you’ll feel it.
My preference is for a Ferris. The front wheels are interconnected and use a 4 link suspension plus coil overs to allow the machine to contour to the ground. This allows the user to mow with a larger deck then typically possible where you’d typically see scalping with a similar sized deck from any other manufacturer. I really like the stand on Z3X however the sit down models provide one a comfortable user experience.
I bought a 17 JD Z930R used with 30 some hours on it. I mowed 80 or so hours last year with no issues the Kawasaki engine is nice. It also has the tweels on the rear so no flat tire issues there. I just saw an Exmark in Peoria today and that mower had a similar tire on it. My nephew up the road bought a used Kubota it was a nightmare for him and he traded it in for an Exmark. I am in north central IL and have never seen a Scag or Dixie so know nothing about them. My cousins in Indiana swear by Gravely. I honestly think there are a lot of good options but as mentioned go big go commercial you won't regret that choice.
I have a relatively flat and smooth yard. Whats the best base commercial mower as far as entey level? Seems like Scag has a good option around the $6500 mark. Everything else seems like you have to get up around 9-10k around here to get in base commercial mowers.
I just bought a Club Cadet 50 in using the same Kawasaki engine, love it. I use it for just residential not commercial, this will last me for the next 15 years.
I looked at all the major brands last season and did a lot of research. Walker diesel if money is no object. Looking to bag grass or blow and go? Western Oregon here and I mow and bag between 2-3 acres sometimes twice a week, irrigate and fertilize as well. I ended up trying a Bob-Cat whom is now rebranded and sold by Bobcat. Different color and stickers but otherwise exactly the same. 61” cut and it is built husky, so heavy I sometimes have problems in the spring and fall with it leaving ruts- heard the same about Scag’s from others. It seems like Exmark is the middle road between overbuilt and underbuilt from what I have seen. Overall happy with the mower, and I am not nice to it.
I wouldn’t mess with “high end res”. If you think you’re in this category spend the extra for a commercial. I like all three of these a lot for different reasons. I have exp with 2 commercial Toros that have been pretty disappointing.
BTW, you don't have to pay $10 grand for one of the Toro commercial ones just talk to dealers & keep an eye out. People trade them in just like cars. I got mine used with low miles for half price of a new one. The dealer serviced & inspected everything & have had zero issues
I grew up fixing my dads John deer mower every summer so I vowed I would never buy one. But when I bought my house a neighbor was selling a John Deere 54” zero turn so I bought it from him out of convenience.
Now I’m kicking myself for doing it. Parts on the deck are starting to wear out. The seat is also pretty bad. You would think I’d learn my lesson lol
My brother mows for a golf course in the summer and they use all toro equipment. He says they are really good. Hoping to finally convince myself to quit being a tightwad and spend the money on a different one this summer.
It seems like the majority of brands have the same engine and hydro gear transmissions. So what is the make or break things about a entry level commercial mower you should definitely have or avoid?