I am looking at giving a gift of a lawnmower to a first time home
purchaser. I can fully remember my first house and how relatives
were very generous in giving us the help we needed in establishing
a nice home. It's now my turn to be generous so hopefully I can get
some first hand knowledge from the people of this group. Here are
the details.

The property is four acres in size and hilly. It is in a northern
climate and has a long driveway.

So.........I need a riding mower that can have a optional snow plow
or blower attached to it. I favor hydrostatic drives over standard
transmissions and because of the hills the mower should have a low
center of gravity.

I have never owned a riding mower myself so fill me in on what may be
a good choice and let me know what to stay away from.

Thanks.

wrote:

I am looking at giving a gift of a lawnmower to a first time home
purchaser.
[....]
So.........I need a riding mower

that's a heck of a nice gift.


[....]
let me know what to stay away from.

sears.



Thanks.

On Sep 25, 9:31 pm, wrote:
I am looking at giving a gift of a lawnmower to a first time home
purchaser. I can fully remember my first house and how relatives
were very generous in giving us the help we needed in establishing
a nice home. It's now my turn to be generous so hopefully I can get
some first hand knowledge from the people of this group. Here are
the details.

The property is four acres in size and hilly. It is in a northern
climate and has a long driveway.

So.........I need a riding mower that can have a optional snow plow
or blower attached to it. I favor hydrostatic drives over standard
transmissions and because of the hills the mower should have a low
center of gravity.

I have never owned a riding mower myself so fill me in on what may be
a good choice and let me know what to stay away from.

Thanks.

That is very nice of you. I would recomend a SCAG zero turn.
http://www.scag.com/. 4 acres is quite a bit.

Depending on the slope you may want to get a walk behind instead with
a dolly if there is real steep terrain. What is a dolly? A dolly is a
small trailler platform that you stand on and that the mower pulls. I
have seen "pros" do pretty steep slops at the IBM corporate HQ in
Armonk, NY. The mower tips, but that is O.K. because you are standing
up on the dolly.

There are special steep slope mowers also:

http://www.kutkwick.com/superslopemaster.htm

http://www.hustlerturfequipment.com/...e/ATZPage.html

Note in each case the important thing is to have ROLLOVER protection.
This usually consists of a steel frame and / or bar that will stop the
mower crushing the driver in the event of a roll over. The SCAG zero
turns all have roll over bar protection available and I would
recommend getting that.

Best, Mike.

Jim wrote:
wrote:

I am looking at giving a gift of a lawnmower to a first time home
purchaser.
[....]
So.........I need a riding mower

that's a heck of a nice gift.


[....]
let me know what to stay away from.

sears.



Thanks.


In the end Sears did the right thing for me, after I insisted the one I had
purchased was not right (deck height to low) they shipped me a new lawn
tractor and picked up the old one.
The new lawn tractor is great.

Are you just busting my stones Jim?

Clark

Clark wrote:
Jim wrote:
wrote:
I am looking at giving a gift of a lawnmower to a first time home
purchaser.
[....]
So.........I need a riding mower
that's a heck of a nice gift.


[....]
let me know what to stay away from.
sears.


Thanks.


In the end Sears did the right thing for me, after I insisted the one I had
purchased was not right (deck height to low) they shipped me a new lawn
tractor and picked up the old one.
The new lawn tractor is great.

Are you just busting my stones Jim?

Clark



I'd have said Wal*Mart before Sears, but Sears is right after that..

I've got a (used) Craftsman riding mower, it's ok and does its job. I
wouldn't stress it with a snow blower or plow on its nose though, even
if it was new.

That SCAG pointed out in another post is a nice "Pro" type of mower. The
people who mow the drain culverts by my house use one like that. It's
got a 45 deg angle to the slope and works fine.

I've always been a John Deer fan when it comes to mowers. But I like
that traditinal sit down and steer look and feel of a mower. Not much
for the levers you need to push or pull to turn.

Scott Hildenbrand wrote:

[....]

That SCAG pointed out in another post is a nice "Pro" type of mower. The
people who mow the drain culverts by my house use one like that. It's
got a 45 deg angle to the slope and works fine.

SCAG builds a very very very well designed machine.
serviced correctly, they will last a long long time.


I've always been a John Deer fan when it comes to mowers. But I like
that traditinal sit down and steer look and feel of a mower. Not much
for the levers you need to push or pull to turn.

a real JD is going to be another fine choice. the real ones
are bought at real JD dealerships. don't be fooled by the
green crap at lowes of homedepot.


I hope this new homeowner knows how blessed he
is to have a friend like you.

with 4 acres youll need at least a 5 foot cut . i think a real
garden tractor deere or cub ,with a heavy trans would be a good choice.
there are all kinds of attachments for them. if moneys not an issue, get
a 4 wheel drive kabota with a woods mower on the back and snow blower on
front. lucas

http://www.minibite.com/america/malone.htm

I really nice one would be the John Deere 300 series.

It would handle the plow and other attachments. It's pricey but it'll
last'em 20 years.


wrote in message
news
I am looking at giving a gift of a lawnmower to a first time home
purchaser. I can fully remember my first house and how relatives
were very generous in giving us the help we needed in establishing
a nice home. It's now my turn to be generous so hopefully I can get
some first hand knowledge from the people of this group. Here are
the details.

The property is four acres in size and hilly. It is in a northern
climate and has a long driveway.

So.........I need a riding mower that can have a optional snow plow
or blower attached to it. I favor hydrostatic drives over standard
transmissions and because of the hills the mower should have a low
center of gravity.

I have never owned a riding mower myself so fill me in on what may be
a good choice and let me know what to stay away from.

Thanks.