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Hi
Owned one about 4 yrs ago and traded it in for a John Deere.
Main problem was the poor collection even in damp conditions.
Even if you decide to remove the collecting box the grass still needs to eject through a chute
and chokes anyway.
You would be better off with a side discharge option on another make of tractor.
Another annoying feature was the height adjusting ratchet handle which often crept up on its own while going over bumps and never returned to its set position.........really p****d me off having to go over the same area twice.
Hope this helps
Gordon
Hi Gordon, ive always thought JD's had poor collection with wet grass, are you saying the honda was even worse?
I cant go for a side discharge only mower as i still need to collect the grass on a few sites, i intend on buying from one of my local dealers so i can get spares/repairs done quickly so i only have Honda or John Deere to choose from, otherwise i would probably get a second hand Kubota.
Hi ........ The John Deere x300r i have can cope better with the turbo fan assist .......but far from ideal in the wet.
I,m looking at changing for a machine such as an Etesia Hydro or Bahia which gives me the choice of side eject or collection for those wet times here in Scotland. I know it,s a narrower cut but not having to unblock would make all the difference to total job time
Chris Auld said:
Bought second hand one with 48" deck on it of uncle a few weeks back, only used it other day for first time with mulch adapter fitted and collection box off, proved to be a great mower on a large over grown lawn that didn't require grass lifting.
This one has hyrdraulic dump if you are collecting, as said above not sure how reliable the variable cutting depth is yet.
we run an etesia bahia and its fantastic, would recomend it all day every day. Great for collecting wet grass which is ideal for our current climate and the side discharge shoot is bril even in long wet grass it does not clog. With the bonus of a nice finish as well, small so ideal for tight access areas and great turing circle. i managed to pick up a second hand one approx 4 years old for £2k. hope this helps.
I wouldn't buy this for commercial work.
What areas are you covering? An etesia bahia or hydro 80 would be good for smaller areas, maybe up to 2 acres, bigger areas I would genuinely forget collection and use a scag/ferris. I MAY be selling my hydro 80 as it is not getting a lot of use due to the nature of the jobs on my books this year.
One problem with the bahia/hydro 80 though is that mulching is not very good. The mulch plug does not create a smooth surface inside the bowl of the deck so you get a very clumpy finish compared to their pro53 mulch plug, for example, or other 3-in-1 machines I have used.
Chris don't waste your money, buy a 2nd hand John Deere x277 x300, Kubota G18, Etesia Hydro.
This wont stand up to hard work and commercial sites and its not designed to cut and drop. Personally I think you would be regretting spending your money on this machine within 30 minutes of using it.
Thanks Brian, yes im starting to think a John Deere may be the better choice. Unfortunatley there arent any proper Etesia dealers in NI, and the nearest Kubota dealer is still quite far away, therefore it would be hard getting repairs done quickly. The local Honda dealer is were i get 90% of my equipment from, he also sells Stihl so i get a good discount and customer service there, this is what made me consider the honda in the first place.
www.mibservices.co.uk said: