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Sorry no exprience of the honda. My comment would be it's a high endish domestic mower. So could be OK for a 1 van operation, but not multivan.
For similar money you could get a used Kubota GR1600-II, which is very robust, will be longer lasting and give a better finish. We had one of these and it was great. Only issue for us was non striping for customers, so swapped out for a 4wd countax.
The countax is not as strong, won't last as long and does not take the multivan abuse like the kubota did. However, ours has had a tough life from nearly new (less money than the Honda) and has served well. Sure lots to go wrong, but look after it and will do ok. Great for striping and picking up wet leaves.
We've recently added a high end domestic toro zero turn to our fleet. Great performance,easy to use, however no pick-up or striping - mulching only. Very fast and manoverable.
As you point out many of the ride mowers via vac solution are not so good in wet so not all season machines. Difficult to find 1 machine to solve all.
Hi Andrew
Which Toro did you go for? I'd be interested in your comments on the quality of finish.Does it leave anything behind on an average fortnightly cut or are these suitable for weekly only?
Thanks
Steven
I use one and in the dry its perfect as a bagger or mulcher in the wet you do have slow down a bit when bagging as its quite a long chute to the bag and if long and wet it does get blocked. Its not the fastest ride on either but is a very capable machine. Maintance wise the only thing it has needed in the last 3 years is a new belt and air and oil filers.
onley had experiance with a countax that belonged and used at a clients garden and paddocks worked well on the formal lawns and strugeld a bit in the wild flower medow (once a year cut) picked up leaves in the autum no prob pulled a trailor had a scarrafier for it.
never had any problems with it and it did not get servised reguley if you have to change the belt or take the deck off there is a leaver just under the foot plate that slakens it off just take note how the belt fits round the pullies
We use on behalf of clients a countax, John Deere and etesia which all have pros and cons. My favourite is the etesia for speed and easy to use, we fly through this grass cut. Generally the John Deere would be second as nothing goes wrong with it and very tough.
Yes actually going off the idea of a posh domestic ride on. Would love to try an etesia as been looking at a ped mower to replace my masport. Kubota looks good but pricey as all the best ones are. Really need it to cut cleanly but having other uses obviously will return more revenue options. ie two have overgrown paddocks adjacent to the house. Need to do more research i think thanks for advice going to look at gr1600 this morning.