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Josh, think you will struggle at 6k to buy anything that is going to be up to a commercial environment. The machines listed are home owner machines really, that may or may not be upto the job, no doubt there will be readers who disagree suppose on how much work you are anticipating doing with them. We are big Toro fans but the Time Cutter is not the best build quality if you want a Toro machine that will stand years of hard work buy a Toro Titan but its around 8.5k and does not collect. According to our repair chap spares for the Ariens range are problenatic and are getting worse. The Cub Cadet is made to a price with everything that entails, can't comment on the Ego but whether the build quality will stand running into a few stumps and manhole covers I wonder?
It'd be mostly for areas up to 2 acres so I don't think I'd need to spend commercial ride on money.
I started an area the same size this week, probably the only one that I have ever measure as the guys were taking beds on what the actual size was!
my Kubota g21 is the first in their professional line, and I was thinking that something a little bigger would be soo much better!
also if you are doing areas that size and can buy some grade of a diesel mower you will save yourself a fortune on fuel over what a domestic petrol machine would go through
John deere was always cheapest to keep going usually around £400 per year compared to my other bits that cost about £1200 per year
Buy 2nd hand commercial that stuff you've listed isn't worth consideration
That was the point I was trying to make to Josh pleased someone else agrees
Hi Josh
I agree with everything Peter has said. You will be lucky to find something up to the job at £6k. Frankly the toro timecutters are not even close to suitable for light commercial work. That is mid to high range stiga and stihl sit a stride money - suggest you look for a local dealer offering a deal on an ex-demo mid to high range sit a stride. I run a Toro Titan and would suggest it is marginal if there is heavy growth and a bit of dampness. It does not and cannot collect. If you have any damp or wet conditions then collection becomes difficult where I am and is almost impossible to manage at any worthwhile commercial level. Kubota used to do a 42" zero turn that collected and had high and low tip versions. They will be very long in the tooth now and I forget the model number but that is about as close as you will get. A scag freedom Z or patriot with collector could easily be more than twice your budget now. Good Luck
I have a John Deere Z535M [48inch deck]. I think the current equivalent machine can be had for about £8k to £9k. I have owned it since March 2018. It has been used both on regular mowing and on clearance jobs where it has cut waist high growth. It is very strong and has been far more reliable [far less minor breakdowns/new parts, belts etc.] than my previous Stigas and current one year old Stiga 700 Pwx [4x4 model].
I researched zero turn machines at length before I bought it and the John Deere stood out as being stronger, faster and more reliable than the others. It has proved to be bullet proof. It can mow at 8.5mph. I fitted the mulching kit. This is far better than collecting. The Stiga mulches also and produces a perfect finish.
Again, as some have said, a cheaper domestic machine won’t stand the rigours of continuous use. It’s not the size of the individual job that counts, but the total use over the year.
Yes, it is a big investment. But spread over the many years of use you will get, it becomes cheaper than buying two or three cheap machines over the same period of time.
My Z535m earned £341 in three hours yesterday afternoon, including some strimming [it’s very fast]. If the work is priced correctly you will soon get your money back.