01-31-2024, 02:26 AM
Every reply is pretty much spot on to my eyes. The best thing you have going is the level acre.
Field replacement of belts is a serious PITA. Even blade replacement can suck. Tires suck. Like cars, mowers just become more of a PITA as they age, and they age faster. With six acres of orchard rock mowing since 1997, I have been through “top of the line” craftsman when the extra repair warranty actually worked, blah, blah, now on my second scag tiger cub or whatever it’s called. Cost over 10k these days, but heavy duty rock and roll. And way overkill for a level acre, but might be way less maintenance than the cheaper mowers since it wouldn’t be stressed much at all.
Electric riders are 4-6k at Home Depot. Never used one, but though more expensive per power than the cheaper ICE models at HD (which I agree should be avoided) I can imagine a better experience over all going electric with a level acre. Though instead of the typical belt/lube/filter/tire maintenence, you’ll be replacing expensive batteries over time…and tires still vulnerable. Buying and popping in a new battery, compared to field replacing belts and tires, sounds like a pleasant dream. I have not researched the current generation of electric riders, but they seem to be slowly coming of age.
OTOH, you might want to do the math of comparing a $3-6K mower vs simply hiring out the job.
Until recently I was of the DIY mentality about most everything. Especially with help from YouTube, I can fence the perimeter and internal pastures of 6 acres, replace the lanai steps and risers and rails, install water pumps, etc. myself. These days, I see the value of paying someone who knows what they are doing instead of me making every mistake possible to become competent in doing something that I may never do again. Mowing isn’t exactly like that, but if you hire it out, you have zero upfront costs and no maintenence issues (read quality of life).
I still mow (listening to podcasts/audiobooks) but hire out most of the chain sawing and whacking and find it a great value to do so. Just depends how you want to spend your aged years I guess…
Let us know what end up with!
Cheers,
Kirt
Field replacement of belts is a serious PITA. Even blade replacement can suck. Tires suck. Like cars, mowers just become more of a PITA as they age, and they age faster. With six acres of orchard rock mowing since 1997, I have been through “top of the line” craftsman when the extra repair warranty actually worked, blah, blah, now on my second scag tiger cub or whatever it’s called. Cost over 10k these days, but heavy duty rock and roll. And way overkill for a level acre, but might be way less maintenance than the cheaper mowers since it wouldn’t be stressed much at all.
Electric riders are 4-6k at Home Depot. Never used one, but though more expensive per power than the cheaper ICE models at HD (which I agree should be avoided) I can imagine a better experience over all going electric with a level acre. Though instead of the typical belt/lube/filter/tire maintenence, you’ll be replacing expensive batteries over time…and tires still vulnerable. Buying and popping in a new battery, compared to field replacing belts and tires, sounds like a pleasant dream. I have not researched the current generation of electric riders, but they seem to be slowly coming of age.
OTOH, you might want to do the math of comparing a $3-6K mower vs simply hiring out the job.
Until recently I was of the DIY mentality about most everything. Especially with help from YouTube, I can fence the perimeter and internal pastures of 6 acres, replace the lanai steps and risers and rails, install water pumps, etc. myself. These days, I see the value of paying someone who knows what they are doing instead of me making every mistake possible to become competent in doing something that I may never do again. Mowing isn’t exactly like that, but if you hire it out, you have zero upfront costs and no maintenence issues (read quality of life).
I still mow (listening to podcasts/audiobooks) but hire out most of the chain sawing and whacking and find it a great value to do so. Just depends how you want to spend your aged years I guess…
Let us know what end up with!
Cheers,
Kirt