Best tractor lawnmower to buy

Seagull isle

Hi all I've a budget of €3,500 for a new tractor lawnmower! Have .7 of an acre to mow! Kinda like husqvarna models but I've heard they are troublesome! Any ideas what's best?

_Brian

I have a castlegarden rideon with Briggs and Stratton engine, have it from new probably 14 years completly trouble free, garden area near 1acre.

blackbox

Seagull isle wrote: »

Hi all I've a budget of €3,500 for a new tractor lawnmower! Have .7 of an acre to mow! Kinda like husqvarna models but I've heard they are troublesome! Any ideas what's best?

More important to be clear on your requirements before you decide on a make.

E.g.
Mulch or collect
Gears or hydrostatic
2 or 4wd
Etc.

casscass4444

Castelgarden xt 190 hd.have one here.hydrostatic which is handy for turning.cant fault this mower.plenty of power.will bag or mulch.if you want to mulch you need to change the blades for mulching ones so need to decide whether you want to bag or mulch long term. You get both blades with it.
Only thing I was told to watch is the blades operate on a button so try not to be turning them on and off every strip of the lawn.leave them going as long as possible only knocking off to empty bag.
Change the oil,filter, and spark plug every year and the little plastic filter on the fuel line down from the tank.
Put a small bit of copper grease on the spark plug threads when fitting and it won't seized on you.
Apart from that they are bulletproof.
Just give her a good wash when you leave it up for the winter and give her the odd start during the winter in the shed and give the blades a spin to keep the belts freed up.
Not saying she's the best out there but it's a good one

Seagull isle

Definitely be collecting, I suppose if a mower is well maintained and looked after it will last! Friend of mine had a mc culloch and think he has had to put on 3 r 4 belts this year! Not be going near them anyway!! Is John deeres overrated????

secman

casscass4444 wrote: »

Castelgarden xt 190 hd.have one here.hydrostatic which is handy for turning.cant fault this mower.plenty of power.will bag or mulch.if you want to mulch you need to change the blades for mulching ones so need to decide whether you want to bag or mulch long term. You get both blades with it.
Only thing I was told to watch is the blades operate on a button so try not to be turning them on and off every strip of the lawn.leave them going as long as possible only knocking off to empty bag.
Change the oil,filter, and spark plug every year and the little plastic filter on the fuel line down from the tank.
Put a small bit of copper grease on the spark plug threads when fitting and it won't seized on you.
Apart from that they are bulletproof.
Just give her a good wash when you leave it up for the winter and give her the odd start during the winter in the shed and give the blades a spin to keep the belts freed up.
Not saying she's the best out there but it's a good one

I too have a castlegarden 190 xt , have it 9 years come March, get it serviced every year and it's still going strong, fairly bulletproof. I'm on almost the 3/4 acre, cost € 3,500 back in March 08.

A2LUE42

Seems Husqvarna prices have dropped for this year. The TC138 is now €2400, without mulching kit. Was just looking at one and the comparable Castlegarden XDC170HD is €2850

Seagull isle

My local tool hire only has Viking tractor lawnmowers an seco! He won't stock husqvarna anymore because he said they gave him a lot of trouble! Checked out another dealer and he's stopped selling castle garden!! Has anyone got any ole macs? What other options have I apart from castle garden???

I was just wondering how long it takes to cut the .7 of an acre with a ride on strimming and all op

Fatswaldo

I have a Husqvarna CTH 191 for the last 6 years. No trouble whatsoever. 2 DIY deck belt replacements. DIY Service yearly. Hydrostatic very handy for trees and adjusting speed 'on the run'.

Takes roughly an hour to mow .75 acre with collection much less with mulching.

virino

My son says you can find good secondhand models on www.irishgrassmachinery.ie when you have some idea what you want from the helpful posters here. Just because your money mightn't get you something new that great. Also www.dansomachinery.com .

Seagull isle

Takes me an hour an Half r so on friends mower! Still haven't a clue what to go for! Waiting on prices back for a John Deere x135r

Squiggle

Stiga , Castlegarden, Mountfield, Atco and Alpina are all made by GGP in Italy so I'm not sure that there's a huge difference between them. Personally have a Mountfield and it works well but you need to keep the battery well charged as the clutch is electric. I have had a few issues with the blades not engaging because of a lack of power. I know several people with Castlegarden and they swear by them, and it's hard to argue with their experience.

Hydrostatic is worth the money imo as is a mulching plug, if it doesn't come free. I don't think mulching only mowers are suitable for Irish weather and they can be very messy if you have kids bringing clippings in on their shoes around the house. However it's nice to have the option. Happy cutting .

A2LUE42

Had a salesperson in a Husqvarna dealers yesterday tell me to avoid the brand as all the ride on collection mowers in the last few years have been nothing but trouble, and was trying to push Stiga, Mountfield ot Oleo.

I was more inclined to think they had lost the franchise/dealership, but is there any grain of truth in what he was saying?

Seagull isle

Apparently they have dropped all prices on husqvarna models to try an sell them! My local dealer is an agent for them an he won't sell them!!
Got prices back for a John Deere but think my mind is set on a Oleo Mac om105/22! Price is reasonable enough and few good extras included!!

Geezer1000

Avoid Husqvarna and new castlegarden. Stiga are the same as castlegarden but have the older (reliable) B&S engine. The new castlegardens are giving serious trouble.
I sell all these machines so am speaking from experience - Stiga all the way

Car99

Seagull isle wrote: »

Apparently they have dropped all prices on husqvarna models to try an sell them! My local dealer is an agent for them an he won't sell them!!
Got prices back for a John Deere but think my mind is set on a Oleo Mac om105/22! Price is reasonable enough and few good extras included!!

I got an oleo mac 106j 17.5 briggs and Stratton 42" cut 3 years ago and it's a good solid machine , good cut , big bag and robust chassis. Simple electrics and mechanical controls. One handy feature it has is a collect or mulch lever which either diverts the grass into the bag or push the lever and it blocks the chute turning the machine into a mulches. I only have ordinary blades on it but it mulches fine if needs be.
I cut an acre every week duting the summer , I've done nothing to it bar oil in three years so I'd recommend one .
The v twin 22hp would be a smoother more powerful version but my site is flat so I went for the slightly cheaper engine.