Anyone used or had any experience with Skag Freedom Z zero turn mower? Also open to other advice, looking for a decent Zero turn around $5000 new that is

No experience with that particular scag, but logged many hours in a turf tiger. Scag makes excellent machines. I purchased a hustler raptor SD 54" for my home and like it a lot. i think I paid right at 4300 after tax.

Tough to beat scag. I have a tiger cat that I use on my 4 acres. How much land are you mowing?

I had a turf tiger. Pretty decent machine. The way you change blades on a scag is dumb to me. I like my grasshopper a lot better


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^ Grasshopper makes a very nice mower.
My advice would be to talk to a few of the people in your area that own a lawn service and ask their opinion. There are a few manufacturers that make a good mower but parts/service is what I base my decision on. I would seek a reputable company that has a good dealer closest to me for the simple fact that their are consumables in mowers: blades, deck wheels, filters etc. There is also warranty to consider if you purchase new and don't want to haul your mower long distances for service that covered.

I have a Hustler pro 42" cut for the house. Been a pretty good mower but does not touch a SCAG. That's all we used at sulphur parks and recreation back when I was in high school. I used to try to see what that thing couldn't cut.

I cut grass for my Uncle during high school, he used Grasshopper and for cousin during college, he used Exmark. I definitely prefer the Exmark.

He sold his original Exmark to a customer to use at his camp. It had 3,500 hours on it, last I heard he was still using it with no problems.

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5k ain't gonna buy a top of the line zero turn mower.
for example, a Hundyi don't cost the same as a Mercedes for a reason.

my exmark [lazer Z] 60'' that i use to cut my 5 acres every week for the past 7 years was around 8500$ i think. no problems with it.
there may be better machines out there now, but if you buy any of the top brand, high end zero turns, they are all quality machines or they would be out of bidness.

like somebody else said, go ask the guys who cut grass every day and see what they use.

good luck.

Depends on what you are using it for. $5000 isn't going to hardly get you a commercial mower for a "lawn service job", but $5000 will get you a good mower to use around you house. I bought a Toro Timecutter 42" cutter approx. 12 years ago with a Kohler 19 hp for my lot which is now where I live. never had an issue with anything other than replacing the cranking battery and sharpen the blades. Bought it for $2400 back then and I think now there still around $3000 or less. Now if I were to have a lawn service and use this bitch everyday, I would go with a commercial brand.

I'm in the same pickle. I have about 6 acres to mow weekly I've been going back and forth between a John Deere and a hustler. 60" models

I bought a 60 inch bad boy elite at Tractor Supply. I'm going on my 3 season with it. I cut around 5 acres a week and it has served me well. 4995.00


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I need a new zero turn too, but man that is hard money to spend!! I have a 42" husqvarna (came with the house) with about 400 hrs on it. It's a good mower and I've put it through hell with no issues, but it's just too small.

I have a Dixon Mountain Kodiak with a 25 Kohler and 50 inch deck. It has been a good mower. My dad bought it in 2006 and I bought it from him in 2011 when he got a Scag. The Scag is a beast, but is alot rougher riding than the Dixon in my opinion. The vinyl seat on the Scag makes you sweat like crazy also. I like the Cordura seat on the Dixon.

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Dixie chopper with a yanmar diesel, you can move your boat, truck, big logs and small building around with it. Got mine use for $5000 (tell your wife you bought it for her)

Does anyone have any experience with a John deere

It's not how fast you mow, it's how well you mow fast.

only mowing about an acre and I'm tired of fighting the free POS i have now constantly working on it before i mow. I don't think I need a commercial mower just looking at options on the line between big residential and small commercial

Gravely makes a good residential zero turn mower that might be in your price range. my dad had had his 8 years now. not as trouble free as my exmark, but it still cuts great, and he can tear up a steel ball with a rubber hammer. lol

getting a dang lawnmower is almost as hard as buying a boat!!!
remember, ur gonna spend 2 or 3 hrs a week on it, so get what u want!!!!!!

Exmark and you'll never have to buy another mower. Exmark has a residential series now that are great mowers also that you can probably get for the price you're looking or look at used commercial Exmark with a Kohler. The biggest problem with them is hydro pumps if there not kept adjusted properly and keeping the air filters cleaned.

This thread is going to cost me money... And it's not even my thread!
Toro z master z500, 52" cut 27 hp kohler, 220 hours. 4k a decent price? New retail is 8k.

I run a 60" exmark all day 6 days a week. My current one has a Koehler efi and its great mower for commercial use. I think it might be almost twice ur budget though. I'd look into bad boy if it were me. We used one as a loaner while our old mower(b4 we had the exmark) was in the shop. Seemed to be a good mower and loaner's tend take a beating.


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That's the same Toro I have J and it's been great. Changed a couple idler pullies on the deck and belts/blades over the years but that's been it! I cut almost 4ac with it sometimes every 5 days in the summer. For that price I'd highly recommend it. The Kawi on the back is the best part. I've cut lots of shit I probably wasn't supposed to and it has never missed a lick.

I got mine a year old from a guy selling because of a move, that's close to what he claimed new to be at the time though. It's been 4-5yrs ago now though. I haven't seen any others like mine with the 27 Kawi. They have all been the Kohler, which tells me it might have been replaced before I got it?? Who knows. It's a cuttin mo-sheen, that's all I know.

Also- a good friend of mine who cuts crass as a side gig just replaced his John Deere with a Ferris. It was like going from a 89 Corolla to a new Lambo. I don't know a whole lot about them durability wise but it looked to be extremely well built. Didn't ask about price tag either. I assume it wasn't a cheap-o lol