Death of the Garden Tractor segment?
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Not offended, just called out ignorance. You gave a strongly worded opinion inferring laziness about what other people prefer to mow with so you shouldn't be surprised that they have defended their preference.
It really is all about preference, there is no right or wrong choice when it comes to that. We only have so much money and storage space or else many of us would have one of each.
Just remember... that's 20' farther than your grapple goes at any speed!
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I'd hardly say it's the death of the segment as the Deere garden tractors are obviously still made and still sell well enough that theres a 1-2 month lead time on them.
The garden tractor market downsized for sure with the introduction of more choices to the market.
SCUTs evolved from super garden tractors and certainty became a dominant force.
Z-turns were invented for commercial first then made their way into consumer hands for people who just wanted to mow and in a hurry.
As market share split the lesser quality builders stopped making machines they could no long sell. Leaving being Cub, Simplicity, Deere and a couple others still making a garden tractor that was worth the cost. Slowly that has dropped down to just Deere making a garden tractor that lives up to it's name and is worth buying. There simply isn't another company that has anything that can compete with the Deere x series riding mowers. Except for the X3 series.
I really don't think any company out there has the history or heritage to make a $13000 riding mower that anyone is really willing to buy. JD never sacrificed quality for price point, even with their box store machines you get what you pay for. Their is consumer trust in the brand that other manufacturers have lost along the way.
My x738 is in my opinion the best machine I could have gotten for my property. It does exactly what I want it to do every time I go to use it. I can push it as hard as it will go and it never breaks a sweat. It's worth every penny it cost.
Im really tired of people saying oh but a 1 series is the same money when set up the same. They aren't the same machine. Sure they do similar things but they are rather drastically different machines to use and operate. It's like saying crew cab pickup and a 4 door European sedan are the same thing. Well they cost the same amount of money. They both do the pretty much the same thing but the experience of each is drastically different.
The garden tractor market downsized for sure with the introduction of more choices to the market.
SCUTs evolved from super garden tractors and certainty became a dominant force.
Z-turns were invented for commercial first then made their way into consumer hands for people who just wanted to mow and in a hurry.
As market share split the lesser quality builders stopped making machines they could no long sell. Leaving being Cub, Simplicity, Deere and a couple others still making a garden tractor that was worth the cost. Slowly that has dropped down to just Deere making a garden tractor that lives up to it's name and is worth buying. There simply isn't another company that has anything that can compete with the Deere x series riding mowers. Except for the X3 series.
I really don't think any company out there has the history or heritage to make a $13000 riding mower that anyone is really willing to buy. JD never sacrificed quality for price point, even with their box store machines you get what you pay for. Their is consumer trust in the brand that other manufacturers have lost along the way.
My x738 is in my opinion the best machine I could have gotten for my property. It does exactly what I want it to do every time I go to use it. I can push it as hard as it will go and it never breaks a sweat. It's worth every penny it cost.
Im really tired of people saying oh but a 1 series is the same money when set up the same. They aren't the same machine. Sure they do similar things but they are rather drastically different machines to use and operate. It's like saying crew cab pickup and a 4 door European sedan are the same thing. Well they cost the same amount of money. They both do the pretty much the same thing but the experience of each is drastically different.
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I'm working on that.
Sometimes I let my wife mow the lawn.
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That’s the laziest method I can come up with.
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I wouldn't exactly say they were Invented for the commercial user 1st
The 1st zero Turn was the Swisher ride King.
While Hustler(1964 Model) was considered the Father of the Zero turn as we know it today. John Regier that started the configuration we know today with Lever steering Built His 1st Machine for Mowing the family Farm. So the original purpose was for mowing Large Residential Properties Hustler started Gearing it later On towards the commercial user
But In 1974 Dixon came on the scene who actually 1st to coined the Term Zero Turn radius and It's Machines were really geared towards the Residential Purchaser . Dixon really didn't Market towards commercial users until the Late 1990's
@MattL I see you left me a mad smilie...Obviously since you made the post!
What I meant was you were obviously joking because you were still alive to post about it. Had it been true we probably would never hear from you again...
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Yes, I Know that is why my Father wanted children I don't think my Father Mowed the Lawn again Until My Younger Brother was 17 In 1993 and My Older Brother was Mowing In the late 1960s, I was Mowing in the 1970s Except My Older Brother Had to Mow again when I was In Military school for 3 years in the late 1970s
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Yea they are geared for commercial side but if you had hills and difficult areas to mow it might be worth looking into.
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No, those battery powered robot mowers would be the lazy way. But then again, touching up all the missed spots from the random mow pattern...maybe goats are the way to go.
Not hurting me feelings 🤣@MattL I see you left me a mad smilie...
What I meant was you were obviously joking because you were still alive to post about it. Had it been true we probably would never hear from you again...
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2,592 Posts
For Hills The Cub Cadet steering wheel Zero turn's are very Good for as well
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I see a lot, and I mean a lot, of very steep side hills cut on an angle with ZTs and the cut looks good.For Hills The Cub Cadet steering wheel Zero turn's are very Good for as well
What they don't seem to have in general is a sharp V at the bottom of them that could flip the mower easily. If there's a smooth transition from level to steep slope like in a retention basin they seem to do good.
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You sir are a rude individual. The day you replied to this thread, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?
In my situation, as in many others, I have no use for a Garden Tractor. I have no garden. I push no snow. All I need to do is mow my lawn. If you and other's need a garden tractor, that's fine with me. I can understand why they choose to go that route. I don't be-little them because of their needs or choices.
I bought a Zero Turn and it's what I need to keep my lawn manicured. It does what I need it to do.
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463 Posts
Oh?....
9,895 USD = $12,800 CAD... then add 13% sales tax when I bring it across the border and the final amount is? ____
Can anyone help me fill in the blank?.....
Oh yea - and then add 965km 2x, at the cost of fuel today?....
as I mentioned before... around here, they cost $14k... yea - we get ripped off up here
cheers!
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