Best mower brand for longevity?

I'm looking to buy either a riding mower or zero turn if the price is right. I'm looking for longevity (quality) and ease of repair when needed.

I've looked at Kubota but they seem to be pretty pricey. Cub Cadet has better prices but am basically brand new to this market.

 

Somewhat contradicting statements, a good quality mower, Kubota, JD, Ferris would be considered a commercial unit and are going to be expensive. A lower quality homeowner model will be less, your going to have to make some critical choices to balance the two requirements.

 

I have a Cub Cadet XT2, 52" rider with a fabricated deck It has a 25 HP Kohler engine. It's my 3rd Cub Cadet. My first lasted 20 years, my 2nd caught fire and nearly burned down my house. My current one is 3 years old. All 3 riders were problem free (except for the fire ). I would not hesitate to buy another Cub Cadet.

IMO the real key to longevity is to maintain the mower properly.

 

Yikes, do you know what caused the fire?

 

The fire marshall and state arson investigator both agreed that it was most likely a ruptured fuel line that dripped gas on the hot exhaust. Total damage from the fire was over $340K.

FWIW Lawn mower fires are not rare. I no longer park a hot mower in the garage until after it has cooled. The fire marshall said that his (different brand) caught fire while he was mowing. I no longer park a hot mower in the garage until after it has cooled.

 

Kubota and Cub Cadet are at opposite ends of the spectrum IMO. Cub Cadet does or did make some heavier models that were decent but I'd never put one alongside a kubota for comparison. Deere has mowers from junk to pinnacle in quality, so model matters. If you can buy it at a box store, leave it there. Ferris, Exmark, and others also made some good ones. Depends on what you're looking for. You said longevity is what you're after, and if so, then go for the Kubota. But then you mentioned price. You know the old saying, you get what you pay for. You slide the price bar down and it correspondingly slides the quality bar down pretty much every time.

If you're looking for the best value on a quality mower, the one I recommend and many have taken my suggestion and all have been pleased, is the John Deere X series. You can buy an X350 for about $4k and up depending on deck size. Great riding mower for the money. It's not a ZTR but it's a tough mower capable of racking up lots of hours with good controls, ease of use, comfort, and few breakdowns. When my own mother asked me what to get that's what I told her and she did. It's mine now and cutting just fine still alongside my 1990s Deere 345 that I think has around 2000 hours on it now.

 

In 2005 I bought a JD 120 rider. I still have it. Other than regular maintenance, I've put a carb on it.
In 2018, I bought an Exmark Radius 52" (the biggest residential mower - the next size up is a commercial mower).
So, I dont use the JD for mowing any more, I use it for pulling a little trailer for yard work/clean up etc.

 

Thank you for the tip on the hot engine, makes a lot of sense.... As a part of my push mower maintenance, I am cleaning it off and will let it cool/dry outside.

I'm going to start putting money away on the Zero Turn for a future purpose. I did say longevity and price point... they don't always mix.

I am leaning towards the following: Kubota Zero Turn, Ferros 300S, Toro Time Cutter 75750.

 

You cant go wrong with that Kubota.... Looks like they have 0% down 0% interest for up to 60 months until 6/31/23.
https://www.kubotausa.com/finance/sp...special-offers

For what its worth, Exmark is made by Toro. But in my opinion, Toro is the low end mower. The Exmark is the better, higher end mower.
Others may be able to comment on that aspect of it.
I didnt look it up but I bought my Exmark on the same special as Kubota has now. 0 down - 0% interest for 48 months.

Good luck in your decision.