Another ride-on mower recommendation please

[DevonWoodlands]

Just to update this thread, for anyone looking for something similar in future....

 

I can't thanks Barrie (GardenKit) enough for all of his advice, and coming out to demo a mulching machine as well. In my case, with so many leaves, mulching just isn't right for me, so collecting is the way to go. Stiga didn't quite have the right machine for me this time.

 

I ended up managing to demo an Iseki 216 in my garden, and going to see a used Kubota GR1600. For me between those 2, in terms of build quality etc, the Iseki would be my choice, it really is a superb machine. It is so well built, and great features. As for its use in my garden, that's another matter however.... Not all of my leaves were collected last year, after my little Honda died, so the Iseki was tested on what I really it need it do - collect leaves, cut grass and trim wild flowers etc. Great cut on the grass and wild flowers, and it did 100% collect all the leaves, unfortunately it does such a good job at vacuuming them up, after just driving no more than 30yds, it was full!! Instead of chopping the leaves, it simply sucks them up, so the leaf mulch wasn't reduced in size one single bit. That left a real quandary as the sheer amount of leaf debris, if not reduced in size, is far too much to store. Also, the time spent emptying it so many times wouldn't work for me.

 

So that led me back to looking at other models. I came across a Husqvarna RC320Ts, which uses an auger to collect everything (and compact it all as well, so they claim). This is a domestic machine, although some do use it commercially, but getting a demo proved almost impossible. Also, at over £7k new, and no used ones out there that I could find, it was looking too pricey. The same dealer recommended I try an Alko T20 instead. Again, a domestic machine, but I know a few people using them commercially too, all very happy with it. Managed to see some incredible Youtube and FB videos of it in action also. Then went to a demo (with the dealer's parents, who have had one for 5 years on, similar acreage to mine) and brought 2 huge sacks of wet and dry leaves with me. It did a great cut on the grass, is really quite powerful for a petrol domestic mower, chopped up and collected every single leaf, and will happily mow long grass too!

 

It ticked every single box, non-timed 42" deck, cast iron front axle, tow hitch, rear deflector (optional) if I want to do 2 passes, cut and collected every single thing I needed, so deposit went down that day, delivery hopefully this week to put it to work.

 

I always knew it would be hard to find one machine to do everything I needed for my particular requirements, but this does 95%+, so I'm extremely happy. I just want to thank you all for your help and advice, it was invaluable, and I definitely recommend GardenKit for anyone in East Devon, even though he didn't have the right machine for me this time, for any other gardening needs I have, I'll be dropping him a line!

 

Thanks everyone!

[GardenKit]

9 hours ago, DevonWoodlands said:

Just to update this thread, for anyone looking for something similar in future....

 

I can't thanks Barrie (GardenKit) enough for all of his advice, and coming out to demo a mulching machine as well. In my case, with so many leaves, mulching just isn't right for me, so collecting is the way to go. Stiga didn't quite have the right machine for me this time.

 

I ended up managing to demo an Iseki 216 in my garden, and going to see a used Kubota GR1600. For me between those 2, in terms of build quality etc, the Iseki would be my choice, it really is a superb machine. It is so well built, and great features. As for its use in my garden, that's another matter however.... Not all of my leaves were collected last year, after my little Honda died, so the Iseki was tested on what I really it need it do - collect leaves, cut grass and trim wild flowers etc. Great cut on the grass and wild flowers, and it did 100% collect all the leaves, unfortunately it does such a good job at vacuuming them up, after just driving no more than 30yds, it was full!! Instead of chopping the leaves, it simply sucks them up, so the leaf mulch wasn't reduced in size one single bit. That left a real quandary as the sheer amount of leaf debris, if not reduced in size, is far too much to store. Also, the time spent emptying it so many times wouldn't work for me.

 

So that led me back to looking at other models. I came across a Husqvarna RC320Ts, which uses an auger to collect everything (and compact it all as well, so they claim). This is a domestic machine, although some do use it commercially, but getting a demo proved almost impossible. Also, at over £7k new, and no used ones out there that I could find, it was looking too pricey. The same dealer recommended I try an Alko T20 instead. Again, a domestic machine, but I know a few people using them commercially too, all very happy with it. Managed to see some incredible Youtube and FB videos of it in action also. Then went to a demo (with the dealer's parents, who have had one for 5 years on, similar acreage to mine) and brought 2 huge sacks of wet and dry leaves with me. It did a great cut on the grass, is really quite powerful for a petrol domestic mower, chopped up and collected every single leaf, and will happily mow long grass too!

 

It ticked every single box, non-timed 42" deck, cast iron front axle, tow hitch, rear deflector (optional) if I want to do 2 passes, cut and collected every single thing I needed, so deposit went down that day, delivery hopefully this week to put it to work.

 

I always knew it would be hard to find one machine to do everything I needed for my particular requirements, but this does 95%+, so I'm extremely happy. I just want to thank you all for your help and advice, it was invaluable, and I definitely recommend GardenKit for anyone in East Devon, even though he didn't have the right machine for me this time, for any other gardening needs I have, I'll be dropping him a line!

 

Thanks everyone!

Thanks for the chance to come out and demonstrate the Stiga Park machine Devon Woodlands, it was great to visit your woodland and lawns again after all these years (you will recall that I had serviced machinery for a previous owner)
I am sorry you did not feel that mulching was not right for you and I do respect your opinion that it would not leave the finish you desired.
Your massive amount of leaves is certainly a problem that many mowers will not cope with.

I do feel that a Stiga Estate collector machine would have coped very well with the leaves, but my concern was for the damage that could be caused to the timed deck when mowing the paths which were strewn with exposed roots. It would only be a matter of time before a blade chopped into a root and snapped the timing belt. The untimed decks will not suffer this damage, but I would still be very careful not to catch a root as the decks themselves can distort around the blade bearing housing making the blades cut irregularly.
It really was a pleasure meeting you and I look forward to doing some sort of business with you one day soon.
 

[MattyF]

Thanks for the chance to come out and demonstrate the Stiga Park machine Devon Woodlands, it was great to visit your woodland and lawns again after all these years (you will recall that I had serviced machinery for a previous owner)

I am sorry you did not feel that mulching was not right for you and I do respect your opinion that it would not leave the finish you desired.

Your massive amount of leaves is certainly a problem that many mowers will not cope with.

I do feel that a Stiga Estate collector machine would have coped very well with the leaves, but my concern was for the damage that could be caused to the timed deck when mowing the paths which were strewn with exposed roots. It would only be a matter of time before a blade chopped into a root and snapped the timing belt. The untimed decks will not suffer this damage, but I would still be very careful not to catch a root as the decks themselves can distort around the blade bearing housing making the blades cut irregularly.

It really was a pleasure meeting you and I look forward to doing some sort of business with you one day soon.

 

Sorry for the hijack , I’ve been offered this for 2k it’s 2011 , would you say this is a fair price for a machine of this age and condition... I know nothing about mowers but pulling a set of gangs behind the avant is getting tedious since the ride on broke!

[GardenKit]

I would personally not be selling a 10 year old Park Compact 16 4wd for that money without a new deck, unless the original was exceptionally good. There are the odd machine that has only been used in the dry and been cleaned before garaging, but most are not and a 10 year old deck is likely to be very thin from rust. Best check it out thoroughly or you may be needing a £629 95 combi deck quite soon. Job to see from the image quality but it looks a little tatty.

[MattyF]

Thanks , I will take a look maybe on Saturday... I didn’t think it look bad from the photos , I can get more info on the machine but that’s good to know but I did think that was a bit steep for a 10 year old mower but know nothing about them [emoji1303]