“When you can sell a 9 or 10 thousand dollar machine for $5399 it get’s people excited.” Robert Foster.
By Paul Sikkema. Join the conversation on Facebook!
From Ben,
I purchased a 6 acre property after mowing season was already over last year. This is my first large property and I am in the market for a ZTR. There is a dealer within three miles of me that offers some great at home maintenance services that sells both Spartan and Hustler mowers. The dealer is really pushing the Spartan brand for my application. They seem to have a lot of heavy-duty features found in much more expensive setups. I saw in one of your past responses that you cannot recommend a mower from an “unknown” manufacturer but I was curious if you had any further thoughts on this brand of mowers. I really like the reasonably priced plug and play accessories and the idea of getting a lot mower at their price point. I understand there is a lawsuit on them already from Bad Boy due to an alleged patent infringement as the designer/owner of the Spartan brand supposedly came up with part of the design while he was an owner of Bad Boy. Apparently Spartan and Bad Boy are literally right next door to each other and had an ugly split. The model I was looking at the RT Pro 61″ with either the Kohler or the Briggs motors. Have you tested any of the Spartans yourself?
Hi Ben, This is the second season for Spartan mowers. It’s made by a company that has disrupted the ATV industry and yes there is some interesting history with Bad Boy.
Spartan is an interesting marketing application. Let’s take a conventional zero-turn and make it look beefy, manly and Transformer looking – let’s add features that no one else has like triple jointed arm rests. The owner, Robert Foster, built twelve prototypes in his garage over the summer of 2015 and then kept them secret until the big L&G dealer show (GIE-EXPO) that October. He then sprung them on the world at one-third the price of the current market.
Will his equipment be worth the cheap cost? It’s still too early to tell. We’ve already proven that the Chinese zero-turns are not worth the hassle no matter how cheap the cost but this company and it’s owner is different. This a U.S.A. built machine with the best possible engines, transmissions and parts. Mr Foster is building a solid dealer base with the parts and service to keep your machine running. He has the vision, the resources and the business experience to make this work. This guy has the money to make this company last 5 years or more which should get it through the “new” phase of bringing a product to market.
In my experience buying a machine like the Spartan that has not had at least 2 full years of on-the-ground prove-design is not always the best choice for you. One of the most controversial innovators in the industry, Dane Scag, was that way. Mr. Scag would design a machine on paper, build it, and then sell it at a lower price than anyone else. As problems arose with the design he would then fix it with recalls and updates. Starting out in the mowing business I owned a few of them because of the price. But, they were down for repairs about 20% of the time. I liked the mowers a lot , but was very frustrated about the down time. My dealer finally convinced me to buy an ExMark and guess what? My on-lawn mowing time increased, my labor costs dropped dramatically because my crews weren’t waiting for repairs and my repair costs dropped 50%.
Companies like Toro, ExMark and Ariens are very conservative in introducing new “radical” machines and improvements. They spend 2-3 years designing, testing and making sure the design works. They are confident that the machine will last a long time before they even offer the first machine for sale.
As a Homeowner should you buy one? Understand that I was using the mowers in the above example commercially 30-50 hours a week and with your 6 acres you will only use your’s an hour and half a week. Also understand, with the recent Raven MPV-7100 hybrid mower debacle I am probably overly-cautious of recommending a new product from a new manufacture. I spent some time with the 61 inch last October at the GIE-EXPO. I looked at all the features, build quality and test drove it for few minutes. The mower is designed well and should last years. I don’t expect any issues with the Spartan mower but if you do buy one I suggest that you stay in close contact with the dealer so that you get any updates before your warranty expires. I repeat, the mower is designed well and should last a homeowner years.
Ben, I’ve been around this business for over 30 years and I’ve seen at least 50 companies like this one try to break into the zero-turn market. Anyone remember the “Hill Billy” “Bunton” or “DewEze?” There are only 3 or 4 that gained enough market share to stay in business. I hope Mr. Foster can break through the “new product launch” and deliver the quality mower at the price he has envisioned.
Check Spartan Mowers out here: Spartan Mowers
Did you buy a Spartan last year? Please tell us how you like it!
Yes, You need a new Gas Can!
With today’s fuels you need a gas can that seals tight. It helps the fuel last longer and the escaping vapors won’t wreck the environment. But the biggest problem is find one that works. The cheap ones ($20 or more now) don’t have vents so it takes forever to fill the tank on your lawn tractor. The cheap ones are also flimsy and the spouts break after the first year.
Well, I’ve found one brand that works great! It’s vented inside the spout so it pours fuel quickly yet seals tightly when not in use. I’ll give you links at Amazon for two sizes. I suggest buying the size so that you don’t keep more than a month of fuel around the house.
No-Spill 1405 2-1/2-Gallon Poly Gas Can. A good size for snow blowers and push mowers.
No-Spill 1450 5-Gallon Poly Gas Can (CARB Compliant) This one has a second handle in the back so it is very easy to use and hang onto when pouring into your fuel tank. A good size for lawn tractors and zero-turns.
If you have a problem holding a gas can the SureCan is a great can. It’s very comfortable to use to use and built well.
SureCan – Gas Can with Rotating Spout.
Fuel Stabilizer: When I go to the gas station and buy fuel I always put fuel stabilizer in the storage tank. It helps keep the fuel fresh and some also clean your carb and fuel system without messing it up. There a man good brands but I’ve used
SeaFoam for years and it’s always worked well. I use 2 tablespoons per gallon of fuel.
Other fuels stabilizers to check out: Fuel Stabilizers
Have I helped you? If would you like to buy from your local dealer or store but still want to support TodaysMower just click on this link and buy anything you need. I’ll make a small commission from the sale. Buy at Amazon. TodaysMower.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, and we get a commission on purchases made through our links.
Pat Farrell
Patrick Farrell
I have a Spartan 54” RT With a Kawasaki FR691V
32 run hours and won’t run. Dealer says parts are back ordered with no end date. Spartan Customer service was no help with resolution and told me to take it up with the dealer. Very poor support and reliability.
Paul
Hi Pat, Make sure you are complaining about a problem that is not pandemic related. Almost everyone is having issues with parts right now – especially common parts. For example, one truck manufacture has 20,000 trucks waiting for one computer chip. One snowblower manufacturer is waiting on one part and can’t ship many of their snowblowers because of it. I’ve been waiting on a common gauge wheel for one of my mowers for over 3 months now. I was without my good car for over 3 weeks just last month because a part was impossible to get. And it’s not just getting parts – my brother can’t get the repair parts needed to keep his factory running…to make parts.
My guess is it will take at least another year to sort this all out.
Alan
I have owned a Spartan mower now for 2 seasons, using it on large acreage…I’ve owned Gravely,John Deere, Husqvarna,Cub Cadet, and Bad Boy (the upper end of these brands) been doing landscape work for decades, both commercially and residentially—-so far the Spartan beats all of these hands down…they’re built much better , from the ground up…bigger better drive motors, thicker bigger better designed deck, frame, ease of cleaning/maintenance and service—-beats all the others hands down without a doubt—-my best one ,,,(of previous ones) cost twice the $$ and still had occasional issues and very frequent service…This Spartan is a monster, normal service, and cut, cut, cut…the ride, handling, and ease of use is exceptional too…I know I sound like a salesman,,,but being honest—-thx,,,A.I.
MATTHEW KREIDER
I bought the Spartan XTF 48 brand new I is 2 years old the first owner never used it once. I mowed for 15 minutes and the tank leaks around the area of the level indicators. Is there any re call on these tanks?
Paul
Hi Matthew, the best resource for information like that is your dealer.
Nilda Jinright
Thanks for sharing … really helpful info.
Linda Amin
I have owned a Spartan for 4 years now. Spends a lot of time in the repair shop despite the fact I own only 5 acres to mow. It is there again waiting to have gas tank #3 installed at the cost of $700.00. I get no reasonable answer as to why the gas tanks are faulty and leak. I am truly disappointed in this mower and the fact that I receive no credible response to numerous repairs.
Doug
I went to my local dealer set on buying a Toro. When I asked about other brands he suggested Spartan. I will say I felt more comfortable sitting in the Spartan compared to the Toro. I have maybe an acre to mow. I’m just looking for something that will last. I was attracted to the Spartan, but I think it might be overkill for what I need. The dealer said the price of the Spartan is a bit more than Toro but I’m getting better quality. My father-in-law’s main issue is that it doesn’t have a washout port. The dealer said I didn’t need one, but my father-in-law said it’s necessary. I think it is too and it’s easier to attach a hose rather than having to use a jack or ramps to get underneath of it to clean. Any thoughts?
Paul
Hi Doug, Yes, the Spartan does have a nice seat. It looks cool. I’m going to assume you are looking at the RZ series. The price is about $4899? I’m also going to assume you are looking at the new Toro TimeCutter or Titan.
It is aimed at mowers costing about $6000 so it is more money than the Titan. Let me compare it Apples to Apples and then you can decide. Spartan does a few things to make it cost less than the comparable mower. For example, instead of using separate Tuff-Torq transmissions, it uses pump and motors. The rest of the industry has gotten away from the pump/motors becasue both sides use the same oil supply and when you have a failure in one pump or motor the metal shavings and burnt oil goes through the whole system. That means if you lose one pump or motor expect to replace all the pumps and motors soon after.
They have slightly smaller spindles, bolts, and mounting linkages. The industry has goon to sealed bearings – Spartan is still using greased bearings.
Spartan is a new mower company. The owner was one of the founders of Bad Boy. Yes, they are selling a lot of mowers but they just don’t have the experience yet so that I can wholeheartedly recommend them.
For about one acre it is way more mower than you need. Yes, it’s “more” mower than the Timecutterr or Titan. But, I also know the Timecutter or Titan will last you many, many years and you will be able to get parts for it long after your local dealer has retired.
If you want the best cutting and best riding mower check out the Toro 50 in. 24.5 HP TimeCutter IronForged Deck Commercial V-Twin Gas Dual Hydrostatic Zero Turn Riding Mower with MyRIDE or the Toro 48 in. Titan IronForged Deck 24.5 HP Commercial V-Twin Gas Dual Hydrostatic Zero Turn Riding Mower with MyRIDE
One last thing. Please read the first comment. This mower is supposed to be a commercial mower but the commercial operators are quickly finding out that “you get what you pay for” and almost all of them will choose a different brand for their next machine.
Jaden
Bought a spartan mower rt hd brand new. 200hrs on it now. Nothing but problems. I can see being a good residential mower but is not a commercial mower! Issues from day one starting from front tires not holding air more then one day and then balling out on the sides. 2nd set of their tires and still not holdimg air! Then seat sensor going out. Deck height adjuster has been replaced 3 time and last time dealer didnt put it back correctly and destroyed all the linkages 3 hrs after dealer had it. 2nd set of deck covers and already cracked and making loud noise. Governor spring on engine broke. Turn nob turning itself and dropping deck. 2nd gas tank and its leaked from the beginning. Im sure theres more I cant remember. Bought it June 2019 and is april 2020 now. Some issue every day with it. Spends more time broke down then making money. Im so far screwed over on this thing I dont know what to do because at a price of $9000 you dont expect this. Spartan now claims im abusing it after they took it back for a month. Their trying to tell me their not covering anything else even though its still under warranty. Save yourself money and do not buy a spartan!
Paul
Hi Jaden, Thanks for the update. I was wondering when I would start hearing issues with the Spartan mowers. The price is too good to be true. Yes, it probably is a decent mower for residential but from what I can see it is not built as heavy-duty as a comparable Exmark, Gravely or even a Cub Cadet Pro.
John
Paul, do you have an update on your opinion of Spartan zero turn mowers. They really look good on paper
Paul
Hi John, There are no long term reviews (more than 100 hours) that I can find. Yes, by the price it appears to be a great deal but if you look at the components compared to an Exmark, Scag, Toro, etc. the other brands all have better components.
That said, as a homeowner, the mower is a good choice. Even for a new/small commercial operator, they can also be a good choice if you have a good local dealer to service it. But, if you are mowing 40 or more lawns a week I still strongly suggest spending the extra money for the Exmark, Scag, Toro, etc.machines
John Elmore
As of 5-3-19 I can nothing say only “good” reference my Spartan…. To date, even the “battery” has endured without having to be replaced.
However, Due to the fact I don’t pickup limbs or rocks in my yard, I simply chop them up; I did buy a new set of blades $50.00..
Recommend this unit “ABSOLUTELY”
Greg
I spoke with a local dealer with a purchase in mind. He told me he has 300(last year 2018) in the field. I ask what was coming in with problems. He told me 3 units came back, (1) with owner abuse, two of them returned with chip boards out. Now, I live in a rural area with a usual annual rain fall of 60-70 inches per year. Generally yards and paddocks range from 1/2 acre to 8 or 9 acres of grass. I am about to go get one of these units and put it to work on 8 acres of grass. It will be tested. A small town dealer cant afford to put much gunk out there or they want be in business very long. He actually told me they where out performing some other pretty well know units on the market.
John
Ok, I have had my Spartan RT HD for 16 months now. I really like it. I have had my console replaced once as stated in my earlier post. The second console had the same issue. I contacted Spartan directly and a tech rep asked me to look at the console and see if the hour glass was flashing. It was so he told me that it meant a button was stuck. He advised me to take an air hose and blow around each button. I did this and it took care of the problem. I regularly do this now because I live at the beach and a lot of sand gets blown on the mower.
The only thing that has broken that was part of the original mower is my throttle cable. This happened about a month ago. When you push it to full throttle it will not stay. It backs off to about half. I have hooked a bungi cord to it to keep it at full throttle and it has worked fine. Now before you call me cheap (lol) my dealer is 4 hours from me. I think it is still under warranty so when I go to have service I will get it fixed then.
I bought the electric shield for the deck. After 3 months I started having issues with it not working. I would lower it and when I wanted it to raise it would not. After 2-3 hours you could hit the switch and it would work. I spoke with a rep at Spartan and he basically said yeah we have been having issues with them. He then recommended that I get one of their manual shields. No offer of assistance with cost. I paid $300 for the electric one and at the time they wanted $200 for the manual one.
The only other item I will mention is do not get complacent. I have owed several JD, cub cadet, and Husqavarna mowers that I purchased brand new. Not one of them did I really check the oil in before each use. I always changed the oil at the recommended hours. I changed the oil in my Spartan at 20 hours as recommended and I changed it again at the 100 hour mark. It is recommended to change every 100 hours after the initial oil change. I was at the 180 hours total and just happened to check the oil level and I found it to be low. I looked for leaks and found nothing. I referenced my owners manual and to my surprise I found that the oil that was recommended would actually burn / be consumed fast and that the oil level should be checked more often. I know that older motors would start to burn oil but never thought that about a new one. Needless to stay I changed my oil and I check every week and I will not go by the recommended 100 hour change. I will start doing it at 50 or even 25.
Now with all that being said, I would highly recommended Spartan Mowers. I love mine. It does a great job. Just wish the blades were a little cheaper. (Lol) And if you get one I hope you can find a dealer that is closer than 4 hours.
Paul
Hi John, Thanks for the detailed review. It’s interesting that even though you are well within the warranty the rep didn’t suggest taking it into the dealer and having the issue fixed.
Mack
Hello Paul, it has been nearly 9 months since your last posting on the Spartan Mower article. I was thinking about buying a Spartan SRT XD and would love to hear your updated opinion on them. you seem to be pretty sold out on the Toro Mowers. while I would agree that Toro was a good mower up tell around 2015, they used to be built almost identically to there cousin, Exmark, and thus piggybacked off of Exmarks, already established, good name to become a very successful mower brand. But scenes 2015 they have been drifting further and further away from the Exmark design (such as Titan or TimeCutter series) and have really cheapened them up while keeping the price the same (raised prices on some units).
So I’m having a hard time justifying spending 14k on brands like Exmark, Scag, JD let alone a Toro just for the name. Granted they all are great mowers, but when the Spartans (like the SRT XD) have been proven to be equal to if not superior to other “top of the line Brands” for 10.5k? Plus 99% of the people who own A Spartan Mower couldn’t be more then happy with them? it seems like an obvious choice.
But, I would love to hear your take on which one is worth getting? and why? and what makes one better than the other? thanks, I appreciate your time!
Paul
Hi Mack, No one, I repeat no one is talking about Spartan mowers. There are very few reviews online or on YouTube. Yes, there are a lot of reviews from happy, new buyers but there are no reviews I can find from owners with over 100 hours on one. That said, if you have a good local dealer who handles them and you trust that dealer to support the mower as needed – then it may be a great choice for you!
ExMark and Toro are still the same but each brand caters to a different user so there are little differences between the two brands. If you look closely at a Toro and an ExMark in the same price range (like for like) they both are identical except for the deck, trim and a few other small details.
ExMark caters to the mowing contractor. Most of the ExMarks sold are to contractors who haul them around on trailers all the time. Toro has a much wider selection of mowers and markets to the homeowner, the estate owner, the local municipality, schools, colleges, and golf courses. Toro and ExMark also trade as to who gets the new feature first. Toro was the first with the GrandStand – this time around ExMark gets the new Staris first. ExMark got the ride-on sprayer and ride on aerator first. Toro had the MyRide suspension platform first – now ExMark has it. If I remember right, ExMark had EFI first and Toro got it 2 years later. Toro got the programmable engine computer first. ExMark got the screw jack kit for changing blades first but Toro got the Trimmer Rack/Debris Bucket kits first.
All that said, I designed this website for the homeowner/estate owner and my goal is to help you find the best mower for that. I don’t have the time to cover the more expensive mowers geared to people using them to make money. So, anything over $7000 or so I suggest looking at other sites like Green Industry Pros and Stanley “Dirt Monkey” Genadek.
John
I purchased a Spartan Mower (Model SRH54850KW) in April of this year. I have enjoyed the mower, but I am having issue with the console. When it had 26.4 hours on it the console would not allow me to crank the unit. I carried it back to the dealer and the console was bad. Now the new console has 35.9 hours on it and it has gone bad. What really sucks is I am 4 hours from my dealer. I had 8 hours of drive time for a 20 minute fix. My mower is kept inside so water is not an issue as far as I am concerned. Is anyone else having this type of issue with their Spartan?
Randy Leddington
Mr. Paul, I’d really like to hear an update from you on your opinion of Spartan mowers. It has been a while since you posted this article and I’d be curious to hear if your opinion has changed any. In the comment section of this article, you seemed to go out of your way to advise against the purchase of a Spartan. It appeared to me that you preferred the Toro. We have no Toro dealers where I live, and we just recently got a Spartan dealer. I spent about 8 hours researching the Spartan and kind of “fell in love” with it. I did not research the Toros since there is no dealer here to service them. When I say researching for 8 hours, I mean that, literally. Doing nothing but going from one article to another, and one video to another. Your’s is the most negative post, of any kind, that I have found about the Spartan mowers. I have not found a single negative owner review. Obviously, I have not seen ever review ever posted by a Spartan owner, but I have looked at many. I am going tomorrow to look at one, in person, and am seriously considering purchasing one. Any updated advise you can offer would be appreciated.
Paul
Hi Randy, The Spartan is too new to have any good feedback on it. We need to get at least three years of run time by commercial users before we really get a feel for how long it will last.
It appears Spartan is aimed directly at the Bad Boy mower market. Bad Boy mowers are priced less than the Toro, ExMark, John Deere, Scag, etc. The Spartan is priced so that you will buy the Spartan before you buy a Bad Boy. Spartan is claiming it’s better than the Bad Boy in every way. But in this market to lower price you really have to lower something. Cost of labor or cost of parts, metal thickness, etc. That said,
You didn’t state how much you are going to mow – what you are mowing – how many hours a year you will be putting on it so I really can’t say if it will hold up for you. In other words, if you are mowing 2 acres of good lawn it will last but if you are mowing 5-10 acres of rough lawn and tall grasses it won’t last near as long as the other, higher priced mowers.
Randy Leddington
Thank you, Paul, for getting back to me so quickly. I did go look at an RT model today, but it didn’t ride as well as the Scag Cheetah. He is getting another shipment this week, however, and will have some of the higher end models. Neither dealer (Scag or Spartan) had one available for me to actually mow with, but should have one back in the shop in a couple of days. That will help me with my decision. Currently, I am only mowing about 3 1/2 acres, some of it smooth, and some rough. The prices on the Spartan are pretty close to a comparable mower in the Scag and Gravely line. I have narrowed my choices down to these three, with Gravely being at the bottom of my list. From my research, they are all three built very close to the same specifications, so it is coming down to the smaller details, like brake placement, and deck adjustment mechanisms. I do not like the way the Gravely deck adjustment pin system is set up, and I don’t like the parking brake on the Cheetah. Small things, I know, but when you’re investing $10,000 (or more) you should get what you like best, in my opinion. I will be looking at the Spartan SRT XD in a few days. If it doesn’t ride any better than their RT model, I’ll be going with the Scag Cheetah. That, of course, is pending the actual mowing test. Again, thank your for your response, and your opinions.
Paul
Hi Randy, in that price range it’s the little things that make a big difference in long-term reliability. Scag does not cheat on those little things. For example, if they say “10 gauge deck” that means the entire deck is 10 gauge – not just the plate around the spindles.
The Scag uses ZT-5400 cast iron transaxles. The Spartan uses a smaller pump and motor setup. Beside the ruggedness of the cast iron drives each transaxle is independent on the Scag. I believe the Spartan uses a common reservoir for both drives so if one drive goes bad all the metal filings, etc. will carry over to the other pump/motor and quickly ruin them.
Scag – heavy duty, cast iron, greased spindles. Those spindles will take all day running and withstand a lot more abuse than the sealed aluminum spindles on the Spartan.
I can go on and on about these differences – even the blades on the Scag will last 2-3 times longer between sharpenings than most other blades.
Miguel Alvarado
I’ve purchased a spartan RT54 Last year. I’ve put it through hell and the damn machine keeps going. So very happy. I’ve owned craftsman and john deere over the past 30 yrs. Never steering away from these products. But I got physically sick 2 yrs ago and the regular riding mowers were too much for me. So I checked out all the ztr’s available. The Spartan caught my eye. Looked ferocious and really cool. I looked up all the specs and prices for every ztr on the market. Hey if im going to drop down 7 grand for a mower I need to educate myself. Spartan is pretty knew in the market. But during the last 3 yrs. No serious problems reported. Other owners were ecstatic basically. So I jumped and bought one. And prayed a lot. LOL. I am probably the happiest owner of a Spartan ZTR. My wife says everytime she sees me mowing the lawn I have a smile on my face. No complaints whatsoever. Maintenance is a breeze. Everything is accessible and always ready to go everytime. I recommend this mower with all my being. You will not be disappointed.
Merrie
HI Paul… You seem to be the guy with the answers to mower-buyer concerns! We are home owners with 9+ acres to keep under control in Florida. This is our first experience with a ZTR mower and we understand that this is serious money to get the best mower for our needs. But the more we search, the more questions we have! Finally made a decision and found a Toro Z-Master 3000 we were ready to purchase new at a local dealer. When we arrived to seal the deal, the Spartan SRT XD hit us between the eyes! The dealer, while not pushy about it, pointed out many features we really liked i.e. The Vanguard 37hp engine, comfy seat, and plenty of leg room for my Guy’s long legs. A night’s sleep has brought up concerns such as… Will Spartan be there for us down the road? Is the deck 7gauge steel (like the Toro)? Who makes the wheel motors for both Toro and Spartan and what size are they? How do the spindles compare? We’re generally pretty conservative folks, and certainly don’t want to be blinded by the light when making this decision! Do you have any heavy considerations one way or the other? Many thanks!
Paul
Hi Merrie, For basically the same price I’d pick the Toro everytime and here’s why.
1. The Toro 3000 as the exclusive Unitized Drives built by Parker. 12cc. Industrial Parker Pump and Reservoir mounted to Parker Cast Iron Wheel Motor by a Manifold. What that means is the drives are considerably heavier duty than the 10cc pump and motor setup on the Spartan.
2. Toro has been around forever. Spartan has only been making mowers for three years. Toro’s only business is lawn mowers and they make everything from a residential push mower to models that will mow 100 acres a day. Spartan is basically an ATV/Utility vehicle manufacturer who decided to make a better mower than the BAD BOY brand. The company is owned by just one person. I’m actually concerned if Spartan would continue if something happened to the owner. In other words, I can’t recommend a Spartan for long life until the company gets 5-10 years of experience.
3. The Spartan mower looks cool but is not built as tough as the Toro 3000. The Toro is a full 7 gauge deck where the Spartan only has a 7 gauge top plate.
Now, I do have to ask if you plan on mowing the entire acreage all the time. Zero-turn mowers do the best job when the grass is no more than a foot tall. I lived in Florida for a while so I know how tough some of the grasses and palms can be to cut. If you only plan to mow most of that property 2 or 3 times a year I strongly suggest that you also get a rough cut mower. The one I will suggest you can pull it with the zero-turn or an ATV/Utility vehicle. Your Toro dealer may already be a dealer for this brand. A 55 inch is a good choice. Acrease Rough Cut mowers
Tyson Thompson
The Spartan SRT XD has 16cc Parker pumps. The RT HD has the exact same pump and wheel motor set up as the Toro and Exmark 12cc. I am a Exmark and Spartan dealer. This year we have sold 107 Spartans to 17 Exmarks.
Paul
Hi Tyson, Do you have any Spartan with 1000 hours or more? How is the mower holding up? Can you get parts as fast as with Exmark? Is Spartan treating you as a dealer as well as ExMark?
Dan Lebedowicz
Hi Paul I am considering the Country Clipper with the joystick vs. two stick control what can you advise me re. reliability of the joystick. Also is the Parks driving system really much better than Hydrogear?
Lastly can you comment about engine reliability: Kawasaki vs Koohler vs. Briggs>
Thank you very much for your input.
Dan
Paul
Hi Dan, Country Clipper has the patent on the joystick so no one else has been able to use it. They have had that joystick control since 1995 and it is bulletproof. I’ve owned them myself over the years and love the joystick. My neighbor’s is close to 20 years old, he does NO maintenance to it and still mows 3 acres every week. It sits outside all year long. If I had a good local dealer I’d own one today.
Of the 40 or so manufacturers that make residential ZTR’s I’d rate the Country Clipper in the Top 5. Yes, they make good products with great features for the price.
You didn’t tell me which model you are looking at or about your lawn so I can’t tell you a lot about your other questions. So, I’ll have to generalize.
Parker only makes commercial drives. Hydrogear makes cheap stuff, good stuff and high-end commercial so it’s hard to say if the model you are looking at is better. But Country Clipper NEVER cuts on quality so the tranny in the machine you want is sized to the unit properly.
Kawasaki vs Kohler vs. Briggs: They all make different grades of engines for different applications but two things. 1. Again Country Clipper matches the best engine for the money for the size of the mower. 2. The Kohler 7000 series has the best reputation right now and the Kawasaki FR is nothing special compared to it. I would never pay extra for the Kawasaki.
Justin Patterson
I bought the first Spartan from my local dealer last fall, to mow my family’s three yards totaling 6.5 acres. It’s been great for that purpose. Only yesterday, did I throw the first belt by accidentally engaging while in transport. With 60+ hours, the belt may have stretched a bit too. I’ll buy a new one.
Currently, I’m in the process of purchasing a mostly residential commercial lawn care operation and will be in the market for a new zero turn asap. The Scag I’m buying is a POS and worn out. Wish Spartan made a 48″ cut. What do you guys recommend I look atbalternatively?
Paul
Hi Justin, The Spartan is a good mower for the price and for a homeowner it’s actually a great unit. You get a lot of machine for the buck. But— It’s nowhere near the mower as that old Scag, or an ExMark, Toro, Hustler or Gravely for long life and reliability.
In reality a good commercial dealer is more important than what brand you buy. I actually suggest looking at what the other landscapers have on their trailers in your area. That will give you an idea of what dealers are the best to work with. For now please stayt away from John Deere though. Their commercial line is good but it’s too expensive for starting out and too heavy for use on small residential lawns.
Mike
Hi Paul, do you have any experience with Big Dog mowers? I like the front lift access to the mower blades but I am concerned with overall quality. The closest dealer is also an hour away. I’ve been looking at zero turns in the 54″ deck range as I have a little over 2 acres to mow each week. I was hoping to find a combination of commercial type durability at a high end residential price ($5,000?). I currently use a JD 48″ deck lawn tractor and it’s slow and 9 point turns around trees are killing me. Any recommendations you have are greatly appreciated.
Mike in Rhode Island
Paul
Hi Mike, Big Dog is the same mower as Hustler. The only difference is the red paint and where it’s sold. (brands do this so they can have more than one dealer selling in a given town) So any comment you hear about the Hustler also applies to the Big Dog.
The Big Dog Blackjack and Hustler Raptor SD are the same mower. The SD mows well and the owners like the machine. The Big Dog version would be a good choice for your size lawn.
If you haven’t read this article please take a look The Best Residential and Prosumer Zero-Turns. I really like the new Toro’s this year.
Mike
Thanks for the input Paul. I really appreciate it. I’m still undecided but I’m leaning towards the Toro time cutter 54″ w/my ride. I still love the flip up deck feature on the Hustler and Big Dog but overall the Toro may make more sense. Thanks again,
Mike
Paul
Hi Mike, One thing that does not get mentioned enough is available accessories. For example the Toro HD and MyRide have an optional lift kit for raising the front of the mower to work on it. The lift works as well as the flip up deck and saves you over $1000 in the cost of the mower.
Toro HD/MyRide accessories
John
Bought my 61inch Spartan RT Pro last July. As of today…. There’s not one thing I can dis / gripe about. Great price, great quality, Wait 1 thing, the stickers on the sides that say “SPARTAN” look like they won’t make it long.
I’m serious, so far “great” mower.
shogan
Paul wealth of Info Thanks. 40 Acres farm/Homestead with about 5 acres yard around house, hills, obstacles, and rough ground. My machines include garden tractor, compact tractor 7′ mower, and 1994 Dixon ZTR 5601. The ZTR is a beast amazing tough but beats the tar out of me just cutting the acres we call yard. It’s to a point it needs muffler, carb, and good overhaul probably $1000 worth of stuff. The 40 minutes I spend on it wears me out (even going slow) and makes me want to get a condo. Will getting the Toro with My Ride or similar machine greatly improve my cutting experience? PS you said in 1 article you could say why the Dixon was so awesome and why it no longer exists did you ever right that article?
Paul
Hi Shogan, compared to your Dixon the new MyRide will be like driving down a brand new blacktopped road in a brand new minivan.
The old Dixon with the original cone drive was the best machine for homeowners. It would zip around the yard and the old “slush-a-matic” was so forgiving that it would never tear up the turf. The reason it no longer exists is because Dixon decided that they needed to make more money. Instead of redesigning and improving what they already had they started from scratch and made a cheaper, light unit. Of course the new cone drive broke, which gave them a really bad reputation, which caused sales to decline even more. They tried to go the hydro way but they could never regain the reputation they had.
Richard
Hi Paul, I looked at the Spartan last week, and I also am going to look at the Toro HD 54″ with MyRide and the Ferris IS 700N all three rave about their suspensions and smooth rides, which of the three do you think offers the most smooth ride? I live on 4 acres and the terrain is a little rough, I currently use my JD 2010 sub compact tractor to with a mid mower to cut my yard, but that tractor beats me to death and I am looking for a smother ride. Your opinion is greatly appreciated.
Paul
Hi Richard, The Spartan RZ has rubber blocks under the seat for suspension and you can get optional low-pressure tires to help a little more. Meaning it will not be any smoother than you sub-compact.
The Ferris uses a suspension system like your car to offer a smooth ride. But what happens when you hit a really rough bump in your car? It bottoms out. The Ferris will do the same thing. Meaning the ZTR will will ride smoothly but when the ground is really rough the deck will bounce and will give you a wavy cut. The suspension on the Simplicity/Ferris is patented so no one else can use it but – 1. In my opinion the entire system is too complicated and will give you problems over time. 2. If it really was a great system other manufactures (especially the Chinese) would be trying to copy it.
The Myride system on the Toro does it right. The mower itself is firmly planted on the ground. The front casters and rear wheels are as close as possible to the deck. That allows it to follow contours and bumps so it gives you the best possible cut for a mid-mount deck. The suspension just smooths out the ride for the operator. It’s a lot more than just a suspension seat. It gives your entire body a smoother ride.
You will get the smoothest ride with the Toro. Plus Toro never sells any ZTR unless it has been proven and tested and proven again so it does what it’s advertised to do and is built to last.
Richard
Thank you so much for your speedy comments, I will be purchasing the Toro with myride. Thanks again Paul for helping me make up my mind!
Paul
@Richard, Excellent! Feel free to stop back later and tell us how you like it!
Montesa_VR
I thought the idea of styling a mower with a sports car theme seemed silly, but after watching the video it appears that Foster has done a good job of incorporating function into his form.
The funny thing is, after watching his videos, I looked at the Swisher article. My first thought was, “Wow, I wouldn’t want to be seen on that thing!” Then the whole muscle car motif made a lot more sense.
Paul
HI Montesa, I understand. There are a million in-town lawns where the Swisher will be the perfect mower. The lawns are too small or complicated for any of the lawn tractors on the market. And the Swisher is a lot like the Volkswagon Beetle. The original Ride King is a cult classic but no matter how you look at it – it is an ugly mower.
The Spartan is after a completely different audience. When I was at the GIE-EXPO last fall I watched every kid under 30 fall in love with the Spartan.
Ben
Paul,
I finally decided to go with an RT-Pro 61″ with the 27 HP Briggs motor. It is being delivered today and after I get some use out of it, I will let you know what I think.
Ultimately I went with the Spartan because I believe the dealer is going to offer me a much higher level of service than my other local dealer. They offer free pickup/delivery of the mower for life and actually come to your house to do routine maintenance on it. If there had not been a dealer so close to me (this one is within 4 miles of my house) I would likely have gone with a Gravely.
With the interchangeability of so many parts on these things I felt the Spartan was worth taking a chance on. These mowers have some really cool features that others don’t have at this price and it also seems that they have a superior traction design for mowing on a slope. It may be somewhat of a gamble going with a company that is so new but, Mr. Foster has a solid history in manufacturing mowers and is in the midst of a $12 million expansion of the Intimidator group. It really seems he is in it for the long haul.
Thank you for your input on the Spartan mower subject! We will see how she holds up!
Paul
HI Ben You are very welcome. I can’t wait to hear how it does.