Lawn Mower Help: Bob-Cat or Dixie Chopper

[SRT-4 Turbo 7]

This lawn mower is strictly for home owner use and will get about 2-2.5 hours of use a month.

My lot size is 100x200

Option 1:

Bob-Cat FastCat Pro 48inch Deck
---Price is $5,564 Out The Door
---20HP Kawasaki Engine
---3.75% Financing for 60 Months
---All the shops in my area sell and service Bob-Cat

Option 2:

Dixie Chopper Silver Eagle 44inch Deck
---Price is $6,900 Out The Door
---27HP Generac Motor
---0% Financing for 60 Months

I am so lost on which machine to purchase. Both have their ups and downs. Dixie has one of the best warranties in the industry but I will have to drive 50min to the nearest shop. Bob-Cat has the Kawasaki motor which is proven.

Which machine do you go with

 

[05slvrgt]

I can't speak for either really as all I have ever used is a Husqvarna which is a good mower. That zero turn radius Dixie you listed however, looks pretty nice. I wouldn't really worry about repairs either. All we have ever had to do to ours is change the blade if it gets dinged up, but so long as there are no rocks in your yard you shouldn't have an issue.

 

[vettez062002]

Dixie chopper hands down!! there is nothing like being able to mow a football field in 15 minutes lol

but unless you can fix it when it breaks, wait for parts, find the parts, ect I would prob go with the Bob-cat.. but personally the choppers are bad ass

 

[SRT-4 Turbo 7]

but unless you can fix it when it breaks, wait for parts, find the parts, ect I would prob go with the Bob-cat..

This statement is exactly what I worry about. I mean the Dixie dealer is 50 minutes from me and stock all the parts (So the Owner says). I am just worried that if they ever close I may be in trouble.

 

[mineralgrey01gt]

Id honestly go with a hustler mowing that small of a yard. You can get ones that will cut that in no time for 1/2 the price of the dixie chopper for sure.

 

[vettez062002]

This statement is exactly what I worry about. I mean the Dixie dealer is 50 minutes from me and stock all the parts (So the Owner says). I am just worried that if they ever close I may be in trouble.

if you get the chopper, can I come play with it??

 

[STAMPEDE3]

If you are stuck on one of those 2 then Dixie Chopper all day.

However with a yard that size and only for home use I'd also look at hustler, Cub Cadet, JD, etc.....

I have the 20hp 44" Cub Cadet Z-force which has served me well for 3 years and only $3600

 

[SRT-4 Turbo 7]

If you are stuck on one of those 2 then Dixie Chopper all day.

However with a yard that size and only for home use I'd also look at hustler, Cub Cadet, JD, etc.....

I have the 20hp 44" Cub Cadet Z-force which has served me well for 3 years and only $3600

I was looking at the Cub Cadet 48' Z Force which lists for $4,849. I have had a bad experience in the past with Cub Cadet so that is holding me back. After riding the Dixie I got spoiled though. The way I look at it is if I am going to invest in this I want to invest in something that will last me the rest of my life, which all the machines listed probably would. Dixie is a nice machine though.

 

[SRT-4 Turbo 7]

if you get the chopper, can I come play with it??

Sure why not. Here at SVTP we share :rockon:

 

[STAMPEDE3]

Oh I know, A buddy who owns a pretty big lawn service uses nothing but Dixie. They are great machines.

I just couldn't justify the price for home use only.

 

[SRT-4 Turbo 7]

Id honestly go with a hustler mowing that small of a yard. You can get ones that will cut that in no time for 1/2 the price of the dixie chopper for sure.

Looked at the Hustler Fas Trak Super Duty 48', didn't like the build quality at all. Just my opinion and my knowledge is limited on these machines.

 

[SRT-4 Turbo 7]

Oh I know, A buddy who owns a pretty big lawn service uses nothing but Dixie. They are great machines.

I just couldn't justify the price for home use only.

I hear that, hence why I havent pulled the trigger. Only reason I am even considering it still is because of the 0% Financing. The Silver Eagle I am looking at is a 2010 left owner with 0.1 Hours, so brand spanking new, blades havent even been turned on yet. Sticker was $8,200 and I have it out the door for $6,900 with 0% financing for 60 months.

But still a large price to justify for home use.

 

[SonicDTR]

2hrs a month? I'd go get a craftsman and save a few k....I used to mow all day every weekend, all summer, and we had craftsmans that never let us down...including a zero-turn.

 

[SonicDTR]

We had one like this for our latest machine and it serves its purpose quite well.

Sears: Online department store featuring appliances, tools, fitness equipment and more

 

[mineralgrey01gt]

Looked at the Hustler Fas Trak Super Duty 48', didn't like the build quality at all. Just my opinion and my knowledge is limited on these machines.

I work for a company that sells them. They have the least problems out of all the mowers we sell, in fact another company down town sells dixie choppers and hustler and they have more dixie choppers in the shop at a time than hustlers to be honest. Im not putting down on dixie choppers since they they make a great mower just stating facts is all.

 

[VirtualSVT]

Well **** go big or go home.

36 HP Cat Diesel.

 

[lowflyn]

We use Toros exclusively at work. Generally around 10000 hours we start running into oil burning issues...

For what you're needing...the dixie would definitely be the most fun.

 

[RedDemon91]

My choices would be Dixie, John Deere, or Craftsman. Dixie you get bang for your buck hands down, but with a Deere or Craftsman you have the luxury of a mass produced machine where parts are easy to find and are relatively cheaper than the Dixie. I'm a John Deere man myself but if you have the money to afford a Dixie, I'd say go for it.

 

[Junior00]

I would personally go with something like a Toro for home use. Ours as served us very well at roughly half the cost. The only issue we had was a leaking pump seal fixed under warranty. It's now at 1200 hours without a hiccup minus routine maintenance. For home use, I think any of the major names would be good since they normally can be serviced most anywhere which is the key. If a pump goes out or something else happens, you don't want to have to wait weeks to get a part from a manufacturer and have it installed or do it yourself for that matter.

As far as Dixie Choppers go, I can tell you this. We have a little over 74 acres here at work (Water Plant) that must be mowed continuously, roughly 20-25 hrs/wk per mower. We bought 2 Dixies, one a 44" for tighter spaces & a 60" for the larger areas. We've had to take them in for maintenance/warranty issues more times in the last 2 years than we did with our Scag in 13 years. I can honestly say I wouldn't buy them personally. They have stood behind their warranty, but parts availability and dealer locations (as mentioned) are not great in most areas. Now we're wishing we had stayed with Scag. This may not be a correct representation of all their mowers, only our experience with the commercial ones we purchased. Just my .02

 

[scottg]

I can't imagine spending that kind of money on a mower for a lot that size. That's crazy talk. But the dixie does look good.