"k" wrote in message
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"Jack" wrote in message
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Cub Cadet's ZT lawn tractors are considerably more expensive thanCub
Cadet's lawn tractors of the same size but without ZT capability.
Are they worth the higher price? Do they save considerably more time,
and presumably more gas to make them worthwhile?

I love ZT, but I have a big piece of property. When we first moved here
over 20 yrs ago, I spent part of every spring, summer and fall day on my
riding mower: probably ten hours a week mowing. After about 5 years of
that I got a skag ZT with a 48" deck, and that cut mowing time to about 3
hrs, and made it a lot more fun. I still have it, but haven't started it
in a few years.

I replaced it with a Toro ZT with a 6ft deck, 28hp liquid-cooled engine, a
seat belt and roll bar, even a cup holder. Now I can do all 5 acres of
lawn in around an hour, depending on how high the grass is, and how
slippery the hills are. The big deck is offset by a foot to the left
side, which makes for easy trimming around gardens, etc, and the job it
does is really great. I've never had such an even looking lawn.

The bad news is the price, of course, but it's dead-reliable, and
surprisingly good on gas. I get about 8 hours on 5 gallons.

There are now NINE hours in each week where I used to be mowing the lawn
and I'm not anymore. With the advent of grandchildren I find far better
ways to spend that time.

That's me, with 12 acres and 5 of it grass, which I know isn't average.
Even if I move to a smaller place, I'd still buy another ZT. You lose the
PTO, so it's a dedicated mowing machine, but the ZTs do a much nicer job
in way less time.

Still, there is a lot of potential utility with a garden tractor which
doesn't exist with a ZT. If you want to clear snow, tow a trailer, or any
of myriad other possibilities with a tractor, then a tractor is your
better bet.

k

For the sake of the topic, a ZTR is better than a standard mower.

As far as labor saving devices, I have a theory on those.

Riding mowers were not invented so one could cut the time it takes to mow
the grass and use those extra hours fishing or napping or visiting the
neighbor. It's so you can have MORE GRASS.

Steve