Exmark Viking or Exmark Turf Tracer

[nick11380]

After cutting 30+ lawns a week with a 21" Lawn Boy I went to the Exmark dealer looking for a bigger mower. The 2 mowers I was looking at is the Exmark Viking and Turf Tracer. Both are 48" and both are $3,500. The Viking is a few years old. It's new with warrenty, electric start and fixed deck.
The Turf Tracer is a few years old, used (not commercially) floating deck, pull start and no warrenty.

I like the electric start and warrenty on the viking.
But I like the floating deck on the Turf Tracer.

Would it be worth getting the Turf Tracer without the warrenty to get the floating deck?

Which would be the best mower to go with and is $3,500 a good price.

[HemiSize]

I think that $3500 is an awesome price. I was quoted this afternnon on a 36" Viking, no electric start, fixed deck on sale for $4143.20. If its brand new and you throw the exact year up on the forum and get some imput on it... I'd say buy'er up... or ask your dealer if they ship to Washington... thats just my opinion... maybe my dealer has really high prices?... I'm calling another Exmark dealer tomorow about cross refrencing the priceing

[GreenUtah]

nick, if your sites are flat, go with the fixed deck and get the warranty and electric start. I'll assume that both mowers are hydro for that price. Lots of rolls and switches on the areas you mow, you'll probably enjoy the floating deck more. take a long hard look at both, check front caster bearings and wheel bearings for slop and look where the tabs on the deck or float frame meets the motor frame for crack or tears.

[MortNuke]

Add another $1500 and purchase a brand new 48" Turf Tracer HP with 17 HP Kawasaki motor - and have them install a mulch kit for $225.

1. With 30+ lawns, you can't affort to skimp nor tolerate down time that may occur due to being "a few years old". You gotta ask yourself...why would a dealer offer a warranty with a Viking, but not a Turf Tracer? (Hmmmmm...). This rules out the used Turf Tracer.

2. With 30+ lawns, you need a floating deck, which rules out any Viking.


Mort

[dav]

$3100 is a good price I just bought a 36" turf tracer and and it cost me $4200 but worth every $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[steve-o]

Add another $1500 and purchase a brand new 48" Turf Tracer HP with 17 HP Kawasaki motor - and have them install a mulch kit for $225.

1. With 30+ lawns, you can't affort to skimp nor tolerate down time that may occur due to being "a few years old". You gotta ask yourself...why would a dealer offer a warranty with a Viking, but not a Turf Tracer? (Hmmmmm...). This rules out the used Turf Tracer.

2. With 30+ lawns, you need a floating deck, which rules out any Viking.


Mort

i second this and if i had to buy one this year i would bump up the 17 to 19. my 17 does fine most of the time and that is with the kit.

steve

[heavyd]

Don't get a used mower. Save your money up to get a new one that you aren't going to have any problems with. Yeah you will have to deal with the depreciation after you pull it off the lot but it's going to do you good for 10 years. Those used commercial mowers have usually been ragged out for well over 500 hours a year for a couple of years and the lawn service that traded them in knows that they will start to have problems, so they bought new ones again. There is a reason that the big boys buy new equipment and its because they can't afford to have it in the shop all of the time.

And to answer your question, get the turf tracer. Its alot easier to change deck heights if your are going from bermuda to fescue and it doesn't scalp hilly area as bad. Worth a few hundred bucks more.

P.S. Don't believe them if they tell you it hasn't been used commercially

[jrservices]

i second this and if i had to buy one this year i would bump up the 17 to 19. my 17 does fine most of the time and that is with the kit.

steve

If you do that, you will not regret it. My new one with 19hp has all the power you need, plus, biggest advantage I noticed is cutting heavy thick turf. You can charge right thru it, no problem. Uses a little more fuel, but worth it.