Is this Bobcat a good deal?

[rattsass]

Hi guys, newbie here looking for a nice walk behind to start with. Already have 4 commercial apt. accounts lined up and kind of overwhelmed with the equipment choices. Definitely going hydro with floating deck. I am currently looking at these two choices in my area:

1) Bobcat 17hp Kawasaki 48" deck, $3200. This is a demo unit that appears to have been demo'd a lot. Comes with the two year warranty however.

2) Toro 17hp Kawasaki 44" deck for around $3500.

I'm leaning toward going with the Toro, but the Bobcat seems to be a good price. Opinions?

[Scaper-S2k]

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I would personally stay away from the 17hp Kawasaki. I've heard more bad things about that engine than good.

[rattsass]

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How about the Toro with a 15hp Kohler?

[imograss]

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i personally like the 17 kawasaki ive used them for years and never had a problem, however my engines are single cylinder, i also have kohlers but i like both. if i had a choice i would go kawasaki. for a few hundred more i think i would pick the toro, i see alot of them in my area.

[Scaper-S2k]

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Hopefully they have fixed the problem with teh 17hp. I have one on a ZTR, and I had a few problems, but they did fix it. I've heard others complain as well.

Last year I bought the 44" deck with a 15hp Kohler. Plenty of power for that size.

We did have problems with that Kohler dying out a few times when side ways on a hill. Of course, that's not Toro's problem, that's Kohler. We took it in for a check up. He couldn't find anything wrong with it. It doesn't do it all the time, and fuel level doesn't have anyhting to do with it.

But the problem seems to have gone away. All and all, a decent mower, with plenty of power.

[rattsass]

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Thanks for the input. This is a great little forum!!