# New Grasshopper mower?



## Dargo

About this time last year I decided to buy a 2nd zero turn radius mower.  I'll skip all the part of taking all of th models home and trying them out, even buying a really nice Ferris mower, only to go back with another front mount Grasshopper mower.  Now, here is my delimma; I like the two Grasshopper front mount mowers that I am now considering either trading, or selling, my 25 hp 3 cylinder gas powered Kubota unit for another diesel model.  

You see, the gas powered unit is a 3 cylinder unit with liquid cooling that seems to have plenty of cooling and will do the job great.  However, at this point, I can likely get out of the gas powered 3 cyl. gas unit nearly what I paid for it.  It is in much nicer condition than what their 5 hor "demo" units are.  I wash and wax it regularly and it does not have a scratch in it.  I bought it out of the crate, so it has never spent a night outside; ever.  

The diesel powered units use about half of the fuel that a has powered unit uses.  I plan to keep thses ZTR units until it is the industry norm for the ZTR units to be full enclosed and have factory A/C; to keep me cool, the bugs, and the dirt off of me.  Believe me, that day is coming.  I said the same about CUT's, and people laughed at me.  There is no laughing anymore.  

All this leads up to me looking at a new Grasshopper 928D G2 to take the place of my 9 month old 725 G2.  I have 47 hours on my 725 (25 hp 3 cyl Kubota designed to run on gas) that a guy spoke with me about there yesterday.  It is nicer than some of their "new" units since it has neve sat outside.  Here is my question; do I stay with what I have, or do I move on up to Grasshopper's top of the line mower?  I figure it will need to last me 10 to 12 years until the encosed units are then then the standard units.  I do have an off road diesel tank in my barn for fueling my tractors, mowers, and my RTV, and diesel that way is cheaper than gas/  What is a guy to do in my position?!


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## Doc

Buy the new Grasshopper, grasshopper!  

Having gas and diesel can lead to someone putting the wrong fuel in either of them.  Since you have the diesel tank, and all your others are diesel ...go for it.  Especially since you gas model is in like new condition.  The time seems right to make the switch.

Good luck nomatter.


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## XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq

If you can unload an old item for what you paid for it (or more) then you have to do it.  It's a rule (if it isn't then it should be).

You can't tell me Dargo doesn't have about 20 other gas powered tools at his place.  I know I have about 8 small engines other than my tractor.


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## Melensdad

I'd say if you do a cost-benefit analysis you will likely be spending money to trade up to a diesel.

Let's assume you get a trade in value equal to the original cost.  The cost of moving up to the diesel powered version would then be equal to the differental cost between the 2 units, less the cost of the differential in your annual fuel costs, plus the opportunity costs of the money.  (presuming maintainence costs would be roughly equal).

As you are a multi machine owner, you put 47 hours on your old unit.  Let's presume on an average summer you put 60 hours on the mower?  Let's presume it uses 1 gallon per hour.  Let's presume a diesel unit uses 1/2 gallon per hour.  You'd save 30 gallons of fuel pe ryear.  Even if there is a price differentail of $1.00 per gallon, you'd save $30 per year.  Keep the unit for 10 years and you'd save $300 by switching to diesel.  

Now if the cost differential of switching to a diesel is $2500 then you'd end up spending $2200 more over the 10 year period.  

If you figure you can earn 4.5% to 4.7% on a treasury security (which are not subject to Indiana state income taxes) then the $2500 would have grown into about $3600+ over the 10 year period.


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## bczoom

Bob,

You just sucked the fun out of this... Toys have nothing to do with saving money.

Go for it Brent!  It's only money.  It'll put a smile on your face when you get it and every time you mow.


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## Melensdad

I wonder if that is why people turn to me and yell:  "YOU SUCK"


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## bczoom

B_Skurka said:
			
		

> I wonder if that is why people turn to me and yell:  "YOU SUCK"


I believe this could qualify as ONE of the potential reasons


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## XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq

Man, I think I'm going to get Bob to do a financial analysis of all my future purchases.  I like the way he thinks!


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## bczoom

PBinWA said:
			
		

> Man, I think I'm going to get Bob to do a financial analysis of all my future purchases.  I like the way he thinks!


I too like the way he thinks but if you look at your ROI on most any toy, you'll never end up getting them.


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## Melensdad

PBinWA said:
			
		

> Man, I think I'm going to get Bob to do a financial analysis of all my future purchases.  I like the way he thinks!


If you want to have some fun with cost analysis, do a comparision of a Honda Accord versus a Honda Accord Hybrid.  Or any gas-electric Hybrid versus any reasonably economical car.  Assume the life of the vehicle is 6 years.

Those gas-electric hybrid vehicles are pretty damn expensive compared to burning fossil fuel.  In fact I've never been able to figure out how to save any money with one of those things except by using absurd/unrealistic mileage models.

Gas to Diesel is easy to figure, but the waters become a bit muddy when you look at the capabilities of the vehicle.  Sometimes to get the towing capacity, etc you really do end up better off with a diesel vehilce.  But from a mileage standpoint, you typically need to keep the vehicle for a long time to hit a 'break even' point.  And it is getting longer as many new vehicles need to be 'tuned up' at far longer mileage intervals.




			
				bczoom said:
			
		

> I too like the way he thinks but if you look at your ROI on most any toy, you'll never end up getting them.


Brian, don't look at toys as providing ROI, look at them with an ROE formula.  Return of Enjoyment.


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## Dargo

B_Skurka said:
			
		

> As you are a multi machine owner, you put 47 hours on your old unit.  Let's presume on an average summer you put 60 hours on the mower?


It would actually be closer to 120 hours per year per unit.  Right now the diesel unit gets most of the use because nobody wants to stop and fill the gas powered thing halfway through an 8 hour mowing.


> Let's presume it uses 1 gallon per hour.  Let's presume a diesel unit uses 1/2 gallon per hour.


Close.  The diesel uses about .7 gallons per hour and the 29 hp (identical to the 25 hp last year, but this year they call it a 29 hp) uses about 1.9 gallons per hour.  That saves you about 4.8 gallons per mowing on the one mower.  At current prices of about $2.62 per gallon, that saves about $12.58  per mowing.  To compound that, I save about .40c a gallon for buying off road dyed diesel for my mowers (they don't get on the street too much.  That then makes it about $15 fuel savings per mowing.  At roughly 30 mowings per year, that one mower will save about $450 per year



> Keep the unit for 10 years and you'd save $300 by switching to diesel.


  That now makes the savings a rather substantial $4500 over 10 years and, I'll have a mower that will be worth, in theory, a considerable more amount of money.  

Being that my "older" diesel powered Grasshopper seems to still operate like new, I don't think that it would be asking too much of it to go for another 10 years.  Now you see the rub.    What's a guy to do?  Besides, can you imagine the power it would have?  I mean, a zero turn lawn mower that has more power than a DK30?!


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## TOMLESCOEQUIP

Brent just get several of these (one for each kid to control) and set on the deck for siesta time instead of worrying about the grass growing..............http://www.stupidcollege.com/items/Flying-Lawnmower


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## Melensdad

Dargo said:
			
		

> Close.  The diesel uses about .7 gallons per hour and the 29 hp (identical to the 25 hp last year, but this year they call it a 29 hp) uses about 1.9 gallons per hour.  That saves you about 4.8 gallons per mowing on the one mower.  At current prices of about $2.62 per gallon, that saves about $12.58  per mowing.  To compound that, I save about .40c a gallon for buying off road dyed diesel for my mowers (they don't get on the street too much.  That then makes it about $15 fuel savings per mowing.  At roughly 30 mowings per year, that one mower will save about $450 per year


Brent, given those fuel usages differences, then it certainly changes the math in favor of the diesel, assuming the cost differential between the trade in and the new mower is not too great.  Still, if it was more than a $3000 differential, I would not do it.  To get to the break even point assuming a $3000 price differential you be at 6.67 years.  So really your money savings don't begin in real terms until somewhere near year 9 after you factor in any opportunity costs of money.  I think that is too long.

Even if the cost to upgrade to the new machine is $2000 then the almost breakeven point without factoring in any cost of money is 4.5 years.   Add the opportunity costs of money and you are easily into 6 years for a break even point. 

Obviously the closer the costs between the 2 machines the more likely I would be to trade, and certainly your fuel use figures are much better than I guessed.  Still, this looks more like an emotional purchase than a financially rational one.


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## Melensdad

Dargo, 

If I recall, you said you wanted a cab?

Forget the Grasshopper, go with a Hustler!!!


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