Chris Wilson wrote:
My old Iseki SG15 has done sterling service over 16 years, but is now
approaching the stage where further expense on it is probably uneconomic. I
need something DIESEL, minimum 48 inch cut, MUST collect the cuttings and
work well on damp grass, without the chute getting blocked up all the time.
The Iseki used a big, powerful engine driven fan to suck the grass from the
cutting deck and blow it up into the collector, and works well. I suspect I
will be limited to Japanese or Italian machines. I want a low hours used
machine, not a brand new one, what makes are out there these days that can
be recommended please? It needen't raise the cutting box, I drop cuttings
in woodland, so don't need to lift into a trailer or compost heap. My
maximum budget is 4000 UK pounds. Thanks.

Basically I've seen Iseki and Kubota. I've used 2 Kubotas (both pretty new
though) recently, a GR1600 (16 HP) and a GR2100 (21 HP). The basics are
the same on these two, motor aside, but the 16 is made with a cheap plastic
body that is very easy to break. And was broken, and I broke it a
little more.
The 21 was a good machine and I appreciated the extra power in heavy spring
grass. Both rear ejection. I also managed to blow a distribution belt
in the 16
when the deck got clogged up with wet grass, which is a non-starter for
me. I looked
on agriaffaires, the 21 seems to be around 5,500 pounds and up used.

Iseki seems to be a little more expensive, good machines no doubt.

There are a lot of used gray market Kubotas around now, that's where I'd
look if I
were you. I just bought a 1702DT import from Japan, but for large area and
woods maintenance, not lawn mowing. By and large they're good machines.

Good luck,

-E