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.

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

In article ,
Chris Wilson writes:
|
| I need something DIESEL, minimum 48 inch cut, ...

Why? Diesel doesn't have a lot of advantages for relatively small
engines used for relatively short periods.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 10 Jun 2008 10:35:42 GMT, Nick Maclaren wrote:

In article ,
Chris Wilson writes:
|
| I need something DIESEL, minimum 48 inch cut, ...

Why? Diesel doesn't have a lot of advantages for relatively small
engines used for relatively short periods.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Because I can put red diesel against my business, they have a lot more
torque at low revs, and not having a high revving petrol engine making a
racket is important to me as we breed animals that are sensitive to noise
at times when I may be mowing a lot I also believe diesels in the circa
1 litre size are more long lived and better made in these applications than
something like a Kohler petrol engine. Thanks for the idea though, petrol
wouldn't be a no no, at the right price, but I really prefer the diesel
power unit for this job.

On Tue, 10 Jun 2008 05:42:21 +0200, Emery Davis wrote:


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

I deal in a few grey import cars, hadn't considered that the Japs would be
sending over small mowers, too I'll bear that in mind, and for sure, i
would prefer the extra power and you suggest sturdiness of the larger
engined models. the downfall of the Iseki SG15 has been damage to the
plastic collector bag (3600 plus VAT for a new bag only...) and deck
mounting arm damage through me tending to overwhelm it at times by trying
to mow grass in our woodland. I will have a look at the 2 Kubota machines
you suggest, and out of curiosity, this 1702DT, too, thanks for the reply
Emery.