The public wanted 'bigger' because the uses of the lawn mower changed drastically over the last fifteen years. Instead of just discharging or bagging the clippings with a push mower, where 4 HP is plenty, mulching grass and leaves with a self-propelled mower became the standard. Manufacturers responded with bigger, more powerful engines, rated as they always had been at the max HP. You see, they didn't change their HP rating system when the max blade-tip speed was mandated, reducing the 21" mower RPM from 3600 to 3200. Anyway, the max HP ratings still were useful because you could figure that a 6.5 HP would be more powerful than a 5.5 HP even though neither would generate max HP at the mandated lower RPM. This extra power means a more constant blade/wheel speed under heavy load conditions and less of a 'dip' under sudden loads. Obviously, torque at the max legal RPM is the important value. Max HP may be at 4200 RPM, for example, possibly resulting in a very low torque value at 3200. bill kapaun; this was the subject of many threads and intense discussion over the last several years, as people were discussing whether the makers should be sued for 'lying' about HP ratings, and the consensus was torque ratings would be more useful. I thought you were on here then, maybe not.

I bought a 2006 Exmark Lazer Z 52" Zero Turn in 2009 from a commercial landscaper/mower with a 23 HP Kawasawki engine.. The first thing I did with it was take it to a dealer who looked it over. He replaced the two spark plugs, the blades and one spindle. I also assumed that he checked out the serial number for me. It's quite common to see these machines come off lease at three years old, but this one had been purchased. I paid $3500 and have been using it ever since to do an acre and a half. i've never had problems with the hydraulic pumps or motors except that if the fluid gets low it gives a growling whining sort of noise when going up a grade so I add a little fluid and I'm good to go. I wore out some mower deck belts till I learned not to use it to plow piles of leaves with the blades spinning. I replaced the hydraulic belt myself two years ago and the automotive type oil filter that filters the hydraulic fluid a few times . It's had a another blade spindle, a starter solenoid 2 years ago and a starter motor last year. Not bad for a 15 year old machine. i can't remember a single problem with broken parts for the frame, the deck etc. I did all the maintenance myself till I got too old to figure out how to get at the starter motor bolts. My only complaint is that I don't think the deck is wide enough because if it were wider it would go around the three foot diameter fencing I have up around new fruit trees to keep the deer off them. They had a 60" deck but it wasn't available with a bagger; as I remember. I know you're going to question buying used but perhaps a used machine like mine is better than those you're criticizing here. I'd suggest if you look at one to look at the broken parts. Things like the wheels on the mower deck, the casters for the front wheels. If they're busted off or bent you get an idea how they respected their machine.

Thanks all for the advice. Sorry its taken me so long to post a reply. I bought a Snapper RER 12.5hp / 28" deck a couple days ago. Fit perfectly in my truck, so I was able to just bring it home myself (and not have it delivered). Mowed for the first time yesterday and I have to say that it was quite a different experience than mowing with the walk behind. My mowing pattern clearly has to be adjusted. The turning radius of the Snapper doesn't allow me to just mow up and down, one pass right next to the other pass. I also set the mowing height too low, so ended up having to rake and bag the clippings. After having mowed this first time, I do have some other followup questions: 1. ~ how much gas does your snapper use? I put in about 1 gal - 1.3 gal in the RER and by the time I finished, had used almost all of it. My walk behind used almost exactly 1/2 gallon. 2. Whats the best way to take the blade off? I have a Ninja blade that I want to put on the Snapper. I tilted the Snapper up so that it was sitting vertically on the rear stands and attempted to loosen the bolts on the standard blade, but had trouble getting any of them loose. Am I doing it wrong, is there another way I should do it? 3. What is your mowing pattern with the Snapper? Do you just go down one line, make a 180 and come back down right back along the path you just mowed? Or do you go over about 10 ft and come back down? Or do you just do concentric circles like the aliens out in the fields? Any other advice you might have in RER mowing technique would be appreciated! Sorry for the basic questions. This is my first riding mower and I'm finding what worked with my walk behind doesn't necessarily work with the RER. Thanks! Joo

I know this is going to break all of your hearts. But yes, I plead before this bar, that I, MarkyMark of California, hereafter known as "markymark-ca", did, does, and do continues to function in this world as a lawyer. While many a client might wished to seen said markymark-ca dis-barred as much to the level to which such an act must rise has never been met, sadly, that prong was never met. As much as this pains me, and my poor mother who slaved over the stove in Kansas--feeding chickens in the morning, baking bread for noontime dinner, and my poor father slaving over the John Deere---plowing that 340 acres for corn and wheat--- this poor soul did finish law school. And, as noted above, even passed the bar on the first try. (And two other siblings) The one who did NOT go to college worked the oil fields. Lo and behold. They found oil on his land....and the folks now live down the road with a view of Carmel to die for. The farm remains under contract farmers. As for the beforementioned civil action, WTF???????????????? $75 clams for a rider and $35 for a pusher? Do you realize the gold mine in my back yard in Pebble? Hell, there is no limit. I ought to hit the repair shops collecting model and engine numbers. Think of this as a challenge. Hell, I have almost a $1000 worth of claims myself in the backyard. And in defense of lawyer, I do know a poor soul who collected almost $5500 from Walmart in a discrimination suit. Said person was alleged to have been discriminated in hiring against black folk and/or African Americans. This poor soul happens to be from South Africa with Dutch decent....and yes, he did apply and collected. (Footnote) Attorney's got $11,000,000 from a total of 18.5 settlement. And for what it is worth, the beforementioned markymark-ca did crim law.....prosecutorial at federal level... kind of tried to put the bad guys away at times.