$27,000 for a Mower? Stihl RZA 700 Zero Turn Mower Review NEW for 2024

[@AllanWeber]

So I work as a Groundskeeper at a college we just bought one of these just the other day. I'll get to use it for the first time this week I'll let you know how I like it.

[@GravyIzSicK]

how was it?

[@joemullaney1239]

no suspension??

[@LindaSkidmore-r1k]

Do you think stilh will come out with an electric stand on, I remember reading Stihl bought 9% of Greenworks

[@LindaSkidmore-r1k]

If the build a stander that gets 8 hour run time, for closer to $20000. That would sell.

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

They keep their cards pretty close to their chests these days, but I would expect them to develop a machine like that if they're serious about the commercial market. A little bird told me that they substantially increased their stake in Greenworks recently...

[@Sparkeee1978]

oh hell no !

[@JoeFloes]

I love this machine

[@JoeFloes]

Really nice

[@davevestal7135]

What's the replacement cost for the battery

[@TNsher776]

I might buy it if it's $5,000

[@funguyfirst1]

I'm not in the business, but if I were and had employees on the payroll, I could see how these units might pay for themselves over time via reduced energy costs, reduced support labor costs, lower maintenance costs, and potential premiums from customers who want to reduce CO2 or even noise emissions. I think the key is that equipment utilization has to remain at 100% of the longest workday. Runing out of juice when 90% done with the last job of the day is probably not going to cut it.

[@1jw298]

You can buy a tractor with attachments for 30k…not even if I was a millionaire would i buy that.

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

A million bucks ain't that much these days!

[@hypervigilance1465]

and i thought we got ripped off when we paid 4800 for our toro zero turn now i don't feel so bad.

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

That's a pretty decent price these days!

[@hypervigilance1465]

@@HomesteadBandwagon yea but it was more than 1000 cheaper one year before we got it after gavin newsom banned gas powered machines here in california. 50 inch deck timecutter not the myride.

[@Streetglide286]

HOA’s are starting to ask Landscape Companies to use Electric. I think the cater is towards quieter operations because the Karen’s of the World want to be heard. For $27,000 they are going to keep hearing the JD960 for years to come… Thanks for the overview, Longer Run Times and Lower Prices needed to get me In… Margins are too thin for that price point…

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

For real. It's not cheap to outfit a crew with all new tools, so I'll bet we'll see a big bump in the price of landscaping services. If a guy was smart, they'd bid jobs with a gas price OR a battery price. I bet that would adjust some folks thinking real quick.

[@Streetglide286]

The thing is most of battery operated tools are only a few decibels lower than the gas versions. That’s industry wide. Comparisons are marginal at best. I can say with confidence though that besides the noise, Battery operated equipment is rising significantly in quality and power. the investment is slowly starting to make more since in operating cost… But that’s the end goal anyways isn’t it. That’s why the cost of Fuels and Petroleum products are on the rise. It’s not about supply, it’s about narrative… Bit to mention all these thing are new. You buy a $27,000 Lawn Mower and when the Wheel Motor goes out, How does that cost? Or the Battery that probably only has realistically probably 1200-1500 charges on it? So what 3-4 Year Life Span? My 960 is a 2012 model and is still cutting grass like a champion, perfect stripes… I just can’t justify it no matter how much I try…

[@davenhunter99]

Up north in Minnesota a damp yard and that thing is going to sink!

[@WilliamSmith-se8zp]

🤣🤣🤣 27k? Unless it comes with a happy ending every time I use it, then it’s a big no for me.

[@harescrambled]

1500lbs is too much for those skinny wheels. Lawns will be looking like the Oregon Trail with the ruts it'll make.

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

That's a fact. Now imagine a million cars suddenly weighing 2-3x what gas cars do driving over our crumbling infrastructure... i wouldn't want to be anywhere near most overpasses and bridges in my area!

[@jdinnis]

I'm hoping these work as well as promised. I really want an electric zero turn. But after Dewalt showed off their machine a couple years ago (and it burst into flames), I am still pretty skeptical. Especially at $27000. I could get a really nice diesel powered Grasshopper for that money. I am hopeful for the future, but definitely not ready to take the plunge yet.

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

I talk to someone about that Dewalt fire at least once a week! We don't carry the Dewalt/Cub Cadet/Craftsman electric as a result. I think they just need more time to get stuff figured-out.

[@Glorious_Kim_Jong_Un]

My neighbor has a Kubota gas zero turn just for his half acre lawn, it cost over $34k lol

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

Buy once, cry once?

[@ronstopfer2315]

$34K for a gas ride mower? I do not believe it.

[@byronturnbow2189]

no it doesn't

[@tenecfan09]

lol let’s give that salesman an add a boy

[@harescrambled]

Hardly...that's the price for a diesel 72 inch unit that travels 16mph

[@jerryrigsit5400]

Well, I'm here to say electric is way easier to acquire in many cases. Fuel is expensive, rather delivered via wire or pump. With liquid fuels the user will have to transport/transfer them. With a motorized deck it could become a vacuum deck for parking lot cleanup, leaf cleanup, etc. it's the price that's tripping folks. But a lot of us are tripping about the cost of other pieces of equipment also. Stihl is a rock solid brand. If I could get past the price I would put my name on it.

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

Well said!

[@ronstopfer2315]

Do you get free electricity where you are? 😂

[@jerryrigsit5400]

@@ronstopfer2315 I don't get free gasoline either

[@byronturnbow2189]

I pull up to the pump and put 10 gallons in my Exmark and mow for days

[@Harrison6624]

Will always be at the shop for problems. Guaranteed

[@HomesteadBandwagon]

Time will tell...

[@funguyfirst1]

This Stihl machine is most certainly a rebadged Greenworks Commerical unit. I spoke to a couple Greenworks dealers/servicers recently and the impression I got was that these things are very reliable and low maintenance. Admittedly, they were basing their experience on a fleet of ~40 mowers. The reliability kind of makes sense given that there are about 80% less parts on a battery electric zero turn, these things are using commercial grade lithium battery packs, and it's not like electric motors are new technology.

[@vc8160]

Great review of mowing the asphalt! Useless!

[@jasoncarden9200]

no

[@rickcoleman8903]

Not for me