Snapper rider or Simplicity , then John Deere ! Forget any Zero turn @ $3000.00 !

Snapper Rider? Are the still in business? Were they not only 28" wide? I do recall you could stand them on end which would indeed take up less room.

Me, my budget was under 2K. Go to you local dealer before the big box store. I got a cub a few years back for $1800 w/Kawasaki engine- I treated myself to a better engine and bumper or it would have been $1500. It's been good so far. 42" fits nicely in my shed. I was going to get a Deer in the same price range but the dealer..other than pointing out the low level Deer has a transmission encased in plastic and trying to upsell me...well was a D!ck. My lowly purchase was not worth his time. He wanted to sell tractors. I figured I'd rank just as high with service when needed so I bought the Cub mostly because they were the only other game in town but also because I was treated well and had some people recommend them.

You may also be pointed to used equipment. I am convinced most stuff at the bog box level pricing is pretty much the same...but having a good dealer can make a huge difference regardless of what you buy. Go talk to the locals in your area...

Snapper is a Premium Grade Tractor , they provide Residential and Commercial Series tractors with 38" , 42" & 46" mower decks . I have serviced a few recently . Cub Cadet has a few quality models however their residential series has gone down hill . Same with the Deere line up unfortunately . Deere has quality garden tractors , the lawn tractors not so much !

So last time I saw Snapper was in WallyWorld, a push mower a few years back. Now they are producing quality stuff again? My local guy is out of business. I see pics and some look like regular riders, not the old RER riders I remember. Is it safe to assume they are not made by MTD like everything else?

No , they manufacture their own units , under the subsidiary of Briggs and Stratton Inc . in Wauwotosa Wisconsin . I was quite impressed with the quality of their components , which mirror some of the quality Engineering that Simplicity utilizes also , no box store junk !

I haven't seen new Snappers either. I was not on the Snapper bandwagon on those RERs that people used to love. Or their WPMs either. Or the FERs really. Guess that I'm a grumpy old man but gladly will defer to Ewalks educated opinion. :-) Maybe they are more service friendly. Hopefully not from the old Murray mold. A few Simplicity's and a couple Ferris here which are Briggs built, seem good enough. I'm still happy w/ Deere....

Actually Tom apparently Simplicity is also Manufactured by Briggs since 2014 @ the same Plant in Wisconsin , thus the similarity in Chassis Components lol. P.S. I am happy with the quality of the commercial grade Deere not so much the Husquarna clone designation residential box store units !

Yep. And you've got to love the mesh seat....

Yeah the 30 second oil change would be a step forward , if indeed it was a complete oil change rather than a bandaid top up . I suppose a yuppy scam is better than no service at all . However for a dedicated small engine enthusiast , it boggles the imagination to believe in any merit in adding a new filter and 3/4 of a quart of oil to old dirty contaminated oil at the appropriate intervals to not over full the mower crank case . This never change oil just refill or top up is a liability . Especially @ $69.00 , I can buy Premium Grade Synthetic oil and filter for under $20.00 and do the job properly !

Just bought a cub cadet ultima ZT1 with the 50 in fabricated deck from Home Depot for 3,200.00. I am thoroughly impressed with this mower. It has the 23 hp Kawasaki engine and it has plenty of power and cuts smooth and even.