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• PRO

  Gary RK August 27, 2010 at 6:06am

  Have you read this in FAQs?
  
  http://www.landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/frequently-aske...
• 

  Gordon Easson August 27, 2010 at 1:25pm

  Reason is Rover is a bit tired especially drive train and although Honda engine is healthy i like to have a fresh machine every couple of years as i cant afford break downs during the cutting season.
  One less thing to worry about when the weather turns bad i guess!
  
  colin said:

  why do you need to replace your rover? any particular problem? if you like it and it serves its purpose well and engine is knackered put another enngine on
• 

  Gordon Easson August 27, 2010 at 1:30pm

  Had a look at Vikings last weekend but was put off a bit by the collecting box system of emptying.
  That would irritate me big time i think.
  
  colin said:

  the vikings collect fine in the wet
• 

  Gordon Easson August 27, 2010 at 1:51pm

  Pro 46 yes ... but am i going to have to fork out 1200 quid (mean scot that i am ) or are there better deals out there.
  You might be the man to know the answer without me having to scoot over to France for a bargain !
  Appreciate your knowledge of the Etesia range
  
  
  
  Pro Gard said:

  Etesia Pro 46, but you guessed that!!!
• PRO

  Gary RK August 27, 2010 at 2:04pm

  Gordon, go check you email address - might be of interest to you....
  • 

    Classic Gardens > Gary RK August 27, 2010 at 5:44pm

    On all our large contracts we find the old style hayter 56 a god send. 
    
    We purchased a couple of etesias and to be honest the only differance is that the etesia has four wheels, they both perform the same in any condition. 
    
    We tried the Viking and on our jobs we found it vastly under powered, and with all the plastic parts it wouldn't last a week.  A few of my friends use them for smaller domestic jobs and swear by them. 
    
    
    Gary RK said:

    Gordon, go check you email address - might be of interest to you....
• 

  Peter Davis August 27, 2010 at 6:37pm

  Nothing & I mean nothing compares to Etesia. It should last years. The fact that we will buy old ex council machines & use them for pro work shows how good they are. Anyone who has attended a proper dealer demo will be hooked. Risborough Turf used to take a meadow & put sprinklers on it. You had a choice of trying it with the sprinklers on or off !. The Etesia's would plough through 6 inch sodden grass & collect every blade.
  
  I have used almost every mower known to man & nothing can collect wet grass like an Etesia. To my knowledge no one has copied the Etesia system that eliminates the back axle - that is the key to collecting as there is nothing to inhibit the grass & clog. Dory did copy the idea with their "All Weather Mower" which was shown at Saltex in about 1990. It used an Etesia style overhead driveshaft with chains driving the rear wheels on stub axles but I haven't heard anything since.
  
  
  Now here is the surprise. My baby 16 inch Honda Izy is really good on wet grass. The reason is that it has an originally 5hp (now tuned to 6.5hp) engine driving a 16 inch deck - it nearly blows the grassbox off !.
  
  Why do you think that Rover spares will be a problem. I always found that I could pop into MTD in Bicester & get any part.
• 

  Gordon Easson August 27, 2010 at 7:49pm

  Thanks for your input regarding the Etesia.
  Was told by my dealer that spares could be a problem for the Rover..only taking his advice.
  Funny you mentioned the Izy as my freind in landcaping swears by his
  
  Peter Davis said:

  Nothing & I mean nothing compares to Etesia. It should last years. The fact that we will buy old ex council machines & use them for pro work shows how good they are. Anyone who has attended a proper dealer demo will be hooked. Risborough Turf used to take a meadow & put sprinklers on it. You had a choice of trying it with the sprinklers on or off !. The Etesia's would plough through 6 inch sodden grass & collect every blade.
  
  I have used almost every mower known to man & nothing can collect wet grass like an Etesia. To my knowledge no one has copied the Etesia system that eliminates the back axle - that is the key to collecting as there is nothing to inhibit the grass & clog. Dory did copy the idea with their "All Weather Mower" which was shown at Saltex in about 1990. It used an Etesia style overhead driveshaft with chains driving the rear wheels on stub axles but I haven't heard anything since.
  
  
  Now here is the surprise. My baby 16 inch Honda Izy is really good on wet grass. The reason is that it has an originally 5hp (now tuned to 6.5hp) engine driving a 16 inch deck - it nearly blows the grassbox off !.
  
  Why do you think that Rover spares will be a problem. I always found that I could pop into MTD in Bicester & get any part.
• 

  Gordon Easson August 28, 2010 at 11:05am

  Paul .....you're right about the Rover in that it can cut and cope with wet conditions. Also a big plus for me is the numerous height settings which you can tailor to various lawns.
  The only downside with the machine i find in the wet is when you remove the collector. It dumps grass nearly every time which you need to reverse over and can be messy.
  Tried going down to 2 blades from 4 to increase length of cuttings but lost too much throw into box.
  A better design on my Deere where the lip of the collector is at the lowest point and rarely spills when removing .
  Lack of blade brake is a shame as i tend to leave engine running between emptying which can create wee crop circles ......not a good sight on a proud lawn !
  Even with these gripes the Rover has been a godsend in the wet .
  
  Paul Williams said:

  I was told the same thing to be fair.
  
  I will keep my Rovers going for as long as I can because they are brilliant & I have never lost a days mowing because of the conditions, even in the heavy rain last week. Maybe they wouldn't cope with 6 inch grass in the wet but normal lawns are no prob. You've got to love the way we all defend our machines.
  
  Gordon, maybe as things pan out spares won't be a problem & maybe they won't spoil the design of the current range. I live in hope.
  
  I think a second hand Etesia may be worth a look when the time comes but my pockets aren't deep enough to buy a new machine.
  
  Gordon Easson said:

  Thanks for your input regarding the Etesia.
  Was told by my dealer that spares could be a problem for the Rover..only taking his advice.
  Funny you mentioned the Izy as my freind in landcaping swears by his
  
  Peter Davis said:

  Nothing & I mean nothing compares to Etesia. It should last years. The fact that we will buy old ex council machines & use them for pro work shows how good they are. Anyone who has attended a proper dealer demo will be hooked. Risborough Turf used to take a meadow & put sprinklers on it. You had a choice of trying it with the sprinklers on or off !. The Etesia's would plough through 6 inch sodden grass & collect every blade.
  
  I have used almost every mower known to man & nothing can collect wet grass like an Etesia. To my knowledge no one has copied the Etesia system that eliminates the back axle - that is the key to collecting as there is nothing to inhibit the grass & clog. Dory did copy the idea with their "All Weather Mower" which was shown at Saltex in about 1990. It used an Etesia style overhead driveshaft with chains driving the rear wheels on stub axles but I haven't heard anything since.
  
  
  Now here is the surprise. My baby 16 inch Honda Izy is really good on wet grass. The reason is that it has an originally 5hp (now tuned to 6.5hp) engine driving a 16 inch deck - it nearly blows the grassbox off !.
  
  Why do you think that Rover spares will be a problem. I always found that I could pop into MTD in Bicester & get any part.
• 

  Gordon Easson August 28, 2010 at 2:43pm

  Many thanks Gary
  
  Gary RK said:

  Gordon, go check you email address - might be of interest to you....