What brand does your local guy sell ?
I had a 2001 Toro 20 hp twin cylinder, air cooled, Briggs and Stratton with a 48" deck that cut 1 acre with for 18 years. I have a tow behind fertilizer spread and a sprayer cart with pump for weed control.
The Toro was getting tired with 970 hrs on it, so left it for the new owners when we sold 2 years ago. I bought the JD X540 from the owners of our new place. It had a 48" snow thrower that I sold the first winter, as I have a plow on my truck. A snow thrower is a much better removal tool than a plow.
It has the 54" mower deck. Our lot has a lot of slope to it too and the 22 hp, liquid cooled Kawasaki has plenty of power for anything I do. It's a 2010 that only 330 hours on it.
