Using MaxTorque™ diesel more than pays for itself

Dec 17, 2010

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For nearly a decade, Doug France, owner of France Lawn Care in Palmetto, Fla., has used Grasshopper MaxTorque™ diesel mowers exclusively, and the reasons are self-evident. “The first year I switched to the Grasshopper diesels, I tracked my fuel costs,” says France. “With three mowers and a diesel truck combined, I saved more than $7,000 in fuel over my previous gas mowers.” The second year brought even greater fuel savings, which France says essentially paid for one of the diesel mowers. “It was just incredible,” he says. “The fuel economy of these mowers is twice that of the gas mowers I used to run. The operating savings really add up when you only have to fill up once a day versus twice.” The MaxTorque™ diesels – two 322D models and one 321D – also provide benefits beyond the bottom line. France says the durability and dependability of the diesel engines and the construction of the equipment help him power through even the toughest conditions. Moreover, the machines are easy to service and maintain. “The mowers require very little maintenance, less than an hour total for all three each week,” he says. “As long as you give the equipment the respect it deserves, it’ll do what it’s designed to do.” With a two-man crew plus himself, France provides a broad range of services to a diverse client base of individual homeowners, commercial properties, sub-development common areas, federal parks and local civic centers. Those services include landscape installation, maintenance, storm cleanup and mowing – lots of mowing. “It’s not unusual for us to put 40 hours a machine in a week. In two years, we can put 1,600 hours on each mower, but they still run like they did the first day we started them up,” says France. He says that the diesels give exceptional power to the cutting decks, which keeps the cutting blades going at full potential, meaning that even taller, thicker grass isn’t a challenge; the efficient power transfer and top-quality deck construction produce a cut that cannot be beat. “I’ve used several other competitive pieces of equipment, and our Grasshoppers give us the best cut out there,” says France. In addition, the maneuverability and versatility of the mowers give them the ability to mow vastly different properties with the same equipment. “The 321D has a smaller deck, which is perfect for tighter spaces and maneuvering through gates,” he says. “And it works just as well in open spaces, where we have all three mowers running together to maximize our efforts.” For France, the combination of diesel power, efficiency and durability, as well as the quality of cut, serviceability and full warranty make Grasshopper his equipment of choice. “There’s no way I’ll switch from Grasshopper.”

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