Exmark Metro Ultracut Commercial Lawn Mower

by Roger Nash
(Cincinnati, OH)

I absolutely loved my Exmark Metro 36" mower, while the initial purchase price was not cheap - the build quality was outstanding, it mowed beautifully, and the cost of regular maintenance was quite reasonable. When it was time to sell my mower (moved to a house with a much smaller yard), I was able to sell my Exmark for about 75% of the initial purchase price after three seasons of use.

The mower was used on a one-acre yard in Cincinnati, OH and the mowing season there runs from mid-March through Thanksgiving, and even during the colder parts of the mowing season, the Exmark Metro never required more than three pulls of the cord to get it to start. I bought this lawn mower from a local authorized dealer that provided excellent support and advice. I was particularly thrilled that they suggested that I buy the mulching blades - the resultant cut grass was quite fine, and never "clumped" even when I had to mow 4" of growth.

This mower is offered with two engines, I believe, and I opted for the Kawasaki 16HP and absolutely loved it. The one challenge I had with this mower was when trying to mow the yard when the soil was wet. This mower weighs about 500 lbs, and any mower this heavy will tend to leave tracks in the soil, or will have some difficulty going up a hill without tire slippage and some turf damage. Just wait until the ground is a bit less wet and there is no problem.

I didn't always have that luxury because I travel for work during the week and the lawn had to be mowed on the weekend no matter what - coming home to another 4" of growth was not an option in my neighborhood. I'd advise that you sharpen the blades after every 5 or 6 mows to ensure the best cut quality. If you are even remotely mechanically inclined - the routine maintenance is a no brainer. Otherwise, you'll be having your dealer do the work (including pickup and delivery - unless you have a full size truck and a set of 8 foot ramps. It's no fun to get the Exmark in the back of a truck).

Adjusting the mower cut height is simple, but you'll need a floor jack to lift the mower off of the set of wheels that you are adjusting. I used Mobil 1 motor oil in my Exmark Metro mower exclusively (all my engines get Mobil 1) and the potential buyers were very impressed by that.

Spend the $20 for the service manual also - you won't really need it much, but it's another item that the next owner will find very attractive. I think it only took me three days to sell that mower on craigslist - they are in high demand by the pros, especially in the spring. Someday when I have another house with a yard that large, I will absolutely buy an Exmark Ultracut again without any hesitation. My overall experience was excellent and I would recommend that mower to anyone.