Toro TimeCutter SS3200 (32") 15HP Kohler Zero Turn Lawn Mower

My Dad was a Toro man and he always said buy quality the first time and you'll save a ton in the long run. You get what you pay for - especially in lawn equipment. After much homework, I decided on the Toro Time Cutter 3200. I've never owned or operated a zero turn before so I was a little concerned about getting the hang of things. After about 30 minutes, I was completely comfortable.

Amazing power, excellent cut, smooth operation, and surprisingly quiet. I purchased the bagging system and the combination made short order of all my leaves. My cutting time was reduced over half and I my only regret is not purchasing one sooner. Excellent craftsmanship, solid feel, proud owner. Toro builds them right. The family tradition continues and this mower is worth every dime!

My Dad was a Toro man and he always said buy quality the first time and you'll save a ton in the long run. You get what you pay for - especially in lawn equipment. After much homework, I decided on the Toro Time Cutter 3200. I've never owned or operated a zero turn before so I was a little concerned about getting the hang of things. After about 30 minutes, I was completely comfortable.

Amazing power, excellent cut, smooth operation, and surprisingly quiet. I purchased the bagging system and the combination made short order of all my leaves. My cutting time was reduced over half... more

I purchased this mower from Mowers Direct and it was delivered very quickly on a sturdy wooden crate. I paid extra for the lift gate option (Unless you have a forklift truck). It weighs about 580 lbs. crated. I purchased the hour meter and the recycle kit. It took me approximately three hours to un-crate it and set it up with the recycle kit. I removed the deck to install the recycle kit which was a little hard to do for the first time.

I downloaded the manuals to my computer a couple of days earlier and read them from front to back. This made the initial setup much easier. I even removed the two front wheels to grease and inflate to the proper air pressure (It was too hard to do that with the tires installed.) I checked the oil and poured in the gas and adjusted the seat. The mower started right up and I took it for a spin around the yard at slow speed.

It takes a little time to get used to the steering controls. I took my time going through my chain link gates and made it look easy. I like how it cleans the deck with a garden hose. Overall the mower is great and the instructions are well written. It is well built and should last a very long time. If you plan to store it in a shed make some room. This mower is about six feet long.

I purchased this mower from Mowers Direct and it was delivered very quickly on a sturdy wooden crate. I paid extra for the lift gate option (Unless you have a forklift truck). It weighs about 580 lbs. crated. I purchased the hour meter and the recycle kit. It took me approximately three hours to un-crate it and set it up with the recycle kit. I removed the deck to install the recycle kit which was a little hard to do for the first time.

I downloaded the manuals to my computer a couple of days earlier and read them from front to back. This made the initial setup much easier. I e... more

I bought this mower about a month ago from Mowers Direct. Shipping was as promised and delivered on schedule. Unpacking was easy and setup was uncomplicated. I got the recycle kit and easily installed it without removing the mower deck from the unit.

So far I’m pleased with the mower and offer the following for consideration by others.

Pro’s
Easy setup. Easy to operate after a couple hours of practice. Recycle kit works well and gives fine cuttings. Seat is fairly low making it easy to mow under trees. Leaves a nice uniform cut that looks good. Easy to mow close to objects and visibility is good.

Con’s
Checking and adjusting air pressure in front tires is nearly impossible without removing tire from unit. Outside width of rear tires is 36 inches. With mower deck only 32 inches and slightly offset to the left, overlap of previous pass is required to get a good looking cut. Mower is slightly underpowered if recycling in heavy thick grass (not tall – just thick) and requires slowing down travel speed to let mower deck clear itself. If you have long legs you cannot have your feet flat on foot deck as knees will hit travel speed levers. If you put your feet on the front foot rest no problem with levers.

I use this mower to mow where I can’t or don’t want to mow with my John Deere compact tractor with a 62 inch mid-mount mower. It works great for my use and I recommend this mower for smaller hard to get to areas or smaller lots subject to my points above.

I bought this mower about a month ago from Mowers Direct. Shipping was as promised and delivered on schedule. Unpacking was easy and setup was uncomplicated. I got the recycle kit and easily installed it without removing the mower deck from the unit.

So far I’m pleased with the mower and offer the following for consideration by others.

Pro’s
Easy setup. Easy to operate after a couple hours of practice. Recycle kit works well and gives fine cuttings. Seat is fairly low making it easy to mow under trees. Leaves a nice uniform cut that looks good. Easy... more

I purchased this mower from a local dealer and had the mulch kit and foot-operated deck lift pedal options installed. Prior to delivery, I visited the dealer to observe that the mower was ready to operate and the requested options were installed properly. The mower was delivered to my house today (May 11, 2011). I had the delivery person remove the deflector shield as it wasn't required for mulching and, due to limited storage width in my garage, would impede foot traffic. I'm going to have to request the regular mowing blade from the dealer, but otherwise there were no issues.

The only parking spot in my garage permits a maximum width of 37 inches for a mower. Although the mower measures 34.5 inches at the widest with the deflector shield removed, I discovered that I had to park the mower at least 3 inches from the garage wall so that the control lever on the side of the wall could be extended far enough to engage the parking brake (in order to make it possible to start the mower from rest the next time). I wasn't expecting this as my previous rider had a manual brake lever.

My previous rider was a 2000 model year Dixon ZTR 3303 (for the curious the specs are still available online) purchased new in 2002. The primary design difference between the two mowers is that the Dixon was a cone drive unit whereas the Toro is utilizes dual hydrostatic drives. I use the past-tense regarding the Dixon because the engine seized at the end of the mowing season last year and I refused to pay half the unit's original cost for a new engine and installation. Hence the purchase of the Toro plus the fact that it was the narrowest residential ZTR available that would fit in my garage.

Operationally, the Toro is significantly different from the Dixon. It is much easier to track straight at full speed. It turns much more neutrally. It was always somewhat of a game to get the Dixon's front caster wheels to position properly for a turn. The Toro just turns and is far less prone to digging a hole with a wheel while doing so. I detected no flex at all in the Toro's chassis over my yard's uneven terrain and the seat spring combination (factory default) smoothed out the ride considerably. The Dixon rode roughly in comparison. By the way, the Toro has a 10 gauge steel frame and cutting deck, two units thicker than the Gravely ZT 34, Ariens ZOOM 34 and 4 units thicker than its other competitors. This can make a difference if one ever accidentally hits something solid...

The mowing quality is great and the mower is easy to clean afterward. The Toro's 15 HP vs the Dixon's 10.5 makes a difference when mulching with either dampness or longer grass or both. I especially appreciate the deck washout port after having spent considerable time scraping out accumulated grass from the inside of Dixon's mowing deck. I also appreciate the viewing ports for fuel and oil levels. All of the filters are easily accessed. The pressurized oil system is also a benefit as my backyard has a decent slope to it.

My only complaints:
1) I don't understand the need for an electric parking brake triggered by the control levers when a manual brake works just fine. To me this just seems added complexity, another point of failure, and one more item I can't service myself. Except for the transmission (replaced once) and the engine (seized and not replaced), I could service just about everything else on the Dixon myself (wish I had checked the oil level before mowing last fall - oh well).
2) I also don't understand the requirement for the control levers to be extended out in order for the starter to engage. This is probably the only advantage the Dixon has over the Toro as I could start the Dixon while parked against the garage wall with zero clearance. Do the designers of these mowers not have to deal with restricted garage space?

I purchased this mower from a local dealer and had the mulch kit and foot-operated deck lift pedal options installed. Prior to delivery, I visited the dealer to observe that the mower was ready to operate and the requested options were installed properly. The mower was delivered to my house today (May 11, 2011). I had the delivery person remove the deflector shield as it wasn't required for mulching and, due to limited storage width in my garage, would impede foot traffic. I'm going to have to request the regular mowing blade from the dealer, but otherwise there were no issues.

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The mower was easy to prep for use and I installed the mulching kit without the need to drop the mower deck. Using the ZTR feature takes a bit of getting use to, but once you use it for a short period of time it becomes an enjoyable experience. The video that comes with the mower is mainly safety but it does show how the operator drives the mower. It starts with ease and is very comfortable with controls very easy to use. My yard is small and the 32" fit my needs perfectly. I received the mower on time and in great shape. I will use Mowers Direct for any parts etc. in the future. My order was filled without any surprises.

The mower was easy to prep for use and I installed the mulching kit without the need to drop the mower deck. Using the ZTR feature takes a bit of getting use to, but once you use it for a short period of time it becomes an enjoyable experience. The video that comes with the mower is mainly safety but it does show how the operator drives the mower. It starts with ease and is very comfortable with controls very easy to use. My yard is small and the 32" fit my needs perfectly. I received the mower on time and in great shape. I will use Mowers Direct for any parts etc. in the future. M... more

I bought this mower about a month ago. So far, it has been a great mower! I bought it with the bagger kit. It mows quickly (has two major mowing speeds, which I equate to walking and running) and evenly. Picks up everything in its path!

This is my first zero-turn radius mower and I'm still learning how to best control speed and steering around corners, etc. There IS a learning curve if you're not use to this type of mower.

One thing, be careful how much zero turning you do on the grass (vs. the street or driveway), as if not done properly (i.e. moving both rear wheels at the same time instead of just one), it can tear up the grass.

Overall, I love this mower and am glad I bought it... runs great, starts right up, and mows like a bat out of you know where! Incidentally, we have a half acre lot. I was a bit concerned about going from a 42" double-bladed mower to this one, but what it lacks in width it makes up for in speed and ease of use.

One negative... I DO wish Toro would include the hour meter at no extra charge, but it is an optional item that you have to pay extra for. That's strange, as the user manual is very precise in certain tasks that are supposed to be done at certain "hour" usages, but they don't give you the tool to keep up with the number of hours used.

Thanks for reading this!

I bought this mower about a month ago. So far, it has been a great mower! I bought it with the bagger kit. It mows quickly (has two major mowing speeds, which I equate to walking and running) and evenly. Picks up everything in its path!

This is my first zero-turn radius mower and I'm still learning how to best control speed and steering around corners, etc. There IS a learning curve if you're not use to this type of mower.

One thing, be careful how much zero turning you do on the grass (vs. the street or driveway), as if not done properly (i.e. moving both r... more