Castelgarden HDC 170 HD vs Viking MT 5112

Lemlin

Have been searching for a mower and have narrowed it down to these two. The main specs are:

Castelgarden XDC 170 HD - 38 inch cutting rack,17 brake horse power, 240 litre capacity - €2720 with mulcher.

Viking MT 5112 - 43 inch cutting rack, 23 bhp, 350 litre capacity - €3350.

Being honest my initial budget was €2500 so I'm already above it. The thing is though the Viking is supposedly a great price.

I even went into one local retailer and they couldn't believe I had somewhere else willing to sell it at that price.

That said, it's just short of one thousand over my initial budget and I'll be stretching same to get it.

I have about a half acre to three quarters of an acre to cut. Some of it is on a slight hill.

Would be interested in hearing opinions.

Needles73

I have the same Viking and I paid a lot more. They normally also come with mulching plug. They are a good lawn mower. Just make sure it is new if you go for it, they no longer have an hour meter. I'm not convinced on the 23hp bit either but they are strong but use a lot more petrol than a 17hp castle garden

Lemlin

Needles73 wrote: »

I have the same Viking and I paid a lot more. They normally also come with mulching plug. They are a good lawn mower. Just make sure it is new if you go for it, they no longer have an hour meter. I'm not convinced on the 23hp bit either but they are strong but use a lot more petrol than a 17hp castle garden

How do ya find it? Do they come with a 5 year warranty as standard?

Needles73

No a 2 year warranty. I like it, it's my second one I had a T6 before. The blades are connected by a timed belt with both blade overlapping if that makes sense. Not sure if like that on castkegarden. I'm surprised you are getting it offered at that price. Viking/stihl agents don't normally budge on price in my experience. I think they are slightly better than castle garden but I may be biased. They are however not really made by Viking but made by a company called AL-KO. The bigger capacity box is handy, plus the intermeshing blades don't block as much as standard blade decks. Still won't like wet grass. At a guess and I've never actually compared but I'd say the v-twin 23hp engine would be at least 20% thirstier than 17hp engine. Extra power won't cut much different but handy on inclines where the extra grunt moves it along nicely.

fox0512

....it being a 23HP briggs, it will be a V-twin and a far superior engine than any 17hp intek briggs... 23 v 17 on juice would naturally be more hungry but remember the 23 will get the job done quicker.... I like these Vikings and as with most makes they will last for years if looked after and by that I mean study what they need and just dont rely on someone that said it got a full service!. if you do buy new change oil after the first 10-14hrs work and twice in a cutting season and it will last for years..

Lemlin

fox0512 wrote: »

....it being a 23HP briggs, it will be a V-twin and a far superior engine than any 17hp intek briggs... 23 v 17 on juice would naturally be more hungry but remember the 23 will get the job done quicker.... I like these Vikings and as with most makes they will last for years if looked after and by that I mean study what they need and just dont rely on someone that said it got a full service!. if you do buy new change oil after the first 10-14hrs work and twice in a cutting season and it will last for years..

I did buy brand new. Is changing the oil, just a matter of topping it up or has the old oil to be drained?

Needles73

You need to drain the old oil and replace with new when doing an oil change. Like most lawn mowers the plastics especially the green will fade over time. You should consider giving it a coat of uv protection at some stage and keeping it under a breathable cover when not in use. Will make all the difference if you plan to trade in the next few years

fox0512

Yep as needles said.... run engine for 5min (not at full RPM) so oil is nice and hot and it will drain easier and just keep an eye on oil level between changes... use a good quality oil and do change twice in a season and it will last forever... clean air filter is very important too, change once a year but remove mid season and clean with compressed air or just use hoover....oil filters can be changed once a year but if im changing oil I like to remove oil filter and drain so all is fresh... oil level is important, too much is as bad as too little...clear grass off deck when done etc.. Aldi at times have one of those small compressors for about 30eur that are ideal for blowing off grass from deck.. best of luck

red sean

Needles73 wrote: »

You need to drain the old oil and replace with new when doing an oil change. Like most lawn mowers the plastics especially the green will fade over time. You should consider giving it a coat of uv protection at some stage and keeping it under a breathable cover when not in use. Will make all the difference if you plan to trade in the next few years

Is there any particular product you'd recommend for UV protection and is it easy to source?
Thanks

Needles73

I use "Armorall protectant" as its in most auto factors (in halfords also). It's in an orange spray bottle. I'm sure there is better out there but Ive convinced myself it's doing good on the plastics !!

red sean

Thanks Needles I'll have a look for that during the week. I have a 2015 castelgarden and want to keep it red if possible.
The last one was a 1999 and it was pink in a few years.

Needles73

All the lawnmowerss seem to fade and really makes them look terrible. Once they fade it's hard to get them looking right.

red sean

I'll give it a try and come back to you with an update in 10 years

Lemlin

Needles73 wrote: »

I use "Armorall protectant" as its in most auto factors (in halfords also). It's in an orange spray bottle. I'm sure there is better out there but Ive convinced myself it's doing good on the plastics !!

Is this just a spray that goes on the mower? How much is it?

Needles73

It's just a general protective spray that should slow down the fading of the plastic body pieces. Don't remember price but I'd guess around 7 euro