Anyone know what a good Lawn Tractor is these days?

[dogmush]

SWMBO wants a Lawn Tractor that takes less on-going maintenance than my $500 Craigslist special.  So I'm shopping for a new tractor this summer.

What's a good brand these days?  Are the Box store sold ones the same as that same brand bought elsewhere? (I ask because I know Lincoln welders sold at HD/Lowes are different models and inferior to the real thing).  I need a low 20's HP/46" cut, needs to be able to pull my tractor trailer, seed spreader, and cut through some tall grass on inclines, but I'm definitly still in the lawn tractor, not real tractor area.

Not going to shell out for a zero turn this time around.

The current one is a second hand Husqvarna, that I think works fine, and am happy with so I'm tempted to just buy the new version of it.  I've heard good things about John Deere's as well.  Anything else I should look at?  Stick with Briggs engines? I know some folks on here have messed around with small engines more recently then I.

[MechAg94]

My Dad really likes the Mahindra tractor he got last year.  I think it might be a little big for what you are looking for.

[TechMan]

I have had a John Deere x300 for 10 years now (2006 was the introduction year for x300 series) and I love it.  From what I understand the John Deere that you get at the big box stores is different in quality (read lessor) than the ones sold by dealers.

[grampster]

I've had two Husqvarnas.  They are fairly reliable.  Deck is a bitch to level.  Electric blade engager is a bowel.  My new one is mechanical.  That's good.  I have the 22hp, twin, 42 inch.  Sucks a lot of gas.  Twice as much as my old one lunger 42 inch.

If I had it to do over, I'd get a Cub Cadet.  I hear the deck is simple to adjust.  Cubs have a good rep. 
Big box machines are not the same quality as from a dealer and dealers have maintenance people.

[charby]

John Deere from a dealer.

Also with lawn tractors, engine hp is not equal to wheel hp.

I have a John Deere with a 14hp kawasaki engine that has more power at the mower then the higher hp tractors.

[Kingcreek]

John Deere from a dealer is not the same as JD from the box stores.
I have an X320 that's been great. 500 hours with one belt and 2 batteries over regular maintenance.

[RoadKingLarry]

John Deere from a dealer.

Also with lawn tractors, engine hp is not equal to wheel hp.

I have a John Deere with a 14hp kawasaki engine that has more power at the mower then the higher hp tractors.

That's for sure.
My Craftsman lawnmower has a "26 HP" Kohler but it seems to pale some up against my 22 hp Kioti tractor.

[Tuco]

Kubota.

Deere made a name for itself on its excellent diesel engines.
A gas powered deere may as well be an MTD.
Anything green has to be over 25 hp AND diesel to be worth the price.

[charby]

Kubota.

Deere made a name for itself on its excellent diesel engines.
A gas powered deere may as well be an MTD.
Anything green has to be over 25 hp AND diesel to be worth the price.

I'm pretty sure the dealership mowers are made at the Deere plant in Wisconsin.

[charby]

I've had two Husqvarnas.  They are fairly reliable.  Deck is a bitch to level.  Electric blade engager is a bowel.  My new one is mechanical.  That's good.  I have the 22hp, twin, 42 inch.  Sucks a lot of gas.  Twice as much as my old one lunger 42 inch.

If I had it to do over, I'd get a Cub Cadet.  I hear the deck is simple to adjust.  Cubs have a good rep. 
Big box machines are not the same quality as from a dealer and dealers have maintenance people.

Cub Cadet are made by MTD now, not sure if I'd but a new one.

[Calumus]

John Deere from a dealer is not the same as JD from the box stores.
I have an X320 that's been great. 500 hours with one belt and 2 batteries over regular maintenance.

The cheapest one in the Deere dealership is a box store version. They had to have a budget model to compete. My father picked up a D110 last year to replace an STX38 that my mother bought him in '86. Its a nice upgrade power and comfortwise. He can do about 3 acres on a tank of fuel, which is about double what the old one would do. You can also buy a mulching attachment online for about $20 vs the exact same part from a dealer for around $150.

[dogmush]

Looking around some of you guys have some NICE lawn mowers.

We're looking at the JD D130 range for this one.  Ain't no way I'm swinging an X300 series mower.

Kubota doesn't seem to make a Lawn Tractor so much as real tractors that can be used on lawns.

Not a huge fan of MTD, but I'll look at a couple Cub Cadet's and see what they feel like.

Otherwise the JD D130 or the Husqvarna YTH22V46 are looking kinda like what I want.

[charby]

Looking around some of you guys have some NICE lawn mowers.

We're looking at the JD D130 range for this one.  Ain't no way I'm swinging an X300 series mower.

Kubota doesn't seem to make a Lawn Tractor so much as real tractors that can be used on lawns.

Not a huge fan of MTD, but I'll look at a couple Cub Cadet's and see what they feel like.

Otherwise the JD D130 or the Husqvarna YTH22V46 are looking kinda like what I want.

My JD 170 was a $400 Craigslist mower.

[dogmush]

My JD 170 was a $400 Craigslist mower.

Slight rant:

My current Husky is a $500 Craigslist mower.  It works FINE.  Previous owner did something to score the cylinder walls, so it burns oil.  Keep it topped up with 30w (About 1 cup/2acres).  Because it burns oil, every 6 months or so it drops a cylinder, and you have to pull the plugs, clean them up with some carb spray and a file, and re gap them. (not replace, just clean)  Then it runs like a raped ape.  It's overpowered for my lawn so it runs right through the grass even if you let it get a little long.

The spark plug thing is too much for her to handle, so it has been decreed that I will provide her a new mower before I deploy this winter.  Used mower is contraindicated because she feels we'd get new, different basket case issues. Discussion over.

So I'm shopping for new tractors.  Preferably a little narrower than my 48" Husky so I don't have to rebuild the doors to the shed.  Again.

[roo_ster]

Slight rant:

My current Husky is a $500 Craigslist mower.  It works FINE.  Previous owner did something to score the cylinder walls, so it burns oil.  Keep it topped up with 30w (About 1 cup/2acres).  Because it burns oil, every 6 months or so it drops a cylinder, and you have to pull the plugs, clean them up with some carb spray and a file, and re gap them. (not replace, just clean)  Then it runs like a raped ape.  It's overpowered for my lawn so it runs right through the grass even if you let it get a little long.

The spark plug thing is too much for her to handle, so it has been decreed that I will provide her a new mower before I deploy this winter.  Used mower is contraindicated because she feels we'd get new, different basket case issues. Discussion over.

So I'm shopping for new tractors.  Preferably a little narrower than my 48" Husky so I don't have to rebuild the doors to the shed.  Again.

You need only a new motor.  Or a real rebuild on what you got.

FTR, what is it with all these high horsepower lawn tractors?  I recall my dad bought a used 10hp craftsman lawn tractor with a 42" deck and that was plenty powerful enough for our yard.

[Firethorn]

FTR, what is it with all these high horsepower lawn tractors?  I recall my dad bought a used 10hp craftsman lawn tractor with a 42" deck and that was plenty powerful enough for our yard.

I think it's a result of EPA ratings that engines have to be 'cleaner', making it so that engines have effectively less power per official horse, but advances in technology allowing a higher horse engine to be fit into the same space.

IE treading water but HP has increased.

[dogmush]

You need only a new motor.  Or a real rebuild on what you got.

Yeah, No.  I looked at both those options.  A new Briggs motor to replace what I have is +/- $1000.  And I have better/more pressing things to do in my last three months at home than rebuild a lawn mower.

She wants a new mower, I'll suck it up and get her a new mower.  I will complain that she's unwilling to gap some spark plugs a couple times however.

[charby]

How much yard are you mowing?

[p12]

A bit high, but look into a Snapper rear engine mower.

[dogmush]

FWIW, I ended up at the John Deer dealership nearby last night.

They swear up, down, and sideways that the models sold by them and the models sold by Lowes are the exact same tractors.  The dealership is the one that does the warranty work/service for Lowes (on John Deere's).  Sales guy walked me over to service and showed me tractors with the "sold at Lowes" stickers on the back right next to the ones with "Sold at Evergreen Equip".  So at least on the green ones big box and dealership are the same.

He was kinda pushing hard to sell me a tractor because they had a $200 rebate that was ending, and they had one of the ones I was looking at.  I mentioned that didn't really matter as it was pretty much the same as the 10% military discount Lowes gives me every day, and he said they'd give me that same military discount as well as the rebate.  !?!  $1899 tractor for $1499.  Sold.

So they delivered a brand shiny new John Deere D130 22hp mower today.

We'll see what Craigslist will give me for my Husqvarna.

[Marnoot]

It's not that units sold at Lowes/HD are different/worse than at dealers, it's that the D___ series are imported and more cheaply-made than the US-made X___ series, and HD/Lowes only carries the D-series. A D-series sold at Home Despot is 100% identical to a D-series sold at a dealer.

Fully aware of the above, the price differential steered me to the D series when I was considering a rider. I had neither the need for features that the X series had, nor the money to pay for one. Yes D-series is more cheaply-made, but it's also correspondingly cheaper. Paying more for higher quality is good to a point, and that point differs according to different people's finances, risk-tolerance, and predilections.

[Calumus]

One word of advice on your new Deere. There's a hose attachment on the deck for rinsing the bottom off. Our local Dealer, who's daughter has been a friend of mine since high school warned not to use it. Its a great idea; but they've been seeing decks rust out very quickly for those that use it regularly.

[Kingcreek]

It's not that units sold at Lowes/HD are different/worse than at dealers, it's that the D___ series are imported and more cheaply-made than the US-made X___ series, and HD/Lowes only carries the D-series. A D-series sold at Home Despot is 100% identical to a D-series sold at a dealer.

Fully aware of the above, the price differential steered me to the D series when I was considering a rider. I had neither the need for features that the X series had, nor the money to pay for one. Yes D-series is more cheaply-made, but it's also correspondingly cheaper. Paying more for higher quality is good to a point, and that point differs according to different people's finances, risk-tolerance, and predilections.

Thats good info. I think the difference I saw was that our local JD dealer doesn't stock the D series, probably because they are available at Lowe's.

[RoadKingLarry]

This one will do

https://www.deere.com/en_US/products/equipment/riding_mowers/x700_signature_series/x750/x750.page?#viewTabs

[TechMan]

This one will do

https://www.deere.com/en_US/products/equipment/riding_mowers/x700_signature_series/x750/x750.page?#viewTabs

{Drool}