Riding Mowers?

[Ben]

Thoughts on riding mowers? I want to get one like, now. I thought I could get away with just my Honda self-propelled walk-behind for a while, but I'm already sick to death of spending two hours mowing the $&%&^! lawn.

My scenario: About 1/4 acre of "good" lawn, as in what you'd expect Hank Hill's yard to look like, but then another 1/4 acre + in back of sort of crappy lawn blending into natural grasses type stuff. I would do that back part with my tractor, but I already tried it, and I have too many trees to navigate with a tractor and a bush hog.

So I want a riding mower that will do both "terrains" (back is somewhat uneven) if you will, and also some strips of "spring grass" that come up along side my driveway, but I don't want anything fancy or super powerful for extra attachments and stuff like snowplows, which I'll use my tractor or ATV for. I was thinking of maybe like a John Deere 140 or whatever, but am also seeing good reviews on Cub Cadets (on sale at Tractor Supply right now). I'd like to keep the price in the <$1500 range if possible.

I'm planning on some point of getting rid of some of that back lawn, then maybe even letting the farther end of natural grasses just do its thing, since it appears to attract pheasant and turkey, but  I want to get my exercise in a way other than pushing the damn mower around, especially when July hits here*.  

* So one that has a beer holder too.  

[Nick1911]

I bought a used RZT50 for my place late last year.  So far it's been a good mower.

ZTR's are very nice for mowing around things.

[RoadKingLarry]

You want a good one ? Do not go to a big box store, buy from a dealer.
Look for one with a "fabricated" deck and Kohler or Kawasaki engine.
Be prepared to spend some coin. Your price range will not get a a machine that will hold up well.  Buy the last mower you will ever need.

[Calumus]

A good start would be a John Deere dealer. Ask them what the least expensive model they have that's not sold in big box stores is. It will usually have a Kohler or Kawasaki engine like RKL said. I did this with my father a few years back, and he was happy with what he got. Ran him about $1800 though. Whatever you look at, read the warranty. Craftsman power tools, at least as of a couple years ago, voids your warranty immediately ifyou use blended gas. In a state like NJ where you can only get pure gas at a Marina or airport this is a problem.

[dogmush]

FWIW, I heard that same "no big box stuff" when I asked this question a couple years ago, and ended up talking to a John Deere dealer.  He told me that for the same model, the dealer and Lowes sell the exact same tractor.  I bought my E140 at Lowes, (got my 10% military discount) and then filed for the John Deere rebate that was on at the time.

I buy all my parts at the John Deere dealership, and the E140's they have are the same tractor I got.  Where people get confused is the dealers carry lines that big box stores just don't carry.

Anyway, I have 3/4 acre, of which about 1/4 acre is a drainage easement (so up and down a ~6ft slope, and bumpy) and 1/4 is nice lawn.

I love my tractor, and it does all my mowing, tows a trailer with downed limbs and Mrs. Mush's landscaping supplies, has a tow behind spreader for de-grubbing and weed 'n feeding.  It's been great.  Highly recommend the "homeowner grade" JD's.  I I've used Cub Cadet's and Murray's a bunch because that's what my grandfather had, and they were all more cantankerous than my Deere.

[Kingcreek]

I bought an X320 John Deere and have 650 trouble free hours on it. 48" deck, Kawasaki twin cyl engine. A 54" deck is available but for the power available I think there is less work on the motor and a longer useful life with a 48". This model has a very tight turning mechanism. Not a zero turn but I can mow around a 4" tree without backing up.
Maintenance and minor stuff like belts and bearings are easy to service myself. Wife is comfortable operating it.

[brimic]

Simplicity or John Deere.

[charby]

I have a 30 year old John Deere 170 Lawn Tractor with a 38" deck. I picked it up cheap 3 years because it had issues, no brakes/brakes sticking, starting problems, etc. I bought a JD because you can still buy parts for anything green that was made by JD, cost me less than $100 in parts and a new battery. Mine was made in Horicon, Wisconsin at the JD plant. I only mow about 10k sq ft (backyard) and push mow the rest. Not sure if I would want to mow too rough of terrain with mine because the deck doesn't float much and end up scalping or bending mower blades if I hit something. Other than mowing I just use it to aerate my lawn and my neighbors in the fall. I'm still looking for a $50 yard cart to pull behind it for gardening and landscaping but everyone here thinks their used carts are made of gold or something.

MTD makes a lot of mowers for many "name" brands, do your homework before buying. You don't want a MTD made riding mower.

[castle key]

When I bought the new house, the Deere 160 conveyed. My first time with a rider and I like it. It's taking a bit of getting used to but it starts reliably and seems to do a good job.

My biggest gripe is that the cup holder position allowed grass clippings to land on the lip of the can in the holder. I can live with that!

[Hawkmoon]

Wheel Horse used to make top drawer riding mowers. I have one that's been going strong for more than 30 years, with one head gasket in there about 7 years ago. Wheel Horse is now owned by Toro, I believe, so I don't know if thet are as good as they used to be.

[charby]

Wheel Horse used to make top drawer riding mowers. I have one that's been going strong for more than 30 years, with one head gasket in there about 7 years ago. Wheel Horse is now owned by Toro, I believe, so I don't know if thet are as good as they used to be.

Wheel Horse was sold in 1974 to AMC, then to Munn Investment in 1982, then to Toro in 1986. Toro discontinued Wheel Horse in 2007.

[charby]

MTD owns Cub Cadet, run away, run away

From MTD's website

In 1981 the Cub Cadet product line was acquired from International Harvester, and the White Outdoor Products Company was acquired from the old White Motor Company.

[zxcvbob]

My dad bought a Kubota Z700 a few years ago.  Not sure the exact model or what size deck; I'll guess it's a 54".  It's amazingly fast, but I think it's a little above your listed price range.  Probably about $7000.  But they are tough, and the deck is fabricated, not stamped.  I've even taken it out in the field with the deck razed all the way up to the park position and mowed overgrown pasture grass when it was too wet to mow with the tractor.  (before I do that again I should check the belt geometry to make sure it's reasonably straight so it doesn't wear out the pulleys)

It should last you the rest of your life if you're mowing less than an acre.

[Ben]

FWIW, I heard that same "no big box stuff" when I asked this question a couple years ago, and ended up talking to a John Deere dealer.  He told me that for the same model, the dealer and Lowes sell the exact same tractor.  I bought my E140 at Lowes, (got my 10% military discount) and then filed for the John Deere rebate that was on at the time.

I recently read the same thing. I'll likely stop at the John Deere dealer down the road to see what they have, but will buy wherever I get the best deal. I was looking to add either a Gator or a Kawasaki Mule to my herd in the near future, so if the Deere dealer can give me a good price on a twofer, I might go that route.

The guy I bought my place from sells Bad Boys, and he would give me a killer deal on one, but that's still ~$2500.

[brimic]

I have a 30 year old John Deere 170 Lawn Tractor with a 38" deck. I picked it up cheap 3 years because it had issues, no brakes/brakes sticking, starting problems, etc. I bought a JD because you can still buy parts for anything green that was made by JD, cost me less than $100 in parts and a new battery. Mine was made in Horicon, Wisconsin at the JD plant.

That's the exact reason why I like John Deere and Simplicity. Simplicities are made in Port Washington,WI, just a few miles down the road from me. (Everyone on my road seems to own one).
I've only had one time where I had a bit of difficulty finding a part for my 20ish year old Simplicity (there's a thread about it somewhere) because of an oddball briggs and stratton carburator which had a very limited run. I was still able to find replacement parts and repair it however.

[bedlamite]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04q_lOR5ScE

[grampster]

Spend the money and get a zero turn mower.  My dad's advice was always "If you are gonna do a job, do it right."   Check out the ratings for them on the 'net.  Probably one of the more important aspects of any rider is the ease of leveling the deck.
It's not like you are destitute.  Spend the bucks and get a good one.  Many of the dealers offer payment plans with either no or low interest.