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I'm on my 2nd John Deere riding mower after suffering thru a Monkey Wards cheap mower. Kohler may make the engines for the cheap mowers but the specs for the manufacturing may be much lower: cheaper metal,etc. Give me a John Deere anytime! Good mowers, good service, reliable. But buy a seat cover because they make crappy seats that crack and split.
Not to rub it in... but some say we make our own luck.
you right on that. Over the years we have had various riding lawnmowers. Al lgave good service; some better than others. I have to say this is first zero turn and its like the change from self propelled to tactor in ease of cutting ;especially in getting close to yard objects.My lot now is 72 X200 but this is first I have seen that in a 42 inch model would be fine for smaller yards in a riding mower.Most tractors aren't worth the trouble in turning radius in small yards.
you right on that. Over the years we have had various riding lawnmowers. Al lgave good service; some better than others. I have to say this is first zero turn and its like the change from self propelled to tactor in ease of cutting ;especially in getting close to yard objects.My lot now is 72 X200 but this is first I have seen that in a 42 inch model would be fine for smaller yards in a riding mower.Most tractors aren't worth the trouble in turning radius in small yards.
Deere 425 AWS... Best lawnmower I ever owned. Will also snowblow (2-stage) a 350' driveway in about 5 minutes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wilson513
I'm liking that Deere tractor, but doubting the claim of snowblowing a 350' driveway with a 42" tractor in 5 minutes. No offense, but who are you kidding?
First, it is a 47" snowblower, diesel (If I went up a model, they have 60" snowblowers, and if you get fancy, there ae 72" ones). Up, down, up down, done. (If I want to show off, I would plow around the house for the dog). I have been doing this since 1997... The 28" snowstorm on April 1st in the 1990's was my justification to get such a tractor, as the JD 26" walk-behind took about 2 hours (and the SO was annoyed, as she was on call and had to get to work).
Not kidding anyone. It takes me longer to put on thinsulate jeans, a heavy coat, put on the Peltor Worktunes, grab my favorite hot beverage and jump on the tractor than it does to clear the driveway (have a tow-behind Brinly-Hardy rotary and drop-spreaders for MgCl2 or CaCl2).
Next tractor is going to have a cab (heat and A/C, just for fun).
Well, this is what you said you had. I think you'd spend all morning on a 350' driveway.
Last edited by Wilson513; 06-18-2012 at 10:02 AM..
Yes, and it has a 47" 2-stage snowblower. Suitcase weights, chains, etc. (Technically it is a 445, but they all take that snowblower).
Did I say something wrong?
I have been doing it since 1997.... takes virtually no time. I don't use a plow, as it basically apple-peels the lawn if you go even the slightest bit off...
Last edited by SuperSparkle928; 02-18-2012 at 01:01 PM..
Most tractors aren't worth the trouble in turning radius in small yards.
In the lowest speed you're willing to normally mow...
go around the whole perimeter and trees or other obstacles you may have.
Then go back over that path with a shovel (or marking paint) to create or expand your planting beds in all those odd corners and spots that didn't get mowed.
John Deere - Lowe's sells a John Deere model but it is not of the same quality as the ones at the dealership.
This is false, the 100 series models that Lowe's and Home Depot sell are exactly the same as the low end models the Dealerships sell. The Dealerships however do sell select series mowers that are better mowers not available from the Big Box sellers.
If your serious about buying a mower, steer clear of the John Deere 100 series mowers (currently D100 thru D170) they are low end mowers meant for small flat yards. They are not as serviceable as the better select series mowers, have inferior parts and are throwaway mowers after 100 hours or so of use. Buy a better Select mower, Personally I have a John Deere X300 mower, cost me $3,200 with taxes, it's a much higher quality mower all around. If you have a hilly property, I'd recommend at least a X320, they have a much better transmission, a lot more likely you will get years of service from it.
This is false, the 100 series models that Lowe's and Home Depot sell are exactly the same as the low end models the Dealerships sell. The Dealerships however do sell select series mowers that are better mowers not available from the Big Box sellers.
If your serious about buying a mower, steer clear of the John Deere 100 series mowers (currently D100 thru D170) they are low end mowers meant for small flat yards. They are not as serviceable as the better select series mowers, have inferior parts and are throwaway mowers after 100 hours or so of use. Buy a better Select mower, Personally I have a John Deere X300 mower, cost me $3,200 with taxes, it's a much higher quality mower all around. If you have a hilly property, I'd recommend at least a X320, they have a much better transmission, a lot more likely you will get years of service from it.
Interesting as the guy at Lowe's told me this as well as the dealership. We are still in the looky phase. We have an acre, flat but lots of trees. We also keep thinking about moving in about 4 yrs and more than likely will not end up with a large lot as the one we have now. What do you suggest that isn't that high end?
I just bought one last year. Did a lot of research.
There is a huge difference between Garden tractors and lawn tractors or riding mowers.
When you are getting cheapo riding mowers or lawn tractors, they are pretty much all the same. Certain Kohler engines are crummy. Other ones are great. The same is true of almost every engine maker. All of the motors on the low end mowers are cheap and do not last long. SOme even have nylon bearings. Honda engines are supposed to be generally better, but only if you keep them really clean. If they get dirty, they fail. Again, unless you go into the high end, they are not very good motors. They do not need to be.
If you get into the higher end stuff, the Deere stuff is actually better. However all of the brands offer great quality at the high end. Cub Cadet (which is owned by one of hte other comapnies now) has a great reputation as does Husquevarna. If you really want superior quality go with Komatsu, but then yo are getting commercial stuff and paying as much as a car. That may be practical if you have 100 or more acres to take care of. The cheapo stuff including what they sell at Home depot is eseentially the same as all the others (it is cheap stuff). For typical homeowners, you are fine withthe cheap stuff. You are not going to use it 1000 hours in five years. All of them will make it 1000 hours. Most will easily make 5000 hours. For most homewoners, that is a lifetime of mowing.
If you do not need a garden tractor (whcih start at about $3500), then you will be getting a cheapo lawn tractor. More esxpensive brands provide no benefit. Go for the features or horsepower that you need for the lowest possible price. I was told that Sears craftsman (usually husquevarna mowers painted a different color) offer the most for the moeny. Keeping in mind that they are all junk and basically disposable. I found that to be true, and bought a sears. One concern with sears, if you buy an extended warranty (a bad idea) Sears is risky becuase they will probably be gone in two years or so. Even if the warranty company is a seperate company, they primarily sell through sears and they will go when Sears fails.
Be careful about being told you need all kinds of horsepower. You do not. 10-15 horspower is more than enough for almost all applications. I needed slightly more than a simple riding mowerbecuase I will use a snow blower attachment. (However I did nto buy the 1200 snow blower attachment and we have hardly had any snow. I have not shoveled snow at all this winter). Unless you are going to be doing ground contact work (ploughing, pushing dirt, trenching, tilling and the like) you do not need one of those big monster machines for $3000-$8000. THe 12 HP $1200 mower will cut your lawn just fine. 22 HP and up is just plain stupid if what you are going to do is cut grass. You need that kind of power for really heavy work. I always laugh when I see someone with a one acre lot or less spending $8000 on a fancy John Deere tractor.
Also I liked the Sears models becuase they offer an 8" turning radius. The wheels are double jointed. I am not sure how well this will hold up, but it offers near zero turn performance without the Zero turn problems (discussed by others above). Plus you cannot put a snow blower on a zero turn, at least not one that works wirth a darn.
Dont let the sales hype tirck you into wasting a bunch of money. The odds are very very good that you have no need whatsoever for a high powered Garden Tractor and you will never use what you are paying for. Mowers are going the way of pony cars. If you have more horsepower, you must be more manly. Soon we will have 30 plus HP tactors sigging in subdivision garages. That is like someone buying a corevette ZR1 to commute to Los Angeles in traffic.
By the way, our first mower was given to use for free. It is a Yard Mashines mower that is maybe ten years old. It did fine except that an collision from before we got it finally made the steering gear fail. We continued to use it (just had someone kick the wheeld to turn it) for the rest of the season and it still runs fne. You just cannot turn it. Older mowers actually seem to hold up better. My father gave away his old Case 222 a while back and then i learned that they are highly desired and sell for more than they cost new, even non running ones, becuase it is hard to find that kind of workhorse quality in new mowers.
My point is do not be afraid to consider a used one. You cna save thousands.
When you are getting cheapo riding mowers or lawn tractors, they are pretty much all the same. Certain Kohler engines are crummy. Other ones are great. The same is true of almost every engine maker. All of the motors on the low end mowers are cheap and do not last long.
This is true, but also VERY misleading. 90% of the time when a Riding mower / Lawn Tractor develops problems, it's the TRANSMISSION that fails first. There are tractors built in the 1970's with 12 HP Engines with strong transmissions that can out pull any 26 HP cheapo tractor made today. When shopping around try to pay less attention to the Engine HP and more attention to the Transmission model.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coldjensens
All of them will make it 1000 hours. Most will easily make 5000 hours.
All of them? Including the Cheapo Mowers? I don't know about that, most I heard for a low end mower was 400 hours and the guy did impeccable maintenance on his tractor. I say most new low end tractors will be lucky to see 100 hours, 200 tops and a lot less if they are using it to mow hills or plow snow. I guess if your taking about a old low end tractor built in the 1970's or 1980's, you could get more hours out of it, but they really cut corners on the low end stuff now a days, Low end today isn't now where near the low end quality from 20 years ago. I've heard of John Deere 300's making it to the 2000 to 3000 hour range before, but these tractors were $5,000 new in 1980, Your looking at least 9 grand to get a comparable tractor today. I don't know where your getting your 5,000 hour figure from, A tractor forum I'm a member of, 5,000 hours is a rarity without a major rebuilt somewhere during it's life.
Last edited by TechGromit; 02-21-2012 at 03:24 PM..
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Their seats are not so hot (but there are aftermarket ones, and they are heated. 
(no pun intended).
The turning radius solution
We are still in the looky phase. We have an acre, flat but lots of trees. We also keep thinking about moving in about 4 yrs and more than likely will not end up with a large lot as the one we have now. What do you suggest that isn't that high end?
