Guy Talk...Riding Lawn Mowers or Lawn Tractors

[Trueblujr]

I just purchased a new home (close on tuesday) actually its not a "new" home, it's a nice 100+ year old house that has been well maintained and has a lot of potential for future growth. The house sits on 1.35 acres most of which is on a slope. This is my 3rd home, but the first one with this much land so I am in the market for a riding mower or lawn tractor.

I am on a pretty tight budget but want something fairly good quality preferrably under 1500 dollars.

Whats in your garage?

What mowers have you had good experience with?

What brands should I steer clear of?

I live in Louisville so if anyone knows of a good dealer in the area please let me know.

I am also willing to look into buying a used mower but if I go that route I definitely want to get one that is higher quality and has a good reputaion for lasting.

Cub Cadet and John Deere, at least around here seem to have the best reputations for longevity and quality, has anyone had luck with Craftsman, Yard Man, or some of the less expensive brands sold at the big box retailers?

[Littlemeyer]

I bought a new Craftsman at the beginning of last summer, and have been pleased so far. I don't know a whole lot about this stuff, but I do know it is a 42" cut, 16 hp, mulching attachment. Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done. I have to mow about 0.8 acres, mostly flat. My dad has always had luck with a Craftsman, so I thought I'd give it a try too. Of course, you won't go wrong with Cub cadet, John Deere, or Husqvarna.

Good luck with the older home. My wife and I bought our first house two years ago, it is at least 130 years old. Earliest records on it are from 1870. Its been well taken care of by previous owners, and has been 'modernized'. I'm definitely not what you'd call a 'handyman', so that's a good thing!

[zonetoncatfan]

Wait a cotton-pickin' minute...why is this'guy talk'??? ;) I'm a chick and have been riding a mower since I was just a little scrapper about 10 years old, so I have a little experience.

I will probably never buy anything other than a John Deere simply because my experience with them has been so positive. Our current mower was bought used in '93 and has never been a problem (and will now promptly break down next time I try to start it!).

IMO, the HD/Lowe's models of the JD/Cub are VERY low-end....not in the same ballpark as what you would buy at a dealer.

2M Tractor in Shepherdsville used to be the place around here to get a good John Deere, but they recently sold out theirJohn Deere interest to a place out on Bardstown Road just past Glenmary on the right.

Good luck on the mower and on the house...an old house that's been taken care of is a real treasure. :)

[bigsky]

Yeah, I agree, that lawn mowing is women's work!

[UKSam]

bigsky wrote: Yeah, I agree, that lawn mowing is women's work!

Only after the inside chores are finished:lol:

Seriously, I think that John Deere is a great product but I don't know if you could get what you want for that price. Are you looking for just a mower or will you need a small tractor? If you see future needs I would find something that will fill both needs and allows for adding atachments.

[BigBlue75]

Littlemeyer wrote: I bought a new Craftsman at the beginning of last summer, and have been pleased so far. I don't know a whole lot about this stuff, but I do know it is a 42" cut, 16 hp, mulching attachment. Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done. I have to mow about 0.8 acres, mostly flat. My dad has always had luck with a Craftsman, so I thought I'd give it a try too. Of course, you won't go wrong with Cub cadet, John Deere, or Husqvarna.

Good luck with the older home. My wife and I bought our first house two years ago, it is at least 130 years old. Earliest records on it are from 1870. Its been well taken care of by previous owners, and has been 'modernized'. I'm definitely not what you'd call a 'handyman', so that's a good thing!

I agree with this. I bought a brand new Craftsman when we moved into our house seven years ago. I have an acre and a half to mow and I told my wife there was NO WAY I was using a push mower to do it.

Mine is also a 42" inch cut, 16 horsepower, mulcher, which I love because it eliminates bagging grass altogether and it is GREAT in the fallfor crunching up leaves. When I bought it it was about 1600 dollars but I have seen it advertised at Sears recently in the 1200-1300 range.

I highly recommend it. I can do my whole yard in an hour and a half or less.

Sears will also come out every year at the onset of grass cutting season and tune it up, replace the blades and do maintenance on it for a fairly reasonable price.

[BOURBON TOWN CAT FAN]

I bough my new riding mower at Harland Equipment on Bardstown Rd. http://jddealer.deere.com/hartland/


Link (http://www.deere.com/en_US/ProductCatalog/HO/servlet/com.deere.u90785.cce.productcatalog.view.servlets. ProdCatProduct?pNbr=SKU20310&tM=HO)

I got a L115 for $1500, it has a 42" mower and 19hp, which is plenty for myjust under 1 acre.

[kybuc]

Lowe's and that Orange Place both carry 100 series John Deere mowers. Lowe's carries 7 different models while the Orange Place carries two. John Deere representative actually comes to Lowe's and the orange place to perform the PDI on these machines before you or I purchase them.

The 200+ series and higher end John Deere's can only be purchased at a certified John Deere dealer.

Craftsman is made by a company named Electrolux which also makes Husqvarna. The Husq is just the cadillac version of the Craftsman mower.

MTD assembles and distributes MTD, Bolens, Troybilt, and Cub Cadet.

Lowes carries John Deere, Husqvarna, Troybilt, and Bolens. While the TN colored orange store carries John Deere, Cub Cadet, and MTD.

Most of the above are made for residential use except the higher end Deere's. When you start jumping into commerical grade mowers you might think about a Dixie Chopper.

I have a John Deere push mower, living on the East River Mountain riding mowers become a little too dangerous.

Had good expeirence with Troybilt and up unitl last year with the Cub Cadets. Cub's workmanship has really fallen off this past year.

John Deere has really impressed me here lately. Great quality and they stand behind their products. The 100 series mowers come equipment with specially made Briggs and Stratton engines made for John Deere. I think you can upgrade to a Kohler engine in the higher series though.

MTD and Bolens use briggs engines while Huqvarna and troybilt use Kohlers.

I'm not sure about this years version of the Cub Cadet.

Good luck on your search!

Good luck on your search!

[samsdad]

I bought a Craftsman several years ago. I was disappointed to find out that it had Murray parts in it.

[surveyor]

We bought a Scott's Lawn Tractor (John Deere product) 42" cut 16 hp Kohler Command engine 8 years ago. Haven't had a lick of trouble with it. I do my own maintenance with regard to lube, oil change, blade sharpening and tune up. I pay for maintenance on the hydrostatic drive every 4 years.
It's been perfect.

My wife got the final say as the cup holder had to accomodate an insulated bottle for margaritas and various other alcoholic pleasures.:thumbup

[Trueblujr]

surveyor wrote: My wife got the final say as the cup holder had to accomodate an insulated bottle for margaritas and various other alcoholic pleasures.:thumbup

So can we assume your yard is the one with the wavy moving pattern?:lol::P

[surveyor]

I refer to it as "Paisley and Picasso", lol.

Lest anyone get the impression of a booze-hound, she merely likes to have a cold, mixed drink whilst mowing as she detests beer.:thumbup

[UK78ALUM]

Hate to throw cold water on the party here but I bought a John Deere L130 three years ago. I love the Kohler engine and hydrostatic drive. However, the JD mower deck is the worst designed piece of crap I've ever seen. It's as if they intended for it to collect grass, leaves, water, dirt, etc., on top around the spindles :X

It comes off very easily, which is a good thing since it needs cleaning constantly. I would never spend this much money on a JD again.

Dave

EDIT: I should also say that the JD is actually my "trim mower". All I use it for is trimming around the trees, beds, sidewalks, etc. I actually mow "the yard" with a full size Ford tractor and a Rhino pull behind PTO driven finishing mower. I also have a Rhino bush hog and am totally satisfied with their product lines.

[jwade]

Sears Craftsman, 42" deck, 18 hp Kohler, 12 years old. I live out in the middle of a former pasture and have absolutely beatenthis mowerto death. But it keeps right on running. For the money, I wouldn't dream of buying anything else.

Jim

[fanaticfan]

Having worked for Sears for a few years in the past, the Craftsman with a Kohler motor can't be beat for the price.

[BOURBON TOWN CAT FAN]

UK78ALUM wrote: Hate to throw cold water on the party here but I bought a John Deere L130 three years ago. I love the Kohler engine and hydrostatic drive. However, the JD mower deck is the worst designed piece of crap I've ever seen. It's as if they intended for it to collect grass, leaves, water, dirt, etc., on top around the spindles :X

It comes off very easily, which is a good thing since it needs cleaning constantly. I would never spend this much money on a JD again.

Dave

EDIT: I should also say that the JD is actually my "trim mower". All I use it for is trimming around the trees, beds, sidewalks, etc. I actually mow "the yard" with a full size Ford tractor and a Rhino pull behind PTO driven finishing mower. I also have a Rhino bush hog and am totally satisfied with their product lines.
I pull out the leaf blower after every mowing with mine and get the deck and engine area.

[Texas Cat Fan]

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9G_RtoPg2JEJpYAkySjzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTA4NDgyNWN 0BHNlYwNwcm9m/SIG=12lnaeick/EXP=1147393167/**http%3a//www.neometropolis.com/images/cyberculture/lawnmowerMan.jpg Getya this!



http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9G_RtqtgmJE7awASdGjzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTA4NDgyNWN 0BHNlYwNwcm9m/SIG=137n4q02n/EXP=1147393069/**http%3a//www.strangenewproducts.com/uploaded_images/john-deere-chopper-lawn-mower.jpg





or better, this!

http://www.geocities.com/harleyheartbeat/images/BigBlockLawnMower.jpg

[Radiated]

After my weekend experience, I would suggest paying someone else to do it. :)

[KY Blue in Carolina]

UK78ALUM wrote:I actually mow "the yard" with a full size Ford tractor and a Rhino pull behind PTO driven finishing mower. I also have a Rhino bush hog and am totally satisfied with their product lines.


I'm with you, Dave....

I mow with a Long 445 tractor and a 6 ft' Caroni finish mower...

Rougher areas get to see the bush hog

[BigBlue75]

Texas Cat Fan wrote: Getya this!



http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9G_RtqtgmJE7awASdGjzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTA4NDgyNWN 0BHNlYwNwcm9m/SIG=137n4q02n/EXP=1147393069/**http%3a//www.strangenewproducts.com/uploaded_images/john-deere-chopper-lawn-mower.jpg









Don't tell me, let me guess..a MOWER-CYCLE, right? :D

[jaspcat]

In 2001, I spent $1600 on a 42-inch Craftsman w/ Kohler engine. I'll never return to Sears for the hunk of manure they sold me. The engine always ran fine, but all minor components were cheap and unreliable. I replaced the front axle, 2 clutch cables, "swing arm" on front wheel, blade mandrel, and numerous other cheap plastic pieces (safety feature where blades stop when you leave the seat failed early on also). I sold it for $100 this spring and it needed an entire blade assembly replacement at the time.

Last fall, after the Crapsman broke down for the last time, I bought a Cub Cadet from Lowe's for less than $1500 (10% discount because I opened a Lowe's account - paid off immediately so no interest accrued). It is made by MTD (same as Craftsman and many others) and has similar engine, but much better built and designed (heavier guage steel deck and cast iron axle). I'm very satisfied with this purchase and highly recommend.

[VirginiaBlue]

Jaspcat, sounds like you got a lemon. I bought an 18hp 42" Craftsman a couple of years ago, have had no problems with it except for one broken cotter pin and a bent blade, both of which were my fault. I work it hard, too, not just grass cutting but leaf mulching in the fall - lots of leaves. The only thing I'm not completely happy with is: when you cut the wheel hard for a tight circle, like when you're mowing around a tree, the deck goes cattywhompus and it doesn't mow evenly.

jaspcat wrote: In 2001, I spent $1600 on a 42-inch Craftsman w/ Kohler engine. I'll never return to Sears for the hunk of manure they sold me. The engine always ran fine, but all minor components were cheap and unreliable. I replaced the front axle, 2 clutch cables, "swing arm" on front wheel, blade mandrel, and numerous other cheap plastic pieces (safety feature where blades stop when you leave the seat failed early on also). I sold it for $100 this spring and it needed an entire blade assembly replacement at the time.

Last fall, after the Crapsman broke down for the last time, I bought a Cub Cadet from Lowe's for less than $1500 (10% discount because I opened a Lowe's account - paid off immediately so no interest accrued). It is made by MTD (same as Craftsman and many others) and has similar engine, but much better built and designed (heavier guage steel deck and cast iron axle). I'm very satisfied with this purchase and highly recommend.

[KY Blue in Carolina]

VirginiaBlue wrote: the deck goes cattywhompus and it doesn't mow evenly.



:thumbupcattywhompus......

[Texas Cat Fan]

MOWER-CYCLE :lol:

& the other one's a Blower Mower?

Drag 'n Bagger?

Funny Mulcher?:blush:

[BlueByYou]

Good words just work, don't they?

http://www.myfavoriteword.com/C.html (scroll down)

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Cattywhompus

http://p211.ezboard.com/fwordoriginsorgfrm18.showMessage?topicID=408.topic

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?refid=561502434

http://www.pbs.org/speak/transcripts/


KY Blue in Carolina wrote: VirginiaBlue wrote: the deck goes cattywhompus and it doesn't mow evenly.



:thumbupcattywhompus......

[boomdaddy]

fanaticfan (/forum/view_user.php?id=529) wrote: Having worked for Sears for a few years in the past, the Craftsman with a Kohler motor can't be beat for the price.



Kohler engine is way better than a Briggs or a Techumseh, it will last longer. A Sears mower with a Kohler engine is the best value for the dollar.

But, if you have acres to mow, get a Dixie Chopper zero turn, with a 35 horse diesel engine. It is very economical on fuel and will last a lifetime, but it aint cheap.