Lawn tractors/Lawn Mowers

[Lowcountrydave]

I'm in the market for a Riding Lawn Mower/Tractor. Our new house we are building resides on 1.52 acres. I know its not the back 40, but an upgrade from a neighborhood yard of .33 acres. I need a LT for mowing, attachments like tilling/disking for the garden, pulling a small trailor for yard junk.

Through my research, so far I have found:

The best choice engines to be Kawi and Kohler engines. Also its not neccessary to have the most HP.

It would be very helpful to here from owners of Lawn Tractors. Specific models you have or have owned.

Pros/Cons of pricing, durability, ride comfort, etc

Thanks for the info.

Dave

[BakerRacing40]

ya anything beats what i'm having to do for now.. which is push mow a lil over an acre with a 19" push mower.. i refuse to do more than that. lol ..

[matt14c]

JOHN DEERE.

If you want to do all that other stuff with it you may want more of a tractor with a belly mower on it that way you will have a three point for tilling or any other thing you want to do. Otherwise the new 700 series John deere mowers can put alot of attachments on it as well. Doesnt neccessarily need to be new a Deere will run forever! Kohler or Kawi motors are best. Try to stay away from brigg and definitly do not get a tecumseh motor. Just remember that a deere may cost more but they are repairable! Alot of other mowers if something were to happen then there scrap. If you go with a larger tractor type Kubota is really good also.

[bluebaron]

John Deere is the way to go.

We've had ours for about 10 years with out a major problem.

Just don't let the higher price scare you away from purchasing one, they are well worth it.

[extremeblastr]

CUB CADET!!!!!!

[jrspawn]

If your looking for something thats gonna last and perform better than the rest, John Deere.

Parts, sales, and servie. It gets no better hands down.


If your going to buy new, something in the X500 range would be your best bet with the availability of many attachments and options. If your going the used route, there are quite a few models that would suite your needs.

Pricing? You get what you pay for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Durability? With decent upkeep, a deere will last you lifetime! I have customers that are still using their old 110's( a mid 60's mower) and they cut like new!

Ride comfort? apples to apples with similar manufactors, deere's will either be the same of not smoother of a ride.


Cub cadet used to have some good models out there. Now, the newer L&G models are just a glorified MTD.

[krt400ex]

i will tell you right now that kohler engines suck. just plainly suck. im in the mowing business and there is absolutely nothing that can compare to a kawi engine. i would rather have a briggs engine than a kohler. honda engines are excellent as well. dont buy kohler

[Lowcountrydave]

I'm leaning towards the JD, with Cub Cadet as a back up. I still have some time before the yard is leveled out. Our contractor is bringing in his tractor and disking the yard. Then going to level it off with a blade. I can't wait to own a LT! I have always wanted a riding mower.

Probably a few months back I posted a thread about shops. Still researching those also, but plan on at least a 30 x 40. All definitely post up pics of the LT and shop when I make the final choice.

Thanks for all the replys!

Dave

[mittman]

We have 4 acres and our Cub Cadet did very well was about 16 years old before we needed a new one and got a deere both did very well at cutting and never had problems with them. We sold the deere to our neighbor to get a kubota bx2200 only because it was nice to have a bucket and to be able to hook a brush hog up to it. I would recommend all 3 to anyone.

[procircuit406ex]

SCAG for sure

[UnderFire]

instead of buying something like a riding mower, you should get a mower trailer that you can tow behind your quad.:D

[honda400ex2003]

simplicity is nice but they go through blades fast. I put on a set a year but i have a lot of sand. just make sure you get one that is a decent hp and speed. See if you can mow some grass before you buy it to see how it does. I dont care for the cub cadet we have at work. it is a hydrostatic trans and it is slower than mallasos and if you get grass over 5" it bogs. Our newer simp. is 18 hp and it bogs a bit but at least you can put it in any gear and let it go. the cadet has a lock but it is for full speed and when cutting you cant go that fast since it bogs and does not cut. I think it is about 16 hp. I guess that is just my experience with them. I would try a deere or something they seem really nice. steve

[Lowcountrydave]

Whats a SCAG?

Whats a Simplicity?

I think I'm out of the LT scene, or I was never in it, lol.

Mowing trailor I think is out. Would be fun as hell but.... The new Irazers I put on the rear of the 400 work like a d@m tiller. A few passes in my current back yard and the grass is shot!

Dave

[honda400ex2003]

simplicity is a red tractor
http://www.simplicitymfg.com/

heres the site, i guess they are ok, just dont get a bagger cause they dont work too good. steve

[matt14c]

SCAG is a zero turn commercial mower. Nothing better than them if thats what your looking for. But all they do is cut lawn. For you thats no good cause you want to til and things and you will think of a 1/2 dozen others things to do with it once you have it. A simplicity along with yard machines and a couple other brands are what I like to call throw away mowers. You use them for 3-4 years then throw them away. When I first moved out to the county my dad bought a yard man its an mtd product lasted 3 months. We were cutting 4 acres of lawn a week. It was junk. then he bought a deere and it still runs and mows like the day we brought it home and that was 14 years ago. He bought a scag tiger 60" two years ago. There fast as hell for a mower and will cut your mowing time in litterally half but like I said thats it just for mowing. For what you want I would look either into the new JD X500 or X700 series mowers or bump up to a utility tractor with a loader then you could hook up anythign your heart desired!

[mxracer97]

I would recommend a John Deere. They use Kawasaki engines, have parts & service dealers everywhere, and come with a 4 year warranty. Last year I bought an X500 model and I couldn't be happier with it. If you are going to be tilling, this would be the smallest model I would consider. I don't think John Deere recommends using the X300 series for ground engaging attachments. The mower deck on the JD's are easily removed if need be, you just rotate the anti-scalp wheels 90 degrees, pull a lever to loosen and remove the drive belt, pull two J-pins and roll the deck out. Go Green, you won't be disappointed. Good luck and enjoy whatever you decide to purchase!

[Old Head]

i have a cub cadetwith a 20hp kohler the zero turncomes with a 25hp kawi.I'd say the kawi is a better mower but the kohler is doing just fine for me right now. Oh its a 46" deck with hydro tranny. very comfy to drive. stay away from briggs n straton motors they are crap< thats whats in most john deeres.

[matt14c]

Originally posted by Old Head
i have a cub cadetwith a 20hp kohler the zero turncomes with a 25hp kawi.I'd say the kawi is a better mower but the kohler is doing just fine for me right now. Oh its a 46" deck with hydro tranny. very comfy to drive. stay away from briggs n straton motors they are crap< thats whats in most john deeres.

Briggs motor are not in real John Deeres only the cheap knock offs sold at lowes and home depot. A real Deere will have either the kawi or kohler. Mainly Kawi. The ones at lowes and home depot shouldnt even carry the deere logo them as well are throw away mowers. Im with mxracer i bought a x520 last year and love it. I mow, plow snow, have a platic tilt bed trailer for hauling stuff, and use a drag to level my yard. It was the first mower I ever bought and could prolly be my last. When i researched all this stuff last year it was hands down deere even though I had the past use with them with my dads stuff. Anything that is X300 model and above will have great motors!

[jrspawn]

Originally posted by matt14c
Briggs motor are not in real John Deeres only the cheap knock offs sold at lowes and home depot. A real Deere will have either the kawi or kohler. Mainly Kawi. The ones at lowes and home depot shouldnt even carry the deere logo them as well are throw away mowers. Im with mxracer i bought a x520 last year and love it. I mow, plow snow, have a platic tilt bed trailer for hauling stuff, and use a drag to level my yard. It was the first mower I ever bought and could prolly be my last. When i researched all this stuff last year it was hands down deere even though I had the past use with them with my dads stuff. Anything that is X300 model and above will have great motors!

Deere actually uses and has used the Briggs engines in many of their models over the years. Not just the Lowes/Depot models. And like anything else out there, with the proper up keep and maintenence they are a Very good engine.

[400exrider69]

don't buy a Toro we have one it's 2 years old and sitting it weeds it's a pos we have a flat 1.5 acre yard in the middle of indiana and it would eat up blades the wiring is screwed up and the last time i tried to start it smoke came out from under the hood

newer john deer's suck my freind bought one the same time we bought the toro
there frame was recalled
yes frame ???
and there's is sitting in the back of barn after 2 years of a 3 acre pretty flat yard in town

Cub cadet or older john deere or wheel horse