Just wondering what some of your opoinions are on the john deer lawn tractors?I am thinking about buying one and wondered if they are worth the extra money, or am I just spending more for the name. I also have looked at cub cadet, huskvarna, and craftsman. I just want something that with good maintenance will last a long time. Any advise will be appreciated. Thanks
Randy

 

the Jd's at the JD dealers are different than the ones at the box stores

 

I am going to go to a john deer dealer tomorrow and check their tractors out. I guess they have more of a selection there, are they made better then the ones at lowes and home depot?

 

Different product line, more expensive though.
To a certain extent, you get what you pay for, but IMHO JD isn't what it used to be. I would take a diesel Cub Cadet over a JD any day.

 

The Craftsmans can last a while IF they are properly maintained and are only used to mow lawns. Any more than that - they will fall apart.

I bought a Craftsman Lawn Tractor back in 2000 when I started my commercial mowing business. It had a 17.5HP Kohler Pro Engine.

By 2004 when the machine was retired I fixed/replaced:

Starter, solenoid, redid the wiring behind the dash, replaced bracket under the deck, both spindles, numerous blades, and 2 bumpers. The frame had cracks, the front axle (stamped steel) was cracked about 70% of the way through, and the axle itself had severe scoring.
Also, the front tires went flat very quickly, and the machine had a fair amount of rust on it. It also had a damaged deck - I had to jury rig it and it worked - but I couldn't adjust the height.
This kind of damage was caused by severe usage beyond what the machine was designed for - but it's something to think about.

The JD's are well made machines, especially if you can score a used one. The older ones are tanks. The 1988 JD 175 Hydro I have experience with is a decent machine, lots of steel and pretty heavily built. It can take a lot of punishment, the only problem with it is that it eats plugs and it rusted because the previous owner stored it under their deck. The rear end did leak and eventually went out - $500 fix. Overall it is a good machine - not super fast but a very well built machine indeed. It has a Kawasaki engine.

Husqvarna is the same as Craftsman as far as I know, and I have heard decent things about Cub Cadet and even Kubota.

 

When your looking at a JD lawn tractor now, you have to look at what make the engine is. They have cheaper ones with briggs in them, and as the tractor gets more expensive, they have better engines, kawasakis I think. And for diesels they use yanmars(I think).

Anyways my dad has a late 90's gt262 with a kawasaki engine in it. The quality of the mower just kills. He has only had to replace blades on it. And he mows alot of grass with it, at his own yard, and he volunteers for his church cutting grass.

Hell the JD even survived a rollover, and falling off the back of his truck a few times when loading it up, and all that resulted was a cracked hood.

 

I have a 1985 John Deere 318 50 inch mower deck 48 inch snowblower. 18 horse onan power steering hydro drive electric pto works great will last a lifetime if you maintain them. word to the wise ,if your cutting an acre or more get the biggest mower deck you can.

 

Ive heard though thunder, that if you get a bigger mower deck, without a good sized engine to back it up, then its fairly useless.

 

We bought a JD x324 2 years ago from the dealership, it was exspensive but its awesome! I believe in the "you get what you pay for" as for it not being what it used to be I'm unaware of because I havent had any prior. Although my Grandma does have a 1989 JD with the engine in the back and the single giant blade on the deck, that thing still starts on the first crank.

 

Thanks for the advise so far. I am going to the dealer this morning to look around and check some of the prices. I also have a cub cadet dealer in town so I will stop in there also. I dont need one right away so I will have time to do alot of research. My brother in-law recomended exmark, he has a mowing buisness and loves his, any of you have any experience with exmark? I am not even sure if they make a resdential size mower. Thanks again

Randy

 

That right there is the Lincoln Continental of lawn tractors.
Several of my customers have them and I love servicing them because I then get to mow my back meadow with them! (before I sharpen/balance blades)

 

That is what I call a JD the 200 and 300 series mowers from the 70s thru the late 80s are some of the best built mowers on the face of the earth IMHO.

I worked for a JD dealer for a time and always preferred working on and using them compared to the newer stuff.
We had a 214 tractor that was left at our shop after the owner died and the family didn't want to pay the bill.
We put it in our rental fleet for 3yrs and the only thing I had to replace were a couple of belts and a set or 2 of blades.
We sold the mower to a customer who had rented it and loved it that was back in 1992 he still has and uses that mower to this day.

 

a friend of mine got one with the rear stear and told me when i got mine to stay away from it he said it cuts up the lawn when ya turn tight around trees and hes had it in the shop twice last year and he complained that one time it was $1800 and the 2nd time was $2200 to fix the rear end. but he did say tho other then the rear steer crap there great little tractors. i did get one i found a great deal on an Ingersoll so i went that route

 

That right there says it all, had a 111, good mower, lasted a long time. Replaced it with a 116, junk, but practically the same mower, other than the motor. The deck bearings went out as fast as I could put them in, but it was the exact same deck. Couldn't keep the motor from burning oil, even replaced it with a new one. The quality just went downhill on even theparts by the time we got that mower. Cub used to make a heck of a mower, even they have gone downhill. For the most part, get an upper end mower, and that will be the best there is available now. Look the mowers over pretty good, you wilkl find there really isn't a lot of difference between them any more. Deck bearings are probably the most commonly changed part, and yet, they all look the same now, but you will drop $60-$100 each...

 

I had a GT 235 for 9 years. Gave it to my son-n-law last year. He loves it. I bought a ZTR- 737. Best thing for the lawn I ever did.