Craftsman LS3000

[Gatorboy]

Yes i paid 299 for the protection agreement. You figure 100 bucks a year is not much to pay for 3 years of coverage.

That's the point. A decent mower won't need any parts fixed or replaced in the first 3 years. Maybe that's why you can buy ONE decent mower that lasts the rest of your life or several cheap ones that are always causing you headaches.

 

[DmansPadge]

Ditto - I agree, Gatorboy, we all know you have Craftsman, give it a rest and let's move on, please........

I'd love to see any post from Gatorboy that isn't negative.

 

[GaryS]

I'd love to see any post from Gatorboy that isn't negative.

Or one that was the least bit useful.

Also, this "buy one for the rest of your life" stuff is complete nonsense. Why are there used JD318s, JD332s, and JD455s on the market? People trade these wonderful (but expensive) "lifetime" machines to get the latest & greatest.

My property is certainly challenging. I could really use a 4wd mower but that's only currently available on the most expensive models. My guess is that if I wait 4 years, it'll be on the mid-range machines and in 8 years it'll be an option on the inexpensive models. Why not save my money to spend it smartly? For what a JD X300 sells for, I can buy 2 LS3000's and still have money left over. If each LS3000 only lasts 4 years each (which I highly doubt), I wll have saved cash and hopefully be in a better position to buy the "lifetime" mower of my choice.

Any fool can win at poker when you're dealt four kings - the best players can make something happen with a pair of threes.

 

[Robertsen]

Yes, I regret to say Craftsman Garden tractors are essentially junk. My first Craftsman tractor that I bought in 1993 and sold this year was so junky that I had to fill it with gas, change oil and even sharpen the blades every season. Even though the engine ran strong and the tractor held up fine for 13 years it was junk because it was a Sears Craftsman.

I bought a new 27 hp Craftsman 3 years ago and it also runs fine. It has a heavy duty deck with grease zerts on the spindles and cuts my 1.5 acres juct fine, but alas, I have to sharpen the blades and and change oil just like my old one. What a piece of junk!!

 

[lowerAla]

First time to post on this site. I have been reading with interest on the various sites regarding the “economical” vs. the “you get what you pay for” points of view. My own story: I am looking at these sites because I want to buy a rider because my push mower is nearing the end of its life cycle. That PUSH (I mean PUSH) mower is a 14 year old Murray 3.75 hp Briggs Sprint that cost $90 new at Wal Mart. I change oil at least once per year, change the filter, keep the blades sharp, avoid mowing bricks and stumps. It still starts on the first or second pull. I mow approximately a .5 acre lot with it, probably 25-30 times per year. Point is, some folks would have me replace it with an $8000 top of the line tractor, while others would have me purchase a $750 job at Wal Mart. I prefer to use a little common sense over both points of view. After all, I think I’ve gotten good service out of this little piece of ..well, at least it didn’t cost me $1,100 like some Honda push mowers do. I think if all you have is a residential lot that you want to cut grass on, a moderately priced lawn tractor or riding mower, say in the $1500 range, give or take is going to serve most people just fine ….As long as they take care of it. Try not changing the oil or otherwise not servicing it regularly and you’ll be back on forums like this one yelling about how bad this or that brand is. However, you do get what you pay for. Its just a matter if you have the money or if you really need that much machine. Can you really afford what you just paid for seems like a better question.

 

[DmansPadge]

Thanks for the good reply lowerAla. You are on the money. Welcome to TBN.

 

[ChevyBlazerBoy]

My LT3000 arrived yesterday at sears but I tell you I didn't put it in my truck. They wheeled it out and noticably the frame was bent, hood dented and console scratched all to ****. The frame was the worst part. The the left hand side of the frame was an 1 inch 1/2 lower than the right hand side like it was twisted. I don't know what the **** they did to it but I wasn't goint to buy it like that. So they ordered me a new one and it should be here next Wednesday.

 

[MT372HERE]

My LT3000 arrived yesterday at sears but I tell you I didn't put it in my truck. They wheeled it out and noticably the frame was bent, hood dented and console scratched all to ****. The frame was the worst part. The the left hand side of the frame was an 1 inch 1/2 lower than the right hand side like it was twisted. I don't know what the **** they did to it but I wasn't goint to buy it like that. So they ordered me a new one and it should be here next Wednesday.

Ive seen simliar to that. One got dropped about 3 feet off a forklift onto the frontend, twisted it right up.

I would have passed on going back. If they were going to try to pass that mower on you, just think of all the things you wont catch on the next one.



To Gatorboy-

I dont know what expensive stuff you are buying that nothing breaks for 3 years...but Id Like to know...

Even when we bought the JD 425 brand new, it had some issues..nothing more than simple stuff...but issues none the less.

 

[Gatorboy]

To Gatorboy-

I dont know what expensive stuff you are buying that nothing breaks for 3 years...but Id Like to know...

Seeing that you would like to know: My 48-inch Scag walkbehind is now 7 years old and I've not had one problem with it.

 

[Mith]

Gator, I have 2 cheapo AYP tractors. one is a 1998, the other a 1999 model. I bought both second hand, had one for 5 years, the other for 2. Never replaced a part on either, and only one has broken down, once.
The Wheelhorses have more problems that the 2 of them put together. I had a Kubota that I sold because I couldnt rely on it, I owned it for 1 month and it cost me more than the 2 AYPs ever had.
For sure I am a fan of well built expensive equip, and I have some of that too, but you just cant argue with 2 cheap tractors working so well.

What experience do you have with AYP/Craftsman? You know, Scags break down too, funny......

I expect you'll come back with a even more big-headed, idiotic and useless reply than you have already. Why dont you try to be more pleasant?

 

[Gatorboy]

Why dont you try to be more pleasant?

I'm not a journalist, I'm an engineer, so I get right to the point -- I don't add fluff to my posts. If that makes me unpleasant, so be it.

 

[GaryS]

... I'm an engineer ... If that makes me unpleasant, so be it.

I'm a software engineer for a network attached storage company and I've worked with more than a few that said stuff like this. Please understand that being an Engineer doesn't make you unpleasant.... it's much more basic.

I just don't buy the "I can be rude because I'm an Engineer" baloney.

 

[Gatorboy]

I just don't buy the "I can be rude because I'm an Engineer" baloney.

I never said I was rude. I was just pointing out that technical documents, etc. are not written in a letter or novel style -- they are to the point, or blunt. That is the style I am used to.

 

[GaryS]

I never said I was rude. I was just pointing out that technical documents, etc. are not written in a letter or novel style -- they are to the point, or blunt. That is the style I am used to.

"Brevity is the soul of wit." And I do appreciate short, insightful comments but "Brand X is junk" isn't very helpful. Had it been backed up with real data, it may have been.

While I won't even try to compare Craftsman with expensive Deere or Kubota products, they do provide value and according to ConsmerReports they are they are the second most reliable brand (see "Brand repair history" of the "Lawn Tractors" article). BTW, Deere took top honors.

While I don't have actual sales data, I'd bet that Craftsman outsells any other brand by a large number. When you put a large number of tractors in the field, some percentage is bound to have issues.

Responding to post after post with the same "it's junk" message and "you got to spend money to get anything of value" isn't helpful nor is it entertaining.

 

[MT372HERE]

Seeing that you would like to know: My 48-inch Scag walkbehind is now 7 years old and I've not had one problem with it.

Even a blind squirrel finds an Acorn every once and a while, it's called luck...

You had good luck with an expensive mower, and other people have had good luck with cheaper mowers...

Congratulations, you all got your grass cut in the end right?

Tommy-

 

[Robertsen]

Craftsman Tractors are made by American Yard Products (AYP) which is owned by Electrolux (Swedish Corporation) which apparently is also the owner of Frigidaire and Eureka and several othe brand names. Ayp makes Craftsman, Husqvarna and Poulan Pro tractors and Weedeater trimmers and some Ryobi products.

MTD now makes Troybilt, Cub Cadet, White Outdoor, Yard Machines, Bolens,Toro and McCullogh chain saws.

Murray makes some John Deere rear engine mowers and snowblowers.

John Deere makes their own tractors In USA with some attachements made in Canada and some made in China.

Kubota is made in Japan and USA

I would rate the products thus:

Group A, Compact Tractors

1. Kubota (clearly the leader in engineering, quality and performance, especially since I own the very superior L-3130 with a LA723 loader and BH90 backhoe.

2. John Deere

3. The rest of the domestic and foreign tractor manufacturers.

Group B, Garden products

1. Kubota
2. Deere
3. Troybilt before MTD (I've owned a chipper and rototiller)
4. AYP (since I own and have owned very dependable Craftsman tractors)
5. MTD
6. Murray

(Just my opinion)

Rob

 

[Fordlords]

Fluffery or not, I do believe a few words are worth more than 2800 meaningless innuendos. If you have fact or meaningful opinion to write about what you are thinking, by all means write it. To state that a Craftsman lawn tractor is or is the equal to a Yugo automobile without any solid justification is as meaningless as the posted statement. To say Craftsman is Yugo because my Scag walk behind mower has not broke down in 7 years says NOTHING.

By looking at all the threads and posts here at TBN, it seems that the majority of Craftsman owners are satisfied with their machines as opposed to the dissatisfied. No, they are not claimed to be the best in the world or anything fancy, but for thier price they perform their tasks in a satisfactory manner and have equal customer service and parts/service avaliability as opposed to ALL the competition IN THEIR PRICE RANGE for a machine purchased new.

I would trust the old Packard statement, "Ask the man who owns one," long before someone's statement that as I have an engineering degree I must know it all with my simple dumbfounded innuendos. I might be getting at something, but I have not seen either novel or technical writing from the implied author yet at TBN.

-Fordlords-

 

[Gatorboy]

If you have fact or meaningful opinion to write about what you are thinking, by all means write it.

I thought my background in the lawn care business (earlier post in this thread) made my opinions a bit credible. But I guess if you are not on the Craftsman bandwagon, opinions by others go on deaf ears.

 

[GaryS]

I thought my background in the lawn care business (earlier post in this thread) made my opinions a bit credible. But I guess if you are not on the Craftsman bandwagon, opinions by others go on deaf ears.

I think you do this just to get a rise out of people. I know your opinion and would heed your advice if I was opening a lawn care business - I truly would. I have a bigger Massey for loader, snow removal, and brush hogging and just need a machine to cut my grass once a week for three months.

I object to the endless "Craftsman sucks" posts. We know you hate Craftsman. You need not post that again.

I thought that this site had rules against brand bashing. Endlessly posting "Craftsman sucks" without any data to back that up is brand bashing.

 

[Bird]

Yes, I think Gatorboy has done enough Craftsman bashing and it's time to close this thread.