Need some quick advice....

[rback33]

Ok guys, I have posted in this forum one other time about this, but the time is here.

My mower died on Sunday. Actually it finally passed on more than a year after I tried to use it for something i shouldn't have, but that is another story.
I need a new one, and I do mean NEW because my wife is weird and won't let me buy anything without some kind of Warranty. She has also limited me to $2300. I have about 4 acres of land at my property and will probably use some ground engaging attachments on the future. I have been looking at the Troybilt "Horse" at Lowes and one of the Craftsman Garden Tractors. I know these are not high end machines here, but they seem to be well built and should last me quite a while. Does anyone have any personal experiences or other suggestions? I need to get one picked up over the weekend before my grass gets out of control.

Thank for the input.

 

[BillG_in_TX]

Gosh, it sounds like your wife ought to be doing the shopping. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Gatorboy]

If it were me, I would stay away from buying either one of those. They are not very good brands.

Does it have to be a riding mower?

 

[Gatorboy]

You could save some money and buy a Snapper Rear Engine rider starting at $1250. I would get the 42" deck. I remember when I was in the lawn business, some of the guys ran these.

For a bit more money ( $2150+)you could get a Snapper Lawn Tractor.

I would recommend these over a Craftsman or TroyBilt.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I had a Craftsman at my office/warehouse and it was a piece of junk. It was a mid-level unit in their line up. I don't know who makes the Craftsman products today, could be American Yard Products or possibly MTD or both (dependingn on their current offering).

The Troy Bilt is now owned by MTD and is one of their mid-quality lines. They are apparently not the quality they used to be. Also made by MTD are the Yard Machines, YARDMAN, White, and Cub Cadet lines with Cub being their premium brand.

If I was you, I would go to a Cub Cadet dealer and see what he has in a large garden tractor that is 2 to 3 years old. I don't like buying old equipment, but for the budget you have, buying a slightly used tractor will give you a lot more for your money. One of the shaft drive Cub Cadet garden series tractors will probably be better suited to your size yard than either of your new choices. You might want to also go to a John Deere dealer and see if they have a 200 or 300 series machine that is slightly used.

 

[Hambone]

<font color="red">limited me to $2300, ground engaging attachments </font>

I don't see these two items working good together. 4 acres is a lot of grass to cut. I agree with Bob, maybe check some dealers for some trade ins with warranty left. But insist on new and life expectancy will be short im my opinion.

 

[fivestring]

"She has also limited me to $2300. I have about 4 acres of land at my property and will probably use some ground engaging attachments on the future."

What you really need is a small, used compact or sub-compact tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Most garden tractors won't do the ground-engaging attachments thing too well. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

SWMBO needs to give you a bigger allowance! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

If you can't swing the real tractor thing, I'll second Gatorboy's Snapper choice.

 

[slowrev]

Are Snapper's still a seperate company ? Not bought up by AYP or MTD yet ? The older Snappers were sturdy machines, I have not checked out any of the newer snappers though.

 

[Gatorboy]

Looks like they have been bought out by Simplicity.

 

[slowrev]

Simplicity is OK, they made good stuff. I grew up with a Simplicity 2 wheeled gas mule /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif It was a good machine for what it was. I am a bit suprised that they are still a seperate concern. What with all of the mergers and the like it seems we will soon have only about 3 of each thing, 3 Banik, 3 auto companies, 3 tractor companies, etc....

 

[Cecil]

Simplicity and Snapper are both AgCo brands, not to say that's bad, but that's what they are.

http://www.agcolawn.com/

 

[Zoomie]

In the local TSC, they have their (MTD built) Huskee line of "Garden Tractors". They had a (last years model) 25HP, 50" cut for $1799, or the new for this year, 25HP, 54" cut for $2799!

Yep, a cool grand for 4" more cutting width. On your budget, you might look also at Husqvarna. I have one of their larger mowers (25HP Kohler, HST and 50" deck), and its been trouble free and does a nice job.

I live on 5+ acres and keep about 4 of that manicured, the other acre is under water (my pond). I can mow my whole place in less than 5 hours with the Husqvarna. Not fast, but not bad for the price.

 

[rback33]

Thanks a lot guys... I'll llok into some of that. I don't worry about service on anthing built by MTD. Through work, I deal with those same service guys on an almost daily basis. In fact I already picked their brains on this too. I was just after some less, albeit slighlty, biased opinions. Thanks for the help... *L* even though I am STILL not sure which way I am going.... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[jayhawkRoy]

I agree with Bob Skurka. You may get better value out of a Cub Cadet. Check out the Craftsman mowing deck carefully. The one I have (and wish I had not purchased) is a pain to change blades (requires ramps), and needs new blades every 25 hours (Sears doesn't recommend sharpening and balancing the blades due to mulching aspect, but to purchase new each time). I much prefer my JD 325 (also cost about three times more) because the mower deck maintenance is so much easier. Of the three garden tractors my family has, the Craftsman will be the first to go; we will keep the Murray my son has and the JD 325 I have, because they are easier to work on.

 

[BobInMN]

If you are limited to $2300 I know you won't like my advice, but here it is anyway. At the beginning of the mowing season last year I was using a 12-1/2 HP MTD 38" cut. It would take me over 6 hours to mow the yard. After putting in 50+ hours a week at work I hated using half a day on the weekend to cut grass. Towards the end of the year I bought a Scag Turf Tiger with a 61" cut. It now takes me just 2 hours to mow. Now, I had to pay $7250, plus the dealer threw in a 21" cut high wheel mower to trim with. My wife still gives me a hard time for dropping 7 grand for a lawn mower, but, I bet I will never have to buy another one as long as I live. My advice is to check out the financing on a commercial grade mower. You won't be disapointed.