New Cub Cadet owner w/ questions

[toolmaan]

I recently purchased a 2003 Cadet 42" 1000 series mower. The mower says Cadet, but all the manuals say Cub Cadet. Has a 17 horse briggs with a spin on oil filter. Is this a decent mower? It seems to handle ok, I am mowing about 2 acres and mowing near a pond so lots of slopes. I paid $675 for it and it only had 73 hours on it. Now it has near 80 hours I have owned it 2 months. I am looking for a mulch plug for it, and is there a way to attach a front blade on this? I see frotn blades available at sears for their tractors, I have heard this is basically the same tractor frame? Any insight on that?
Thanks

 

[JTKub]

Toolman, there's lots of info floating around on the 1K series. They are a good machine for the money, but are light duty like any under $2K machine. They are not intended for ground engaging attachments due to the light-duty sealed transaxles on them. Some 1K's have issues just tugging their operators up slight hills. Keep on mowing with her and enjoy the fact that what you paid, you could buy 5 for the price of one new 2544 machine!! Pretty sweet if you ask me.

Joel