Simplicity Legacy (not XL). $3,500 good price?

[Carl in CT]

Hi, I saw a Simplicity Legacy garden tractor at my local dealer the other day. It is NOT the XL model, just the regular Legacy. I didn't get a chance to talk to anyone about it for long but got some basic info. They are asking $3,500 for it. It looks really clean at a glance.
Not sure of the exact year but probably 7-10 years old.
25 horse Kohler Command.
Shaft driven mower and drive.
NOT power steering.
NOT 4wd (don't need that anyway).
60 inch deck.
385 hours.

I have an old backhoe/loader already, an old Troy bilt horse rototiller (with new B&S engine) and a decent 9hp snowblower so I don't need attachments, etc. All I want is a good tough lawn mower to replace my tired 1997 Wheel Horse. I want one that will do a good job on my hilly 1.5 acre lawn with obstacles (swingset, stuff like that) with my 235 pound self on it and pull a yard cart for firewood around.

I don't know much about Simplicity other than they have been around for years in one form or another. How do they stack up against Deere, Cub Cadet?

Does $3,500 seem like a good price I should jump on or not so much. What else could I get for under $3,500 (not from a box store) that would hold up well?

Thanks!

UPDATE - I went to look at it and it does have power steering and the year is 2000. Also has 340 hours, not 385.

 

[Wolfy]

Carl, no other mower cuts the way a Simplicity does. I've run many brands and I always prefer my 40 year old Simplicitys. While I am not familiar with the Legacys, mine steer fine without power steering. There are 3 ways to deal with the hills, especially if you do all 3. 1-run one size tire bigger than stock ( two sizes may push limitations ) 2-most rear tires max at 8lbs of air, but 6lbs does better on hills. 3-install wheel weights. Happy mowing!

 

[Carl in CT]

I decided to pass on the Legacy and try to stick with my Toro a little longer, the Legacy's 60" deck was too wide to fit in my shed anyway. Well the Toro has developed yet another engine problem so now thinking again about keeping it. That darn Kohler Command has been a dog ever sine the warranty ran out after two years.

So now I am looking at a new Broadmoor with a 52" deck and 23 hp B&S Vangaurd engine. Gonna be almost $5,000 with tax, etc, ouch. But it is brandy spankin' new with warranty and if I qualify it has 1.9% financing for 60 months. Also considering a John Deere but I dunno, they just seem a little cheaper with all the plastic but maybe that's just in my head and they are only offering 4.9 for 48 months which makes the monthly payments a lot higher.

I have had bad experiences with Kohler Command and I hear great things about the Vangaurd. I really just need to mow 1.5 acres of grass but it's hilly, it's thick and grows like mad (former farmland, 1-2 feet of topsoil) and I am a big guy so the cheap mowers won't stand up. The Deeres have Kawasaki engines which I have seen stand up to heavy use/abuse without missing a beat but that was years ago, not sure what the news ones are like.

Any thoughts or advice?

 

[Carl in CT]

Well, my mind got made up for me. I found a different dealer less than 20 miles away from me that had a leftover 2010 Conquest with a 50" deck and the 23hp Vangaurd motor. He sold it to me for his cost, $5,200, $800 off of his list price. I tried to get him down a little more but he said he was not even quite breaking even at $5,200. I got the 1.9% financing for 60 months. That offer expires tomorrow, 4/30/11 so just in time unless they extend it as they have with the other ones (like 0% for 3 years, etc). Paid the tax and finance promotion fees plus a little extra so I financed just under $4,900 which should get my monthly payments around $85-$90 a month. That made this mower the best deal I could find since the used ones disappear almost as fast as my grass is growing and even the cheaper John Deere X320 would have cost more overall because the financing is not as good (4.9% for 4 years, still not horrible). He also had another 2010 with 4wd and power steering for $1,200 more which was very tempting but I do not need it and am already stretching the budget as it is.

I had a small heart attack when the words "oil/lube" came on the little info screen on the dash and the deck was cutting like crap. Read the manual and that is just a oil/lube service reminder, not the oil pressure light (odd for a mower with less than 5 hours on it?). The deck had a spring that was not attached. Fixed the spring and it mows fine now. My yard is an uneven mess from my backhoe driving all over it and at least 6 inches tall so not fair to judge the cut quality yet but it actually looks wicked good already.

Here are some pics, including our Sheltie pup background.

 

[CRE1992]

Hey, sounds like you got a good deal. I am just curious if you don't mind me asking about the 4wd model for only 1,200 more. What model was it? simplicity or deere?

Thanks,
Charles

 

[Carl in CT]

The 4wd, power steering model was also a 2010 Simplicity Conquest. Same tractor as mine with the same 23hp Vanguard motor, 50" deck, etc. Just with the 4wd and power steering. I still think maybe I should have spent the extra money but I was struggling to justify it for just lawn mowing and I really wanted to stay under $5,000 and was already over that by $200. I hate buyers remorse and I've learned that skimping on price almost never pays off but this was a question of giving up features I don't need, not sacrificing quality.

I'll never spend the extra money on a tiller or snowblower which is where the 4wd would come in handy. So far the differential lock has easily conquered my hills while mowing. I fell into the trap of overspending on my last tractor intending to get a tiller, plow or snowblower, etc. After 14 years all it has ever done is mow. I have a Troy Built Horse tiller and a good snowblower already anyway. I would have loved the 4wd and power steering (can you tell I'm still talking myself out of it ) but I just could not justify the extra $1,200 for no good reason.