Who makes the BEST garden tractor?

Bob_Skurka · Mar 7, 2004

I'm looking at replacing a 10+ year old Cub Cadet 1862 Garden Tractor that is working fine, engine strong, but the unit is showing its age. I want something that is at least as good as what the Cub, and I want something that has a quick connect mower deck. The worst feature of my Cub is that the deck is NOT one of the easy off/easy on models and I am getting too old (early 40's) to crawl under the tractor without too much swearing.

My requirements:
20 to 24hp range.
Prefer Kohler gas engine, other premium brands considered.
Hydrostatic transmission (2 range preferred)
Power steering.
Hydraulic lift for the deck.
54" mower deck MINIMUM, 60" preferred.
Shaft drive.
Cup Holder!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

The NEW HOLLAND GT-A 22hp looks to be a good fit, but I've never even known anyone who owned one of their small garden tractors and have never seen one around!

CUB CADET GT3204 & GT3235 seem to be a good fits as well, both have slightly more power than the NH model, but I don't know that I will need the extra hp as my current Cub is an 18hp and it does the mowing very nicely.

I hate the local JD dealer but I held my nose and compared the GX335, it simply falls short of the Cubs in quality and is a belt drive unit which I find totally unacceptable, and based on my tests with a neighbor's JD, belt drives slip on hills and lose too much power. Plus it costs more.

KUBOTA G-Series tractors look nice, but again, just like with the New Holland, I don't know anyone with one and don't think I've ever seen one. We have a great Kubota/Cub Cadet dealer in town, he pushes the Cub Cadet garden tractors over the Kubota garden units, but pushes the Kubota CUTs over the Cubs. So I really don't have a good UN-biased opinion.

What OTHER brands of PREMIUM garden tractors are out there?

I am NOT looking for a sub-compact diesel unit so the BX Kubotas and the GC Masseys are not going to be considered.

I would love to hear from owners of the NEW HOLLAND garden tractors and from CUB CADET owners who own the new 3000 series garden tractors as well as KUBOTA G-series tractor owners.

alvanko · Mar 7, 2004

Look into Ingersoll . Very nice unit . Built like a tank . Not cheep . Hydraulic drive . Hydraulic drive mower deck .Power steering . I had an older unit and it was an outstanding tractor. Sold it only because I have a diesel unit (actually 2 ) and an Ariens . Too many tractors (?) and something had to go. Kind of wish I still had it. Look into dealer support . There are not many around , at least not hear in northern Ohio. Mine was trouble free for the 3 years I owned it.

Bob_Skurka · Mar 7, 2004

The Ingersoll 4021PS looks to be a fair comparision based on their website information. I could not tell if there was a dealer in the area because the Ingersoll website link to the dealer locator was now working properly. I will consider it if I can find a local dealer.

And a nice thing is it actually looks like a real American company? I know Cub is owned by Americans but they pretty much make their tractors everywhere in the world. New Holland and Kubota are both foreign owned, I don't have a problem with that, but if I have an equal quality American item, I tend to favor it.

frank_f15 · Mar 7, 2004

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I am getting too old (early 40's) to crawl under the tractor without too much swearing.

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oh my gosh wish i could say that /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif but have been tinking of getting a new GT mine is 12 years old , still runs great but u never know, have been checking on line and the new cubs seem pretty decent, but i need to go look at them in person.

MossRoad · Mar 8, 2004

Bob, just go for that Stiener! You know you want it. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

The Ingersoll's look pretty nice, too.

RalphVa · Mar 8, 2004

Got a question.

If you're only doing mowing, why so much Hp? Do you mow at part throttle? Do you weight 1,000 pounds?

Most Hp you could possibly need for mowing is about 12.

Easiest to use mowing rig I've used has been the Scag ZTR, which was a 12 hp unit at the time powering either a 48" or 60" deck. The deck is lifted via a built-in hoist. The 3 blades are through-bolted, easy to remove.

Ralph

Bob_Skurka · Mar 8, 2004

The thing I don't like about the Steiner is the overall length of the tractor with the mower deck mounted out front. My garage is already tight on space. A traditional garden tractor, with a mid-mounted deck will easily fit. The same size tractor, with a deck that extends another 3' in front of it may not fit in the garage. Although I am sure that the Steiner will easily do what I want done and I have questions about everything else.

art · Mar 8, 2004

Bob, we sell hundreds of Cadets every year but every now and then someone doesn't get a long with one for one reason or the other. I've converted many of these people into the Kubota line with great success and often why didn't you sell me one to begin with statements being made after getting one.

Bob_Skurka · Mar 8, 2004

RalphVa. . . I have a couple tall steep hills and I need the power to mow while going up the hills.

The terrain will simply not allow me to use a zero-turn unit because they have no ability to climb, although that would be my first choice for a mower. I just don't want to roll end-over-end down the hills. One of the guys down the road has a zero-turn, he offered to let me try, and then he walked over to the slope and said NO WAY!!!

When we bought the land about 14 years ago we tried a John Deere 3xx series tractor. I don't recall the exact number of it, but it was one of the neighbors. The engine died climbing the hill. Ditto a Craftsman that we have a work. Ditto another neighbor's Yardman a few years later. The Cub I have now as 75# wheel weights and tire chains on it to gain tractions so we can make it up the hills. I can't prove it, but I believe the shaft drive is the reason the Cub climbs without stalling.

By the way, I'm about 185# and mow at full throttle, and still the tractor chugs pretty hard to get up that hill.

Bob_Skurka · Mar 8, 2004

Art, I like my Cub it is just showing its age. As you are a dealer, in your opinion, what is the better garden tractor, the G series gas engine Kubota or the 3000 series Cub?