Why do you hate MTD?

billbill1 · Mar 25, 2005

I have an older C175 Wheelhorse garden tractor and it is as tough as any I've seen. Making equipment and selling equipment like it are a "one time deal" they just don't break or wear out. There is money to be made from lesser quality equipment breaking down in parts and labor. The old Cub Cadets, John Deere, and other major brands were indestructable, many still in use 30 years later. This doesn't make money for the manufactures and they probably couldn't sell a machine for what it would cost to manufacture that quality of a machine these days. The average homeowner probably mows a 75' X 150' lot at most and the cheaper machines will last them several years and they lose it in a divorce, move and sell it, or simply upgrade to another new machine. The American way has become faster turnover means more income and cheaper becomes less quality. Sad but true. We have lost several John Deere dealers in NE Kansas, the small farms have went under and large farms have replaced them. They hire a mechanic to work for them full time so warranty work is all the dealers get to help keep the doors open. We all want the most for our money and the dealers aren't making enough to keep them going.

Dutch445 · Mar 25, 2005

( We sell the same units that Lowes does (1000 series) and I am sure they steal some sales from us but that part of doing business.
)

I can vouch for the fact that having L series tractors in Home Depot has increased JD's market share numbers much better than expected. They have seen increases way above projections, and the dealers have also seen their share.... not to mention the parts/service/warranty/setup that is done. I know at first I was very skeptical of the idea,, we had Sabre/Scotts, but to sell "John Deere" machines in Home Depot was a threat that dealers were soon going to be a thing of the past. It has become obvious that the "premium" buyers are still there, and this "new" market for the dealers has added volume that wasn't there. And as much as it is a challenge explaining why an LX mower is over 4 grand compared the the L series around 2, (to the mtd/sears/murray customer), it is also a challenge explaining to the existing JD 212, or 316/318 customer that an L series just isn't bred from the same stock as the machine he has had for 20 years.
I have found that demographics don't seem direct sales like I would have thought they would... many upper income folks would just as soon have the L series, all it's going to do is cut the grass for a few years, so why invest over 4K for a mower. But on the other hand, we get the first time Deere customer that buys one and thinks he's now finally got the status symbol of just having a real John Deere tractor. gotta keep up with the Joneses!!

It sure is an interesting topic.

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JINMA224XR · Mar 25, 2005

Am I missing something? MTD products are not all that bad in my opinion. I have several different pieces of their machinery that have served me very well. General maintenance is all I've done. I just don't get it . Gerard 

Hey Gerrard,

I am totally displeased with my MTD 12hp/38" cut riding mower that I purchased new from Lowe's back in "1988". And have been mowing about 1 1/2 acres with it from the getgo. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

All my neighbors pointed and laughed at me when I was unloading my new mower and smirked and joked, saying that it was not any good and wouldn't last very long. Just a piece of Junk. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

There is definitely something wrong with mine. I have had to spend at least 5 or 10 dollars on it every season. I wore out the spindles and even had to replace them, and while I was at it,, I even had to sand, prime and repaint the deck! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I've even had to put grease the front axle zerk fittings and had to labor myself to put grease in the Rear Axle once a year! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I've even gone so far as to change out the oil, air filter once a year also! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif The seat only lasted 15 years, and I had to go to Lowes to get a NEW SEAT FOR 40 DOLLARS!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I've had to replace the belts at least once, and have lost count on the # of new batteries that I have had to install.!!! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Oh I almost forgot,, I even had to adjust the Front Wheel ToeEnd after only 16 years of Use. And that took me at least 15 minutes of my valuable time!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I am totally displeased with My MTD.... All my neighbors now have nice shiney new ones, since I got mine back in "1988", and here I am still having to use my old "17 YEAR OLD MTD", That now has a fresh coat of "2 SPRAY CANS OF $2.00 PAINT", THAT I had to go and buy from WalMarts!!!

My MTD, IS A TERRIBLE MACHINE, BECAUSE IT JUST WON'T DIE. And I am totally Displeased with it!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Does anybody know how long these MTD'S are supposed to last and how much longer that I will have to keep using it, before I will be able to buy me a nice shiney new mower??? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I AM TOTALLY DISPLEASED /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Have a nice day,
Joe /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

1962 · Mar 25, 2005

in my opinion MTD the company put the consumer in its wallet. alot of the fellow tbn members went the xtra mile and bought first class machines, and these heavy duty tractors can mow,load,dig and a whole lot more depending on which attachments you have.. all this at a lot more cost also.. mtd marketed the consumer who heads to the local home improvement chain, and sees the nice shiney new tractors. this is a big chunk of their sales.. just take a saturday drive thru a suburban neighborhood on a sunny spring morning. the lawns you see are smaller than the house, and nicer than a golf course. a CUT wouldnt be a good match for those situations. have i ever owned a mtd, yep. would i purchase one for myself now, absolutely not. but i did assembled one for my father last year from three used units.
for what he is going to do with it,(mow a small lawn) it's perfect. and the three tractors were purchased very cheap. so good old mtd is raking in the $$$. they got a nice chunk of the market, and i cant hate them for that. i just dislike the fact that all that money is going into their pockets and not mine.
as far as their lawn & garden tractors, and their intended play, i will take my old wheel horse anyday..... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

DaMadman · Mar 25, 2005

My MTD could have lasted longer but I have to admit I did use it quite rough.

I had a 20 HP MTD Yard Man (or Machine??) 800 series GARDEN tractor. I watched my Dad and I tear up some LAWN tractors over the years and figured the heavier, better built GARDEN tractor would suit my needs better. I had the plow and box blade and disc that hooked up with the sleeve hitch and the manual lift arm that I used to put in a 1/4 acre garden every year. The MTD 800 series last me about 7 years or so working both summer and winter, used it in the winter to push snow and pull the kids around the yard on thier sleds, used it in the spring to plow and disc the garden, used it in the summer to cut the grass and in the fall, with the boxblade to smoth the gravel driveway. It didn't work great for anything but cutting the grass and pulling the kids around. The plowing and grading it was really too light of a machine, but it did work, just not real well. Anyway I made it through 7-8 years all year round with my MTD and last summer at the end of the season the rings locked up in the motor (nothing to do with it being an MTD) but that was the Briggs and Stratton motor not the machine itself. I had to replace belts and there are a couple pulleys on the mower deck that could have been replaced but they still turned and it still cut grass up until the engine went.

All in all it was a good machine and I am having my brother-in-law replace the rings in the engine and when he gets it back together I am going to sell it to someone that needs a good used machine to cut their grass or plow thier garden for a few more years, I paid around $2 grand for it and plan on selling it for a little less than half of that with one or two of the implements I have to go with it.

I'd say I am pleased with my MTD, BUT and this is a BIG BUT, I purchased a Kubota BX23 to replace it and I could never go back to a "GARDEN" Tractor ever again.

CUMMINS · Mar 25, 2005

we got a troy bilt 22or 23 hp and it is an absolute piece of **** the **** idler belt on the mower never stays on and when it does it snaps the blades on the deck have broken not to mention it is extremely underpowered

GerardC · Mar 26, 2005

( we got a troy bilt 22or 23 hp and it is an absolute piece of **** the **** idler belt on the mower never stays on and when it does it snaps the blades on the deck have broken not to mention it is extremely underpowered )

Not sure of the exact cause, but a friend of mine bought a CUB CADET for over $3,000.00 and it blew a belt off the unit within the first week of ownership. Had it fixed and within the next two weeks blew another one off. Should I take this as a poor quality brand or just a fluke?? Gerard

johndeere2210 · Mar 26, 2005

Geez, new seat, grease front axle, replace spindles? Maybe you should take better care of your machine. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

JINMA224XR · Mar 26, 2005

Geez, new seat, grease front axle, replace spindles? Maybe you should take better care of your machine. 

Hey JohnDeere,

I'm sure doing something wrong, cause it's lasting much too long! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Maybe I should stop greasing the rear transaxle, and changing the oil and air filter, once a year, and just park it outside all year long, so the rain, cold, heat and dust might help with it's demise! I've seen others doing that, so maybe I should follow their lead. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

One of my Neigbors bought a brand new 42" Murray. Mowed with it one season and left it parked where he finished mowing, out in the weather. Next Spring when he went out to crank it, he was surprised that it wouldn't crank. Then he put the jumper cables on it and spun the motor really fast, UNTIL THEY PUMPED THE ENGINE WITH PLENTY OF THE RAIN WATER THAT HAD ACCUMULATED IN THE GAS TANK. They wound up having to take it to a technician, that tore the engine down, but the engine never did run well again and blew oil out the exhaust.

So I suppose that would be a really good mower, because they now can go out and purchase themselves a NICE SHINEY NEW ONE AGAIN. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Have a nice day,
Joe /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Kaliburz · Mar 26, 2005

( ( I agree with indy.

I think JD should give up the Frontier line, Thier is nobody out there trying to make up thier mind between a frontier and a KK BB. )

Not entirely what I was implying....The Frontier line WAS intended for marketing some lesser priced AG equipment. (Such as grain carts, haying equipment, ect.) Frontier ended up being a "catch-all" for a lot of homeowner level turf/landscape impliments too. I'm not sure where Deere intends to go with Frontier. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

What I was actually refering to is the "Home Depot"/low end mowers abd accesories. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

There's inexpensive, and then there's CHEAP! /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

The decision to manufacture and sell low budget lawn care equipment MIGHT pad the bottom line NOW, but what happens 10 years down the road when the Deere name isn't what it once was? /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

We've farmed with Deere equipment for almost 50 years. I've come to respect the quality and reliability in their products. Will the NEXT generation have the same opinion? After growing up around throw-away lawn mowers, instead of 4020's, 4440's, or any of the tractors that "MADE" John Deere the AG powerhouse they are now, I doubt it....
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I'll NEVER question Deere's entering the "consumer products race" back in the early 60's. It was a natural fit. I do however, question their showing up at Home Depot with 3rd rate toys with their green and yellow "trademark" plastered all over them. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

It's been said there is no such thing as BAD publicity.... That may not be so accurate in this case.
/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif )

Yup..... I too have BIG JD ag equipment (3020, 2030, 2640, 2240) and they last. I'm not sure if the 5000, 6000 and so on series tractors will last 25+ years.... I told my dealer I'd rather buy a used 2355N 4x4 and spend 10K fixing it then buy a newer 5520N.

The average home owner (I say suberbia) wants something cheap and to last a "few years". By a few years, I mean maybe 5-7 years. After that, I think they will get something flashy again. I feel the majority of American society is a throw away society. If it breaks, get a new one. Example, look at VCR's now (well, being phased out to DVD's). When one paid 300+ for a VCR, yes they get it fixed, but when a new one is less then $50.00.....

Lawn/Garen tractors is my "hobby". I'm a farmer, so why would I need to use a lawn/garden tractor when I have a bigger "real" tractor available???? (LOL) /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif The Lawn/Garden tractors that I am "in" to is made by Jacobsen...from 1963 to late 80's. Jacobsen made the Ford LGT series from 64 until 83/84 (and for a few others: Oliver, Minniapolis Moline etc). I've seen how the Jac's changed over time..... and how others have changed. Heck, right now, I'm making a Cat 1 Limited 3pt for my Jac GT16H and my Ford LGT100...why, because I want to and I can /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

The free enterprise market is ruled by $$$$$. The 'bean' counters at any company do marketing analysis to see where they can make $$$$. Currently, the big wiggs see some ag in trouble.... some farmers are not buying "new" or they can't make payments. So, they have to turn their attention else where...... (All the JD tractors at Home Depot are assembled and tested by the local JD AG tractor dealer....and I personally know the mechanic that does that.)

I look at the Sears stuff, and see the "cast iron" cast into the front axle and chuckle. I look at my 1963 Jac and it has a cast iron axle..... and so does my GT12H and LGT100...

You get what you pay for.....