Why do you hate MTD?

[GerardC]

<font color="blue"> Do you invest your $ in a 95% safe bet or a 5% safe bet. </font>

I play with the stock market, so you tell me. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

You win some and you lose some. I'll take my chances. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[GerardC]

<font color="blue">MTD didn't make any money. they got paid to let Briggs market under Troy Built name. </font>

So your saying MTD got paid for doing nothing and Briggs makes junk? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[JINMA224XR]

<font color="blue">It is almost always the case with power equipment.

Almost is the key word. </font>

Hey Gerard,

I totally agree with you. The old Phrase,"You Get What You Pay For", is nothing but a Sales Pitch.

It should be,"You Pay For What You Get". /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Same product at different stores often can make a big difference in how much one will pay for the same identical product. And that also goes for the more expensive products, versus the socalled inexpensive products. In the more expensive products, in most cases you are paying a goodly portion, just for the Manufacturers Name on the product.

BEWARE OF ANYBODY THAT TELLS YOU, "YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR".

Have a nice day,
Joe

 

[BRIGUY]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Sounds like a nice unit what kind of pump does it have? )</font>

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( So your saying MTD got paid for doing nothing and Briggs makes junk? )</font>

I don't get it???

 

[BRIGUY]

Spiffy,

I agree. I'll meet you half way for a beer. I need one after this.

well got to go my neighbor just came over to borrow my blower His broke. Ironic.

 

[8NTX]

Wow, this thread has grown fast. I just thought I would throw in my two cents about MTD and my experience. I bought an MTD lawn tractor for my lake property about 4 years ago. I got it at Lowes - 17.5 HP Briggs with 42" cut, and hydro trans. It was a "service return" that I got for $815, almost $500 less than the new ones were selling for at the time. It had a couple of scratches on the deck, but otherwise looked new. I use it to mow about 2 to 3 acres or so along my driveway, the yard, and a pipeline easement that the oil co. is supposed to mow but never does. The lawn is the only thing that is nice grass. Everything else is pretty much weeds and junk. I will also mow some rougher areas on occassion, with some small brush and tall weeds. On average, I mow about every 2 or 3 weeks, 7 months out of the year.

The only thing I have ever done is change the oil once a year. The MTD has performed better than I expected. No problems whatsoever, and I have treated it pretty rough at times. We have sugar sand, so most of these areas are extremely dusty; it's nasty work. I am a mess when I'm through, and so is the MTD. But as far as lawn equipment goes, it's the best investment I've ever made. I don't see how a $3000 or $4000 mower could have performed any better.

Steve

 

[GerardC]

<font color="blue"> The only thing I have ever done is change the oil once a year. The MTD has performed better than I expected. No problems whatsoever, and I have treated it pretty rough at times. We have sugar sand, so most of these areas are extremely dusty; it's nasty work. I am a mess when I'm through, and so is the MTD. But as far as lawn equipment goes, it's the best investment I've ever made. </font> <font color="red"> I don't see how a $3000 or $4000 mower could have performed any better. </font>

<font color="red"> That's exactly my point! </font> My LT has gone through the ringer and is still full of life. I paid thousands less and still getting the same job done. The money difference between the high end LT/GT's can go towards other things that are of more enjoyment.

 

[BRIGUY]

Yes you are a wizard.

We all could learn quite a bit from you.

 

[Spiffy]

You might say "Chance favors the prepared mind". Of course its possible to get some good life out of a cheap [both meanings for this post] machine, partially because either when the quality control lottery smiles on a good owner[regardless of machine] or craps on a bad one now you have a story...one's a testimonial and one's horror. Even happens to "better" machines, just you do often have some parts that are stouter [in material or design] and the tigher quality control should make the extremes closer and fewer....ahhh, bell curves.....

Steve has the perfect example of an informed consumer; weighed the cost/risks, did basic up-keep, didn't expect too much, and was happy when it performed better. Now for the $3-4K mentioned, I do think theres a machine lurking that might have been the better tool for the job, but no doubt $800 [$1300] is probably doing just as well as "premium brands" of a similar machine for around $2K [includes $100 for advertising and pretty name plate, more importantly remember Steve accepted a little more risk].

I got it!! The dumber the consumer, the more they should have to pay for any tool!! Just maybe, the sticker shock would wake them up to proper maintenance and use; combine that with some better parts and quality control, we have some long lasting tools! Nope, wouldn't work /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif; the corporations would find a spin on that too [can't have everyone running 25 year machines now can we] /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Anyway, I'm not going to say that you always "get what you pay for", but just remember right tool for the job, and price should be part of the "sniff test" (if it smells like a rat....)

Chad

 

[Moon]

Gerard,
You had good luck with your MTD. Good for you. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
However I don't thinks it's as simple as you and other MTD fans have made it sound. Those of us that have had bad luck with MTD should not be viewed as those that did not maintain their equiptment properly. Sure, sometimes that is the reason, but it seems implied in this thread that if you don't like MTD you probably did not maintain the one that you owned.

Moon of Ohio

 

[GerardC]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Yes you are a wizard.

We all could learn quite a bit from you. )</font>

No need for sarcasm. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[GerardC]

<font color="blue">but just remember right tool for the job </font>

My definition of "the right tool for the job" would fall under something like a plumber using his pipe wrench to separate some cast iron pipe not vice-grips. Either one will get the job done, but the pipe wrench is <font color="red"> "the right tool for the job" </font>

 

[BRIGUY]

sarcasm????

How about irony.

Now Neighbor is bringing his broken lawn tractor over.

That's O/K He can use mine along with my blower.

I THINK MTD HATES ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BRIGUY]

Must be some big vice grips to get around cast iron pipe.

I usually just smash it or melt out the lead joints.

I have never found a Pipe wrench to be very useful working with cast iron (not threaded)

 

[GerardC]

<font color="blue"> Those of us that have had bad luck with MTD should not be viewed as those that did not maintain their equiptment properly. Sure, sometimes that is the reason, but it seems implied in this thread that if you don't like MTD you probably did not maintain the one that you owned. </font>

I never said anything of the sort.
If you go through other threads here on TBN, you'll see that alot of people bad mouth MTD. I posted this to find out why and all that seems to be posted were comments on the Briggs & Stratton engine which is NOT manufactured by MTD.
I NEVER IMPLIED that people were not doing proper maintenance nor do I care /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.
I stated that I DO my general maintenance (which can be considered a broad statement) depending on how you read it.

 

[GerardC]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Must be some big vice grips to get around cast iron pipe.

I usually just smash it or melt out the lead joints.

I have never found a Pipe wrench to be very useful working with cast iron (not threaded) )</font>

Always contradicting. I know your not THAT naive to NOT understand my point. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Spiffy]

<font color="blue"> I posted this to find out why and all that seems to be posted were comments on the Briggs & Stratton engine which is NOT manufactured by MTD.
<font color="black">
I'd been leaning to the defense side of MTD on this (on earlier points I still do), but I think it was mentioned before that every mfg chooses what engines to use. If the engine choice is poor, especially after the number of years both MTD and B&S have been around, the final product mfg is definitely guilty, and the engine mfg probably as well.

Also, if you choose to believe rumors, it's been said that sometimes engine mfgs have certain unpublicised grades of engine quality even within the known titles.

In either case I'll go right back to consumer demands, but if the second has any truth, that does seem to go beyond the realm of consumer driven marketing into real deception as well.

Reading this post, we got way off track from your original question [which probably excludes MTD corportate as well as the "sister" labels], but I sure enjoyed solving the world's problems....if only the average consumer would listen! /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Chad

 

[GerardC]

<font color="blue"> Reading this post, we got way off track from your original question [which probably excludes MTD corportate as well as the "sister" labels], but I sure enjoyed solving the world's problems....if only the average consumer would listen! </font>

I agree. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

<font color="blue"> I'd been leaning to the defense side of MTD on this (on earlier points I still do), but I think it was mentioned before that every mfg chooses what engines to use. If the engine choice is poor, especially after the number of years both MTD and B&S have been around, the final product mfg is definitely guilty, and the engine mfg probably as well. </font>

But, now that there are a lot more MTD's with the Kohler engine aboard, I wonder if the folks with the SOUR taste that the badge "MTD" gave them will sweeten.

 

[BRIGUY]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Always contradicting. I know your not THAT naive to NOT understand my point.

)</font>

You are trying to draw a parallel about using the right tool for the job.

Pipe wrench best choice for cast pipe

MTD best choice for mowing the lawn.

The parallel you have so nicely provided supports my views.

Both are contradictions

Neither are the best tool for the job.

I'm just pointing out the facts as YOU have put them