Blstr88
Silver Member
I don't think I would. I've had my J2023H for 3 years now and only had minor issues with it (oil pan leak, muffler cracked, and a cotter pin for the 3 pt hitch vibrated out and caused the pin to back out while I was brush hogging...which in turn bent the pin. I had to cut it in half to get out and then wait 4 weeks for a new one to come in).
It's worked ok for my needs, mostly driveway maintenance and moving around loam/crushed gravel. Of the 90 hours I have on it I'd say 50 were spent on driveway maintenance. 30 were spent as a glorified wheel barrow and the last 10 were a combo of rototilling/brush hogging. Its always been garaged, greased, oil changes etc...so very well maintained.
The more time I spend with it the "cheaper" it feels to me. I realize its not some super high end machine but the "light weight" quality to it is really showing through.
Honestly I have no idea if any of the bigger brands similarly sized tractors are any better, Im sure they're all built to similar quality nowadays...but I'd go with a Deere based simply on the fact that the dealer is 15 minutes away. The LS dealer I bring it to is a 1:20 drive from me.
Overall I think if I had to answer I'd say no, I'd go with a different brand. I have zero intentions of trading it in though...as of now I fully intend to keep this tractor going for many decades if I can.
I posted the above quote a little over 2-years ago now...I would definitely NOT buy another now, and am seriously considering listing it for sale. In addition to what I wrote above, I had a seal in the front axle start leaking...brought it into the dealer for warranty repair...seemed to be ok for a while but now its leaking again, and Im out of warranty. Theres little puddles of gear oil all over the place in my garage because of it. Also, Ive had 2 issues with the joystick for the loader. The tiny pieces that hold the joystick steady while you push/pull on it to control the loader broke...and is absolutely impossible to find, so I ended up ordering a $280 replacement control valve just to pull that stupid tiny little part off of to replace (the alternative was a $500+ control valve from LS!) but now recently the float on the valve is no longer working. When I put it in float it just powers down, hits the ground and starts lifting the tractor...zero float. Im really hoping its something I can fix because I do NOT want to drop $500+ on a new control valve at this point.
The tractor has 170 hours now and I am sure its the easiest 170 hours you could ask for as a tractor. Its been predominantly pulling a DR power grader on my driveway and "wheelbarrow" use, moving around loam, rocks, even just tools to a worksite, etc.
Personally I'd stay away. Theres only 2 dealers near me and they're both about 1:30 drive, and there doesn't seem to be any new dealers popping up in my area at least. If those dealers even shutdown I'll be screwed.
I chose LS really due to the price but 5+ years later I should have just spend the few extra thousand for a more well established brand.