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 | Steve Thomas
Join Date: Posts: 1 
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1999-08-22 7188
I have just purchased a home on about 3 acres in Central Alabama. This is the first time since I was a teenager I have needed more than a push mower. I know from personal experience and reputation that John Deere and Cub Cadet have been traditionally good lawn tractors.I have heard however that the Sabre line of JD mowers is not up to their reputation, and that the Cub Cadet name now belongs to MTD, who I know makes the cheapo mowers I could buy at a chain store. I have about $1000 to spend, but I would rather buy a well maintained used mower if I can't get a quality new one for that price.Should I be considering any other manufacturers, and/or are my thoughts on the models above justified? If not, PLEASE correct me, as I want a mower I can maintain and use for years.Thanks for any help you can give!
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| ben
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1999-08-22 7218
The Sabre line is not going to be the highest quality mower and Deere knows it. That's why it is priced where it is - to compete with junk you see at Wal-mart, Menards, etc etc. It's going to be hard for you to find a very good quality mower for 3 acres for only $1,000. Dont' get me wrong, you can find $1,000 used mowers out there, but will they be rugged enough for 3 acres? If I were you, and I know I'll hear about it, but I would buy John Deere. Reliability, quality, service, re-sale value, etc, etc. I have a father-in-law that bought a Loews brand (Discount chain) lawn mower that has worked pretty well for him (he's very service minded). However, I dont think he will appreciate a good resale value someday like he would a Deere. My 2 cents. ....
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| Paul Bookbinder
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1999-08-23 7227
My opinion, which will likely be different than most board users out there, is this. I have a $15,000 Kubota which does all of the back-breaking work I used to do by hand, and I love it. I cut my grass( 4 acres of lawn, plus another 4 acres of horse pasture I cut 2 or 3 times a year) with a "junk" brand garden tractor, which cost me $1,500 brand new. I figure the grass doesn't know what quality of machine is turning the blade, as long as the blade is sharp and moving fast, the grass is cut.I maintain it well ( oil change, lube, clean air filter every month during cutting season), and it cuts a 48 inch pass, which is only slightly more narrow than the deck my Kubota would take. I am not a fanatic about having a putting-green lawn, I just want it short, so I use a machine which does the job, is easy to operate, is safer on hills than my compact tractor, and which, when it does break, is cheap to replace. Works for me, so my advice is to leave the expensive stuff for the really hard work, and put the lawn hours on a cheap but functional machine like MTD, Murray, Craftsman, etcPaul ....
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| DougH
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1999-08-23 7234
I have an MTD 18.5hp garden tractor (46") and a 4300 (72"). I got the MTD at $1500 because I had a hard time with the roughly equivalent JD at $6 - 10,000. We used it to "clear" areas of the rural land we bought. It was weeds, grass, brush, hidden rocks, etc. For two years the MTD saw some pretty rough use until we got things to the point where it was more lawn maintance mode. Normally I cut about three to four acres, but have cut out 11 acre prairie with it also. Now I mostly use the 4300 and finish up with the MTD. The MTD has required a degree of on-going maintenance - steering rod broke, bolts holding the hood ripped out, started gear stripped, etc. At $1500 vs $6000, there are a lot of construction shortcomings, but you get what you pay for. I do not believe I would have had as many problems with a JD based on my limited experience. I guess the net of this is if you do not mind the on-going maintenance, the less expensive tractor can be servicable. If you want to minimize being stuck with an out of service mower, then the better tractors will reduce the probability of breakdowns. ....
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| Alan
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1999-08-23 7237
Don't sell the less expensive brands short. We have an MTD that we bought 6 years ago for about $1100. We mow about an acre a week, and it's by no means a "fine" lawn. Weeds, rocks, dips, dog toys, etc are the norm. We also have a 17 cu ft trailer that is frequently filled with firewood, rocks, manure, or whatever. With the excepiton of blades and 1 deck bearing, there have been no repairs required in the time we've owned it. It starts easily and cleans up real good. I don't think I could have gotten better service out of either green or orange machines. ....
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| Gary
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 43 vermont
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1999-08-24 7278
For $1000 I think your going to be hard pressed to find a used maintained mower. If it was well maintained then it still worksand there is little need to get rid of it. I checked our local market and could find little if anything in the $1000 price tag thatwasnt a year old MTD/murry class machine. The local dealers have used gear but its still expensive and usually came outof commercial service and has many many hours on it. Dont sell the MTD class machines short. No they are not JD quality, but they are alsonot JD prices either. Do you pay $10000 for a JD that last 10 years or a $1000 for an MTD that last 2 years. Heck you can buy the MTD every 2 years, beat it to death, sell it for a few hundred and still come out ahead dollarwise. ....
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| ben
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1999-08-25 7318
Gary - you do make a valid point, however, if regularly serviced, I have seen a large amount of John Deere mowers last 30-35 years! I think it would be alot easier to keep one mower for 30 years rather than buy a new mower every 2 years! I'm not trying to be smart, but alot people see JD as overpriced, but if you span the price out over the life of the tractor and then figure the resale, Deere is actually underpriced! My personal opinion. ....
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| Gary
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 43 vermont
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1999-08-25 7320
Ben,Yes I know of many an OLD perfectly running 30-+ year old tractors. I dont however think that present day JD lawn/garden will last long. While they will most likley last longer than MTD's, I really doubt the bulk of the JD;s will last 30-35 years.. The quality isnt there anymore,the manufacture knows that people like new even with old is still working so why go the extra step for forever lasting equipment.People in general treat everything as disposible, getting old, get a new one. People are less machaniclly minded and dont want to to work on something. Easier (again), to go buy new. Hmm, fix the tractor or go golfing. Tractor looses, dealer/JD wins.For my needs right now the Huskee (MTD) is doing its job, it was bought with the knowledge that it would not last foreverthe price reflected that. I figure a good 3 years. By then Ill have a higher quality compact tractor (maybe a used JD/kubota)and the MTD will go into secondary status and live its life in a less demanding role.Take care. ....
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| ben
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1999-08-25 7321
You make another great point...so good that I can't refute. Good luck. ....
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| Joe
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1999-08-26 7351
WOW !! A whole Six (6) years ! Please let me know when you add 10 years on and you can get parts for it ! Sorry.. had to do that :-)6 years is not much time on a machine at all to see if it is proven. I know of neighbors that have had their original machine for 35 + years...... and his other neighbors keep going out to buy the " $1000.00 dollar Specials" every 3-5 years.... it adds up! But theses people don't seem to learn sometimes ! The ones that"lived and learned," Usually make a Better Decision after 1 or 2 of those!Just my 2 Lincolns !Joe ....
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| Willie Swetlow
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1999-09-02 7592
Several years ago,I purchased a refrubished farmstead with 3.7 acres and had the same delema. I didn't have the outlay available for a big name worker. So I started cruising the areas "little nickle" papers and net want ads in my area.I found a good used 16 hp craftsman with a rear bagger and spreader for $1000. The first time I cut my pastures the grass was 12+ inches tall, so I rented a JD with a deck mower adjusted to 3". I fell in love with the JD but renting is kinda pricey. However I have been cutting my "lawn" for almost 3 yrs on the craftsman without any problems so far. It was 6 years old when I bought it.I think an important thing to consider when looking for any mower for a job this size is to make sure that it's large enough(HP) to handle the job and not overly strain the machine. ....
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| RANDY IN GA NEXT DOO
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1999-10-18 8909
STEVE SPEND THE MONEY AND AND GO FOR THE GREEN I DID AND LOVE IT JOHN DEERE IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO ....
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