anybody make a decent riding mower for $3k or less?

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mking7

mking7

Burning Hunk
Jan 26, 2011
139
West, TX
I have a John Deere 3 series but have a buddy looking and found a Cub Cadet with a 26hp Kohler. I told him the motor had my vote but I've heard Cub Cadet ain't what it used to be. So for $3k, buying NEW, what are the best options? Thanks.
 
If I were trying to buy another tractor, I'd skip the "new" thing and go for something with ready parts availability. If I were spending under $3k, I'd think of my Deere GT245 that can be had pretty readily for $2500 with a 54'" deck.
 
Lawn tractor or Zero-turn?
What size deck?

In that price range, I'd also add Husqvarna mowers to your search. As with chainsaws, Husqvarna dealers offer better models than what is available at national big-box stores. Over the last couple years, they added Kawasaki engines to the lineup.
 
Has to be new. Lawn tractor, not zero-turn. 48"+ deck. When I was researching I went with the JD based on reviews I had seen in other forums and I upgraded to the series where I could get the Kawasaki motor (300 series) but my buddy found this Cub Cadet and was about to pull the trigger on it but I told him to hold off because I thought I had read several people saying they aren't what they used to be. Knowing that many will say none of them are, but CC got more negative feedback than most.
 
A riding mower and a lawn tractor are two totally different machines. Yes, they perform one common task (cutting grass), but a riding mower is not designed to do any kind of heavy work such as towing a big firewood cart.
 
mking7 said:
Has to be new. Lawn tractor, not zero-turn. 48"+ deck. When I was researching I went with the JD based on reviews I had seen in other forums and I upgraded to the series where I could get the Kawasaki motor (300 series) but my buddy found this Cub Cadet and was about to pull the trigger on it but I told him to hold off because I thought I had read several people saying they aren't what they used to be. Knowing that many will say none of them are, but CC got more negative feedback than most.
Click to expand...

CC is now entirely built by MTD. Nowhere near their former glory IMO.

Deere X300 Series (Might be tough to stay under $3K with 48" Deck)

Husqvarna makes a decent lawn tractor with a Kawi V-Twin and great fabricated mower decks. Very tough deck on those. Word on the street is they cut awesome too.
 
MasterMech said:
CC is now entirely built by MTD. Nowhere near their former glory IMO.
Click to expand...

After my recent MTD variant snow blower experience, I don't think I'll ever buy another new MTD machine no matter what color paint they camouflage it with.
 
bluedogz said:
If I were trying to buy another tractor, I'd skip the "new" thing and go for something with ready parts availability.
Click to expand...

Ditto, but I'd probably go for an old Gravely and get some attachments. One of the few things I would have liked from my grandparents estate was my grandpa's Gravely. That thing was a workhorse. Had to be at least 30 years old and he used the heck out of it, plowing the drive, mowing 4 acres, hauling wood, rolling the lawn...

I don't know much about new models, but I'd go with the best warantee (the main bonus to buying brand new imo) and good dealer/parts support.

Side note: A Craftswan that's a few years old came with the Cottage. I don't know how well it was cared for, but-my 60's Wheel Horse is a better, more reliable riding mower. The Craftsman has electrical issues-sometimes it won't start, sometimes it won't shut off. When it runs, it does the job, but you just never know if it's GOING to run-or stop running, lol. It's also a gas hog. It seems the Sears brands have really gone to heck-we had a Kenmore water heater that was a hunk of junk too, just scrapped it this past summer.
 
I bought a mower at the beginning of the season. I wanted a lawn tractor, but couldnt get into the price range there and in the end didn't really need the added durability. For $3k, you can get a nice tractor. If i had that budget, i would have gone with a Husqvarna lawn tractor. They are made well, Mastermech is right on describing the Husq. lawn tractors. Kawi v twin and fabricated deck, very well made. I ended up going with a husqvarna 48" from Lowes, got a greta deal with all the gift certificates i had. It cuts extremely well and from the looks of it will hold up well for my primary use which is mowing a 1.5 acre yard. The lowes Husky's are definately not made like the ones you get at the dealer, but it suits my purpose very well.
 
FYI, if you are buying from Lowes, go to the post office and ask for a change of address packet. It has to be the one they keep behind the counter. In there you will find a 10% off any one purchase coupon, and it CAN be combined with sales. I love those coupons. We shop at Lowes a lot more than Home Depot now because of them.
 
I own a Cub Cadet . . . great engine, nice handling . . . but not as well built as I thought it would be . . . if I had to do it over again I probably wouldn't go with a Cub Cadet.
 
M-uch
T-rouble
D-own the road

Nuff said.

You wont beat a deere kawasaki combo IMHO
 
Bocefus78 said:
M-uch
T-rouble
D-own the road

Nuff said.
Click to expand...

Not sure I got out of the parking lot. I bought nearly the same MTD machine 15 years ago and it was a tank. Never had to do a thing to it other than feed it gas and sheer bolts.
 
With a budget of $3k, it sounds like the OP wants something quality. I think with any machine, regular maintenance is key. With the higher end equipment, you can probably go longer without greasing the spindles and things like that because they are better made and sealed... If you take care of a MTD with regular greasing, yes, it will last 15 years.
 
it is going to be hard to find a good new lawn tractor, to much outsourcing of parts
I would buy a good used tractor, preferebly a garden tractor
much heavier built
I understand you want new so good luck
I have not seen anything impressive in stores or dealers
 
I bought a dealer Husqvarna lawn tractor (54" deck, B&S Vanguard engine) for a little over $3K in 2009. It's a nice machine, and cuts very nicely from edge to edge and spindle to spindle. They since updated the deck designs and added Kawasaki engines, and now I wish I had one of those!

Would I like to have a good ol' diesel Cub Cadet? Heck yeah, but it's not going to happen for that price. But these new lawn tractors aren't bad if you're just mowing lawns and pulling a cart. Just don't try to plow the back 40, LOL!
 
ironpony said:
it is going to be hard to find a good new lawn tractor, to much outsourcing of parts
Click to expand...

I'm in the same boat as the OP, and I've been coming up short in my search. Every dealer I talk to says the market for quality garden tractors has shrunken due to the fact that most everybody thinks they need a strong tractor for ground work but they really end up mowing most of the time with the machine. For that, the ZTR mowers have them beat hands down. I want to do more than just mow, a lot more. Not much out there under $7K that will do what I need.

Kioti is coming out with a sub-compact diesel tractor this spring. No published pricing yet, but the dealer says they will be above $8K without a deck. That's almost twice my budget. He also carries ExMark equipment, and they have a residential series (Quest) ZTR for $3500 that looks pretty well made. It has a 26 HP Kaw twin in it. Top speed is over 7 MPH, and they are supposed to cut pretty nice at higher speeds if they terrain isn't too bumpy. My property is flat and smooth, so I am leaning that way. Then I am planing to be patient and wait for an old ag tractor with a FEL for the heavy work. I see nice ones all the time on CL for under $4K, but I've never needed one until now.

At least that's the plan tonight. Spring is still a long ways away. ;-)
 
I bought my husqvarna with a kawasaki motor in 2005. It's been good so far.
Went to the Husqvarna dealer I bought it from (cutting deck belt) and he has no more orange Husqvarna.
Blue ones now, with the Dixon name on them. :)


Seems to be a trend every time a line he sells starts getting sold at Home Depot he drops it.
 
Battenkiller said:
and they have a residential series (Quest) ZTR for $3500 that looks pretty well made.
Click to expand...

There are a lot of nice deals out there when you are talking that kind of money for a lawn mower. Here is a nice looking JD 445 for $4k, $4500 with front blade.

http://buffalo.craigslist.org/grd/2822662759.html
 
Haven't read the whole thread but I have a Husqvarna GT2254 which is the exact same as the Sears GT5000. Both made by American Yard Products. Been a good one since around 2006. It has to pull every trailer load of rounds I bring out of the wood up a long hill to the house. And then plow the snow on a winding 900 foot uphill driveway. The 54" deck was only used twice. Too wide to get through the woods and too wide for mowing my radically uneven yard. Had to go buy a commercial walk behind to mow the grass.

I believe the GT2254 was the last gear tranny they made. The next year they went all hydro I believe. I had to hunt this one down because no way was I gonna haul the loads I haul with a hydro.
 
Husqvarna, Sears, Ariens, all are the same tractor. Husq. generally carries better engine options and I don't know if the fab deck is avail on Ariens or not. The AYP tractors are decent and have been for the last decade or so. Nice thing about the cross-brand compatibility is that used parts for big-ticket items like trannies are readily available.

Battenkiller - Check these out.

http://www.exmark.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProductType=77 - Far better built than the current Quest machines. (See below)

http://www.toro.com/home/zeroturn/z_micro/titan-zx4800.html

http://www.deere.com/wps/dcom/en_US...ero_turn_mowers/z400_series/z400_series.page?

I've been a fan of the Toro Titan Z's since they came out. They really did a good job of putting together a fab deck ZTR that's far more durable than the average residential ZTR. Also the Quest is pretty much the same machine as Toro's TimeCutter series units and even though they are a great option at their price points, I think it's a bit less than what you're looking for durability wise. 1st Generation Quest's were built more like the Titan Z with fab decks and beefy frames. The only stamped deck residential ZTR's I'm a fan of are Deere's EZ Track series, especially the 400 series units. But for just a tad more you're into the Titan Z's with some major cut-quality and durability improvements.
 
Battenkiller said:
ironpony said:
it is going to be hard to find a good new lawn tractor, to much outsourcing of parts
Click to expand...

I'm in the same boat as the OP, and I've been coming up short in my search. Every dealer I talk to says the market for quality garden tractors has shrunken due to the fact that most everybody thinks they need a strong tractor for ground work but they really end up mowing most of the time with the machine. For that, the ZTR mowers have them beat hands down. I want to do more than just mow, a lot more. Not much out there under $7K that will do what I need.

Kioti is coming out with a sub-compact diesel tractor this spring. No published pricing yet, but the dealer says they will be above $8K without a deck. That's almost twice my budget. He also carries ExMark equipment, and they have a residential series (Quest) ZTR for $3500 that looks pretty well made. It has a 26 HP Kaw twin in it. Top speed is over 7 MPH, and they are supposed to cut pretty nice at higher speeds if they terrain isn't too bumpy. My property is flat and smooth, so I am leaning that way. Then I am planing to be patient and wait for an old ag tractor with a FEL for the heavy work. I see nice ones all the time on CL for under $4K, but I've never needed one until now.

At least that's the plan tonight. Spring is still a long ways away. ;-)
Click to expand...


I like your second idea
a ZTR for mowing and a nice used old tractor for everything else
that is the way I do it
Bad Boy ZTR to cut
a JD 420 garden for hauling, mowing, misc.
and a Kubota 4x4 diesel for plowing and other heavy stuff
 
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