John Deer or Husqvarna ?

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N3OO

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Hi gang.....help me out here if you would please.
It's time for another riding mower , but hey , which one?
Went to LOWES and was looking at the Husqvarna 21 HP/ 46 IN cut/ hydro OR the John Deer 115 19.5hp 42 in cut/ hydro.....both very close in price. The JD has the Briggs and the Husq has the Kohler . Other than the cutting deck size which is a never mind for me, tell me the good and bad of both. ANY info greatly appreciated !!!!!!!!

SOOOooo , if I were to buy you one , which one would you want ?
LMBO....BOB
 
Have always had Deere or Kubota. Personally, I like the Kohler engine a little better than the the B&S but both will last a long time with regular maint. The Deere will probably be a little less troublesome and have a little better resale value if that's important. If you go with Deere,consider getting it at a dealer if one is near you and the cost and model are the same. Less hassle for repairs and worth it at trade up time. Otherwise similar machines. The difference in hp isn't important or noticeable in this size machine so shouldn't be a factor. I'll have to double check, but I think they both use the same Tuff Torq transmission so that's a wash as well. But in answer to your question, if it were me, I'd go green!
 
Well... get a true Deere, go to the John Deere store instead of Lowes, but it will be about double the price of Lowes.
 
My John Deere LT155 was purchased at a Deere dealer. In 9 years (330 hours) it has been mostly trouble free.....in fact, most repairs were due to my own operator errors....

The belts are a bit of a pain to replace.

The Kohler Command Pro (15hp single) engine has been perfect.

I considered a shaft-drive Cub Cadet. I liked the shaft drive and serviceable transmission, but at the time the turning radius on them wasn't too good, and I have lots of trees to go around.....

The "unserviceable" Tuff Torq transmissions found in most tractors of this range ARE serviceable, search my posts and you will find out how to do it.

My 2 cents.
 
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If you just like the pretty green and yellow of the "big box store" Deere, that's the mower for you. To get a "real" Deere, you have to go to a dealer. You could buy the Husqvarna and paint it green. They're mixing in with Poulan business model a little too much for my taste and it seems to be rubbing off (a lot!). My father in law swore his Home Depot Deere was a good as one from a dealer. Argued about it right up until he got a real Deere. His son paid $3500.00ish for it and the old man won't let anyone else cut his grass. It's smooth like a tricked out Cadillac and cuts better (OK...as well as) than a push mower, which is the true measure of a great riding mower. No ridges, highspots, scalped spots, and that's a nearly full speed.

So in answer to your question, the Deere may be better than the Husqvarna, but not much (if at all). The Kohler and Briggs are a wash if you take proper care of them.
 
[censored]
I am tired of hearing "Go to a dealer and get a REAL Deere, the ones at lowes arent as good"
That is just plain not the truth. You can buy the exact same model at the exact same price at Lowes/Home depot or your local dealer.
The difference is all the box stores sell are the 100 series, they don't sell the X series, which are a far better machine but much more money.
That being said, I would buy from a dealer and avoid the box store, you will pay the same price, but if you buy from a local dealer, they will likely go the extra mile if you ever need service work.
I would buy the Deere over the Husky any time, The Huskys are AYP/Poulan/Craftsman and I have not been impressed with their construction.
 
Originally Posted By: cronk
[censored]
I am tired of hearing "Go to a dealer and get a REAL Deere, the ones at lowes arent as good"
That is just plain not the truth. You can buy the exact same model at the exact same price at Lowes/Home depot or your local dealer.
The difference is all the box stores sell are the 100 series, they don't sell the X series, which are a far better machine but much more money.
That being said, I would buy from a dealer and avoid the box store, you will pay the same price, but if you buy from a local dealer, they will likely go the extra mile if you ever need service work...


Agree 100%. FWIW, my '07 John Deere LA110 riding mower, which I purchased at Lowes, has been flawless for the 3+ seasons I have owned and operated it. No, it's not an X-series, but I don't NEED an X-series. If I had 2+ acres or a lawn with a very rough terrain, I would have chosen a more expensive JD product than my LA110; but I bought what I NEEDED, not what some internet know-it-all told me to buy...even though my John Deere isn't "real"...
 
Exactly, a 100 series is a good machine for what it was designed for, mowing grass and pulling a small cart.
If you want to plow snow or pull hay wagons, they are not for you.
For the average home owner just looking to mow their lawn, a 100 series will do the job for many years with just a little routine maintenance.
 
Originally Posted By: N3OO
Hi gang.....help me out here if you would please.
It's time for another riding mower , but hey , which one?
Went to LOWES and was looking at the Husqvarna 21 HP/ 46 IN cut/ hydro OR the John Deer 115 19.5hp 42 in cut/ hydro.....both very close in price. The JD has the Briggs and the Husq has the Kohler . Other than the cutting deck size which is a never mind for me, tell me the good and bad of both. ANY info greatly appreciated !!!!!!!!

SOOOooo , if I were to buy you one , which one would you want ?
LMBO....BOB



I guess then we should ask, what will you be cutting?... meaning acres, type of grass, terrain, etc...
 
Well , looks like the JD wins hands down huh?

Yes I have a JD dealer a few miles away from me and will check out what he has on stock in comparison to LOWES prices.....but of course I'd rather buy from the dealer. Looks like the 115 would fit my needs fine indeed having the hydro tranny. Got about a lil under an acre to cut, flat, maybe a couple of sharp turns .
Most of all , I do take care of my " stuff".....so the oil will be changed on sked,under deck cleaned, blades sharpened etc.....and will be in the shed and will be waxed .....and I'll be the only user!!!!
Guess I'll be heading to the JD dealer this weekend.

Hey fellas , thanks for all the help and great info. Ya know how we guys are , we can't make a decision with out some one else agreeing with us.....at least that's how I am . LOL
THANKS......BOB
 
Originally Posted By: wavinwayne
Originally Posted By: cronk
[censored]
I am tired of hearing "Go to a dealer and get a REAL Deere, the ones at lowes arent as good"
That is just plain not the truth. You can buy the exact same model at the exact same price at Lowes/Home depot or your local dealer.
The difference is all the box stores sell are the 100 series, they don't sell the X series, which are a far better machine but much more money.
That being said, I would buy from a dealer and avoid the box store, you will pay the same price, but if you buy from a local dealer, they will likely go the extra mile if you ever need service work...


Agree 100%. FWIW, my '07 John Deere LA110 riding mower, which I purchased at Lowes, has been flawless for the 3+ seasons I have owned and operated it. No, it's not an X-series, but I don't NEED an X-series. If I had 2+ acres or a lawn with a very rough terrain, I would have chosen a more expensive JD product than my LA110; but I bought what I NEEDED, not what some internet know-it-all told me to buy...even though my John Deere isn't "real"...


Dude,you have a fake deere !
crackmeup2.gif
 
Oh the "real" Deere controversy. No one can tell me that the big box store John Deere products are in any way comparable to what you can get at a dealer, period.

I'm not disputing that what the big box store carried isn't real, it just isn't real good when compared to the bottom rung of the ladder carried by the dealer.

Don't think for a moment that John Deere, in all their generosity, decided to sell mowers at big box stores (much cheaper) for any other reason than to make money off their name (while "cheaping out" a little on manufacturing). If I had to settle for a Deere at Home Depot, I would feel much better than if I had to settle for a comparable Craftsman or Husqvarna. The deck is thicker, the tranny is tougher and the machine is tighter all round.

Personally, I'd never buy a John Deere anything. I also don't have the yard for it. I bought a (choke) Craftsman at the end of Summer before last. They wanted $1300 (it was outside on the sidewalk), and I offered $850 cash. They said "OK" and quickly starting ring it up. They thought they could make some of it up selling me an extended warranty--I didn't buy it. It works just fine because I'm very meticulous about maintaining it and know the ins and outs of doing so for a middle of the road machine.
 
I am shopping now and the only substantive difference between the Deere and the Husky in the big deck models is the price.

Since you can get a super extended plan for a couple hundred dollars why not a Husky?

I have 3+ acres mowable, and I haul a little cart around for tree trimming and such
 
The LA Deere series is nothing more than a pricepoint mower, no better or worse than the other options at that pricepoint. Deere had this grade of mower before in the 90's except it was called "Sabre by John Deere." The only difference is that they are labelling it totally under the JD moniker this time. In my opinion, this is a mistake because it cheapens the name because they IMO are no where near the quality of the X Series (found this out three years ago when I purchased my X series.)

If you like the color of the tractor, go ahead and buy the Deere. If this was my choice, I would buy the Husqvarna and get the Kohler (a nicer engine IMO.) I am in no way trying to knock the LA series (I understand the reasons behind it) but it really doesn't differentiate itself from any other mower at that price point.
What I would like to see would be the return of the STX series (a stripped LX) that offered a higher level of quality of components for not much more money than the Sabre/LA.
 
Steve...since it looks like your leaning towards the Husqvarna to mow 3+ acres, I'd say go ahead and buy it. I don't think either mower will survive more than a few years with that much grass to cut, but you never know. You'll also go crazy going slow enough for the blades to keep up (and do a decent job) while doing that much mowing. Get yourself a water bottle and a good hat. Be careful of spending 100s on a warranty. Did you ever see the commercial with the tree falling on the car and the switchboard operator asking if the tree was a ficus--because only a ficus falling on the guy's car would be covered? Buyer beware. Read the warranty carefully.
 
Originally Posted By: yeehaw1960
Oh the "real" Deere controversy. No one can tell me that the big box store John Deere products are in any way comparable to what you can get at a dealer, period.

I'm not disputing that what the big box store carried isn't real, it just isn't real good when compared to the bottom rung of the ladder carried by the dealer.


Sorry but the facts are against you on this.
A LA100 from Lowes is no different than an LA100 from a John Deere dealer, they are identical machines that are sold for identical prices. I wish people would take 10 minutes to do a little research before spreading mis information.

Granted they are a lighter duty mower made for suburban home owners, and they are not on the same level as an X series, they are not made to be, they are made to be a reasonably priced machine that will fit a suburban homeowners mowing needs.
My best friend bought a L125 a few years ago, he bought his at the local Deere dealer, (the same model was available at Lowes for the same price btw) it has a v twin made by Briggs. It has been a good machine, he has a rather large yard and he has had no issues. I am a big Kohler engine fan and generally prefer them, but the engines John Deere specs from Briggs are a premium engine and is comparable in quality and features to the Kohlers that Husky is using.

To the OP, to get back on topic either machine would suit your needs, but imo the John Deere is a better quality machine. If you take good care of it, it will last many years.
 
Home depot sells an ariens brand tractor (not sure if they are made by husqvarna or not) and the price beats JD hands down. Plus Ariens offers a free blades for life program. It's worth checking out. If you need a lawn tractor for typical home use, I don't see the need to pay the extra for a JD. But then again, I'm on a tight budget.
 
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