New Riding Lawn Mowers

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: cronk
54" Craftsman $2869
54" JD X320 $4599

Craftsman 2 year warranty
JD X320 4 year warranty

The JD does cost considerably more, but the fact that they offer twice the warranty says alot about the confidence in their product.


I paid a LOT less than regular retail for my mower. This is yet another thing that separates the two brands mentioned here.

Sears has sales. BIG sales.

In three mowers across almost 15 years I have never used Sears warranty service at all. My wife managed to break the frame on our last Craftsman but she drives like a maniac and basically treats a mower like a sports car. I welded it up with a plate and went on mowing...

 

[SHOZ]

A lot depends on the yard you are mowing to as for the longevity and repairs needed. That is where my $300 a year comes from.

My yard is a couple acres and has a lot of trees and other things to mow around as well as uneven terrain. It will beat up a less well built mower or wear out the steering.

My repairs over the last 15 years are approximately this

One set of tires, 5 per set $120
One deck belt per year $15, one drive belt every two years $15
One deck idler pulley every two years $10
One PTO clutch $120
One pulley sheave (connects the two belts) $110
One spindle bearing set per spindle (2) $20
One directional cable for forward/reverse (one every 5 years) $100

With me doing the repairs. Cost of mower was ~$3800 in 1999.


I've changed the spark plug twice, change the oil once a year with a filter, bought one battery.

 

[Lubener]

The higher quality units will have a Kohler or Honda engine. Briggs has gone the Chinese route and I stay clear of them.

 

[SHOZ]

I've bought a couple set s of gator blades too over the years.

 

[cronk]

Originally Posted By: Lubener
The higher quality units will have a Kohler or Honda engine. Briggs has gone the Chinese route and I stay clear of them.


Don't forget Kawasaki, very good engines.
And the cheaper Kohler "courage" is probably no better than Briggs.

 

[bubbatime]

Anyone that recommends a Craftsman / Sears mower does not have a clue. These things are junk, junk, junk. For just a little bit more, or for the same price even, you can get a slightly used COMMERCIAL UNIT. I buy and sell a ton of power equipment (about 25-50 units a year) and with a little patience you can find stellar deals on Craigslist/eBay/classifieds for nice used equipment. It might take you a couple months to find what you are looking for, but the deals are out there.

 

[SteveSRT8]

^^^And despite your vast knowledge I say this: ANYONE who imagines they know what someone else needs is also equally clueless.

We shopped for a year. We have had excellent service from our cheap mowers. You can keep buying whatever you want, no one is trying to stop you. Not everyone wants or needs a monster mower for 6 grand or more, much less a used one.

But trying to insult others over their choice only makes you look foolish. Know it all syndrome is an embarrassment...

 

[Lubener]

I quote-Anyone that recommends a Craftsman / Sears mower does not have a clue. These things are junk, junk, junk. For just a little bit more, or for the same price even, you can get a slightly used COMMERCIAL UNIT.

I will admit that Craftsman is not the best out there. For the money they are hard to beat.You will pay more for better. Why buy some used heap that someone has run into the ground and is trying to peddle on Craigslist. I have had many Craftman tractors which have had hard farm use. I always got altleast 20 years out of them without having to repair other than oil changes,blades,belts and tires.Slightly used commercial for the same price- good luck.

 

[ChrisJH]

Some of the Craftsman models are equivalent to Husqvarna GTH (i.e. sold only at dealers) models. They are good tractors. You do pay for it, though....probably similar prices as the Husqvarna equivalent.

Do they cost as much as a JD? No. But again, take 3K for a Husqvarna and 3K for a JD and then compare what you get for the money. The cheaper JDs probably break down a lot more than the JDs of yester-year, but hey its green and yellow so it has to be the greatest ever, right?

 

[SHOZ]

The JDs made in the Tennessee plant are below par for the company name.

 

[bchannell]

chrisJH, I agree with your every word. Steering is a bit iffy, but parts are cheap, and so far, it works like a champ with no problems whatsoever. Frame flex is good for traction for me, so I won't worry about that too much, but it's not the strongest frame ever made. Again, though neither was the JD.

bubbatime, did you know that a 2012 Craftsman 9500 was a Simplicity Broadmoor? That's not a shabby tractor by any means, and I don't care what brand you're loyal to.

 

[bchannell]

Originally Posted By: bchannell
chrisJH, I agree with your every word. Steering is a bit iffy, but parts are cheap, and so far, it works like a champ with no problems whatsoever. Frame flex is good for traction for me, so I won't worry about that too much, but it's not the strongest frame ever made. Again, though neither was the JD.

bubbatime, did you know that a 2012 Craftsman 9500 was a Simplicity Broadmoor? That's not a shabby tractor by any means, and I don't care what brand you're loyal to.


I meant to say the Craftsman is a Simplicity Prestige, (even better than a Broadmoor). I got confused there with names.

 

[Jasonenginetech]

Originally Posted By: SuzukiGoat
Briggs and kawi are easily the equivalent of Honda these days. A little more sensitive to oil choice, but that's because they make more power per CC.

Got a vtwin kawi with 600+ hours on it, and a vtwin Briggs with 300+.

I maintain the Briggs and it only sees full synthetic 5w40 and a huge oversized filter. Changed once a year. We cut grass 10 months a year, twice a week six months a year. 3 acres for my cut. 3 for the kawi powered SCAG too.

They claim the kawis will develop a knock on thick oil...but I've never seen it first hand.

No thanks on the kohler, had one on a craftsman back in the day...low powered poor running piece of junk.


Are you an OPE technician?

Kohler Command engines are hard to beat. Honda GX v-twins are awesome! Kawasaki FX are almost as good as a Honda. B&S are hit and miss - quality control is terrible.