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Riding lawn mowers

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Super 55

04-20-2003 13:16:38




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Thought I would post on a few forums and get some info.

I would by one today if the dealer was open, but I thought I would ask the experts, even though they may be intoxicated with Easter chocolate.

I have been looking at the ads for the John Deere L130. Seems like a good deal. Any feedback or other suggestions would be appreciated. I would love to buy another antique tractor with a belleymower, but I over came my emotions and realize with the tight space and soft ground in this BC climate it would be a bad choice.

Thanks for any imput. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----

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philm in ca

04-28-2003 14:42:29




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 Re: Riding lawn mowers in reply to Super 55, 04-20-2003 13:16:38  
Wow, you asked for feedback huh? To try to answer your question though. I bought one of the L110s when HD first came out with them. It seems John Deere is manufacutring this line and marketing then through HD specifically to compete with MTD and the like. The L110 has a 17hp single cyl. Kohler engine. I would have rather had the bigger 120 or 130 but couldn't justify the expense. I will only be cutting lawn with it so this is plenty big enough. I am very happy with the quality. Heavy gage mow deck, cast iron front axle, automatic tranny and the engine. Since buying it I have noticed that Sears and others are selling mowers with similar features at similar price but I have not looked at any of them. This line of John Deere was a good compromise for me at a time I was in the market for a new mower. Hope this helps.

Philm

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Matt

04-27-2003 19:51:36




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 Re: Riding lawn mowers in reply to Super 55, 04-20-2003 13:16:38  
I would go with the John Deere. The JD we have is an '88 175 Hydro and is built like a tank. The steering linkage, deck, and the rest of the mower is a well built piece of machinery. It also cuts very well. The new John Deere's are nice mowers, but not as well built as the old ones. The Sears mowers are flimsy and not that durable. They are prone to rust and the cut leaves a lot to be desired.

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Puller504

04-24-2003 01:55:02




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 Re: Riding lawn mowers in reply to Super 55, 04-20-2003 13:16:38  
My first commercial walk-behind mower I bought was a "John Deere". Rugged, well-built and dependable. Guess what? It was a Scag with JD paint, decals and JD part numbers! Have bought 2 Scags since then,(1986). My Scag Hydro 52" I bought new in 2000 has a 17HP twin cylinder Kawasaki engine and I got a steerable sit-down sulky with it. This unit does the cleanest, fastest, most reliable work I've seen. Takes 30 seconds to attach/remove the sulky for close quarters mowing. I cut 15 lawns a week in the evenings after the "regular job" and won't buy another new "riding tractor" again.

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Ludwig

04-25-2003 09:51:35




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 Re: Re: Riding lawn mowers in reply to Puller504, 04-24-2003 01:55:02  
For big mowing you've got to figure those walk behinds with or without the sulky have got to be the way to go. Every commercial mowing outfit I've ever seen has those or the zero turn sit down types that look similar except for the seat. Never see any commercial outfits using regular riders anymore.



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Matthew

04-23-2003 18:59:28




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 Re: Riding lawn mowers in reply to Super 55, 04-20-2003 13:16:38  
If you want quality and the utmost pleasure and convience in grass-cutting STAY AWAY FROM MTD and spend the extra money to purchase the highest quality in the industry JOHN DEERE. Now, as you can see, I am partial to Deere and will not have it any other way. I can even prove to you that I am qualified to make this statement. I own a Snapper that is over 10 years old and still running and a Troy-Bilt MTD made lawnmower. Both are riders with 42" cut. This is how I know that these two brands among others are inferior to the Deere. Consequently, most of the mowers out there are made by MTD(Sears, Troy-Bilt, Yard-Man, Murray, etc.) I will never buy another for the rest of my life. I also have two GENUINE John Deere riders. These mowers are top of the line. They are even better than the LT models sold at Home Depot and the Deere dealerships even though they are made by Deere. The real John Deeres are made of higher quality materials, parts, and mechanisms. I have to admit that I would rather have the LTs than an MTD. An important aspect of the riding mower is the engine. My advice on this is to stay AWAY from Briggs and Stratton. I do not believe that they are made with the quality that they once were. A sign of the true quality of John Deere is the fact that they use little to no B&S engines in their mowers. I am not going to say they do not or never have because I do not know for sure. However, I have never seen one with a B&S. Most John Deeres have either Kohler or Kawasaki engines in them. These are two great engines. The Deeres are much easier to perform maintenance on. You rarely "work" on them due to their reliability. For example, the cutting deck can be removed in less than 5 steps and 5 minutes. I believe that it is worth every penny more to get the Deere. You save yourself time and heartaches. Did I mention that they even steer almost like they have power steering and that some even come with it.

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Frank M.

04-24-2003 18:01:20




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 Re: Re: Riding lawn mowers in reply to Matthew, 04-23-2003 18:59:28  
Whoa, lets back up and think about this a minute. I see MTD badmouthed on these forums constantly. I'll admit that they aren't built as heavily as the John Deere, but they aren't as hard on the bank account either. My "junk" MTD was made in 1987 and is still going strong. I got it in '92 and put a short block in it. The previous owner never did any maintenance on it. Ran it out of oil and seized the engine. By the way it's a "junk" Briggs. Still starts and runs as good as the day I put it in the mower. I've used this machine hard but I also take good care of it.
I'm still using the original drive belts, but I've had to replace the blade drive belt. I've only had to replace the battery twice since I got this machine. Answer me two questions.
Who makes more mowers than any one else in America? Who makes and sells more small engines than anyone else?
You don't get to be number one by selling "junk".
I'm not going to say asnything bad about John Deere mowers. They're a fine machine. Someday I might own one myself. Someday I might own a Lexus, too. Til then I'm perfectly happy with my Dodge and my MTD.

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Matt

04-27-2003 20:00:35




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 Re: Re: Re: Riding lawn mowers in reply to Frank M., 04-24-2003 18:01:20  
You are right. The old Sear's mowers were very well built, and they last forever. My dad's old '87 Craftsman was used on our farm up until 1999, when we finally stopped using it. That mower had been used by my parents and by renters, who by the way burned up the first engine. The new Sear's mowers, well, are OK, cheap, easy to get parts etc. but they just aren't as durable as the old ones. I started mowing lawns when I was 14, and in 2000 I got a Limited Edition 42" cut Riding lawn mower. Well, I used it yesterday and the whole mower is beginning to fall apart, and I have replaced the battery, starter, solenoid in only 3 years time. So as long as you are not using a Sear's mower commercially, its a good, affordable mower.

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Robert in W. Mi

04-25-2003 15:14:02




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 Re: Re: Re: Riding lawn mowers in reply to Frank M., 04-24-2003 18:01:20  
Answer one question. Who "made" more tractors than anyone else in the "world" for many many years????? ????? Don't know????? ?? "OK", i'll tell you. Belarus!!! Now, would you want a Belarus in your barn or garage instead of just about anything else????? ????? ????? ???? Quanity does NOT necessarily mean better or even good quality!

I'm one of those guys that would rather pay more, for better quality, so i own a Grasshopper zero turn mower. I just got sick of messing with wanna-b-mowers. Now i wish i had "saved some money" by buying a Grasshopper many years ago, instead of spending it on several cheapo's and "telling my self" i was saveing money!! Robert

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big fred

04-25-2003 15:03:25




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 Re: Re: Re: Riding lawn mowers in reply to Frank M., 04-24-2003 18:01:20  
I'm with you, Frank. I keep reading in these forums that my 8 year old Craftsman shoulda quit 5 years ago, but fortunately it can't read. Two years ago, after working like a champ for 6 years, it started knocking a bit. I figured I'd have to replace the motor, so I took the motor off and discovered that one of the crankcase bolts was never installed and four of them had backed completely out, leaving only about half the bolts holding it together. No wonder it was knocking. Replaced the bolts, torqued the case back together and it's running great again. BTW, there was no visually apparent wear in the B&S motor after 6 years of mowing. They can keep their Deeres and Cub Cadets, I can't see mortgaging the house just to buy a mower.

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eric

04-22-2003 07:28:20




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 Re: Riding lawn mowers in reply to Super 55, 04-20-2003 13:16:38  
YOU WILL BE MOWING GRASS THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. SPEND THE $ AND GET A ZERO TURN. I PROMISE YOU WILL BE PLEASED. SAVE TIME AND YOUR YARD WILL LOOK NICER. IF YOU HAVE A SMALL YARD JUST GO WITH A HOMEOWNER MODEL. DEERE EVEN SELLS A 0-TURN. JUST BUY FROM A QUALITY MANUFACTURER.



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dhermesc

04-23-2003 15:16:38




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 Re: Re: Riding lawn mowers in reply to eric, 04-22-2003 07:28:20  
I agree, if you have a lot to mow a lot a zero turn is the only way to go. If you only have a small yard I wouldn't be at all afraid of MTD or Yardman for a cheap rider. I bought a ten year old MTD 12hp 38" cut from my brother and mowed 3 acres for two years with it. It took forever but it stood up to OK. I sold it to my younger brother when I saved enough to get a Dixon ZTR. The old MTD continues to chug along for my brother, its got to be about 14 tears old now.

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