X300 Questions

   / X300 Questions #1  

scoutcub

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2008
Messages
2,406
Location
Ohio
Tractor
Yanmar LX4900//Cub 7532//Cub Yanmar SC2400//Komatsu D38//Cub Volunteer//Cub SZ60/CAT 289C/CAT 308
OK, here's the deal......my dad has a LX173 and looking to upgrade to a newer/bigger mower. He has a neighbor that has the X300 and loves it, and highly recommended it to my dad. Now.....my dad is 84 yrs old, still cuts wood, drives everywhere, works around the house, etc, and a bit stubborn. So, somewhat difficult to sway him once he makes a decision.
Now, doing a bit of research on TBN, seems like this model has some tranny issues.
Which leads me to the questions....how much should I (we) be concerned? The lawn is not very big, with a gentle slope. He only weighs 140 lbs. He DOES plan on getting a blade and plowing snow with it. He probably puts way less than 100 hours per year on the mower. Is this thing going to fall apart the day after the warranty expires? Will the 4 yr warranty cover the tranny? Go for the X320? It's got a better tranny, but a bit more $$$. We're trying to stay down on costs, getting a low hour used machine. Does the warranty transfer?

Any input would be appreciated!
 
   / X300 Questions #2  
Last spring I bought an X300 without doing any reasearch first (my mistake).
I thought I was getting a "real" John Deere, not one of the cheapies that the big box stores sell, I didn't know that it had the same K46 tranny that the cheap ones do. The tractor itself is great, very solid and well built and I would hate get rid of it, however, looking back I wished I had spent another thousand and bought an X320.

Anyone have an idea what the trade in value might be for the X300 with only 40 hours on it?
 
   / X300 Questions #3  
I had a 07 x300 and at 85hrs the trans went out. I would step to a X320 or down to a d1XX and save some cash.
 
   / X300 Questions #4  
Have had my X300 for 1 year now 30 hours. Use for snow plowing 400 foot driveway. Picking up tons of leaves with cyclone rake attachment. Aerating with pull plug type. Mowing 1 AC. No problems doing the chores - love it. Yes the tranny is not the best but for the light work I do it's good/ My last tractor which I used a lot more (Scotts by Murray) lasted 12 years untill the trans went out (Simular or less than the K46). I used it to death aerating yards for profit. With the K46 - keep it clean and cool and it will last even longer. A new K46 is a lot less than the extra $1000 for the X320. Another thread on this site has a great write up on how to rebuild the K46 for $200 to $300. The X320 is a great machine but only a slightly better trans, small HP gain and couple inches bigger mower otherwise the X300 is the same. The X300 17HP has tons of torque and is quiet - Great engine. Read posts on the K46 and you will see hundreds on Box Store Deer 100 series that have problems with the K46 but hardly any about X300 trans problems. There is also a web site where they sell an upgrade kit to put in a K66 inplace of the K46 on the X300 - $2000. Go for the X300
 
   / X300 Questions #5  
There is also a web site where they sell an upgrade kit to put in a K66 inplace of the K46 on the X300 - $2000.
What a waste of money.
You could put that 2 grand toward a new tractor:laughing::laughing:
small HP gain and couple inches bigger mower
5 horse power is more than a "small" gain in my book.
Sir, please, you can't even compare a X300 deck(42 inch) to a X320 (48 inch deck).
 
   / X300 Questions #6  
Have had my X300 for 1 year now 30 hours. Use for snow plowing 400 foot driveway. Picking up tons of leaves with cyclone rake attachment. Aerating with pull plug type. Mowing 1 AC. No problems doing the chores - love it. Yes the tranny is not the best but for the light work I do it's good/ My last tractor which I used a lot more (Scotts by Murray) lasted 12 years untill the trans went out (Simular or less than the K46). I used it to death aerating yards for profit. With the K46 - keep it clean and cool and it will last even longer. A new K46 is a lot less than the extra $1000 for the X320. Another thread on this site has a great write up on how to rebuild the K46 for $200 to $300. The X320 is a great machine but only a slightly better trans, small HP gain and couple inches bigger mower otherwise the X300 is the same. The X300 17HP has tons of torque and is quiet - Great engine. Read posts on the K46 and you will see hundreds on Box Store Deer 100 series that have problems with the K46 but hardly any about X300 trans problems. There is also a web site where they sell an upgrade kit to put in a K66 inplace of the K46 on the X300 - $2000. Go for the X300


I have an L130 with the K46 and an X749 that doesn't, all the talk about repairing the K46 is fine but I wouldn't recommend it as a new purchase. Thirty hours isn't much time on the clock to form much of an opinion.

The only way I would consider one of these is the X300R rear bagger with blower, and I decided to pass on it too because of the weak transmission. I agree with others to step up to an X320 or way down to a D100 series.
 
   / X300 Questions #7  
I got my Mom an X320 a couple of years ago , she is 78 and loves to cut the grass. She says' "it keeps her young":thumbsup:
 
   / X300 Questions #9  
I've had my X300R for 2 working seasons, now. I work it pretty well on about 2 acres.

Thatching in the Spring and again in Fall just after the first couple of freezes before snowfall. Mowing every week or 10 days. Spreading lime and fertilizer with a 175lb broadcast spreader. Towing a 45 gallon sprayer and controlling weeds.

The tranny has not given me any problems thus far. I've got about 50 hours on the tractor, now.

I absolutely love the rear bagger setup and believe it to be one of the best units available. When and if the tranny goes out - I'll replace the unit with an upgrade - the K58.

I won't be looking for another machine with a side blower/rear bagger setup! Too wimpy, and prone to plugging. And you've always gotta look out along fence lines, posts, trees, etc. The X300R is a nimble, close-quarters grass magnet!

AKfish
 
   / X300 Questions #10  
I've had my X300R for 2 working seasons, now. I work it pretty well on about 2 acres.

Thatching in the Spring and again in Fall just after the first couple of freezes before snowfall. Mowing every week or 10 days. Spreading lime and fertilizer with a 175lb broadcast spreader. Towing a 45 gallon sprayer and controlling weeds.

The tranny has not given me any problems thus far. I've got about 50 hours on the tractor, now.

I absolutely love the rear bagger setup and believe it to be one of the best units available. When and if the tranny goes out - I'll replace the unit with an upgrade - the K58.

I won't be looking for another machine with a side blower/rear bagger setup! Too wimpy, and prone to plugging. And you've always gotta look out along fence lines, posts, trees, etc. The X300R is a nimble, close-quarters grass magnet!

AKfish


Larry,
Have you checked to see if the K58 will physically fit the space? My guess was that the larger chunk might be in the way of the rear discharge chute. I would love to have a 300R with a K58 transmission.
 
 
Top