How reliable are JD lawn tractors?

[canlis]

Someone told me that if you buy a JD lawn tractor, you have to bring it back to a JD dealer for repair work because no other repair facility will or can work on it. Is this true? I find it hard to believe if it is. Apparently, this was the experience of this person in Connecticut.

 

[jenkinsph]

That is false, anyone can setup to order parts online, lots of us do our own work, nothing a good repair shop can't handle.

Warranty work is another matter, expect this to be performed by a Deere dealership.

 

[JDTank]

Canlis, please do not take this the wrong way, but a $2,000 budget for a lawn tractor simply does not exist anymore in today's world, IF you want a good machine, you need to pony up the dough. 30 years ago, a cheap machine would last years, because they were all built pretty tough. In today's world, it's all about profit. The cheap machines are bread and butter. Build it as cheap as possible, and sell it in high numbers to the uneducated. Don't make the mistake of thinking this machine will last forever like your old one did, a lot of people believe that.

I can't tell you how many times I will be at my local Home Depot, and see people buy the cheaper John Deere mowers, thinking it will last forever, simply because it's John Deere and it's green. They see green paint and they think it represents the same quality that a $300,000 tractor in the field has. A lot of people think they are all the same, frame is a frame, engine is a engine, a mower deck is a mower deck. This couldn't be any further from the truth.

John Deere makes the cheap mowers, anything under the X300 series, for one thing, to make money in the home owner market. They wanted a piece of the pie that is cheapskates and uneducated property owners. Anything under the X300 is designed to compete against the cheap big box store mowers like what you get from Sears and stuff like that.

I would suggest a higher end X3xx series machine, something like the X360 or X320, with the better trans-axle that can be serviced. The X500 series machines are awesome machines, but they start at about $5,000 I believe. Don't even sit on a X700 series machine because you will end up divorced shortly after. The X700 series is arguably the best garden tractor around I think, but the price tag also shows it. I think the cheapest machine in the line up starts at $10,000 or something like that. The top of the line is the X748SE machine, but it's price tag is about $14,000.

Overall, I can understand no one is swimming in cash nowadays, but in the end, a cheaper machine actually costs you more. You can buy 2 or 3 junky ones, and have a lot of frustration and down time, or you can buy one good one, and have trouble free mowing, and enjoy it so much you will wish the grass grew faster.

Hope this helps!

 

[schoolsout]

pops has a cheap HD or Lowes JD rider and has had good luck with it. Sits outside under the house on the saltwater and is holding up fine. Not sure how many hours are on it, but it's probably at least 5 years old. Before that, he had a Yard Man that he kept at the lakehouse (2 acres and on a hill). That lasted 10+ years. Before that was the Snapper rear engine like yours, I assume. That cut the grass all over the place for a few decades. Got rid of it as it was only something like 28" wide.

 

[BleedGreen]

All the big box store lawn tractors are the same so it don't matter what the label or the color is. ***There is no retail support on big box store lawn tractors , JD or other wise.

Would you care to explain your comments? I would sincerely appreciate it! Thank you!!!

 

[canlis]

Canlis, please do not take this the wrong way, but a $2,000 budget for a lawn tractor simply does not exist anymore in today's world, IF you want a good machine, you need to pony up the dough. 30 years ago, a cheap machine would last years, because they were all built pretty tough. In today's world, it's all about profit. The cheap machines are bread and butter. Build it as cheap as possible, and sell it in high numbers to the uneducated. Don't make the mistake of thinking this machine will last forever like your old one did, a lot of people believe that.

I can't tell you how many times I will be at my local Home Depot, and see people buy the cheaper John Deere mowers, thinking it will last forever, simply because it's John Deere and it's green. They see green paint and they think it represents the same quality that a $300,000 tractor in the field has. A lot of people think they are all the same, frame is a frame, engine is a engine, a mower deck is a mower deck. This couldn't be any further from the truth.

John Deere makes the cheap mowers, anything under the X300 series, for one thing, to make money in the home owner market. They wanted a piece of the pie that is cheapskates and uneducated property owners. Anything under the X300 is designed to compete against the cheap big box store mowers like what you get from Sears and stuff like that.

I would suggest a higher end X3xx series machine, something like the X360 or X320, with the better trans-axle that can be serviced. The X500 series machines are awesome machines, but they start at about $5,000 I believe. Don't even sit on a X700 series machine because you will end up divorced shortly after. The X700 series is arguably the best garden tractor around I think, but the price tag also shows it. I think the cheapest machine in the line up starts at $10,000 or something like that. The top of the line is the X748SE machine, but it's price tag is about $14,000.

Overall, I can understand no one is swimming in cash nowadays, but in the end, a cheaper machine actually costs you more. You can buy 2 or 3 junky ones, and have a lot of frustration and down time, or you can buy one good one, and have trouble free mowing, and enjoy it so much you will wish the grass grew faster.

Hope this helps!

Thanks, you have been very frank and helpful. I just hate the thought that I might have to spend on a tractor what used to buy a used car!

 

[jenkinsph]

Thanks, you have been very frank and helpful. I just hate the thought that I might have to spend on a tractor what used to buy a used car!

Must be a young guy, I can easily remember our first pickup which was a new 1971 that my dad bought for $2200. Talking to my cousin the other day and he asked about my riding mower. Told him my dad would have been shocked to know I paid more for a mower than he paid for a new 4020.:ashamed::ashamed:

 

[LBrown59]

Would you care to explain your comments? I would sincerely appreciate it! Thank you!!!

Ok but could you explain what you need clarification on.
I thought my comment(S) were self explanatory but I guess not.

 

[jenkinsph]

Ok but could you explain what you need clarification on.
I thought my comment(S) were self explanatory but I guess not.

LB,
He simply want's you to back up your statements which you can't do. BleedGreen knows you can't, I know you can't and most members here know you can't. :laughing:

It isn't a matter of whether your comments were self explanatory rather your comments as usual are lies.

 

[BleedGreen]

Ok but could you explain what you need clarification on.
I thought my comment(S) were self explanatory but I guess not.

I would like to you clarify the following statements:

(1) "All the big box store lawn tractors are the same so it don't matter what the label or the color is"
(2) "There is no retail support on big box store lawn tractors , JD or other wise"

Thank you!