Comparison JD X300 (new) vs. GT275 (used)

[sgoldste01]

Well for anyone looking to buy a X300 you might want to think again. Ours is dead. Its the K46 tranny and I have yet to open it but JD said they would replace it....for a price of course. I bought the X300 because it was not a "box" store mower.

Sorry to hear your bad news. What year is the tractor? How many hours are on it? What tasks did you use it for? How hilly and large is your property? Do you think you used it beyond its designed intent? How much is the dealer charging to replace the tranny?

I came dangerously close to buying a new X300 during JD's winter sale, but ended up buying a used GT245 instead (with 500 hours on it) for $2100 (including a towable JD cart and spreader). We'll see how well it holds up over time.

 

[Yellow76]

I think its about 5 years old, but I only have 200 hours on it. The property is flat with a slight incline on the south end. Its 2.9 acres and the X300 is advertised to handle 3.5 acres. The replacement price quoted was around $1000.00 or so. I know it was not below that but it was just an estimate. The tranny itself was pretty high. I have the quote filed away somewhere. I like the mower itself and I have no complaints....other then the tranny.

 

[2720wes]

I came dangerously close to buying a new X300 during JD's winter sale, but ended up buying a used GT245 instead (with 500 hours on it) for $2100 (including a towable JD cart and spreader). We'll see how well it holds up over time.

I think you made a very smart choice. My 10 year old GT225 has worked hard on very rough, hilly ground pulling heavy loads with no problems and still going strong. I change the hydro fluid every 3 years.

The GT's are great little tractors

 

[jenkinsph]

I think its about 5 years old, but I only have 200 hours on it. The property is flat with a slight incline on the south end. Its 2.9 acres and the X300 is advertised to handle 3.5 acres. The replacement price quoted was around $1000.00 or so. I know it was not below that but it was just an estimate. The tranny itself was pretty high. I have the quote filed away somewhere. I like the mower itself and I have no complaints....other then the tranny.

If you do a search I am sure you can turn up multiple threads about these issues. If you are handy you may find that repairing it yourself is less costly, you can get the parts from TuffTorq.

 

[Markcuda]

Its 2.9 acres and the X300 is advertised to handle 3.5 acres.

Not sure that this is the reason your rear end went out but don't bring a 1/2 ton truck to do a 1 tons job.
In my opinion, you had way to much mowing for that small of a lawn tractor.
You should of bought no less than a gardon tractor.

 

[cooper99]

Sorry to hear about your X300- I would be pretty frustrated also, but I guess that's just life. Bad luck hits us all at some point.

Our 13 year old GT275 has held up amazing well- especially considering all the stuff we've mowed over the years. The only major problem occurred in 2001 or 2002 when the alternator/charging system failed and it was maybe $500 to repair at the dealer. The only other problem is a broken hinge on the hood, but that's only cosmetic.

An old neighbor worked at the John Deere skid steer plant near Knoxville and his brother worked at the JD plant in Horicon, Wisconsin where the riding mowers are manufactured. I believe he told me during the late 1990's the JD plant in Horicon relocated to a newer factory. I don't like putting words in other people's mouths, but in his opinion, JD lowered the overall level quality/craftsmanship when doing so.

Also, I hope everyone is aware that the fake "John Deeres" sold at Lowes and Home Depot are manufactured at a completely different factory, somewhere in Tennessee. You get what you pay for.

 

[Nuru]

I think you made a very smart choice. My 10 year old GT225 has worked hard on very rough, hilly ground pulling heavy loads with no problems and still going strong. I change the hydro fluid every 3 years.

The GT's are great little tractors

I used to have a GT225, and then I traded in on a 4100, as I wanted to get something that could handle snow plowing too. Then i traded that in on a larger unit, now I have my current unit.

I really enjoyed my GT225, and it was fun to operate and cut that grass.

 

[Boyes21]

The difference between a JD X300 and a GT275 are not considerably different. It seems everyone on here is worried about horsepower, but from a dealer stand point, thats fairly minor depending on what attachments your looking to use. The new LX tractors are not nearly built the same, and the D series which was just released is even worse. Plastic parts and cheap building quality put a HUGE difference between the X series models. If your serious about buying a good quality, long last tractor, the GT275 is an excellent tractor. The X300 is another great buy too though, and with a brand new tractor you can team up with your dealer to keep it running the way you want it to for many years.

One more thing to consider. Our dealership is in Canada, and we are always worried about plowing and blowing snow. We refuse customers from buying snowblowers for the LX, L and D series tractor because the way they are built simply will not withstand the pressure they put it under. The GT and X300, all the way up to the X749 are an incredibly better tractor. Hope you find your tractor, and any questions I can answer. I have all the tools available at our dealership here to help.

Cheers, Matt

 

[sgoldste01]

No, the main thing that makes folks on this forum nervous about the X300 is the crappy tranny that JD chose to put in it. No comparison between the GT275's bullet-proof tranny and the X300's.

 

[Boyes21]

X300 Trannys have been some what of a problem with them. Depending on the condition and wear evident on the GT that would certainly be the better tractor to pick. An X300 is classified as a Lawn Tractor, designed for cutting grass, and light attachment. The GT275 is a Lawn and Garden Tractor, built to handle rear mounted tillers, bigger snowblowers and cut larger grass lots. The GT is certainly the better of the pair, but if an LX or a L was on the table, purchase an X300 before an L any day. First choice, GT, then the X300 and followed by the low quality LX and L series.