Lawn Tractor - JD vs Craftsman

[Sequestre]

I just picked up my new JD X304 today after first trying out the 125 from Home Depot. I wasn't very impressed with the 125 so I asked the JD dealer what the differences were and he said it's like night and day. He said the 100 series are meant to compete with models like Craftsman, CC, MTD and others that are sold at Home Depot, Sears and Lowes. I wanted proof for myself, so I did some investigating and found out some of the differences; The steering components, decks and transmissions are all heftier in the X series. The proof is in the weight; The weight of the model 125 is 474 pounds while the weight of the X300 is 598 pounds. The X304 I bought today weighs 638 lbs and that is with a 42" deck! The 190C which is the biggest top of the line JD at Lowes only weighs 579 pounds with a 54" deck! That's less than the X300 with a 42" deck! In comparison, the X340 with 54" deck weighs 721 pounds (of course there is $2000 difference in price between the 190C and X340). I also noted that with the X500 series models, weight and price increase over the X300 series. And weight/price increases significantly with the X700 (over the X500); so, it's all about how much tractor you want and how much you are willing to pay. The difference in price between the 125 and X300 is $1000.00 and for $500 more you get 4 wheel steering (which I have already fallen in love with). Also, the X300 series has the Kawasaki engine while the 100 series use the B&S. I'm not sure whether this is a big deal or not as I have always thought highly of B&S and have owned Kawasaki motorcycles which I also highly respect. The Kawa seems to be a bit quieter than the B&S, however the HP is rated at 17 (3 less than the model 125) but feels stronger than the model 125 going up a hill (go figure). And I have also found that the 4WS is absolutely wonderful when trying to attack a really bad slope at a bad angle (whether going up or down). I'm gleaming! Hope this helps! -Wes

 

[GaryS]

If you don't mind me asking, what did you pay for the x304? Is it strickly MSRP?

 

[hbaird]

I paid $1200 three years ago for my Craftsman DLT3000 with the Kohler Command 20 HP V twin. I have rode it hard and put it up wet year round. I mowed brush the first two years cutting every thing I could get under the deck. It is used to pull a wagon with dirt, fire wood, gravel, etc all year long.Two weeks was a long blade life at first. I now cut about 2 acres of Centipede grass and driveway rocks. The blades last a lot longer. The mower has had oil, filters and Spark Plugs replaced. It would be hard to be any rougher than I have been on the machine. I see no reason to expect it to need replacing in the next ten years. I don't believe I would get better service out of a more expensive machine.
Harold Baird

 

[Sequestre]

I paid $3499.00 (MSRP). The dealer said that he had no room to bargain on the 300 series tractors. He was willing to give me $500.00 off on the X500 ($5499.00) but that was more tractor than what I felt I needed since I only have an acre to mow. I believe for my situation the X304 is the perfect match.

 

[Inspector507]

I've used a Crapsman, as a previous poster mentioned, for the last 12 years. I think it's an LT4000 but who knows. It gets used and abused on my 2 acres quite a bit. If I had to replace it, I'd probably go with a ZTR. And that may be a Crapsman as well, since parts are available and at my door in 2 days. Or could probably go 5-10 miles and pick it up from the service center.

 

[dieselsmoke1]

Everything is relative, be it mowers or "BMW's to Kia's".

If I had unlimited resources, I'd probably have a $7k mower instead of a $2k. Unfortunatly I've not gotten rich yet and must buy what I perceive as the "best value". Some would call this short term thinking, however not exactly sure what my "term" here is, doubt anyone else is sure either.

We did a "cost per year" thread a while back on push mowers. Might be interesting to do a "cost per hour" on riders.

Let's see, as of now, purchase price, mainteneance, repairs / 260 hrs....
HOLY COW!! $12.00 per hour!!

Never really thought of it like this before. Maybe time to get a quote from the Lawn Guys before buying another mower.

 

[mwood]

There are really two camps here. Buy something high end so you'll have it forever, or buy something cheaper so you can afford it easily. It really depends on the person and their ability / want to do repairs.

I must say, any lawn mower will require repairs. A high end tractor such as the JD X series will last a long time. No argument there. You'll probably get at least 5-10 years of good service out of the machine before needing anything more than belts, blades and oil. But eventually, things will need to be fixed. At the same point, do you really want the same lawn mower for more than 10 years? If you move, will you take it with you?

On a less expensive machine (around 1/3 the cost of an X series) you'll get a fully functional mower. But it may not go as long with just regular maintenance. Perhaps 5 years? But at 1/3 the price, it may not be worth fixing. But again, if you don't plan on living somewhere for too long or you know you'll want to upgrade later, it seems like a good choice.

Then there are people like me who love people who buy expensive (high-end) equipment and then sell when anything difficult to fix breaks. I'm the guy running a 20+ year old John Deere 216 w/ 46" deck. Why? Well, it was cheap to buy (came with the house actually) and I've put less than $200 in the machine in 4 years. Probably put around 200 hours on it and therefore, it's costing me around $1/hour + fuel. I see no reason why I'd have to get a new machine anytime soon either. Plus, I could probably turn around and sell it (with the front snow blower and blade that came with it) for around $1000.

I realize that this as gotten a little long winded, but I really think people sometimes buy the ultimate machine when they would be able to accomplish the same tasks with a cheap alternative. Just really depends on preference. Be honest with what you want to accomplish and what you would like to spend.

 

[dbdartman]

I paid $3499.00 (MSRP). The dealer said that he had no room to bargain on the 300 series tractors. He was willing to give me $500.00 off on the X500 ($5499.00) but that was more tractor than what I felt I needed since I only have an acre to mow. I believe for my situation the X304 is the perfect match.

Picked up an X304 about a month ago myself. Love it! Have about 1.5-2 acres with lots of triangles & curves. The 4WS sure makes most of the job easier (with the exception of along the retaining walls inside curves). The machine is also quite stable on the slopes (not severe).

Someone asked if there's an advantage of hydro vs. gear drive. I have some experience with gear drives & now using the hydro I find it much easier to do more work in less time. It gives the ability to slow for turns & tight spots that would require stopping a gear drive mower & selecting a lower gear, or slowing the engine which slows the blades.

The Kawasaki engine is much smoother & quieter than any B&S I've been around.

 

[ejtaylor822]

I am on my second Craftsman mower with no complaints. As previously stated, easy to find parts and easy to work on. The one I have now has been used exclusively to convert an old hay field into my front yard - used to de-thatch, cut everything in its path, aerate, rake, scratch, spread, etc. Over the last three years/summers I have replaced (1) mandrel and over a dozen blades from hitting stumps, rocks, ground, roots, etc. Still runs as good as the day I bought it and with a sharp pair of blades cuts silky smooth.

As far as the similarity between comparing JD & Craftsman and BMW & KIA. I would say yes, it is the same. In both cases, they perform the same function with one costing 2x to 3x more. Yes, one has more features and functions and will proably outlast and outperform the other in the long run, but, not everyone needs a 525i to go to the grocery store once a week. It's a matter of personal preferences, needs and practicality - nothing wrong with neither choice IMHO.

Just my 8-cents (2-cents with inflation )

Eddie

 

[gary1611]

I've used a Crapsman, as a previous poster mentioned, for the last 12 years. I think it's an LT4000 but who knows. It gets used and abused on my 2 acres quite a bit. If I had to replace it, I'd probably go with a ZTR. And that may be a Crapsman as well, since parts are available and at my door in 2 days. Or could probably go 5-10 miles and pick it up from the service center.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=crapsmen&btnG=Google+Search
Hey Thats not my term I just thought it fit my tractor. I guess I was wrong its not complete junk The motor and tranny are good. Well the new CRAFTSMAN Belt poops off. And the important part (deck) is complete junk. I've had the pleasure of using and even owning better equipment. So i'm glad you had good luck. Do a little research and get a mower that fits the lawn. I (me personaly as in not others) think youll Be happier in the long run (My personal opinion). Look at other forums do a search on google. Or maybe they make them like they used to. Better yet go ask a repair shop guy there's were you'll get a good opinion. i can't coment on the lower end john deeres for i have never used them. But was pleased on a upperend. Also some Stores have test drive days. If not ask for one. thats a good chunk of your hard earned $.
Mileage veries among users