$1499 vs $3500 (Deere D105 vs. X300) Worth it?

[ForumJunkie]

Went to the local mower shop.
Ended up getting a Toro Timecutter Zero Turn

It was between the SS4225 ($2600) and SS5000 ($2800)
Toro V-Twin motor, 22.5hp vs 24.5hp
50" vs 42" deck (and bigger wheels)

For reference, 42" entry level tractor is $1600
$1900 for one with comparable motor (20hp+)
So, I think +$700 for total paradigm shift was a good move

For 2 acres, I would have gotten the 50" ($200 price diff is trivial)
But, wife felt intimidated by the larger 50"
(Harder to load into pickup, etc?)
So, we went with the SS 4225 for $2600

Wife mowed the lawn today and said it was way more maneuverable and faster.
She quickly got used to the controls, turning around, and says she will get even faster on it

I also looked up the basic maintenance like removing the mowing deck.
Next time, I will be changing stuff like belts and pulleys and oil to avoid the $1000 repair debacle of the Deere D105.

Thanks for all the info on this purchase!!

 

[quicksandfarmer]

the K46 hydro transmission is very light duty, only for cutting grass up to 1 acre

So how does the transmission know how many acres you're cutting?

He said the transmission failed after 147 hours. I don't care if you're cutting one acre at a time or twenty, that's not very much use.

 

[ForumJunkie]

Re: Need tractor to mow 2 acres. Ideas?

I second the vote for a zero turn and like another said don't go cheapest as many of those at the big box stores cut costs by using less sturdy hydraulic systems. Good ones will last. I traded my 13 year old Kubota ZD 1800 in this spring not because it had a problem but I needed a larger one. They gave me just under 80% of what i paid 13 years ago and sold my old mower off the floor in two days for more than I had originally paid . Quality products last my current Kubota will out last me

I find this very hard to believe.
All used commercial stuff I've seen for sale is not even close to 80% of MSRP.
More like 30%.

Can you post the 3 numbers involved?
What did you pay in 2003 ?
What did you get in trade-in?
How much did they resell it for?

 

[ForumJunkie]

So how does the transmission know how many acres you're cutting?

He said the transmission failed after 147 hours. I don't care if you're cutting one acre at a time or twenty, that's not very much use.

It's more and more looking like a wife blunder and shady dealership.

The mower deck was hanging (probably cotter pin just came loose) and belts needed replacing.
The D105 probably needed $100 of work, but clueless wife was quoted $1000 by the dealer and scrapped it.

This will not happen again, and I will do the light maintenance going forward, and we will not be returning to the shady Deere dealership.

Here was the repair estimate. I personally think wife was played for a fool.
Mower deck needed to be re-attached and belts changed.
Instead, she was quoted $500 in parts, and $500 in labor (6 hours, WTF)

[/QUOTE]

 

[tomplum]

From the description, I don't think the wife was played like a fool. Beyond economical repair? When paying shop labor probably. Going forward treat the new one nicer, take steps from getting mice in your new unit. BTW your comment about a zero turn in the back of a pick up made me shiver. Be careful with that. Congrats on the new ride.

 

[ForumJunkie]

Agreed. Wife has been busy and neglected this mower in the latter stages.
She needs to be more hands on. I'm pretty sure the mower just needed to be rehung correctly.
She was jerry rigging it. I think the tractor simply lost a cotter pin or something. Tragic.
Will not happen again under my watch.

 

[tomplum]

The description on the service order are things that I see all the time. For a zero turn in the market segment you bought, you got the best one. But it will need help to stay working well. Keep those mice away!

 

[ForumJunkie]

The description on the service order are things that I see all the time. For a zero turn in the market segment you bought, you got the best one. But it will need help to stay working well. Keep those mice away!

Yes, but does all that cost $1000 ?
And an honest dealer would not give a $1000 estimate on a tractor worth half that.
They should have reattached the deck and replaced the belts for $100 and let us finish the season.
6 hours labor, my ***. We will never go there again.

Yes, the maintenance will be done my me on the new Toro.
I will drive the Toro onto a tarp for the winter, and seal it like a dumpling.
And lay out some mice traps around it

 

[tomplum]

I'm not sure what you expect here from the dealer. An honest dealer would do exactly what they did. It may be possible to replace the traction belt only and get you driving again. Then what happens when the composite idlers seize and damage the belt? You would expect the dealer to fix it for free. The dealer didn't build it nor make you buy it. Was it even bought from the dealer? They certainly don't get a warranty check from Deere and Co for working on a hashed out rider. You could down the list here. Yep, labor was high. I'm sure they didn't feel it was worth repair either.

 

[4570Man]

Taking a low end rider to the Deere dealership was the first mistake. They don’t work cheap. Claiming they shouldn’t give a $1000 estimate on something that not worth $1000 is just foolish.