$4000 to spend on lawn/light duty garden tractor

[LBrown59]

What a difference a day makes.

If you recall, today was the day I was going to test ride the CC GT3100. As it turns out, it was just sold underneath me 2 days ago despite my asking the salesman put a 'hold' on the tractor for a few days. What's done is done, and I don't dwell on things. So, let's re-shuffle my top three picks (I like to have 3) for your comments now:

CC GT2554 (out the door @ $3700)
Deere X340, 54" deck (out the door @ $4100)
Simplicity Conquest 22 HP Briggs Vanguard, 50" deck (out the door for $4250).

Ground speeds are all roughly the same (Conquest is best at 6.1 MPH), but smaller deck. However, it has 10 gauge frame, and differential lock. Transmission is K-66.

Not sure on Cub's transmission nor Deere's (as a comparison) other than Cub's is cast iron.

I hate to continue this forum on the same topic, but that 3100 through a wrench in my whole decision-making process.

******************************************************
Remember this post I made the other day?
I just got back from my cub cadet dealer and was telling him about the 4100 dollar 3150 deal.
**(He said that's a steal and the guy better latch onto it before somebody else beats him to it).
**My dealers famous last words !

Looks like somebody realized what a bargain it was before you caught on!
------------------Bummer Eh
Oh well on to your next Question.
I have 3 Boxes for sale:
Box A has 4250 one dollar bills in it.
Box B has 4100 one dollar bills in it.
Box C has 4200 one dollar bills in it.
I'll take $4250 for box a $4100 for box b or $3700 for box c.
Which box do you want?

 

[oakford4]

Well, I never said I would purchase the GT3100, only that I would consider it as part of my top 3 picks. Yes, it is frustrating, but that's life. However, the Simplicity Conquest is almost as good a "deal", with a list price well over $5k.

 

[Baucom]

******************************************************
Remember this post I made the other day?
I just got back from my cub cadet dealer and was telling him about the 4100 dollar 3150 deal.
**(He said that's a steal and the guy better latch onto it before somebody else beats him to it).
**My dealers famous last words !

Looks like somebody realized what a bargain it was before you caught on!
------------------Bummer Eh
Oh well on to your next Question.
I have 3 Boxes for sale:
Box A has 4250 one dollar bills in it.
Box B has 4100 one dollar bills in it.
Box C has 4200 one dollar bills in it.
I'll take $4250 for box a $4100 for box b or $3700 for box c.
Which box do you want?

Conquest lists for $5350 on sale for 4250--great deal @ 1100 off
X340 has a new lower list price of $4649, on sale for 4100 (down from 4999)--549 off, not bad
GT2554 lists for 4199 on sale for 3700--499 off; a great deal considering dealers around here stick to list price (or very very close) on 2500 series.

I assume the Conquest does not have PS?

 

[Baucom]

What a difference a day makes.

If you recall, today was the day I was going to test ride the CC GT3100. As it turns out, it was just sold underneath me 2 days ago despite my asking the salesman put a 'hold' on the tractor for a few days. What's done is done, and I don't dwell on things. So, let's re-shuffle my top three picks (I like to have 3) for your comments now:

CC GT2554 (out the door @ $3700)
Deere X340, 54" deck (out the door @ $4100)
Simplicity Conquest 22 HP Briggs Vanguard, 50" deck (out the door for $4250).

Ground speeds are all roughly the same (Conquest is best at 6.1 MPH), but smaller deck. However, it has 10 gauge frame, and differential lock. Transmission is K-66.

Not sure on Cub's transmission nor Deere's (as a comparison) other than Cub's is cast iron.

I hate to continue this forum on the same topic, but that 3100 through a wrench in my whole decision-making process.

Conquest has a K-66 (you already knew)--Tuff Torq's lightest trans rated for ground engaging work, 405 ft lb max rated axle torque.

X340 has a K-58--not rated by Tuff Torq for ground engaging duties, 217 ft lb max. rated axle torque.

GT2554 has a BDU-10--can't find any terribly meaningful specs to compare to the K-58 and K-66, but CC considers it a ground engaging trans. and my dealer told me CC rates the 2554 to tow 1500#.

Untitled Document
Hydro-Gear – Welcome

Hope this helps

 

[vincent721]

Analysis by paralysis... this is what this reminds me of. Having just gone through a recent exercise in trying to decide which would be the best machine for my use, I sought opinions from others on the forum. But I realized it was their opinions.. whether I agreed with them or not, I took them under advisement but in the end I knew that the decision was mine. I narrowed it down to one model and sought the best deal albeit the model was a 1996 455. I ended up getting one sweet deal. I traveled 8 hours for this sweet deal but I knew this was the machine for me. But I acted on it immediately. It sounds like you had one sweet deal also but you took some extra time to think about it. Next time a sweet deal comes upon you recognize it for what it is and go after it!!!!

 

[Hard]

Points taken, thanks.

I have to admit, that simply sitting on each machine, the Deere X340 "feels" better. I can't tell you why, because I don't know. It just does. Further, all else equal in my equation of evaluating all three tractors, I would go with the Deere because (IMO) it has a better so-called 'fit and finish'. The latter is a pretty shallow reason to use, while I believe the former is something important to consider.

You like the x340. You want the x340.
The x340 "feels better"
Go get it...

 

[oakford4]

Baucom,

Excellent data, thanks again. And yes, analysis by paralysis. I even did this with a recent $400 digital camera! I think it's just my nature.

Monday's the day. I will test ride all of them and see. Only problem (if it's a problem) is the Simplicity dealer is about 45 minutes away, while Deere and Cub are pretty local.

 

[oakford4]

I test rode 2 of 3 today. While I risk offending so many Cub fans out there, I just didn't feel comfortable on the GT2554. Now I know why several of the posts here have talked about first looking at the spec's, THEN ultimately deciding on what felt the best.

IMO, these are the Pros/Cons:

PROS:
*relatively quite Kohler engine
*high back seat with armrests,...nice
*relatively heavy deck with adjustable anti-scalp wheels...good feature on
the 54"deck
*REVTEK, cut in reverse feature is the best

CONS:
*"fit and finish" visually appeared cheap to me IMHO
* cheap switches (kind of related to above)...such as cruise control switch... felt like that would have broken off during my first year of cutting
*larger than I expected turning radius (20" or 21" (can't remember), and it sure showed.
_______________
30 minutes later, I was at the Deere dealer driving the X340.

PROS:
*very quite engine
*little vibration
*ROCK SOLID 54" deck
*the best (that I've seen) "fit and finish"...it just looks solid
*very tight 16" turning radius

CONS:
*annoying cut-in-reverse feature...again, too many lawyers out there!
*easier to adjust deck height settings and anti-scalp wheels.

SIMPLICITY CONQUEST 22/50 to be test rode tomorrow!

 

[LBrown59]

IMO, these are the Pros/Cons:

PROS:
*relatively quite Kohler engine
*high back seat with armrests,...nice
*relatively heavy deck with adjustable anti-scalp wheels...good feature on
the 54"deck
*REVTEK, cut in reverse feature is the best

CONS:
*"fit and finish" visually appeared cheap to me IMHO
* cheap switches (kind of related to above)...such as cruise control switch... felt like that would have broken off during my first year of cutting
*larger than I expected turning radius (20" or 21" (can't remember), and it sure showed.
CONS:
*annoying cut-in-reverse feature...again, too many lawyers out there!
*easier to adjust deck height settings and anti-scalp wheels.

Of the 5 brands I compared the New Holland and Toro looked cheap to me.The appearance of the Simplicity,Jd and CC all looked fine to me.
Any of you CC owners had any problem witrh the cruse control or other switches breaking.

 

[Hard]

I test rode 2 of 3 today. While I risk offending so many Cub fans out there, I just didn't feel comfortable on the GT2554. Now I know why several of the posts here have talked about first looking at the spec's, THEN ultimately deciding on what felt the best.

IMO, these are the Pros/Cons:

PROS:
*relatively quite Kohler engine
*high back seat with armrests,...nice
*relatively heavy deck with adjustable anti-scalp wheels...good feature on
the 54"deck
*REVTEK, cut in reverse feature is the best

CONS:
*"fit and finish" visually appeared cheap to me IMHO
* cheap switches (kind of related to above)...such as cruise control switch... felt like that would have broken off during my first year of cutting
*larger than I expected turning radius (20" or 21" (can't remember), and it sure showed.
_______________
30 minutes later, I was at the Deere dealer driving the X340.

PROS:
*very quite engine
*little vibration
*ROCK SOLID 54" deck
*the best (that I've seen) "fit and finish"...it just looks solid
*very tight 16" turning radius

CONS:
*annoying cut-in-reverse feature...again, too many lawyers out there!
*easier to adjust deck height settings and anti-scalp wheels.

SIMPLICITY CONQUEST 22/50 to be test rode tomorrow!

Ahhhhhh...yes...the x340 feels soooooo good.

Best of all when you tell your friends you bought a new tractor and they ask...Is it a John Deere? You'll be able to proudly say "Yes I did!"

Instead of looking down at your feet and saying "Well no I didn't, but I saved a few dollars on "Brand X but it's just as good."