Advice: Inexpensive mower JD vs Cub

CoolioDaddio · Mar 26, 2008

I've done a lot of reading on the inexpensive "box store" mowers. I'm planning to purchase one to mow about 3/4 of a flat acre. All this mower will be used for is mowing and picking up leaves.

So I'm comparing the JD LA115 with a Briggs engine to the Cub LT1045 with a Kohler engine. They are both $1650.00.

I'm leaning towards the Cub, but welcome any advice or experiences with these two particular models. Especially any info on the reliability of the Hydrostatic transmissions.

THANKS!!

js5020 · Mar 26, 2008

Well if an entry level machine will do the job then get the entry level machine,,, however I would not buy it from a box store go to the dealer, pay the little extra it IS worth it,,,, if you have a problem the dealer will take care of you,, the guy at the box store he just sells them.

TimS · Mar 26, 2008

js5020 said:
Well if an entry level machine will do the job then get the entry level machine,,, however I would not buy it from a box store go to the dealer, pay the little extra it IS worth it,,,, if you have a problem the dealer will take care of you,, the guy at the box store he just sells them.

My understanding is that the box store is not allowed to sell the units for less than the JD dealer - so you should definitely buy from the dealer.

Tim

bontai_Joe · Mar 26, 2008

I don't know about Cub pricing, but your local Deere dealer will sell you the same tractor at the same price as the box store, and I'd support your local dealer (EITHER BRAND) if at all possible, He is the guy that you are gonna get parts and service from.

CoolioDaddio · Mar 26, 2008

I appreciate the advice regarding buy it from a dealer. Do the dealers sell the exact same models?

ToadHill · Mar 26, 2008

My history says stay away from the Briggs engine. I had a mower with the briggs engine that blew while under warranty, When I took it back to the dealer he had the Briggs service rep look at it and I was told that a mouse nest was built under the cover so the engine overheated and it was my fault.

The interesting part was it was the first time I'd mowed in the spring and the engine was running for less than 10 minutes when it blew no way it could have overheated in 10 minutes. In addition I marked all the bolt heads before I took it in and every one of them was in the EXACT same spot when I picked up the mower. I'll never buy another product with a Briggs engine.

montanaman · Mar 26, 2008

ToadHill said:
My history says stay away from the Briggs engine. I had a mower with the briggs engine that blew while under warranty, When I took it back to the dealer he had the Briggs service rep look at it and I was told that a mouse nest was built under the cover so the engine overheated and it was my fault.

The interesting part was it was the first time I'd mowed in the spring and the engine was running for less than 10 minutes when it blew no way it could have overheated in 10 minutes. In addition I marked all the bolt heads before I took it in and every one of them was in the EXACT same spot when I picked up the mower. I'll never buy another product with a Briggs engine.

Briggs and Kohler make several grades of engine and you will not get a good grade of either in an entry level lawn tractor. 1st time in spring sounds about right because the mice were using you blower housing as a winter home.

I can't argue that you had some bad luck, but a Kohler without any cooling could have done the same thing.

I would be asking the dealer why none of the bolts were even touched though? Might have been a matter of his knowing what the damage was, what caused it, and not wanting to charge you labor knowing that Briggs wasn't going to cover it? A few hours of shop time is about all the engine is really worth!

I know if I get something in that is not warranty and blown up, I will explain to a customer that I can't give them the cause of the failure without charging them to find out.

Ken

art · Mar 26, 2008

I do agree with post 7! I've seen it before and too many times even with our used that we put into storage during the winter.
Rule of thumb, I prefer the Kohlers for a few hundred more hours over the briggs! Figure five hundred plus more in general mowing conditions. Most mowing only units are between 50 to 100 hours a year!

As far as the dealer vs the box stores. We fix the box stores machines, right after we get through fixing those that were bought from us! We don't short change them, they get the same repair quality. When you call us about the repair after you bought from us, your in our computer!

artfull dodger · Mar 26, 2008

My personal preferance is toward the cub and its Kohler power plant. I have run cubs and JD's both, sold both for a big box store and just trust the cub brand more. Of coarse you could spend just a tad less and get a totaly refurbished IH built cub cadet thru one of the online cub cadet forums and have a machine that will outlive you and run and mower circles around anything a box store sells. Even the first few years under MTD were good machines as they were IH designs. I would look at the 149 as a good simple solid tractor, will handle several different mower decks, and yes you can find a nice mower deck for these still. The run a single cylinder K series Kohler that has a Cast Iron block, not just a liner like the new ones. I have seen totaly restored 149's with a good 44" mower deck sell in the 1200-1400 range. Taken care of, you would never buy another tractor in your lifetime. You dont say where you live, but if you email me off site, I can point you to several different gentlemen that sell older cub cadets. I can also point you torward several other older models that are good. Cheers Mike and Michele T cadetpwr@hotmail.com

bontai_Joe · Mar 27, 2008

CoolioDaddio said:
I appreciate the advice regarding buy it from a dealer. Do the dealers sell the exact same models?

A Deere model LA115 is the same exact tractor whether you buy it at the box store or dealer. Same is true of the Cub Cadet LT1045. Only potential difference would be the if the box store does their own assembly or if they have a dealer do it for them. Box store "in house" assembly could be ok, or could be done by a part timer that had 4 minutes of instruction and had only pliers and a screw driver to assemble tighten all hardware inbetween interuptions to mix paint, water the flowers, cut a couple of keys, etc. You never know what you might get.