I bought my 1026R new in October 2011 and have just 12 hours on it. Price: ~$12,600 with the H120 loader. I live outside Buffalo NY on 1.5 acres. As always, I got a straight deal on the price and my trade (X520 lawn tractor) from Bill at Zahm & Matson in North Collins. If you're in the market for a JD and you live in WNY, I highly recommend Z&M.
Like another reviewer, I too had a transaxle leak shortly after delivery. Z&M picked the tractor up quickly and kept it for a few days. Since then there have been no problems. Excellent service after the sale.
LIKES:
-Idiot proof H120 loader; no need to dismount tractor
-Ergonomic seating position for a big man like me
-Intuitive controls; everything easy to reach
-Excellent ride characteristics
-Big, super comfy seat w/folding armrests
-More horsepower than I'll ever need for my small estate (25/18 PTO)
-Excellent build quality top to bottom; feels like a Deere
-Butter smooth hydrostatic transmission
-Nice toolbox (included)
-Yanmar runs great; neighbor heard it from across the street and said, "Sounds like 3 cylinders!"
-All service points easily accessible
-Great operator's manual (one volume, not separate engine and chassis manuals)
-Massive cup holder and storage bin
-Slick styling
DISLIKES (minor!):
-Placement of the fuel shutoff. Wearing boots, I unintentionally close the valve with my right foot. It should be rotated 90 degrees to face the front of the machine.
-As others have observed, an extra inch of ground clearance would be nice.
-Lack of 4WD indicator on the dash.
In a nutshell...this is a beautiful rig that's well worth the extra coin over the 1023E. A thousand bucks more gets you work lights, front brush guard and a fistfull of extra HP. Go for it...it's a Deere.
Like another reviewer, I too had a transaxle leak shortly after delivery. Z&M picked the tractor up quickly and kept it for a few days. Since then there have been no problems. Excellent service after the sale.
LIKES:
-Idiot proof H120 loader; no need to dismount tractor
-Ergonomic seating position for a big man like me
-Intuitive controls; everything easy to reach
-Excellent ride characteristics
-Big, super comfy seat w/folding armrests
-More horsepower than I'll ever need for my small estate (25/18 PTO)
-Excellent build quality top to bottom; feels like a Deere
-Butter smooth hydrostatic transmission
-Nice toolbox (included)
-Yanmar runs great; neighbor heard it from across the street and said, "Sounds like 3 cylinders!"
-All service points easily accessible
-Great operator's manual (one volume, not separate engine and chassis manuals)
-Massive cup holder and storage bin
-Slick styling
DISLIKES (minor!):
-Placement of the fuel shutoff. Wearing boots, I unintentionally close the valve with my right foot. It should be rotated 90 degrees to face the front of the machine.
-As others have observed, an extra inch of ground clearance would be nice.
-Lack of 4WD indicator on the dash.
In a nutshell...this is a beautiful rig that's well worth the extra coin over the 1023E. A thousand bucks more gets you work lights, front brush guard and a fistfull of extra HP. Go for it...it's a Deere.
