Garden tractor life span

[Slowpoke Slim]

All I can say is my evil "box store" riding mower will be 8 years old this September. Here it is right after mowing with it for the first time (if I recall the pic)

I bought it at Lowe's, paid $2200 for it in 2015. This model has the "armored deck" and the "heavy duty" transaxle. I didn't special order it, they had a whole row of these and I brought one home.

I have mowed a couple acres with it, usually twice a month, each season since. I have also used it to pull trailers full of whatever anytime I needed to. From firewood to dirt and mulch.

I also pull around a 30 gallon sprayer with it several times a season.

It has 187 hours on it as I type this, as I just finished mowing most of my yard today. I've never damaged anything on it, with the exception of damaging blades occasionally. I certainly never "babied" it, but I use it for a mower, not a battering ram. I've never even had to replace a spindle, let alone smashed off the hood (WTF!) or torn off the side of my mower deck. All of my corner casters are still intact and original to the deck as well. I didn't do it's first oil change until 100 hrs, same with spark plug and air cleaner.

I'm sorry to say that some of you guys need to stop blaming the equipment for being a bad operator. I'm not trying to single anyone out, but come on. At least own your own negligence and stop blaming the equipment.

You must not have had an old man like mine when you were kids. Because I can tell you, you'd be getting some quality time with a razor strop if you pulled b.s. like that in front of mine.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Forget offhand how old my husqvarna is, maybe close to 20 years. Bought from dealer with heavy welded deck. Still running. Did have to rebuild transmission once. At that time I bought a ZT. Loaned husqvarna to my dad where it almost got destroyed. I’ve almost got it fixed back up, deck needs adjusted.
Mowing is just so much faster with the ZT, the husqvarna will get sold.

 

[2manyrocks]

I have some International Cub Cadets from the 1970s like the 1650/1250 that will still mow, but the ZTR is so much easier that I just don't bother with them anymore. Those were durable garden tractors. Wish Yanmar or Kubota would make a drop in replacement diesel for the old K series Kohler engines.

 

[jjeff]

I have some International Cub Cadets from the 1970s like the 1650/1250 that will still mow, but the ZTR is so much easier that I just don't bother with them anymore. Those were durable garden tractors. Wish Yanmar or Kubota would make a drop in replacement diesel for the old K series Kohler engines.

I'd consider buying one for one of my old JD 200 series, one of the horizontal shaft Kohler's in a old 212 is in need of a complete engine overhaul hopefully later than sooner lol.