How reliable and durable are Craftsman Lawn tractors?

canlis · Jun 17, 2012

I will be buying a new lawn tractor to replace my 8hp Snapper RER which is 28 years old and just went bad on me. I guess I should not complain

. My price range is $1500-$2000. My lawn is 3/4 acre and basically flat. Up to this point, I have not considered the Craftsman lawn tractors because I always heard homeowners say they had a lot of problems with them in the past. Could you guys talk about the reliability and durability of these products? What suggestions/input can anyone give me on this matter? Has anyone experienced any reliability/durability problems with this brand as a whole? How has anyone found Craftsman manufacturer/retail support in the event of a problem? Who makes Craftsman lawn tractors and are they basically the same as Husqvarna tractors? Does anyone know anything about Columbia lawn tractors? Thanks for your help!

creekbend · Jun 17, 2012

I have a Craftsman Lawn Tractor equipped with 17.5 HP B&S, 42"mower, electric start, 6 speed trans axle. I purchased this mower on sale at Sears around 7 years ago for $995.00. Our yard is around two acres. Our son-in-law used it to mow the grass on his yard-about 1 1/2 acres for 4 years also. Each year the mower has an oil and filter change, new air filter. It is greased every month and a new fuel filter every two years.. I have only replaced the battery once and that was 2 years ago. I have only bought new blades once and that was 3 threes ago. It has been a very reliable machine and it has exceeded my expectations. Best wishes.

woodlandfarms · Jun 17, 2012

Craftsman is husqvarna. I think they have s higher degree of hit or miss compared to a 5 to 7 k tractor but when I look on cl I see lots of very old ones still for sale.

I would take the risk on it for sure. It is no worse than any other brand imo

chkntrktr · Jun 17, 2012

I have a YS4500 with hydrostatic drive. It's around 6 yrs old and has been great. No trouble so far and I have really used it. Don't know who really made it, but again it has been good.

flyerdan · Jun 19, 2012

Probably not germane from a mowing standpoint, but I have an ancient Craftsman 8hp that was old when I got it from a scrapyard 20 some years ago. Was a little too small for dragging things around, so it has set neglected for quite a few years. Got it out a few days ago to drag the aerator around, had to do a little carb repair and come up with a new fuel outlet fitting for the tank. Of course I can fix/modify/repair most anything I have so I can't really comment on the durable factor since I tended to use it beyond it's intent. The fact that it still runs and drives is some tribute to it though.

bp fick · Jun 20, 2012

We've got a 7 year old Craftsman YT4000 that we bought used, with maybe 40 hours of use on it. The only issue we've really had with the machine was that the former owner likely burned out the stater/alternator ring by using jumper cables??? We'll never know, but it took us some time and aggravation and a few funds to come to that conclusion. Once that was repaired, it has really been a trouble free machine.

The B&S 18 hp engine has always run great. The rest of the machine is comparable to anything else in the price range. There is the Craftsman/Poulan/Husgvarna/AYP group that vary by features, but all essentially the same basic machines.

At this price point, either you're going to buy an AYP group mower or a mower from the huge MTD group. Briggs and Stratton also makes a couple of machines, and Deere has their basic, no frills, Big Box store line. Most have the same hydro-trans, which is about all you're going to get at this price point.

Take care of it, and a Craftsman AYP machine is just as good, and in some cases, a bit better, than the rest of the stuff that's out there for under 2 Grand.

Susanjoyce · Jun 20, 2012

I have an old Craftsman 22.5hp 50" deck that I bought off Craig's List for around $600. It's one of the green ones. The former owner used it hard around a campground he owned, and I haven't been gentle with it, either. It's had absolutely no problems except throwing a belt every 15 minutes, which a new belt solved. The mechanic who does its annual maintenance says he figures to be tuning it up for years. The ball hitch also increases its usefulness.

Cntryboy0075 · Jun 26, 2012

I have a Craftsman GT5000 I bought new in 2003. I have used it to mow all my lawns at the past three places I have lived. All of which were 1-3 acre lawns. I have used it to cut brush that it wasnt made to cut. Have had to change batteries,oil and blades. It smokes just a tad now when its first started. I believe it has a Koeler 25 HP engine and 48" deck. Hadnt been a bad lawm mower to be honest. When I purchased the property I live at here in Wyoming this past winter, the previous owner left his Craftsman lawn mower behind in the deal. Its an 18 HP model with a 42 " deck, and to be honest, its a piece of junk and I know now why he left it. The transmission doesnt work correctly, the deck is cheaply made and very thin, the motor has seen its better days as it smokes and has no power. I believe when my current GT5000 finally dies, I am going to look into a JD 1023/1026 model SCUT to mow the lawn with. You do honestly get what you pay for. The X500 series and up in the JD lineup are also good lawn tractors. Sometimes its better to buy a used upper end model for about the same money you pay for a cheap new low end model of lawn mower.

jake930 · Jun 28, 2012

i have and old grey 12hp craftsman 1 its around 25 years old. my lawn is about 1-1/2 acre. i am the second owner and have had it about 12 years. all i can say is i do routine maintance every year and every year it starts, runs, and mows my lawn 2 or three times a week. my lawn is and old unimproved hay field, if it wasn't for the weeds i would have no grass at all. i was even going to trade it in once on a new one. i even had it on the trailer to go. but i couldn't do it, why spend all that money when this one runs so well. any ways i'm going to use this one until it dies. maybe tomorrow, maybe another 25 years. who knows. is this the tipacal craftsman? i don't know its the only one i have owned.

phiferpharm · Jun 28, 2012

My Craftsmen has been reliable and never any problems. Things I like about it: Always starts - works well with my Chipper vac - easy to change filters/belts/oil. Things I don't like: never seem to be able to get a good adjustment on the platform - doesn't have very good traction - doesn't give as good a cut as my ZTR.

They are exactly the same as a Husqvarna and I believe the Husqvarna is less expensive at Lowes/Home Depot (don't remember which carry it) than getting the Craftsmen branded mower.