I've Decided; X300

[JDGreenGrass]

I've all but decided to buy an x300 with a 48 inch deck. I mow about an acre with some rough ground and a few obstacles. I want a tough deck and I have never had hydrostatic drive.

Most of all, I want a mower that will give me years of good service.

Can I expect quality spindles with this mower.??

Is the x300 series the beginning line of a quality mower.??

Have I made a good choice.??

 

[C-Range]

Hi JD,

A friend of mine bought the X320 because he wanted the extra ponies to pull a leaf cart in the fall. Upon trading in our 2305 for the 2520 recently and deciding to get a dedicated mowing machine, we ended up with the 4WS X324 as a poor mans alternative to losing the 2305's 4WD for our steep slopes. I drove the X320, then the X324 and was very impressed with the way it handled turning uphill from cross camber over the X320. The 320 would just push the front end out and spin the uphill rear wheel while the 4WS 324 just swung the rear end around and pointed the front end right up the hill. I was sold right there.

In any case, the X300 machines are long lasting quality built machines, at least as compared to the low budget line they are building for the big chain home improvement stores, the LA line of tractors.

The 500 series machines are necessary if you have any plans for gardening with it. You can add a variety of attachments to them, similar to the old 318's and the like.

 

[JDGreenGrass]

Isn't it great when you try a product and it talks to you. Sounds like you made a great purchase that fits your needs.

I have no hills to speak of. Mostly flat and a bit of rolling.

You have said what I want to hear. Tired of the run-of-the-mill $1000 riders. The deck on my Craftsmen has a bad spindle, the front wheels are going in opposite directions and the starter isn't engaging the flywheel. Mind you, my yard is in better shape now than it was 3 years ago but, the Sears unit should have stood up better than it has. In other words, my yard isn't so bad that a quality deck can't handle it. I love my grass.

$3000 is a lot of money to put into a mower but, I think the quality of this unit will be worth it in the long run. I am just starting to believe in the theory...buy quality and buy it once.

I visit the dealer tomorrow. They have a good stock of mowers and tractors so it will be a good day, I am sure.:thumbsup:

 

[C-Range]

Hey again,

My friend who bought the X320 was replacing his 18 year old JD lawn machine (can't remember the model) which was still in fine running condition and sold on CL for around $1000. He just needed the new one for pulling the leaf cart he wanted.

Coming from the 2000 series diesels or your 770, the X300 might be a little bit of a shocking experience. It's a (relatively speaking) loud gas engine and very compact. It doesn't look like you will be able to fit on it but it's fine.

I resisted the X3xx's for a while and was convinced I wanted an X500 machine but when I sat on and drove both of them, they both felt equally compact to me and since it was just going to be for mowing, there was no reason to get the X500. Since the 4WD X7xx machines were out of the selection field, I settled on the X324 for the 4WS.

 

[JDGreenGrass]

I hear you on the size. What you are saying is when I sit on the mower you can no longer see the mower.:laughing:

Now this...After using the search function, the tranny is problematic. Great. Figures that this pops up after I had my mind made up. Un-real. Now I feel like I need to start over from scratch...I'm not sure that I want to invest 3k and have problems down the road.?? The fact remains that the x300 is a solid mower...with a weak tranny.:confused2:

So, I looked to a Husqvarna...guess what...Tuff Torq tranny. I'm not sure that it is the k46.?? Anyone know for sure.??

The Husqy is less money but their website doesn't give much info such as deck thickness.??

I would like to move up to the x320...can't afford another grand.

What is the best mower out there for 3k.??

 

[jenkinsph]

I would still recommend an x320 or better with the k58 transmission, the x300 has the same k46 tranny as the D100 series with hydros. If you don't wan't to spend the extra money for the x320 then consider the D100 with a manual transmission.

 

[jenkinsph]

I hear you on the size. What you are saying is when I sit on the mower you can no longer see the mower.:laughing:

Now this...After using the search function, the tranny is problematic. Great. Figures that this pops up after I had my mind made up. Un-real. Now I feel like I need to start over from scratch...I'm not sure that I want to invest 3k and have problems down the road.?? The fact remains that the x300 is a solid mower...with a weak tranny.:confused2:

So, I looked to a Husqvarna...guess what...Tuff Torq tranny. I'm not sure that it is the k46.?? Anyone know for sure.??

The Husqy is less money but their website doesn't give much info such as deck thickness.??

I would like to move up to the x320...can't afford another grand.

What is the best mower out there for 3k.??

Look at the Husky Broadmoor models, while these have the TuffTorq transmissions I think these are available iwth the k58 tranny. Might be a savings.

About the deck thickness, while we all wan't a good deck it is meaningless if the mower won't move.

 

[JDGreenGrass]

How about Briggs versus a Kawasaki engine.??

The Husqvarna dealer is pointing me to a Briggs engine with a Hydro Gear tranny.

Any thoughts here.??

 

[jenkinsph]

I think all of the engines are decent and seem to last for quite some time. Don't know about the Hydro Gear tranny, can't comment on it.


Trade offs can be hard to work around and in this case the extra money for an x320 is well advised, I would recommend you consider that Deere does offer 0 interest for 12 months. Might be able to make that work to cover the difference in cost.

If all I had to do was mow my own lawn I would have an x320 instead of the x749. I use the x749 in my work so it pays its own way.

 

[JDGreenGrass]

I think all of the engines are decent and seem to last for quite some time. Don't know about the Hydro Gear tranny, can't comment on it.


Trade offs can be hard to work around and in this case the extra money for an x320 is well advised, I would recommend you consider that Deere does offer 0 interest for 12 months. Might be able to make that work to cover the difference in cost.

If all I had to do was mow my own lawn I would have an x320 instead of the x749. I use the x749 in my work so it pays its own way.

Thanks for comments jenkins.

Sounds like the x320 is the mower that has the quality, through and through. I will consider it. I am paying cash but, at 0% over 12 months...it could help with cash flow.

Can I expect the Deere dealer to come down in price...10 to 15%.??

I am now considering either the x300 or the 320 and I am going to look at the Husqvarna machines as well.

Inching towards $4000 makes me shake my head....no.:confused2: