JD L120 and L130 Horror Stories HELP!

[capt_met]

i have had a L100 for 3 years. it mows 4 1/2 acres about every ten days through the summer. on more than one occasion it has cut very deep grass(over knee high). it had a hard time with it but got it cut. i try to avoid that kind of treatment but it has taken it. maybe its not he best but has been well worth the money so far.

 

[slammer]

I don't have anything bad to say about the L series. I really believe they are a step up from the typical AYP/MTD/Murray offerings. However if we take the average hours your going to mow per week (9) and multiply it by the average number of weeks you will mow (17) you get 153 hours per season. That is approximately 3 times the hours that the average homeowner mows per year. Who was the L series designed for? Joe average...that's right. I would be a little leery of an L in your situation. That's not to say that an L would'nt be fine...it might but I would look at an LT minimum and maybe even an LX. Heres a link that compares the three.

Slam
L/LT/LX comparison chart.

 

[Joe1]

The L and LT series only have a 2 gallon tank. At the 1.3 gals/hr that TimberXX said, and 8 - 10 hrs pr week, you're going to be filling up that tank 4-6 times a week.

I like John Deere, and have one of their CUTs, and I liked the finish on the L series better than on Husky/Craftsman for example (not knocking either one). I came close to buying a Husky myself, but ended up with a great deal on a new leftover 2004 Toro. It ended up quite a bit more than the Husky, but I fit better on the Toro and the Kawasaki was pretty smooth and quiet, plus the Toro is several hundred pounds heavier and is built like a tank.

My point is that you might want to look at some other brands than JD.

Your decision might also be influenced by how long you want to keep the tractor. If it's a short term business you have, then a lighter tractor like an L might be a fairly economical means to an end. If it's going to be a consistent thing, and you're only cutting grass, then a ZTR might make more sense.

The old saying: "You get what you pay for" still holds true.

Good luck!