John Deere sold at Lowes & HD
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LBrown59
Super Star Member
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- 2003 Kubota BX1500/2004 Kubota Bx23/2005 Kubota BX1500
That's the Big Box Store strategy:Builder said:
Fish in the Sucker Pool.
Volfandt
Veteran Member
This thread has gotten hilarious, you know there are thousands of 100 series owners out there that don't have any problems with their machines. WHether they were purchased from a box store or JD dealer.
I don't recall seeing or hearing anyone say the 100 series are built the same as the twice the price other JD machines. I believe what they are saying is the 100 series is a good entry level machine.
And any JD dealer that doesn't take advantage of this new segment of upwardly mobile L&G buyers are hurting themselves.
As for the fellow with the leaking gas tank, he needs to contact the JD serviceing center that holds the contract for serving the machines purchased at the local box store. He will not get ahead of the line since he didn't purchase it from the dealer but the dealer is supposed to service it. I wouldn't recommend storming in and demanding a replacement, as thats no way to get good service in any case......
Keep'n it real.....
I don't recall seeing or hearing anyone say the 100 series are built the same as the twice the price other JD machines. I believe what they are saying is the 100 series is a good entry level machine.
And any JD dealer that doesn't take advantage of this new segment of upwardly mobile L&G buyers are hurting themselves.
As for the fellow with the leaking gas tank, he needs to contact the JD serviceing center that holds the contract for serving the machines purchased at the local box store. He will not get ahead of the line since he didn't purchase it from the dealer but the dealer is supposed to service it. I wouldn't recommend storming in and demanding a replacement, as thats no way to get good service in any case......
Keep'n it real.....
garth466
Silver Member
Yes this thread is is hilarious and I can relate to a lot of the posts.
2 years ago in June I bought my first riding mower for a half acre. I've always wanted a tractor and I've always been a Deere fan (who knows why). I went with the L110 because it wasn't a whole lot more than anything else and it was green. It was great for what I needed it for. I will also say that I drove right by Home Cheapo and Blowes to get to the closest JD dealer. I'll burn a little more fuel any day to support a local family owned business. I didn't get the $200 gift certificate that my buddy got when he got his at the same time at a box, but I got help from experts and a few hats and t-shirts.
I've heard it mentioned here that Deere entered this low end market for future upgrade buyers. I don't know if that is true, but when I moved to 2.5-3 acres of lawn that L110 showed it's short comings. I planned on trying to put up with what I had for this season, but the bearings seized up on one of the blades in the middle of a mow. Wow, still one more month of warranty! The dealer was happy to fix it, but of course I just left it there at came home with a X320. So I am the guy that had the starter mower and upgraded.
Another thing I've heard talk about was hp ratings and why some of the more expensive machines have less. I can tell you that my 22 hp Kawasaki powered X series mows circles around my neighbors 26 hp Briggs powered L series. I know because when my L series quit just as I started mowing I borrowed theirs to mow. I don't know, but maybe it is along the same lines as why my 305 hp Cummins powered truck will tow circles around that 345 hp Hemi.
My dealer is great and of course I passed those two stores again to get the new mower. They are very honest about the products they sell and they won't carry some of the re-badged products that are painted green. For example, they won't stock (or order) any Deere chain saws, trimmers or the like. They do however carry the L series and can comfortably claim they think they are better than the other mowers at the same price.
Talk about attracting the upgrade market. That same dealer just delivered my new 3120 tractor. Was it Deere's genius marketing department? I don't know but I finally have a real tractor.
2 years ago in June I bought my first riding mower for a half acre. I've always wanted a tractor and I've always been a Deere fan (who knows why). I went with the L110 because it wasn't a whole lot more than anything else and it was green. It was great for what I needed it for. I will also say that I drove right by Home Cheapo and Blowes to get to the closest JD dealer. I'll burn a little more fuel any day to support a local family owned business. I didn't get the $200 gift certificate that my buddy got when he got his at the same time at a box, but I got help from experts and a few hats and t-shirts.
I've heard it mentioned here that Deere entered this low end market for future upgrade buyers. I don't know if that is true, but when I moved to 2.5-3 acres of lawn that L110 showed it's short comings. I planned on trying to put up with what I had for this season, but the bearings seized up on one of the blades in the middle of a mow. Wow, still one more month of warranty! The dealer was happy to fix it, but of course I just left it there at came home with a X320. So I am the guy that had the starter mower and upgraded.
Another thing I've heard talk about was hp ratings and why some of the more expensive machines have less. I can tell you that my 22 hp Kawasaki powered X series mows circles around my neighbors 26 hp Briggs powered L series. I know because when my L series quit just as I started mowing I borrowed theirs to mow. I don't know, but maybe it is along the same lines as why my 305 hp Cummins powered truck will tow circles around that 345 hp Hemi.
My dealer is great and of course I passed those two stores again to get the new mower. They are very honest about the products they sell and they won't carry some of the re-badged products that are painted green. For example, they won't stock (or order) any Deere chain saws, trimmers or the like. They do however carry the L series and can comfortably claim they think they are better than the other mowers at the same price.
Talk about attracting the upgrade market. That same dealer just delivered my new 3120 tractor. Was it Deere's genius marketing department? I don't know but I finally have a real tractor.
The box store or small Craftsman LT's are fine for a half or one acre yards. Most people I see here who start off with an entry level LT for more acreage than that usually upgrade to something bigger and better very quickly.
Expensive garden tractors, just like most expensive cars, have a good amount of depreciation after the first year or two. This makes it fairly easy to pick up an excellent used high end GT with low hours when it is a year or two old. A lot of people sell these tractors simply because they move to less property, or they need to settle estates or whatever. New is always great with the warranty, but if you are even slightly mechanically motivated to be able to change oil, grease fittings, and change belts and the such, there are good deals to be had on used high end GT's- and for the most part, they are far superior to any new lawn tractor out there.
For the light LT user, like my mom's Craftsman, (42" 16 HP Kohler hydro) a little care can go a long way. I maintain it for her at the beginning and the end of the season, and its made it through year 9 with no trouble. To this day I've only replaced blades twice, a couple of blade brake springs, and the battery once. Can't beat that for what was a $1100 tractor used on a half acre.
-Fordlords-
Expensive garden tractors, just like most expensive cars, have a good amount of depreciation after the first year or two. This makes it fairly easy to pick up an excellent used high end GT with low hours when it is a year or two old. A lot of people sell these tractors simply because they move to less property, or they need to settle estates or whatever. New is always great with the warranty, but if you are even slightly mechanically motivated to be able to change oil, grease fittings, and change belts and the such, there are good deals to be had on used high end GT's- and for the most part, they are far superior to any new lawn tractor out there.
For the light LT user, like my mom's Craftsman, (42" 16 HP Kohler hydro) a little care can go a long way. I maintain it for her at the beginning and the end of the season, and its made it through year 9 with no trouble. To this day I've only replaced blades twice, a couple of blade brake springs, and the battery once. Can't beat that for what was a $1100 tractor used on a half acre.
-Fordlords-
VABlue
Platinum Member
Agree... I still have my 8yo Craftsman LT1000 (18 HP Kohler, 42" cut) and its still running strong. I've only replaced the oil (w/ filter) and spark plug over that time. Never greased the deck or sharpened the blades, and it still cuts! I use it to pull stuff around the yard now (sprayer, dump cart, etc), the 2305 handles all of the mowing... Overall, that little Craftsman was quite a find!
Volfandt said:
He didn't "storm in and demand a replacement". He asked them to fix the tractor and in true box store ignorant $8/hr fashion, they accused him of "throwing a rock into the gas tank while mowing".
Part of buying a tractor is the dealer you buy it from. When the scatology hits the fan, I don't want to be trying to explain to a pimple faced kid who listens to Snoop Dog in his mom's car during his smoke break that my tractor is broken and I need help.
Now that's "keepin it real"
garth466
Silver Member
I couldn't agree more with the last post. It is the same reason I go to Napa instead of Schuck's. There is always a few folks behind the counter that have been under a hood. Have you ever had a 19 year old girl try to help you figure out what part you need?
garth466 said:
I think about the only things I'll buy at the box stores are things that are no different than anywhere else, like a roll of Tyvek, a circular saw blade, etc.
"dumb things" that are unlikely to ever need any type of service assistance.
And I'll only buy them when my local places are closed and I need them in a pinch.
Tractor???? No freakin' way.
SnowRidge
Elite Member
Why yes, and she even offered to install it for me. For the record, I declined.garth466 said: