Looks like I'm buying a JD Mower, which one?

DennisH · Jul 2, 2011

Here is another question to throw out here for conversation.

Who bags their grass and why? Is mulching a better way to go?

Is a $1100 bag system on a X320 worth the money?

jenkinsph · Jul 3, 2011

I only bag when I have alot of twigs and debris that isn't desired. I typically leave the clippings on the ground and run over any clumps to disperse them. The green manure is free to break down and helps the grass with valuable nutrients that are returned to the soil.

My new mower has a mulching plug and I intend to mulch everything now. I prefer this to bagging.

homepukes · Jul 3, 2011

DennisH said:
Here is another question to throw out here for conversation.

Who bags their grass and why? Is mulching a better way to go?

Is a $1100 bag system on a X320 worth the money?

I bag my grass. I had an LT166 that I bought new with a dedicated mulching deck for years. With a mulching deck you are supposed to only cut the top one third of the grass. That's great if you get rain once a week, don't work long weird hours, not married, don't have any children and have a dedicated day and time you can mow. With me I have a busy life and would sometimes go two or more weeks without mowing. Then I would mow as low as I could to not kill the grass because I didn't know the next time I would get a chance to mow. After several years of mowing this way I found that my left over clippings were choking the yard. My grass was dying. I was afraid I was going to lose the entire Bermuda sodded yard. I wanted a bagger and JD didn't sell the entire system (deck, chute, bagger) as a kit and I would have to buy separately for $2000. I decided to buy a new tractor with bagger. It has really made a difference. If nothing else I would at least get a deck that gives you the option of later putting on a bagger. I would stay away from the dedicated mulching decks.

I ended up getting a new to me 2003 X475 with 300 hours and a 14 bushel bagger. Today's equilavent is the X700. It is a lot of tractor for just mowing but it is awesome.:thumbsup:

John_in_TN · Jul 3, 2011

Bagging 2 acres would be a major job, at least with my grass. I currently use an X740 with the 62C deck and the JD Mulching Kit. Works better than anything I have tried on my 2.8 acres.
I do still have an old LX172 (1991 model) with a 38" deck and twin bagger. I did bag the whole yard with it a couple of times (years ago, before I got the 740). It was a major pain emptying those bags - I didn't keep count but was litterally empting bags every few minutes and had to mow in low gear to keep from clogging the shute with the green grass.

DennisH · Jul 4, 2011

Thanks for the info guys, I'm leaning towards a new X340 with a 54" deck.

dwilliams35 · Jul 4, 2011

I generally don't bag it (actually I never bag it, I just take it out and dump it over the fence and let the cows eat it), the mulching's a lot easier. That being said, if for whatever reason it gets a little thick before I mow it, I'll pick it up afterwards with a tow-behind 48" sweeper that I bought from JD when I bought the tractor. Even the guy that sold it to me said the bagging systems were too much of a pain to bother with. Works quite well, maybe another five or ten minutes picking it all up added to the time mowing..

DennisH · Jul 6, 2011

Thanks everyone for the info provided in this thread. I just sealed the deal on a clean 2003 X495 w/ 54" deck.

I walked into the local dealer with a budget of $3500 and ended up with 3 to pick from:

1. 2011 X320 w/ 54" deck, 0 hrs, $3,700
2. 2008 X540 w/ 54" deck, 242 hrs, $3,500
3. 2003 X495 w/ 54" deck, 1000 hrs, $3,500

I drove all 3 and felt the X495 was the best deal for the money in the long run given it's versatility and the diesel engine. There was no comparison between the X320/X540 and the X495 as the ride quality and power of the diesel was in a class of its own.