Recommendations for a lawn tractor for my Dad.

[johndeereg]

Thanks again for all the ideas. It looks like a x320 or similar, OR a better used model is the way to go. One question, do you think the used models like the 425 or older models were made better than the new x320's? Is the x320 built like a quality Deere?

 

[BBO]

I would suggest less than 300 hours or so if possible, with real good service records maybe higher is OK.
I am not sure any of them are "way better".
Whatever brand you get, model or otherwise... mowers tear up.
Belts, bushings, idlers, bearings, ball joints, pumps, fuel parts, tires etc.. it all has to be replaced at some time.
Power steering would be nice for an elderly person but when a cylinder or pump goes bad they are expensive to fix.
Mower selection is not exactly an easy thing. They are all expensive, and the more gadgets the more they cost.
I have two JD's that are now nearing 18 years old and still mowing every week, BUT I have paid several thousand in repair cost over all these years. And after 500 hours or so, things started progressively breaking on mine. The 445 was originally a $9000 mower.

 

[Teddy1973]

I have an X310 an am quite happy with it, but it has a plastic hood and I am a little bit jealous of any of the JDs with metal hoods! The frame on mine is advertised as being a heavy gauge metal welded frame, but I'll bet older models have heavier gauge frames. Unfortunately, as BBO states, things wear out eventually no matter how well made and the older models probably will need repairs before my newer one will, and I'm confident that for the money I've got a good mower with a good engine, frame, tranny, and a great mower deck, and a so-so hood that still looks good and makes my neighbors green with envy!

 

[General Stuart]

I've been shopping John Deere lawn tractors for a bit now. I've been wanting to buy one for my Dad who is around retirement age. He currently has a 107 Cub Cadet. Looking for something with a faster blade speed that cuts better, and easy steering. I just bought a 175 for myself and that's steering is pretty tough. Any recommendations? He owns about an acre with hills. I did look at new, but then I just didn't know if they were built for the use of his property without spending 5000.00. Are there any models around 3000 or less that are heavy duty for small hills, cut well and steer nice and easy?

thanks!

Hello Johndeereg
I am very happy with my John Deere 318. They made them from 1983-1992 time span. They had the Very durable Onan 18 Horsepower twin's in them and the best part is that the 318 had Power steering & a Hydrostatic drive Transmission & it is effortless to operate. My Tractor is a first year 318 being a 1983 & I restored it last winter. I dropped $1475.00 into a new fresh built Onan P-218 engine for it and have no regrets. Onan's were made to re-build multiple times, unlike many of the newer style overhead valve engines out there. It's drive iine has a solid drive shaft to the Hydro Pump, Not belt driven like many newer John Deere's have. . The Hydro Pumps are Sundstrand and are bullet proof as well as their heavy duty rear ends. There are many 318's still out there that can be bought for between $500.00-$2000.00 depending on their condition. I stole mine as I Only Paid $300.00 for it Six years ago when i found it in a back row at a John Deere Tri-Green dealership. They whole saled it to me as they said that it was too Old to retail sale with a warranty. I knew that the 318's had a Steller reputation as being one of the toughest John Deere Lawn & garden Tractor's ever made, so it was a No brainer Buy for me. it came to me with a new 48" replacement mowing deck under it that cost's $1300.00 alone. I had to repair a slow leak in it's right front tire, charge it's dead battery and place a new set of Point's and Condenser. I ran it almost Four year's trouble free mowing a full two acres of Grass per week with it for nine month's of the mowing season here in East Tennessee. I added a 54" Hydraulic four way dirt dozer blade as well as a Model 30 Hydraulic Tiller with the Optional 12" tine extension making it a full 42' cut tiller. It will Plum dig to China and run's off a belly mounted pump that operates off your mowing deck belt and the electric PTO operates it. I have a total of $2600.00 in my restored Package shown below. It does anything that I need it to. The John Deere 318 would make your Dad a fine tractor and there are still Plenty of them out there to be had. Read my signature Line, that about sum's it up of how I feel about New being Better ! I hope this helps, The General



Here is how it looked the day that I bought it for $300.00 and brought it home.

Here it is now fully restored shown with it's Impliments