Throwing in the towel

[deerseeker001]

the neighbor bought a cub cadet and has nothing but trouble with it.It has a cable for lifting the deck and cables are constantly coming off pulleys.he hates the thing.

 

[rekees4300]

Right now I'm looking at either a GTX2000 Cub or maybe trying my luck w/ a John Deere(a GX 345 or GX355),or maybe a cheapie from an auction in March.

I feel your pain. For decades I have used Craftsman riding mowers. Like you, two years ago I got fed up with the constant repairs, unreliability. Traded 3 of them in on a new John Deere X500. What a difference! I actually enjoy cutting the grass again.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Comparing box store riding lawn mowers to Sub Compact Tractors is like comparing a farm tractor to a Cat Dozer. Not in the same league job or price wise. The problem is the SCUT looks like a box store riding lawn mower until you weigh it, look close to see the "stuff" on the back end of it, look close to see the different stuff on the front end of it and find out the engine is diesel powered vs gasoline and find out the SCUT is 4wd and will climb the side of a mountain and then drive back down it and that's not even getting into the attachments and implements that will attach to it. I've been there and until I bought my first SCUT 11 years ago after buying several box store riding lawn mowers I had no idea and could not conceive of the difference. I was deeply distressed that the new Kubota mower was only 22 hp and box riding mowers were 18 HP and people telling me that the 4wd 22 HP would out pull 25 of the 18 HP gasoline 2wd box store riding mowers. Guess I didn't believe it till I tried it my self. I've bought several Kubotas during that 11 years and one of them was even a gas riding mower but even it stood out from the box store riding mowers, way out at twice the price.
There are many things in life that can never be understood or appreciated until you DO IT or OWN IT yourself. Someone telling or you watching is never the same. That's the way it is with trying to explain the difference between an 18hp box store riding mower and a SCUT. Written descriptions and comparison charts just don't do it, got to get your butt on the seat and your hands on the wheel and get off of the flat quarter acres "Lawn" and then you'll believe.
Of course there is that "I'd rather have the money than to have something that will make my life "better" mentality" and for those folks......well, there's no convincing them and that's OK. Let them die with that pile of money so someone else can use it for whatever they want to and they will, you can take that to the bank.:cool2:

 

[yelbike]

I dont know the op uses or that particular tractor. Is it possible he's asking to much of it?

 

[dieselbob69]

I dont know the op uses or that particular tractor. Is it possible he's asking to much of it?

#1-the GR2100 is NOT a compact,it's a garden tractor-nothing more. If asking to cut the lawn once a week and tow a cart w/ limbs and twigs once in awhile is asking too much out of an $8k mower,guess I'll go back to a cheap *** belt drive model w/ much fewer things to eff up or an late 80's/early 90's Cub /Deere that were built out of METAL and not Plastic I've been reading reviews on some Husqvarna models-I've got a few months before grass starts growing,and a couple auctions in March I may attend.

 

[dieselbob69]

the neighbor bought a cub cadet and has nothing but trouble with it.It has a cable for lifting the deck and cables are constantly coming off pulleys.he hates the thing.

A cable??? Never heard/seen a cable lift a deck-all I've ever seen are rods/links/arms. Do you know what model Cub it is?One thing I might avoid is "electronic power steering" -just another expensive thing to go to ****.....so I guess that rules out the GTX2000 Cub.....

 

[craigbaill]

Diesel,

I really feel awful that you have had sooo much trouble with your GR. I really do appreciate sharing your insight with it as I was looking at that model about 3 years ago. Your input helped me and probably many others to not choose that model. I had a GT5000 2010 Craftsman that would not raise the deck more than 3 inches tops. The steering had a "dead spot" at full lock right or left, the engine always ran super hot and the electric plow didnt work reliably since new. It would plow maybe 6 inches of snow even with chains and loaded tires. I was only mowing .28 acres and we paid $2400 for the gear model. Lesson learned I guess.

I hope you catch a break and get some money back out of the GR and get a machine that works well for you and is trouble free.

 

[powerstroke444e]

Sorry to here of your trouble. I had several G4200's and a G6200 lawn tractors and they are still running. I agree that when you buy a high end diesel unit you expect it to last.
I would by a old GF1800 or any of the older G series before any thing from a box store.

 

[dieselbob69]

That pic in my sig is from April 2013- not an abused machine. The auctions that are coming up in March-the first one usually has 100+ mowers-they drive on ramp-stage for a few seconds,then bid away-usually a few Kubota diesels.The auction week after is at dealer where I bought mine-I'm curious to see if he puts the GR2100 he has on lot now in it-he's asking $3500 now.

 

[murphy1244]

I traded my Simplicity Conquest with 235 hours on a Ventrac 4500 Kubota Diesel last year. Loved that Conquest but I couldn't handle the Deck to Snow Blower change any more. Now instead of fighting a 300lb deck I can drop the Front cutting Deck disconnect the belt and hook up the Blower in 3 minutes easy.