Ni wrote:
I am debating buying riding mower and narrow it down to two models
(john deere).
a) 20 hp, low back seat
b) 22 hp, higher back seat and back tires are ~2in wider.

the price difference is $200. Is the (b) better for the extra bucks?

(My yard has little slop.)

thanks in advance for the opinion.




For cutting grass you need no more than 10hp. A more powerful engine
is useful for other attachments such as a snowblower (seldom seen in
North Carolina). Maybe you are buying more engine than you need.

Wider tires are more gentle on the grass than narrow tires because the
point loading (pounds per square inch) is less. However, this is a
minor point because the engine is in the front and the front tires are
the same on both machines.

Consider the John Deere 17hp mower which costs hundreds less.
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...311&lpage=none
This model has a 42-inch cutting swath, the same as the 20hp and 22hp
models. It has a 5-speed transmission rather than the hydrostatic, and
I would count that as an advantage. Operating a riding mower is not
like driving a car. With a 5-speed car you must shift gears as you go.
With a mower you pick one gear and stay in it for the whole job,
except for backing up.

As regards the seat height, you ought to give both seats the "tushy
test." Sit on both and decide which is more comfortable for you.
This is entirely subjective.

Daniel B. Martin