I'm going to buy a riding lawn mower for the upcoming year. I've been
out of the loop as far as brand quality ic concerned. I'm willing to
pay up to about 1500.00. A few questions I have:

1- When I last checked out mowers, John Deere used Kohler and Kawasaki
engines. Now they seem to be using B&S. B&S didn't have a glowing
reputation a few years ago. Has this changed at all? Do most major
brands use Briggs? Its all I seem to see.

2- If you don't want to buy a Deere, what is the next most reputable
brand?

3- Are the mowers sold at Lowes/HD different than the mowers sold at a
dealer?

If anyone can answer any of these questions, I would greatly
appreciate!! Thanks.

If you are only going to spend 1500 you might as well just look at a MTD
from about anyplace. Deere and Sears charges to much for the name. That
way you can get more for your money. Almost everyone sells MTD. I like
B&S as well as anything. I have 2 Ariens, one with a Kohler and one with
B&S and I lkie the B&S the best.


From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley

wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm going to buy a riding lawn mower for the upcoming year. I've been
out of the loop as far as brand quality ic concerned. I'm willing to
pay up to about 1500.00. A few questions I have:

1- When I last checked out mowers, John Deere used Kohler and Kawasaki
engines. Now they seem to be using B&S. B&S didn't have a glowing
reputation a few years ago. Has this changed at all? Do most major
brands use Briggs? Its all I seem to see.

2- If you don't want to buy a Deere, what is the next most reputable
brand?

3- Are the mowers sold at Lowes/HD different than the mowers sold at a
dealer?

If anyone can answer any of these questions, I would greatly
appreciate!! Thanks.


Muletrain, try asking your question in the newsgroup alt.home.lawn.garden
they are really sharp when it comes to power equipment questions

Anthony B.

Mel M Kelly wrote:

If you are only going to spend 1500 you might as well just look at a MTD
from about anyplace. Deere and Sears charges to much for the name. That
way you can get more for your money. Almost everyone sells MTD. I like
B&S as well as anything. I have 2 Ariens, one with a Kohler and one with
B&S and I lkie the B&S the best.


From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley







BAck home here in Mount Pocono PA I enjoy riding my goats. Plus when
I'm done with em they help eat the lawn too !!

--Joey--

On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 04:11:16 -0800, muletrain wrote:

I'm going to buy a riding lawn mower for the upcoming year. I've been out
of the loop as far as brand quality ic concerned. I'm willing to pay up
to about 1500.00. A few questions I have:

1- When I last checked out mowers, John Deere used Kohler and Kawasaki
engines. Now they seem to be using B&S. B&S didn't have a glowing
reputation a few years ago. Has this changed at all? Do most major
brands use Briggs? Its all I seem to see.

2- If you don't want to buy a Deere, what is the next most reputable
brand?

3- Are the mowers sold at Lowes/HD different than the mowers sold at a
dealer?

If anyone can answer any of these questions, I would greatly
appreciate!! Thanks.

Good day Muletrain.
I can fully understand the stress that can be created when looking at
tractors. It took me a few years and a few costly mistakes to figure it
all out myself. $1500.00 dollars really isn't much now a days for a lawn
tractor (it's still a lot to me though !!).

When it comes to engines I'm a big fan of the Kawasaki. These engines are
found on many of the commercial mowers. If I'm unable to get a Kawasaki, I
would go for the Kohler. My commercial 37 toro uses a Kohler and now has
about 1600 hours on it with out a bit of trouble. B&S are o.k and tecumseh
are complete junk ( imho ).

With all that said, the tractors that you'll find at the big box stores
are the 'dumbed' down versions of the quality products that those
companies make. JD and Toro are the worst as far as that goes ( imho ).
The Toro's that you find at the big boxes are for the most part MDT's.
Lawnboy was bought by Toro and Toro turned the lawnboy into the consumer
line. They farmed out the work of building them to other factories (MDT
and the like). JD no longer makes a commercial line. They make consumer
mowers and commercial farm equiptment. My JD dealer wouldn't sell me a JD
commercial 21, he said "I don't want to warranty the damn thing in 6
months". I got a honda instead...

If I was stuck with buying a big box store mower, I would lean toward a
husqvarna. Second choice would be JD or cub cadet. Over all, look at the
mowers at the big box stores, then buy it from your dealer for the same
price. You will recieve much better customer service and if the mower
breaks, the big box is going to send it to the dealer to have it fix
anyhow. Cut out the middle man and shop locally.

I would also recommend a use commercial mower. It's very likly that you
could get a used 36 walk behind or zero-turn for that price. The quality
is much higher and it will last you many, many years as a home owner.

Good luck.

--
http://resources.ywgc.com

muletrain wrote:

I'm going to buy a riding lawn mower for the upcoming year. I've been out
of the loop as far as brand quality ic concerned. I'm willing to pay up
to about 1500.00. A few questions I have:

1- When I last checked out mowers, John Deere used Kohler and Kawasaki
engines. Now they seem to be using B&S. B&S didn't have a glowing
reputation a few years ago. Has this changed at all? Do most major
brands use Briggs? Its all I seem to see.

You are on the right track. What made Kohlers great was the cast iron
cylinders or cylinder inserts. Now other makers use them and get good
results also. I would insist either cast iron cylinders or cast iron
inserts.

2- If you don't want to buy a Deere, what is the next most reputable
brand?

For riding lawn mowers the John Deere is still the most reliable, then
the Snapper.

If you go up to a lawn tractor, then John Deer is still the most
reliable, then the
Craftsman
Yard Machines/Yard-Man
Murray
Cub Cadet
and then Toro.

The difference isn't big, but about 10% of Toros have more problems than
John Deers.

In an article I saw a couple years ago, the best buy for under $1,500
was the Troy Built/Yard Man (same machines).

3- Are the mowers sold at Lowes/HD different than the mowers sold at a
dealer?

Lowes, Home Depot and Dealers sell some of the same products. You have
to ask the Lowes/HD where they get their machines fixed. They don't
carry parts typically and go through a local dealer. I have a Wheel
Horse/Toro that I bought from a dealer that has retired and closed up.
The closest dealer won't work on machines he didn't sell, so I have to
go further to a dealer that will. It is a pain. I would make sure you
can get parts and service. You probably will need it if you keep the
machine long enough.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman

Stephen Henning muletrain wrote:

I'm going to buy a riding lawn mower for the upcoming year. I've been out
of the loop as far as brand quality ic concerned. I'm willing to pay up
to about 1500.00. A few questions I have:

1- When I last checked out mowers, John Deere used Kohler and Kawasaki
engines. Now they seem to be using B&S. B&S didn't have a glowing
reputation a few years ago. Has this changed at all? Do most major
brands use Briggs? Its all I seem to see.

You are on the right track. What made Kohlers great was the cast iron
cylinders or cylinder inserts. Now other makers use them and get good
results also. I would insist either cast iron cylinders or cast iron
inserts.

2- If you don't want to buy a Deere, what is the next most reputable
brand?

For riding lawn mowers the John Deere is still the most reliable, then
the Snapper.

If you go up to a lawn tractor, then John Deer is still the most
reliable, then the
Craftsman
Yard Machines/Yard-Man
Murray
Cub Cadet
and then Toro.

The difference isn't big, but about 10% of Toros have more problems than
John Deers.

In an article I saw a couple years ago, the best buy for under $1,500
was the Troy Built/Yard Man (same machines).

3- Are the mowers sold at Lowes/HD different than the mowers sold at a
dealer?

Lowes, Home Depot and Dealers sell some of the same products. You have
to ask the Lowes/HD where they get their machines fixed. They don't
carry parts typically and go through a local dealer. I have a Wheel
Horse/Toro that I bought from a dealer that has retired and closed up.
The closest dealer won't work on machines he didn't sell, so I have to
go further to a dealer that will. It is a pain. I would make sure you
can get parts and service. You probably will need it if you keep the
machine long enough.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman


we bought a JD L110 about three years ago and have been very well pleased with it. we went for the one that was hydrostatic controls. here in canada they ran about 2400 dollars and taxes not sure where u are or the money equvalent but it might be one worth looking into.

http://www.deere.com/en_US/ProductCa...SKU20251&tM=HO

there are a couple of different L110 model features u can get but hope this helps u some. sockiescat.