[Niteshade]

What's the best riding mower for around $1600.00? So far I have looked at John Deer, Craftsman, Husqvarna & Cub Cadet. Sears's YT-4000 w/ 24hp engine & hydrostatic transmission caught my eye. I do not like the new sealed manual transmissions.

[thunderbrick]

Deere and Cub are much better built than Craftsman/Sears.

[rodge827]

Love my Deere

[macrojack]

When I shopped for a riding mower about 6 years ago I checked out all the brands you named and many others. I wound up buying a Cub Cadet at Lowe's for just about what you are looking to spend.

[jtwrace]

Deere and Cub are much better built than Craftsman/Sears.

+1   Just thought I need to inform you guys....a Deere that you purchase at Lowes is NOT the same Deere you purchase at an authorized John Deere store.  Take a look and speak to a private store...applicances are the same.  Mass made for the chain stores...

[mgalusha]

I just went through this exercise and learned more about these than I ever wanted to.

Bottom line is there are basically three manufacturers.

MTD - Cub Cadet/Troy Bilt/White/Yard Machines and one or two more

Husqvarna - Husqvarna/Poulan Pro/Ariens and perhaps one or two others

John Deere

Until this year most of the Sears machines were built by Husqvarna but they are now having MTD build some of them but not all.

Unless you spend big $$ almost all of them use a Briggs & Stratton engine (some have a Kohler) and either a Tuff Torq K46 trans-axle or a Hydro Gear trans-axle. This includes all the 100 series JD's as far as I can tell.

Some can be purchased with a commercial series B&S engine, the "Vanguard" series.

Having owned both an MTD and a Husqvarna I would not buy another MTD, they Husky is just better built IMO. From what I've been able to find the Tuff Torq trans in the 100 series JD's are actually spec'd slightly less than a standard unit from them to save a few $$ and keep the price about the same as the others.

If I had the $$ I would have bought a 500 series JD but that was way out of my price range. I ended up with a Husqvarna YTH23V42LS, a 23HP, 42" cut but with the commercial engine, a locking rear diff and a fabricated (vs stamped) deck. Picked it up last Friday and so far it's an animal.

mike

[BobC]

....a Deere that you purchase at Lowes is NOT the same Deere you purchase at an authorized John Deere store.

+1  I choked on the idea of buying a $3000 mower, but went to the local dealer who had a disassembled X Series hung on a wall next to the mass market LA series, and there was no comparison.  Everything about the X was better.  Bigger / heavier chassis, Bearings vs bushings, etc.

I bought the X300 and have been happy so far....but this thing better last me 20 years 
   

[mgalusha]

I should have said the LA1xx series, but I could not agree more, the mass market JD's are just no comparison to the x300/x500/x700 series but I just couldn't quite swing it.

[thunderbrick]

I live in the sticks, and I see a lot of older JD lawn tractors, but damned few old Craftsman.  I lucked out and bought a one-year-old JD X324 and LOVE IT!
Why not look for a used HD unit?  Built like a friggin' TANK!

[Niteshade]

Thanks for all the good advice!

I took the day off today to look for another mower. I decided to look for a used garden tractor instead of a new lawn tractor. The pickings were slim. I almost purchased a used simplicity made in the 70's that had a single cylinder 16hp engine & hydrostatic transmission, but that went awry due to the owner deciding not to sell it. Next I found a used 2003 Craftsman GT-3000 w/ a 23hp V-Twin. It was used sparingly and operated flawlessly. So- that's what I got. Can't complain for $650.00! The Simplicity was $800.00. The GT-3000 a garden tractor as well- so it should do fine mowing 1.5 arces. The Wheel horse is going to get fixed. It appears to be a warped intake valve on the left cylinder.

Note: There were no used John Deere's or Cub's.

Our last mower before the Toro/Wheel Horse was a Lowe's made by AYP. It served us VERY well for at least 15 years until the deck rotted out. The I/C 18hp Briggs is amazing! The tranny is perfect. If I can find a used deck, it may be set up as backup #2.

[Don_S]

Who makes Wheelhorse?

Remember, the more you spend on a tractor the less money you have to spend on useful stuff like speakers and such. 

My father had an MTD for many years.  He convinced himself the bottom deck was breaking so he bought a new Bolens built by MTD.  A neighbor bought the old MTD and is still using it.  Unless your yard is golf course size I am not sure buying the most expensive is necessarily a good investment.

I have an MTD push mower with B&S engine.  It is over 23 years old.  Once every couple of years I remember to change the oil.  It has had several new blades and I think one new spark plug. Recently the starting rope broke.  My neighbor replaced it for me and I am still using the mower. Of course a push mower is less complicated than a riding mower but darn, I beat the thing and it won't die. I think most tractor brands will give good service as well.

I think I would concentrate on how easy the controls are to use and the all important butt basket.

[Niteshade]

Yeah! Wheelhorse is a Toro product now.