Most new riding lawn mowers the same?

[gh1950]

Something like this is exactly what I'm looking for. I'm of course looking to buy new, just not sure if the store brands of today are equivalent to the store brands of yesteryear. I'd have to assume like everything else the metal is thinner and the plastic is more abundant, whether or not it makes a difference once it's all put together?



I'm having a hard time finding anything under 2k. Is Exmark the brand I'm supposed to google? I also got search results for Toro and Yard Machine, are these related? thanks



Would be nice to have a tow behind trailer for random chores and yard work for me as well!

Toro and Yard Machine are MTD

Wait another week and they will start getting marked down.

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

I've got a Hustler zero turn radius mower now, which I use every week to cut at least 1 acre and every three weeks to cut another acre way out back.

My prior mower was a Craftsman conventional riding lawn mower.
The new one cuts a little bit better and a little bit faster than the other one, and it definitely seems more stable and more comfortable to ride.

I have taken off the cutting deck from the Craftsman lawn tractor and now I only use it to tow a small utility trailer with a dump bed around the property. That little trailer holds more than a wheelbarrow and it is easier on me to ride around then push a wheelbarrow around.

 

[stickbowman]

I had a craftsman 42" rider I kept and maintained for 20 years. It finally bit the dust this past spring. I bought a new Husqvarna to replace it. I think it was around $1400, marked down to about $1100. I bought it at sears. It has been back to the shop 2 times for carb issues. I had to find a Husqvarna dealer that had a mechanic, sears didn't. Took it to the authorized Husqvarna dealer, who was less than enthusiastic about working on it because I didn't buy it from them. They said Husqvarna would not warranty the work. Mower was less than 30 days old.
I should have returned it. I'm still using it. Now it's starting to throw the belt off every once in a while. I'm thinking I'll be lucky to get 5 years out of this one... Maybe I just got a bad one but I won't ever buy another Husqvarna. Just a bad experience from all involved for me....

 

[InTune]

At 1500 to 2000, they are all junk. Paint it green, charge a little more for the junk.

 

[Bubbado52]

John Deere is over priced crap if bought from the big box stores. Near impossible to get drive train parts.

 

[KingTuna]

If it was me, I'd be looking at a Poulan. The 1,000 model is built similar to the old Craftsmans that we all love and remember. They come with a 17hp Briggs engine, and the 6 speed peerless transaxle. For your acre, this should do you fine, and leave money in the budget for a bagger. I would stay away from MTD products, they are garbage. I'm not a fan of many of their designs. I have about 4 acres to cut at my house, and I currently have a 46" craftsman YT3000 that cuts all of it. I'm looking at a Bad Boy 54" cut, or a Hustler with the 52" deck. You could pick up a Hustler with 42 inch deck if looking for a zero turn, they run about 2K from what I have seen.

 

[canoecanoe]

I'll throw this about the zero turns. They cut grass like nothing else, but I'm old and lame. The sit on top lawn mowers are invaluable to me for yard work and around the house work pulling a trailer. Little tractors as they are.

Bingo for me.

 

[InTune]

Hustler Raptor 42 gonna be close to 3k but that is what I would be considering. I have a Fast Track. Like the simple engineering . 5 yrs, no problems

 

[Butshot]

I have 3 husqvarna riders, bought a used one first, ran fine until the muffler cracked and set all the plastic stuff on the side of the mower on fire, I was riding it at the time!, jumped off when I saw the flames and got my dog"s water bowl to put it out! Found another used one on Craigslist just like it, took parts off to fix the first one, works fine now, ordered new parts from husqvarna for the second one only use it for the back yard, got a brand new one at lowe's in a father's day sale, it's the primary now

 

[8675309]

I’m leaning towards Deere. I have read the Koehler engines are crap.

kohler engines used to be really good but they sold out to china