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New Garden Tractor Advice

14 years ago

I've received excellent advice over the years from this site which resulted in my purchasing a Simplicity 18 HP Conquest with the Vanguard engine which I bought about 6 years ago and which I've been very pleased with. A friend recently escaped the rat race in Toronto and now lives on 6 acres north of Cobourg Ontario and is now in the market for a garden tractor which he would also use with a snow blower in winter. On the advice of his new neighbours, he's considering a John Deere Series 500 which I understand has a Kawasaki engine. One of the reasons I bought the Simplicity is the Vanguard engine which I was led to believe was better than the Kawasaki engine. My friend has about 300 feet of driveway to blow in the winter and about 4 acres to mow. Quality,durability,longevity and bang for buck are definite considerations. Is a 4X4 worth ther bucks for blowing? Any suggestions or recommendations as to what to buy?

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Comments (3)

cjsm5nys
14 years ago
Both are GREAT engines. I have read for years the debate into which of the two is the better engine. You will hear from owners of each respective engine that theirs is the best and has been a reliable, strong engine.

As far as the 4x4, my opinion is unless the driveway has an incredible incline or the tractor would be used for commercial purposes, a 4x4 is probably over kill and a waste of a lot of hard earned money. A good old truck w/plow or to contract w/someone to plow for the season may be wiser and cheaper.
mrtractor
14 years ago
Lots of important determining factors: Normal depth of snowfall, how wet, inclines to negotiate, likelihood of ice on drive. You've got a couple of steps you can take before you get all the way to a 4 X 4, but I will tell you from many years of experience in many snow conditions that traction is often an issue. Back to your other options: Chains and weights make a huge difference on traction. Depending on your drive though the chains can be tough on the road surface. You could also use chevron tires, way more grip than regular turf tires. But means you have to do tire swaps each year. If I could afford it I would absolutely go to 4 X 4. Sure cheaper than a shovel and a heart attack.
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Mkaiser, I'll take a stab at a couple of these questions, as I am sure you will get some others to respond. You didn't say anything about your budget for a new machine. That does make a difference. 2. You should really consider a blower, whether it be one for the mower or a stand alone. You will run out of space to dump the snow. Perhaps others will have more experience with pushing snow with a mower. 3. The brands you mention all make good quality mowers. A good dealer/service is a big PLUS. Go to a dealer and see what they have for used machines. You can step up in size while spending a similar amount of money. 5. The tractors in the "Big Box" stores aren't necessarily of less quality, just the lower end. I would fine an independent dealer. You should consider looking at Simplicity, John Deere, Kubota, Case. All these make lawn tractors as well. Good luck
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canadave
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks for the input guys. I'll pass it on. How time flies. I checked my invoice and it turns out I bought the Simplicity Conquest 7 years ago. I should have mentioned that mice got between the engine and cowling two years ago and as a result the engine over-heated and was cooked. I went to this site and someone sent me info on a 20 HP Vanguard at a super savings so once again this site was a life and money saver.

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