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andrelaplume2

If you had to pick one......small lawn tractors

andrelaplume2
12 years ago

Though I said this last year, I fear my old Toro 32XL lawn tractor may be entering its last season and I want to start to think about a replacement. I will be spending $1500 or less?I know, I know, for real quality I need to spend more. I also do not want used?who knows what problems I?d be inheriting. No, $1000 - $1500 will be my budget.

I have about .4 acres (yes less than half an acre) of grass that I mulch. I could use a walk mower but my kids are at an age where the speed of the tractor comes in handy.

The yard is flat and open, not many obstacles and mostly much grass?some leaves and pine needles in the fall. There is a small hill at on end of the yard?I can navigate the hill in either direction without fear on my current toro tipping. Sometimes when the grass is wet the tires spin going up it?I think after 12 or so years I likely need tires with some more tread. The hill is not too steep though.

I do pull a plug aerator each season but thats all.

I am very good about basic maintenance each year so the replacement unit should allow the owner to be able to change the oil, filters, sharpen the blade, clean the deck etc in a simple fashion. In fact I pull the toro up on ramps and reach under to get the blade off?.something where the deck easily came off for blade changes and cleaning would be great. Hydro tranny might be nice but is not essential, especially if they are more trouble prone. A cup holder might be nice. I like my headlight..I do use it. Other than that I am not too picky so long as it fits thru my shed door?I?ll have to measure them.

I have eliminated toro from my search since my local toro guy (where I have bought all my equipment) actually told me I?d be better off getting a Craftsman and saving $500 - $900 over the toro they sell?they are not to happy with toro having ?sold out? to MTD I guess??I think I can count on them to service whatever I end up with though.

Please rate one from each group or feel free to recommend something else.

GROUP 1 ? HOME DEPOT

42" Ariens 17.5HP ($1299) or 42: Poulan XT 17.5 HP ($999)

To me these two guys look to be made exactly the same. I can see no deck or engine difference. The must be made by the same company?no? The Ariens has a headlight but if everything else is the same I doubt its worth the extra $300?maybe it has a better warranty. I could probably rig a light up for $25. I like the fact that its 42". I have no idea what makes these models decent or junk relative to each other or the Group 2 models.

GROUP 2 ? HOME DEPOT

46" Ariens Hydro ($1299) or 46"John Deere Gear - $1499

These look like a step up from the Group 1 stuff?but maybe not. The Ariens looks to be a completely different platform?good or bad?not sure. It has the Hydro but if that ends up being more problematic down the line I can do with out that. I heard this ?Deere? is not really a ?Deere? and is over priced and parts might be hard to get. Again, I have no idea the plusses / minus between the two. I think t here is a cub cadet for $1499 in this arena as well.

GROUP 3 ? LOWES / SEARS / OTHER

Lowes sells Troy Built. They look like the toros but I could be wrong. I understand Sears makes some decent stuff but they sell so many different models I would not know which is a good one. I?ll consider GROUP 3 to be an area you may make a recommendation of anything other than the first two groups.

So will something from group 1 suffice or am I better off with something more like Group 2 or something else alltogether? I am hoping with regular maintenance to get 10+ years out of whatever I get?no laughing please!

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