Repost:

1. Carefully evaluate the size mower you need and buy at least one size larger.

2. NEVER buy a mower from ANYPLACE that will not let you test drive it or at least a similar model. Ergonomics are just as important as performance and capability.
(Vitally important!)

3. DO NOT base your purchase on price or brand name alone! Do proper research and find all of the available models that fit your criteria and haggle, save, or trade to get the right equipment for the job. Do not compromise!

If you follow these three tips you will end up a happy camper with just the right unit for the job. If you disregard this advice you're gonna end up with One or the other of the following problems:

A. Buyers remorse. Stuck with a piece of junk or simply a unit inadequate for the task at hand.

Or..

B. A teed off spouse when you start shopping for another tractor just 3 - 6 months down the road because you didn't buy the right unit in the first place.

Now go forth and shop and try and have fun!

I have a 2006 Simplicity Regeant I did considerable research before I bought it and found a few interesting facts. The engine it uses had a commercial rating as opposed to most of the others in that price range having a residential rating. I only found this out by going to Kohlers website armed with the exact model numbers of the comparison engines. I found horsepower meant very little to a point. I have been very pleased with my Regeant. I mow about 1.5 acres and it does it very efficiently and reliably.

The Simplicity will give you a much better quality of cut, and it sounds like that is all you want it for is to mow with.

Yes, I just need a grass cutter. I don't plan on hauling too much except for a roller (occasionally) to flatten out my mole hills/tunnels. My lawn is in bad shape as far as moss/weeds, so quality of cut isn't nearly as important as durability/reliability.

I guess I'm asking; which is the more reliable machine? The Simplicity is $300 more than the Husqvarna and on the short-side of every comparison. Is that made up for by the quality/reliablity factor?

Thanks

While no brand is flawless in reliability, I would say the reliability of a Simplicity would be better than a Husqvarna.

Enjoy the journey.
eal51 in western CT

Nice tractors. Just wondering if you saw the YTH2146XP at the Husq dealer and what you thought of it compared to the 2246LS....any difference in build quality, any difference in trans. etc.

Yes, I saw the YTH2146XP ($2500) and checked it out a little. The problem is that it's $500 more than the 2246LS ($2000). It also wasn't as "beefy". The YTH2146XP had a 14 gauge frame vs. the 12 gauge of the 2246LS. I also liked the brush guard on the front of the 2246LS. That all said, the Kawasaki motor in the YTH2146XP is supposed to be "commercial" grade. I'm not sure about the tranny in the YTH2146XP. I know the 2246LS has a Tuff Torq K46 tranny.

The Regent starts at $1999 with a Kohler. The website says different, but all the dealers in my area have them at $1999. If you can swing it, get the 2346XLS. It has a Briggs Vanguard and auto diff lock. It is more money, but the Vanguard engine alone is worth the extra cash. Simplicity has a better reputation for long term life. They've been making tractors for decades and it's not uncommon to see Simplicity's from the 70s still mowing lawns.

I'd get the 18/38 Regent myself. Go drive one and you'll see the difference. The handling on a Regent is smooth and the tight turn radius is very helpful. In the end, just go with your gut. I have owned a Regent, sold it for something bigger, and I do own a great big Husqvarna snow blower. Both are good machines and I'll not knock one down. Speaking from direct Regent ownership I can attest to their performance and reliability. I've never owned a Husqvarna tractor, but I wouldn't hesitate to try the 2346XLS if the need was there.

I'm starting to lean towards the Regent as well because of all the good things I am hearing about them.

I want to drive one but the dealer ship doesn't have very convenient hours. They are open from 9 to noon on Saturday, so I guess I'll try that.

I'm having a problem determining which engine to get in a Regent though. The 20/38 has a B&S engine and retails for $300 more than the 18/38 with it's Kohler Courage. The difference between 2 horsepower doesn't concern me that much. I just want to know which is the better engine.

I downloaded the manual for the YTH2146XP. It looks like it has the Kawa engine plus the K 46 TuffTorq tranny.
How much are they asking for the 2346XLS?
Is the Vanguard rated for more hours than the Kawa?
Do both machines (2146XP vs. 2346XLS) use the same stamped steel mowing deck?

Here is a link that might be useful: Husqvarna YTH2146XP

The dealers around me quote retail, although I haven't attempted to haggle yet. Retail on the YTH2146XP is $2500 and the 2346XLS is $2700.

Looking at both though, the 2346XLS is much more substantial. It has a 12 gauge frame vs. the 14 gauge of the YTH2146XP. The 2346XLS has a locking rear differential. The 2346XLS has the "real deal", welded reinforced steel deck, the YTH2146XP doesn't. There are also a few more "fluff" features the 2346XLS has that the YTH2146XP doesn't.

Also, Husqvarna puts the YTH2146XP in it's Homeowner (lowest tier) series and the 2346XLS is in their Landowner (middle tier) series.

The only thing the YTH2146XP seems better at is engine make, although I've heard the Vanguard is a fine engine.

Having seen both, the 2346XLS would get my vote. Too bad it's out of my price range.

I'm looking at the Husqvarna 2246LS and lower-end Simplicity Regent models........as of now.

Just to chime in on this discussion. I recently purchased an 18/38 Regent with the Kohler Courage engine. In a nutshell, I am very impressed with this tractor. I have used it for a month now, from mowing to hauling cartloads of dirt. Every task I need it for it has completed with flying colors.

With regards to the engine, I find the Kohler a wonderful engine. It is very smooth & quiet for a single cylinder. It's seems smoothest when revved up. All the talk about quiet engines is somewhat silly when you consider that the mower-deck is much louder when engaged.

To speak to the durability of Simplicities, my old tractor was a 40 year old Simplicity that was built like a tank. My new tractor may have a slightly lighter frame than my old machine, but it seems no less well engineered for long-term durability. I had been concerned about the strength of a hydro, but the Regent's K46 transmission has been stronger than my old gear driven tractor.

I personally recommend the Regent, and the Kohler engine, which as a single cylinder will probably be better on gas as well. Best of luck with your search. Let us know what you choose.

Happiness,

Thank you for your experience.

I called the closest Simplicity dealer (they just started selling them) and asked the nice lady on the phone what the difference between the Kohler and B&S engines was.

I'm not lying, she said: "Well, men like the Kohler a little more because it has a more macho sound over the Briggs."

Yikes.

xs6dfg0:

I can't say a great deal about the Husqvarna other than they are orange, and some models I've seen mowing from the road look like they do take a beating. I can however tell you a bit about my Simplicity Landlord DLX. Though my Simplicity is a bit higher end garden tractor, the quality is still there in your model. Mine is a year model 2000. It has the full length rollers on the back, and a 18 hp Vanguard engine. I bought it used in 2005, and it now has right at 300 hours on it. The engine runs as smooth as any I've ever had, and that includes a brand new Sabre by John Deere I bought 2 years before finding this Simplicity. The engine in the Sabre was a Kohler Command 17.5 hp single cylinder. It was a good mower, but it was a lawn mower. The Simplicity is a garden tractor. The cut on the Simplicity was already very good, but is a great deal better now that I have new gator blades on it. The ride is great, and I now own a Johnny Bucket Jr. for it. This really made a very practical tractor IMHO. The Simplicity you're looking at will have a deck very similar to mine. Heck, when it is that good, why change it? Take a test ride, and hopefully mow with it. If not, try to see someone's yard mowed with a Simplicity. I was like others and thought it was all hype. Not any more! Whatever you chose, do your regular maintenance, and enjoy the ride.

The only the thing that concerns me with the Simplicity is dealer availability. Two of the dealers that Simplicity listed on their website, that are near me, are no longer carrying the brand. One said they couldn't sell enough of them and the other just said they were "getting away" from Simplicity.

I don't want to buy one and then have to drive 50+ miles to get service.

The one dealer that is carrying them, just started carrying them recently. So that scares me.

I hate making this decision.

Try this. Check out Agco and Massey Ferguson websites and take a real close look at those tractors. See any similarities? They are Simplicity clones. Briggs owns all those brands and Simplicity is the model for their GTs and LTs. Also, Snappers are basically Simplicity's without the deck rollers. Look for those dealers near you. They may not be any closer, but it's worth a shot.

I would expect similar quality in all of those tractors. Some may bad mouth Snapper because they sell a few tractors at Sears, but like Husqvarna tractors, the dealer merchandise is typically higher quality. If you are super worried make sure that before you buy some sort of agreement is in place that if you dislike the tractor you can return it or exchange it. It's a fair request.

xs6dfg0

I would'nt let the response of the woman on the phone deter you. I agree her answer is dumb, but she probably has limited hands on experience with the machines.

You've been doing you homework. Simplicity machines (or their AGCO/Snapper cousins) are excellent machines, that provide comparable quality/capability to Deere's with a more reasonable price point.

My property is similar to yours, flat 2/3 acre, and to be honest, the 18/38 is plenty of tractor for the applications you will require. One thing I learned from my 40yr old 8hp/36" deck Simplicity, is that keeping the design simple is a quality all of it's own. In my opinion the Regent 18/38 continues that tradition.

With that in mind, the 18hp single cylinder Kohler engine has more power than you will use, and better fuel efficiency. You will probably mow your yard in 35-40 minutes (based on my mow time) and average at most 50hrs/ season. With that average the Courage will run at least 15yrs before an overhaul is required. I know in my case I'll probably buy a new tractor within that time.

Don't worry too much about the dealer If they seem reasonable to work with. The machines are well regarded and Briggs who now owns Simplicty/Snapper has a vested interest in building a strong dealer network so they may expand sales.

I agree with the former post, but if noise and vibration is an issue, I would consider a V-Twin. A friend of mine has a Sears ZTR with a 24 h.p. single cylinder Briggs. It is really loud, actually annoying when you ride the ZTR or are near it. I have a neighbor who has the Kohler Courage single banger in Cub tractor. Likewise, the engine is comparatively loud. It is the Harley Davidson of lawn machines in my neighborhood.

I have a husky yth20k46 which is a lighter duty lawn tractor and I am very pleased with it. It is comfortable and handles well and does a beautiful cut on my yard. I am mowing an acre and half that is very hilly and has many obstacles and it handles it well. I have also used this tractor to do some serious brush hogging without any problems (not the smartest thing to do to a new tractor). After 100 hours I feel the quality and durability are top notch.
The single 20hp Kohler Courage is a little rough at startup but is reasonably smooth and quite at full power. It is also pretty frugal on fuel.
I did some research on reliability and consumer reports ranks the major brands in the following order as percentage of problems owners had. John Deere 14% kubota 15% craftsman 18% Husqvarna 19% simplicity 20% cub cadet 21% yardman/machines 24% and troybuilt 24%.
I believe that if you take care of your equipment either one will give you years of dependable service. That being said I think the quality of your local dealers should play a large part in your decision. No matter how good the equipment it will not matter if you can't get good reliable service and parts.

hello, I bought a husqy this summer mainly because my knee was messed up. I needed something with hand, as opposed to foot controls. Model I bought was a YTH1542XP. Also the dealer is less than a mile away, and has a good rep. I have a Kawasaki V twin. I can't talk about reliability yet, since this is my first year with it. What used to be a chore, has turned into a blast for me anyway. Love to mow the lawn now. This model was more expensive than another model I almost bought. It had more horsepower, but the one I have has a heavy duty frame, and can handle a snowblower attachment. [something important to me]

Anyway, I wanted to get involved since I'm new to the tractor seen.

I notice it's been a while since anyone posted in this thread, but thought I'd give it a shot anyway.

The husky tranny has a nice smooth feel, and the steering is effortless.

If anyone has tried the snowblower attatchment, I'd appreciate your opinion. Curious if it's worth the bi-annual change over. I have a 8/26 MTD that does a good job blowing the snow away. Everyone knocks the brand, but I've had good luck with it for 12 years now. I did have to change the friction wheel rubber a couple of times, and a few shear pins. It's very simple to work on though.

What about the quick hitch mower deck on the simplicity that allows for blade maintenance?