To make choices harder (or easier), Tractor Supply has the same mower with a Kohler Professional Grade engine. They also have the same design that I would like to have with a 54 in deck but that costs an extra $500.

Well, Mike, I'm sure that you are aware that both the Cub Cadet and the Huskee at Tractor Supply are MTD products. You're asking for opinions, and you know what body part opinions can be compared to. My opinion is that, generally speaking, Roper/AYP/Electrolux/Husqvarna products are better buys than MTD machines. I've heard very good things about Kawasaki engines, but my personal experience is that both Briggs and Kohler make good products. A really important thing is to perform proper maintenance on whatever you buy.

Asking anything you can buy at Lowe's or HD to mow 2 acres is wishful thinking... asking the same things to mow 4 acres is delusional.

Avoid the L and LA series JD and anything consumer grade like the Troy-Bilts and Cubs at the box stores. Sears will ut their garden tractors on sale from time to time down around $2500 but there's lots of cost cutting on them now days.

HD did offer a nifty blue Dixon aka Husqvarna for sale on their web site for under $3k that was a garden tractor but with no local service or parts support and you had to buy it blind and unseen.

Best bet is to keep your eye out for a clean use JD GT275 or the like. Real garden tractor with readily available parts and service. Lots of optional attachments and accessories. Check out the local JD dealers for trade-ins and watch craigslist.

There's also machinefinder.com for hunting down used stuff.

Dont drive yourself insane the drug companys only get richer...The mower in your price range and to do what you want is to do is a job for a GT series . Try to find a good used machine at your price point you may have to spend a little more. To find a good machine is hard a lot of people are not like us who take care of them. If you plan on used take somebody with you to look at it if you feel more comfortable,also Iwould think 54 inch deck is a must...

For $2000. you can get a good mower to do two acres. Look at used commercial ZTR mowers. If you find one in good condition, get it. It will be the last mower you will buy.

There have been a couple of posts like yours this spring and I always recommend at least looking at the Craftsman Professional 42" (model 98980). I bought this tractor earlier in the year and I have been pleased with it. You might get a better deal on a used garden tractor by Deere or someone else but you said you've tried and are running out of time. If that is the case, you need to look at this one before they are all gone. It is less than $2000 and it specs out well against other lawn tractors from John Deere and Cub Cadet.

Sears also has free shipping right now to your door on this mower and maybe some other incentives. Go to their website and find this model, then click on special offers to see what is available. If you buy on line with Discover card you get another 5% cash back.

I like this mower because it has one of the tightest turn radius' on the market (12"). It also has cruise control, one of the top rated cutting decks, 4 deck scalping wheels, a 24hp ELS Briggs twin, assisted PTO, cut in reverse with button push, heavy gauge metal throughout and lots more features. It is also very, very comfortable with its adjustable high back seat and comes standard with a real nice double bar front brush guard attachment that is very stout. You can side discharge, bag attachment your clippings or mulch with an optional kit. The Pro is made by MTD but is not their usual consumer grade, box store type as it was built to much higher specs and standards mandated by Sears such as "L" frame in 9 gauge steel.

Because of the tight turn technology mowers Sears came out with this year, they decided to eliminate this 42" model in their line so there will be no more after they sell out, or at least so I've been told. This is why they are still on close out price. The 28980 model is certainly worth a look by anyone looking for a good deal in lawn tractors.

Cutting 4 acres with a lawn tractor is asking a lot... cutting 4 acres with a small 42" deck is asking a lot for a very long time.

The number of posts on the net from people who bought too small an LT or GT for their needs and are stuck with the wrong tool for the job is staggering.

from the archives:

Repost of Slammer's Rules...

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 your 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.

I have three riding lawnmowers right now, I have the workhorse JDLX188 with a 17hp Kawasaki (1991), I also have a John Deere SXT with a kohler I think it is, and my newest which doesnt work worth a crap, nor did it ever really was a JD L108...Now having said all of that to say this, Being stuck buy a budget I would not buy any of the JD riding lawn mowers, they change the designation every few years to throw off the bad reputation they create. now they seem to be using a "D" in their model designation as opposed to the L,LT, or whatever they want to call it this year. same crap different name. If I could buy a different one for under 2g's it would be the Husqvarna 21-HP Hydrostatic 46" Riding Mower with a kohler engine. Reasons being Kohler is a better engine than the comparable single cylinder briggs, the cowling is metal as opposed to the plastic crap that even the older and new JD's use, (These cowlings will break within 3 years regardless of how well you treat them if you have freezing temps in your area) THe Husqv's also have deck washouts and have a sturdier deck altogether than the crap JD L,Lt,D series do. I speak from experience here, the only thing that keeps me from buying one is I have 3 riding mowers already and have too much invested to let them go...I would love to get rid of my L108, i bought that baby new in 2005, and it blew engine components out the side one month after the warrenty. They covered the engine after inspection, but I paid over 350bucks for the re-install only to have the "new" engine die out 6 months after that....get the Husqvarna.....If you had more than 2500 i might recommend a different JD, (probably not being they all have the crappy plastic cowlings on them...)