DChall - they are actually more expensive than your standard rider. In my opinion they are so much nicer. I've only used commercial grade, (Scag, kubota, gravely) so not sure if it applies to home owner versions, but the blade speeds are so much higher allowing you to cut at a much faster pace without clumping or bogging the engine. They are also faster. You can make much tighter maneuvers around different landscaping shapes. In some areas I've used the ability to slide the side of the deck in unaccessible areas or under things. The biggest plus for me is the ability to run straight lines back and forth without having to use a brake and stop, change gears, back up, brake, change gears, forward, possible reverse again to line up, and then go back. With a zero turn, when you are at the end of your pass you spin around and keep going. ...I can probably cut a lawn in 1/4 the time than a typical lawn tractor, and get every last blade. That was my experience when I use to do real estate management. After using zero turns, I said I would NEVER use a regular mower again. ...here I am with a craftsman 42" lawn tractor. :-/ ..old owners left it in the deal when I bought the house. If & when I have the money though I'll get one.

I have always felt that something was not right with the mower deck setup and/or height adjuster knob on my 2305. When the tractor first arrived from Deere, the mower deck would "oscillate" when lowered ... it would move downward, and then bounce back up, instead of having a positive Stop when it reached the selected height. The first trip back to the dealer fixed that problem; but then the height adjuster knob would only turn counter-clockwise ... it was impossible to turn it clockwise, even with the mower deck in the fully raised position. After the last trip to the dealer, the height knob will now turn in both directions with the mower deck all the way up ... but, getting the deck to fully raise up is a struggle (as described earler). I have checked everything obvious that I can think of ... the deck is level (checked with blade height gauge), and the draft arms do not hit the frame stops. There does not seem to be an issue with the 3-point hitch speed knob; though it is pretty stiff to turn. I noted all the discussion about the 3-point hitch in this thread; and I admit that I am confused about the relevance of the 3-point hitch adjustments and settings in relation to the Mid-Mounted Mower deck.(?) So, thanks in advance for any further clarification of that 3-point hitch info; or any more input about height control solutions for the 2305/62c units.

I can't believe what I am hearing about the MTD Hydo trans. I have a ranch in Montana. I cut a 3 acres every 2 weeks (11 times a year) It has so many hills I have to ride my 42" cut yard machine side saddle most of the time. I have rolled it 3 times in 14 years of use! I am installing a new (pivot bar) (front Axle) now because 14 years of use has reamed out the axle shafts. (this is a pressed metal pivot bar. Not cast iron. That being said. I have way over 800 hours on the engine (B&S 17.5 hp) and the MTD Hydrostatic tranny. NEITHER HAVE GIVEN ME ANY TROUBLE (AT ALL). I have never changed the oil in the tranny (factory says it's a sealed unit) and I believe them. I have used 3 MTD tractors on my years in the last 40 years! I have sold all of them for 1/2 of what I paid for them. (I did have one B&S engine throw a rod at 250 hrs. Cost $357 in 1993 to get a new long block and 5 hrs to change the motor. My neighbor bought a $4000 JD the same time I bought this mower in 2002. It lasted 3 years and the Kaw. motor blew. He went to JD and they said. That was a really bad motor. We don't replace them and have no other motor to put on your mower. AND we no longer support the trans. on your JD. So he sold it for $600 for parts and was out $3600! (By the way JD said it was really a bad mower they shouldn't have built. But they would be glad to sell him a good one this time. (no discounts mind you!) Ha ha. My little old $1200 (with bags) in 2002 MTD is still running today. So if it runs like a Deere I'd run to the nearest MTD dealer and get a good mower. One with a Hydrostatic trans. that will last I think forever. But I can guarantee you it will last 800 hard hours of use! With no maintenance at all! (Sealed unit) remember. I truly think the MTD lawn tractors are the best value for the dollar of anything I have ever purchased in the past 40 years! Other than my MTD weed eater, but that is another story! You who are look between that auto CVT and the Hydro. GO WITH THE HYDRO. (SEALED UNIT) You will not be sorry! From a 40 year user of MDTS!

Patricia, you say your boyfriend gave you the car? I'm assuming that was before you broke up. Is that correct? You don't think he could have done something like switch the wires on the cruise control where it is always on, do you? Don't mean to scare you but so many people are nutz today anything is possible. Anyway. what you are talking about here is an emergency situation that has to be check out by a mechanic. What I can tell you to do is to see if the cruise control is inadvertently on, as was the case of my mother's car. If that isn't the case you must bring your car in to the shop. And don't be pessimistic. It could be something simple and an easy fix. But you won't know unless you go. Besides, no mechanic is going to start any work unless you approve it. If you can't afford it maybe consider selling the car to someone who can fix it and buying something else. But whatever you do, the last thing you should be doing is driving a car you can't control with you and your children in it. BTW- do you have an honest mechanic you can take it to?