As far as "handling it better," the two machines you've listed will be equal; the biggest difference is that the LA145 has a 48" deck and electric PTO. Otherwise, they have the same engine and transmission. Therefore, I'd go with the LA145 for the larger deck - making sure, of course, that the 48" deck will go through any gates that you have. As far as longevity, a LOT of that depends on the care that you give the machine. I have a 15-year-old Deere STX (a distant ancestor of present low-end Deeres)that's still going strong (it does have a Kohler 12.5HP engine, rather than B&S.) I would suggest that you have a look at the Husqvarna offerings. My 3-year-old Husq LGT2654 is a well-built machine, with which I'm quite satisfied ... time will tell if it will last as long as my old Deere STX. (By the way, Husqvarnas are virtually the same as Sears Craftsman machines.)

I have owned a Husqvarna LGT2654 now for 2 years. Here is my experience. I own 50 acres, and maintain most of it with a New Holland tractor. But I mow my 5 acre hilly yard with my Husqvarna. Here is the low down. First, I personally am a fan of Briggs and Stratton. Every pushmower, power washer, 'you name it' that I have owned had a Briggs motor on it. I have yet to have a problem with one, besides the occasional tune up. My Husqvarna tractor has the 26hp Intek V-twin. It has TONS of power for its size/weight, is reliable, provides great torque, and from what I can tell by the sound/feel, the tolerances are tight. The front axle on this tractor is very heavy compared to others. That is good because when you run it into trees/banks/etc, the axle takes a beating. I also noticed that the deck is heavier than many tractors in its size class. I like the operators platform. Ergonomics on this tractor are great. Plenty of legroom. I like the hydrostatic transmission. My big tractor is also Hydro. For those of you who don't have hydro, you don't know yet what you are missing. The tractor makes an absolutely beautiful cut, which tells me the deck is designed well (flows air nicely) and the blade tip speed is perfect. Also the blades look heavy, and provide plenty of lift. The engine is easily accessible, oil filter easy to reach, overall a pleasure to work on. Now, with all of these positive comments, of course I do have a couple of minor complaints. First, the seat switch that kills the engine when you get up, is a real pain. It is a pressure switch, so if you lean to either side, your mower will start to die. I am not recommending that you do this, but I immediately fixed that problem! I shorted the switch out. Now I can mow on slopes and lean without killing the tractor. Also, the reverse speed is very slow. Obviously, it's that way for safety purposes, but it takes forever to get 10 feet in reverse. One more thing.. if you have a hilly lawn with several trees, I suggest a smaller deck than a 54" like I have. A 54 is good for a big flat area, but in my opinion too wide when you are dealing with trees, small areas, tight turns, etc. I am constantly running the deck into the dirt it seems. And I mow my lawn at 4". I have looked at some of the cheaper riders, in the 800-1000.00 range, and they don't compare at all. They are made much lighter, and could not withstand the abuse that I deal out. Hope this helps somebody! I give my Husky an A+.

If I read your needs correctly, you essentially want a lawn tractor which will occasionally haul a load of firewood? I didn't see anything about "ground engaging" implememnts or anything else which would require a Garden Tractor rear end and tranny. Also "occasionally" haul a load of rocks, mulch. That shuld be within the realm of a LT. What size cart do you have, one of the small ones or something like the 18 cuft AgriFab which is rated for 1500lbs? If you're worrying about hauling heavy loads and your cart will only hold 500... You mention "spinning halfway up." Traction is a function of the tire tread, not the LT/GT label and if that's a concern, you'll have to spend extra $$ for AG or the ATV tires that have become popular on small tractors. Also, depending on the severity of the grade, wheel weights may be needed, though with a load on a cart, the weight is transferred to the rear end of the tractor (if loaded right) so that shouldn't be needed. Sure, a GT would do everything you want and lots more, also "buy more than you need" is a very useful adage to keep in mind. However it's your $$ and you might want to do a realistic evaluation of the tasks you'll do. Didn't see anything about snow removal, pushing a blade or running a snow thrower that would be out of the realm (IMHO) of an LT. If you have "bumps and contusions" in your lawn, remember that the deck hangs off the tractor and if one of the tires is riding up a bump, cut will be affected. Another consideration is availability of parts and dealer service if needed. Where do you order parts for a TSC unit? Is the JD supported by a local dealer or sold at a "big box" store-all GREEN is not equal. You might look at Sears, they have good sales, parts and service are available, and their website is full of reviews for everythig they sell. Good Luck, Ev

See post dated: Wed, Apr 19, 06 at 15:05 These are made by Brinly and are available through other sources (I think Lowes has them or can order them). If you are using it for plowing, as opposed to furrowing already loose soil, you will need some spare carriage bolts. Other than the carriage bolts mine has held up well. It peals back a nice strip of sod if you need to put some open up a path for water drainage across the lawn. You can take the sod strips and put them elsewhere. It is is also a REALLY good way to find shallow wires (like Invisible Fence wires). I still need to rebury the wires I pulled up last year. I will take the furrower off and try the ripper option for that.