cwenisch,
I have a craftsman GARDEN tractor which I bought for around $2000.00 on sale. A garden tractor is much stronger than a simple lawn tractor and you can do much more with it like plowing, using ground engaging attachments, etc. As far as value I did not find a better value for the money than the Craftsman DSG 6500. There may be better garden tractors out there but they generally cost more. The DSG 6500 is built by Husqvarna and has favorable reviews from Consumers Report and a recent Popular Mechanics article comparing various brands. It is more tractor than the LA series JD and easier to fix. I have had no problems with mine. For around $1000.00 you can get a 2-stage snow blower for the front. Hopefully this helps.

sheesh what a Craftsman fan boy!

Anyway, make sure that you go to both dealers/stores and look for your self. Talk to the folks there and make your own impression. Do yourself a favor and checkout some used units that will last a long time. Going in reverse is very important while snow blowing, make sure the unit isn't slow in reverse.

-gh

lakeguy43 the Craftsman garden tractor is not made by Husqvarna both tractors are made by A.Y.P. american Yard products and it parent company electrolux which just this year sold off Husqvarna asof now bothe tractors are produced by A.Y.P. which at one time was Roper.

In 2006, Electrolux AB, a Swedish company, spun off its lawn and garden and outdoor products division as Husqvarna AB, known in the USA as Husqvarna Outdoor Products, Inc. The former AYP is now a division of Husqvarna AB. Husqvarna AB manufactures Husqvarna and Craftsman brand lawn and garden tractors.

Here's a link to more info on the spin-off.

Spin-Off

-Deerslayer

You should go look at both.

My 1999 Craftsman 20HP has a about 8 pins I had to remove and store to remove the deck. There were 4 difference sizes and you had to make sure the right size went back into the right locations. I can not imagine what I would have had to do to put on a snowblower.

My replacement 2003 JD LX277 has 3 attachment points; 1 in the front and two "U" spring loaded pins that never detach from the deck itself. AMAZINGLY Simple and no parts to lose.

greenhobby,
Yeah, the way I talk about my tractor you'd think I was one of the JD guys that regularly post here. So it's OK to crow about a JD, Toro, or whatever but not a Craftsman? Careful, your prejudice is showing. Show me where else you can get a new real GARDEN tractor for slightly more than $2000.00. The LA series from JD are OK but they're a LAWN tractor and aren't designed to do heavy work.
sergeant,
I'm not sure where you get your info from but in any case the tractor is still assembled in Atlanta, Ga and the independent reviews I mentioned still stand. They still share a lot of parts with the Huskys. The review from Popular Mechanics I feel was one of the most balanced I've seen. They describe the Craftsman as a no frills very serviceable tractor with all the options you need. They did however go on to say that there are fancier, quieter tractors out there. For me I'm happy with my Chevy, but some like their Cadillacs.
In any case the question was "I have $2000.00 to spend on a NEW tractor and I need to use it with a snowblower." A garden tractor will outperform a lawn tractor any day under these conditions. If you know where else you can find a new fully capable garden tractor for around $2000.00 let me know. Like it or not Sears uses its massive buying power to get lower prices on some items that would normally be more costly.

deerslayer,
thanks for that clarification. That one I believe.
bhshaman,
OK well you're talking about an eight year old tractor. My deck isn't that difficult to remove. If you are using a snowblower, how often are you planning on taking it off and on anyway? I don't live where it's an issue so I don't know how the snowblowers attach but the reviews from people that use them on Craftsman tractors are favorable. I'm glad you are happy with your JD. They have a lot of good tractors. For me I don't care what color the paint is, just how functional it is for the money. My Craftsman is easy to adjust, easy to service, easy to change the main drive belt (unlike the LA series), has grease jerks everywhere that are easy to access. The front axles are cast iron, the engine is a 26 hp. B&S. I went with the manual tranny 'cause I use mine heavily. There are only two things I would change. A better hood latch and I would have preferred another PTO other than the one underneath but for the price I'm not complaining.
greenhobby,
I do agree that cwenisch should look around, sit on tractors, try them out if possible.

Cwenish,
Why won't you consider a used tractor? This is a great time of year to buy a used tractor. I'm assuming the $2,000 is for the mower only. The snowblower for the LA120 is $1299. After adding the required chains and weights, you'll spend as much as you spent on the LA120. So $3500 later all you'll have is a light duty tractor with a snowblower which will certainly outlast it.
I didn't even see a blower available on the craftsman website, but there is a blower available for the Husqvarna. It just seems a bit disproportionate to have a snowblower attachment worth as much as the tractor pushing it, especially when you consider you'll be using the tractor for probably 70-100 hours a year and the blower for maybe 10.
I'm not recommending you buy used, because if everyone bought used than guys like me who like to buy second-hand stuff will have to revert to third and fourth-hand stuff. Somebody needs to buy the new stuff!
But if you were to go that route, you'd have no trouble finding a garden tractor and a matching blower for under $2,000 (the type of equipment which would have cost $6,000 five years ago).

I was not advocating for JD.
Just describing my experience.
And the JD series of decks go back 10+ years with the same attachment points, so the comparison is appropriate for the comparison by year.

If he is not sure, he needs to go see for himself.
If Craftsman has made it easier, then cool. But if your the user you should go see how each converts over and make the choice in person, not off an internet forum.

bhshaman,
You're right. nothing's better than seeing it for yourself. Maybe I'm just lucky. I have a Ford "Exploder" that I run the wheels off that has never given me a lick of trouble but I know a lot of people who0 hate them.

Snowblowing in rural Minnesota
I have A GT 5000 with a snowblower attachment from sears.
Snowblower 2- stage $1372.00 from Sears dealer
Without Weights $117 Chains 76.00, you will spin your tires just pushing the unit. The unit takes an hour to hook-up so it takes an hour to take off. It's easier to just leave on. The blower is belt driven so the more snow you push, the slower you have to go. Belt also does some wicked 90 degree turns which means a new or spare belt on hand at all times. I also put a wide slid on my blower to keep it from digging in when blowing. I'm in the process of revamping my snowblowing equipment, this snow blower did not meet my expections. For what it's worth.

Thanks hobbyfarmer, that is good to know. I live on a hobby farm in rural MN too. I'm in the Willmar area, where you from?

hobbyfarmer,
You live in rural Minnesota, I defer to you on snow blowers! I did notice the Sears site had a couple different blowers. One had poor reviews and the other had good reviews. As I live in Oregon not an issue for me. I would talk to people in the area who use them and see what they recommend.

hobbyfarmer,
I always have wheel weights on my tractor plus usually lug tires and traction for plowing hasn't been an issue but then I'm not pushing snow around like you guys! I'm glad you Minnesota types had a bonding moment. You guys need to huddle together for warm! LOL :^)

Mountains in New Mexico, 7000 ft above sea level

Scotts by Murray 20hp Kohler Command with rear wheels weights, chains, and factory (by Haban Manufacturing) 42" single stage thrower with Clarence's impeller kit... let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. NO worries!

{{gwi:338251}}

Now there's a man prepared!! I think those rocks will make short work out of those skid shoes though ;-)

-gh

Au contrere Geenhobby, those skid shoes are 11 years old :-)

They stay up nicely on the least bit of snow covering the gravel.

11 year old Murray, I need one of those. The paint holds alot better than Green and Yellow or AYP products.

steve2ski,

Scotts (made by Murray in USA) purchased new in 96 mows 2 acres and throws New Mexico mountain snow at 7000 ft effortlessly.

Other than routine maintenance the only repair has been a new electric PTO clutch (made by Warner) @ 8 years so I can't blame Murray for that.

All in all it's been reliable and competent and was reasonably priced when new.

I suspect the paint is lasting so long because it's on STEEL and not plastic ;-)

cwenisch
Sorry for the late reply, been busy putting up fencing.
I live between Dawson and Madison on school road. My driveway is 1/3 mile long between two fields. If the ditches get burned, there's just deep snow in the yard drive. If not, it's usually a two to three hour job because of drifting.
Being a snowmobiler, I always want snow, just wish I didn't have to move it.

lakeguy43

There's nothing like blowing snow on an open driveway at a temp of 10 or below degree day with the wind blowing 10-20 miles an hour. I have to wear a full snowmobile suit with helmet and stoke the wood stove up to the max, to warm up, while blowing snow.
It's a real weather experience. We get a couple white-outs every month during the winter from the winds. We have miles of open fields everywhere. Only place you don't have open ground is where the homestead is located. That's surrounded by your grove of trees. Recently State had surrounding towns install warning lights forbidding vehicle travel when these conditions exist. The fine, if they have to come and pull you out of the ditch, is $1,000.00! The funny part is, if you don't go into town, you can drive all over and not get fined, because you never crossed the warning light. It's a crazy world!

Hobbyfarmer,
Sounds like heaven. Do the kids even have snow days or would that just give them off all winter? I miss the 3' PA snowstorms I grew up with, and the skiing, snowmobiling and four-wheeling that accompanied them. Not much snow here in eastern NC. Hurricanes aren't nearly as much fun as blizzards.

Hobbyfarmer,
I grew up in Alberta, Canada. The last winter I spent in Canada was in Manitoba the winter of '96-'97 when Grand Forks was flooded and people sand-bagged their farm houses and parts of Winnipeg. Too much of a good thing. One sidenote though, the plane I am building can be put on skis and the Rotax engine is a cousin of a snowmobile engine so Canadians and Easterners fly them in the winter often. You can land on snow fields anywhere. Skimming over frozen rivers and lakes on a still frozen morning with frost on all the trees and the sky that impossible blue. The first couple years here (Oregon) I had to get used to the feeling that the sky was pressing down on me.