Well, this is late for this thread, but it is worth writing because I'm guessing there are folks out there looking at this mower as i was and looking for any recent reviews as I was when i bought. I bought my cadet i1050 two summers ago and boy what a mistake it was. I had a JD at my old house and sold it with the house when I moved out. Did a lot of reading and checking and bought this thing at a dealer here in Maine called FM Abbott. So, I'm not going to drag out the whole story because my head hurts when I think of all the crap I've been through, and i have to get up early to call the half assed service center because my mower is sitting in the middle of my driveway stalled. Long story short, she has been to the dealer no less than 8 times (at either their expense to pick up ($50) or the expense of my time, effort and aggravation to trailer it over there). A few were because "there was no problem at all" according to them even though they took it with them (if it started, it is doubtful they'd have taken it each time_ and eventually told me they'd taken a few pieces of plastic out of the gas tank that were causing trouble. The other times it was because of the drive system. I remember reading a review that said this mower "climbed hills like a scared cat". Ummm, well, maybe when it was new. I have a pretty modest incline in the back yard that I just have to get up a few times and I'd say over the 2+ years of mowing, I've had to bail out more often than not and go down rather than up. There was a while when I'd step on the gas and the thing would hesitate, think about it, one wheel would spin then eventually the other would catch up....that was another trip to the shop. And today, in the middle of mowing she stopped in the driveway...no nuthin. I wonder if I can find someone to buy this POS so i can go back and get another JD, p.s. also worth mentioning is the inferior job this thing does cutting long and/or damp grass compared to my deere. p.s.x2, the dealer is not good at all. very friendly in sales and on the phone, but i can't believe how many times i've had to go back and i get no sympathy whatsoever. p.s. x3. I don't work for another dealer or another company. email me and i'll gladly send pics of my pos and answer any other questions.

Well, i'd jump thru hoops tp buy the older Wheel-horse! That cub will never be the tractor the WH is. Somewhere, way back in time, the Cub was a good machine, but all i hear now about them is that they are just another MTD type machine, and they are going by the name, and their past prestige. I have a Model 1015. It still runs well, altho the mower deck is not in good shape, but you would have to know the people who had it before me to understand about the deck. Lack of care, and poor maintenance is the main problem. I was given a Toro-Wheel horse around five years ago. Didn't really need it, so i sold it to a neighbor. Last summer, he told me to take it home, so i did. And sold it again. Then i was given another one, which i fixed up, and now i use it around here for a cart hauler, and occasional mowing. The tractor is at least 15 years old, maybe more. Some of the recent CC's haven't been holding up very well-so think about it!

I purchased my Cub in 1999. GOt a 2135 for yard work and a snow thrower attachment for the drive in the winter. First two years were great. After that, nickle and dime issues, VERY POOR reliability, electrical wiring issues, stearing parts broke, in 2006 the engine died with 234 hours on it (we think a valve rod bent) It was the most unreliable piece of equipment I have ever owned (and it was $4,300 for the setup in 1999) Service from the dealer was 'ok' but they had big International Harvester (or whatever they're called now) equipment to work on, so my cub was of little importance, profit wise. I understand that these are made by MTD and not IH like they were in the 80's. MTD makes mediocre equipment at best and the Cub Cadet is a testimony to that decline in quality. It's like what happened to the US auto industry in the late 70's and early 80's. Focus is all about profit and nothing about quality and it's all overseas. I have since replaced it with a Simplicity (out of Washington state, I believe.) So far I'm VERY pleased with the quality and attention to details. Under 5 minutes to drop the mower deck AND remove the bagger. And 2 wheel traction is a nice plus when climbing uneven terrain. I'll never buy another MTD product again. Make sure you know what you're getting

Update--No bacon this morning but I did pull the valve cover. laying in the valve cover was the exhaust valve shim. It didn't look like the adjuster was backed out or anything else was wrong. I put the shim back on top of the valve stem and adjusted both valves---still no compression. I rotated to TDC and blew compressed air in the spark plug hole. Air came out the muffler. I tried rotating the engine all the way through while putting in air, and air always came out of the exhaust--only out of the intake when it was open. I pulled the head and found the problem--the exhaust valve seat had come out. I figure at the factory they superheat the head and cool the seat to press it in--so why did mine come out--only 2 1/2 years old, not abused, change the oil etc. Anyway I went to the B&S site and looked up the head p/n using my parts manual that came with the cub. That part has been replaced by a newer p/n, along with a different gasket. Think they are having head problems? must be--the new head is out of stock and no backorder date. This seems to be a common theme--putting out products without fully testing or just putting them out as quickly as possible. I have a honda min-tiller that after 2 years of light use, the transmission gears went out. Could not buy a replacement gear, only a new transmission. The transmission was a different part number and the old one was no longer available. Maybe I'm just paranoid but I'm beginning to think that the manufacturers are happy with their design guys if the product will only last a little past the warranty. Thanks for the help fl in alabama