Clarification for my first post. 1. You already own a Kubota, probably know the quality built in. Probably have a decent relationship with the dealer. 2. Ultra-reliable and long lasting - take it to the grave with me. Willing to spend to get that. 3. Need to bag wet grass 25% of the time - Bagging with the 326 works all the time wet or dry with no clogging, I personally have not seen better and slick as a whistle to switch from bag to no bag. - dealer will be glad to allow to try out bagging system, they are quite "proud" of them. of course you pay for that. 4. Hubby doesn't want someone elses problems, and prefers new. I'm with you (or him) on this one, although in a couple of areas I'm stuck with used. wife not included - top shelf when I married her 40 yrs ago and still is. 5. Yes, the 326 is overkill for the 2 acres - if you are willing to take a few issues along the way to the grave, there are other options, I find Craftsman bag's better than JD's, I own both have had good luck with both - JD's cost more to buy and maintain - if you want good service JD is hard to beat, at least as good as Kubota, you should have experience with them, being a bota owner. 6. Go look at the equipment first, then use the spec sheets in the final comparision of the features to the dollar's. Good Luck, in what ever you decide

If you are like most of us, you have a beer budget. A new machine that is truly capable of doing all the things on your wish list will cost you ten to twenty grand. Deere only makes one garden tractor series and that's the X-700's. Go to Deere.com and look at the MRSP's for the BASIC models and then add on the cost for a loader, hitch and all the implements you desire. The top Sears tractor is over seven grand and the costs to fit it out will mount equally as fast. According to you, the property is ONE ACRE TOTAL in size. Subtract the foot print for the driveways and buildings plus any planted areas and you likely have a half acre of grass to cut. To use a garden tractor in your garden effectively, you need lots of open area on all four sides of the garden so that the tractor can leave the garden area on each pass and turn around on the lawn for the next pass. Most of the experienced gardeners cross-till the soil and some take it further by finishing on the bias. I think that your needs would be better served in the garden by way of a quality walk-behind, rear-tine tiller from Honda or BCS from the used market. After all, most people only conduct a full-till once or twice per growing season and then spot-till during the season for weed control and re-seeding of fast growing crops such as radishes, onions, lettuce etc. You already own a Mantis and those are perfect for spot-tilling. I think that your other needs would be well-served by way of a quality, used garden tractor that is simple for you to maintain. A Case 444 would fit that bill. As good as Deere and Simplicity tractors are, they are also a royal PITA to work on. Do some research by visiting the site below and learning more about what a Case can do for you. Here is a link that might be useful: link

reply by theodocus struck me as coming from the desk of the ad agency of MTD. No mention of the actual operation that involves rolling over uneven terrain and jarring action from bumps and uneven spots and the fragile fabricated axles that bend and crack easily. Oh, there is also the bushings used in place of ball bearings: bushing use requires higher horsepower to move the newer units. The Deere has points and condenser; cost $5.00 and 9.00 respectively and the sears is a solid state igntion. Newer technology is wonderful as long as it is coupled with quality assemblage in a product. I have a 1968 Sears GARDEN tractor with a 12HP Tecumseh Heavy duty cast iron engine with ball bearings and cut with a 42 inch deck and also have a 1976 John Deere GARDEN tractor with a cast iron 10 HP engine with ball bearings and cut with a 42" deck and use both alternately for mowing two acres and for tilling and moving earth, etc.. Each has cast iron axles and mutli-speed hi-lo transmissions and EACH is used for plowing, snowblowing, tilling earth, hauling 1100 lb loads in attached large carts. EACH will run circles around the new 20 plus HP light LAWN tractors made today. Spend 5,000.00 and you will have a comparable heavy duty GARDEN tractor. By the way, good luck on getting even 10 years of use with the new wonders.

Thanks Tom for the vote of confidence. I do need one every now and too. ;) I was fortunate enough to purchase a new locking differential transmission from my Simplicity just because someone left a link here from another company that was having a sale. I wanted to pass similar information on as many of us run into repairs that require parts that are "NLA". BTW, Surplus Center has some air cooled diesel engines too. I seem to remember either here or another website where someone put one of these air cooled diesel engines in an old Massey Ferguson 12 garden tractor. That was an interesting repowering. That thread really sparked my interest in repairing old machinery.