tuff call??? especially after you had a bad experience. I would have no patience paying that much and having to wait on a repair either. Now if they give you a loner, and agree extend the 30 day trial offer then I would give them a change to fix it in reasonable time. But it's your dime.

although they may be resistant (but maybe not), i would just get my money back through jd promise. start over and either buy another jd or go for another brand since you have not been having luck. it's unreasonable to spend 5K and have to deal with repairs and problems on a brand new tractor in the premium price range.

Demand replacement with a new unit straight from the crate.

I've had no problem with mine. Did the tech replace the electronic module? I'd be thinking money back or replacement for new, if in your shoes, too.

I agree with REMOSER on this one. If it's a problem that's been found with this model tractor I'd let them fix this one, a new in the crate may have the same problem. Ask for a loaner if you need one, the dealer should take care of you on this.

Loaner while they fully repair your tractor or the 30 day promise(money back), the dealer can make the call. Easy call for you.

I'm thinking it's the ignition module, but the point is you are having problems with a NEW tractor, and the reason you buy a new one, at least most of the time, is because you were having problems with an old one, but what to do?

Say you were at a dealer shopping for a new tractor, and there were two on the floor just like you wanted. The salesman tells you that one has a problem they haven't fixed yet, and the other one doesn't, but the cost is the same: which one will you buy? Me too!

Seems to me with the JD 30 day free look period that's the choice you have. But were it me I might keep it if they threw in an attachment I wanted. If they take it back they have a used tractor to sell.

I appreciate all of your input. I'm really interested to know if ANY X500 series owners have experienced the same problem with their tractor. Since the tech told me there is a D tack case out there, that would indicate to me that there is a known problem with the model and if that's the case I wonder if I'll run into the same problem again if they exchange my tractor for another new one. I'm going to tell the dealer I want a new tractor. I just don't want to worry about running into other problems with this one down the line. I keep reading on this forum about how great John Deere is in standing behind their products, but I'm really beginning to doubt it after my experience with my last tractor the L120. That's why I upgraded to the premium X500. If anyone has some other testimonials I'd love to read them. I'll let you know what happens after I talk with the dealer tomorrow.

the way i see it. jd should be the one to be inconvenienced by this problem, not you. you should either get a new tractor if you want or get a refund...period.

it's unreasonable for it to be othwerwise. why keep that tractor and go through all the anxiety of whether your thousands of dollars were spent wisely. take advantage of the jd promise. that's part of the high price package. take the route where you are 100% happy with what you are spending your big bucks on.

I don't think, according to what I have read, that there is such a thing as a trouble free garden tractor, and the more electronics that is put on one the more apt it is to have problems. Even the best (and JD is one of the best) have problems. I bought a used GT225, and I got it from a guy who had moved to a condo and just didn't need it any more. It had less than 50 hours on it, and it looked as good as a new one. I went to his house and drove it, liked it, made an offer, and he took it. I went home borrowed a trailer from my neighbor and went back to get it, and it wouldn't start. The starter turned over, but it just wouldn'd start. I told him to get it running and I'd be back to get it. He finally had to take it to the dealer and the ignition module had to be replaced, and if I remember it cost him around $100. Since then I had to replace the seat safety switch once (no cost as the dealer gave me one). But I love my tractor. Every time I get on it to mow it makes me smile, and I've never been sorry one day I bought it. That's the experience John Deere wants you to to have, and that's why they have the 30 day, be happy, or bring it back. Who else does that?

No way would I tolerate any gremlins in a brand new tractor. Take it back, get a new one. Given the choice between hoping they can fix your current tractor or just starting over with a brand new one, I'd go the no hassle route. This ignition problem just sounds like the introduction to a nightmare which ends up with you burning your John Deere hat and trading the non-running X500 on a Kubota.
PS: I absolutely love my GT225, and in several hundred hours of borderline abusive use, the only component I've had to replace was a $90 rear tire, which caught the aluminum drip edge of my open shed door while mowing a little too closely. But sometimes you just get a lemon--and sometimes twice.

Well I must say I'm very happy with the service I have received from my JD dealer. They just delivered another brand new X500 to my house this afternoon to replace the problem one they picked up on Monday this week. They didn't give me a hard time at all about replacing the other tractor under the JD promise. I just hope the last one was a fluke and that I don't run into any issues with this one. I not sure there is another 30 days left in the mowing season, that puts us out to November 17th. I did ask him what happens should I run into a similar problem after the 30 days. He said then it would fall under the 2 year warranty, but JD wouldn't replace again if there was another problem after the next 30 days. I'm hoping for the best as I really do like John Deere equipment and service and support, but if I get a third lemon I'll go out of my mind.