I bought my DLT3000 in 2003, and am very happyn with it. At the time, I checked out all the tractors priced at the $1,500-2,000 range, and found them about equal in quality. In fact, this was the time that Home Depot went from Scotts to JD. I checked the the JD, and found they were actually higher priced because of their name, though the quality was about the same. I chose Sears because I liked their customer service and repair. Well, in the 9 years since, Sears has gone to complete hell. It appeared after the Kmart merger, that the customer service had gone downhill fast. So today, as I do every year, I check out the tractors in all the stores. The price range still offers the similar quality amongst all the brands. And JD has gotten more competatively priced by lowering theirs. So today, if I were to by one, It would probably be a JD, Husq, or CC. I wouldn't rule Sears out, but I have soured on them. If I went to the next level at $2,000-3,000, then Sears is not even in the picture.

They don't get very specific between the 2 other than the 5 ratings from excellent to poor. The Ariens gets a "Good" rating fro side discharge and mulching whereas the Toro gets "Very Good" for those test results. The Toro gets an "Excellent" for ease of use whereas the Ariens gets a "Very Good" rating. So there doesn't appear to be real Achilles Heel for either. Overall score was Toro at 71 vs 63 for the Ariens. That 3rd blade tends to disrupt the flow of grass into the discharge more than 2 blades. This post was edited by larso1 on Sat, Apr 20, 13 at 17:03

I do, with Stickley.

I would recommend staying away from CR Laine. I purchased a CR Laine sofa through Hickory Park Furniture in Hickory, NC, and it has been a losing and miserable situation since. The sofa itself looks nothing like the photo CR Laine has to represent it. CR Laine even admitted this to me and told me there are supposed to be additional links with photos of the sofa but that there are not for this sofa, but they tell me I have no recourse through them and must go through the seller, Hickory Park. I did so. At the time of the sale, Hickory Park told me to make sure I knew what I wanted, which was of course dependent on them since they are supposed to be the experts and advisors, because I would have no recourse once the sofa was in production. This was a lie. When the sofa arrived, I was horrified. In addition to be profoundly ugly and not looking at all like the photo, the cushion Hickory Park advised me to get based on what I told them I wanted was completely wrong, which CR Laine also told me was the case. CR Laine: "The Hamilton cushion was absolutely the wrong cushion if you told them you wanted a firm and resilient cushion." But lo and behold, the cushions Hickory Park advised me to buy was - surprise, surprise - the most expensive cushion. When I learned I did have recourse, from CR Laine, by filing a complaint with Hickory Park, I did so. I explained the delay was because they had told me I had no recourse at the time of the sale but had just learned that was not true. I also explained that the sofa was used by one person for only five months and is in brand new condition. Hickory Park's manager literally laughed at me, said due to the time lapse, they couldn't do anything for me. But they caused the time lapse by having told me at the sale I would have no recourse if I had any problems! His argument was like someone killing his parents then pleading for mercy on the basis of having been orphaned. All of the problems with the sofa lie with both the seller and the manufacturer: Hickory Park Furnituer and CR Laine. But it is me, the customer, who will take the loss for THEIR lies and misrepresentations and wrong advice. Hickory Park offered to replace the cushion. Useless, since I told them I had ordered a new sofa from Hickory Chair before I knew I could file a complaint about the CR Laine. Notice he simply ignored that info., along with a lot of other info. he simply didn't like. The CR Laine sofa is lightweight, which likely means it is not make with hardwood. It is a hideous design which does not show up in the photo, and CR Laine even acknowledged it's a strange style. The Better Business Bureau down there was useless, as all BBBs are. Likely they are paid dues by both Hickory Park and CR Laine (indeed, the manager from Hickory Park referred to the BBB "mediator" by her first name. There is no mediation here. Buyer beware. Stick with Lee or Hickory Park, and as customers, we have to do all of our own research because salespeople are no longer knowledgeable and are under pressure to just make the sale and will give you wrong information if that is what it takes. Totally, 100% miserable experience with Hickory Park Furniture and CR Laine.