mking7 said:Has to be new. Lawn tractor, not zero-turn. 48"+ deck. When I was researching I went with the JD based on reviews I had seen in other forums and I upgraded to the series where I could get the Kawasaki motor (300 series) but my buddy found this Cub Cadet and was about to pull the trigger on it but I told him to hold off because I thought I had read several people saying they aren't what they used to be. Knowing that many will say none of them are, but CC got more negative feedback than most.
MasterMech said:CC is now entirely built by MTD. Nowhere near their former glory IMO.
bluedogz said:If I were trying to buy another tractor, I'd skip the "new" thing and go for something with ready parts availability.
Bocefus78 said:M-uch
T-rouble
D-own the road
Nuff said.
ironpony said:it is going to be hard to find a good new lawn tractor, to much outsourcing of parts
Battenkiller said:and they have a residential series (Quest) ZTR for $3500 that looks pretty well made.
Battenkiller said:ironpony said:it is going to be hard to find a good new lawn tractor, to much outsourcing of parts
I'm in the same boat as the OP, and I've been coming up short in my search. Every dealer I talk to says the market for quality garden tractors has shrunken due to the fact that most everybody thinks they need a strong tractor for ground work but they really end up mowing most of the time with the machine. For that, the ZTR mowers have them beat hands down. I want to do more than just mow, a lot more. Not much out there under $7K that will do what I need.
Kioti is coming out with a sub-compact diesel tractor this spring. No published pricing yet, but the dealer says they will be above $8K without a deck. That's almost twice my budget. He also carries ExMark equipment, and they have a residential series (Quest) ZTR for $3500 that looks pretty well made. It has a 26 HP Kaw twin in it. Top speed is over 7 MPH, and they are supposed to cut pretty nice at higher speeds if they terrain isn't too bumpy. My property is flat and smooth, so I am leaning that way. Then I am planing to be patient and wait for an old ag tractor with a FEL for the heavy work. I see nice ones all the time on CL for under $4K, but I've never needed one until now.
At least that's the plan tonight. Spring is still a long ways away. ;-)
We use essential cookies to make this site work, and optional cookies to enhance your experience.