X520 300 hour review

My X520 just turned 300 hours this afternoon.

So far for the last 5 years I have not had a single problem.

300 hour overview.
Likes

Engine
Has great power. I have yet to stall it doing normal and heavy mowing. I did stall it once when I tried to turn on the blades in waist high grass.:wink:
Also it is easy to do the daily pre start checks and work when needed.

Transmission
The transmission is very strong. I have pulled stuff that it should not pull, like logs and a truck. The transmission did not even groan.

Mower
The 54'' mower is the best I have used. It cuts smooth and level. The deck handles wet heavy thick grass with ease.
The deck is the easiest to remove and install out of all my equipment.
Removal and installation of the mower takes less than five minutes and no tools.
The deck is easy to keep clean of debris and easy to keep greased.

Fit and finish
This machine is built like a tank. The body panels fit together very well.

Dislikes.
The only thing I do not like about this machine is the headlight could be brighter and it needs tail lights or a rear work light.

Overall I would buy another one of these tractors if I got the chance.
I would recommend this tractor or any of the X5xx series tractors to someone who was in the market for a new or used garden tractor.

Hi Kingwood 990

Sound like you got one hell of a machine ,keep up the good maintenance work that you are doing :tongue: to it must be paying off. Look like you have a look of lawn tractor you must do a lot of mowing?

noma said:

Hi Kingwood 990

Sound like you got one hell of a machine ,keep up the good maintenance work that you are doing :tongue: to it must be paying off. Look like you have a look of lawn tractor you must do a lot of mowing?

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Thanks noma.
I have done all the maintenance by the book.
I do lots of mowing, about 8 acres a week during the season.

Hi Kingwood 990

You do a lot of mowing for sure how many hour a week do you mow?:wink:

noma said:

Hi Kingwood 990

You do a lot of mowing for sure how many hour a week do you mow?:wink:

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Lets see, about 3 hours a week mowing and then maybe another 2 hours just driving around on the tractor.

You said it needs better lights - do you often mow in the dark? We usually mow our lawn first thing in the morning (after the sun comes up) so lights aren't an issue. Good thing, because my inlaws mower (that we use) doesn't have any!

Pika said:

You said it needs better lights - do you often mow in the dark? We usually mow our lawn first thing in the morning (after the sun comes up) so lights aren't an issue. Good thing, because my inlaws mower (that we use) doesn't have any!

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I usally mow in the evening when I get the time to do so. Also it is cooler and in the morning I just don't have the time. Plus doing it towards night time gives the grass time to dry out before cutting.

I have used mowers with out head lights and it was not fun. I did try to duct tape flash lights to the hood but it did not work.

I'm new here. That's a great review. I'm on my 3rd JD I put a lot more hours per year on them between 200-250 so they rack up in a hurry. If you want to know how many hours you can really get out of them. I am stuck with the GX345 series because all my attachment won't fit newer models. In 2000 I sold my 1996 345 with 1340 hours and bought a 2000 345 this past summer I sold it to my neighbor it had 2140 hours. I found a 2005 GX345 sitting in a storage locker for 5 years with 112 hrs.
My point being if you take good care of them they will last most people a lifetime.

RTSB said:

I'm new here. That's a great review. I'm on my 3rd JD I put a lot more hours per year on them between 200-250 so they rack up in a hurry. If you want to know how many hours you can really get out of them. I am stuck with the GX345 series because all my attachment won't fit newer models. In 2000 I sold my 1996 345 with 1340 hours and bought a 2000 345 this past summer I sold it to my neighbor it had 2140 hours. I found a 2005 GX345 sitting in a storage locker for 5 years with 112 hrs.
My point being if you take good care of them they will last most people a lifetime.

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Welcome to the forum RTSB. Glad to here the 345's and GX345's are holding up well for you. You are right with maintenance goes a long way towards the life of a machine.