Looking for advice re: purchasing a reliable lawn tractor

[Johnnyboy]

Hi Folks, I'm looking to purchase a good reliable small lawn tractor (not JD!) for approx. 13K sq of lawn. I'm hoping to avoid Briggs&Stratton engines, specifically the 18HP
used in the JD E110 as there is some chatter that problems exist with these motors. Some Craftsman and Husqvarna models have Kohler engines, which might be a bit more
reliable. I'd be grateful for any/all advice.
And to explain the JD boycott, I purchased an E110 in 2020 and after 4 seasons, 160 hours of use and timely maintenance the engine failed. Fool me once...
Thank you in advance.
BuddyD

Normally on a 1/4 acre lot I would recommend something like a Toro TimeMaster self propelled lawnmower that has a 30" deck. But I have had so many problems with mine over the last few years I would have to call it a big piece of junk. Other than the normal drive belts and cable replacements, I have had to replace deck spindles, idler pulley that disintegrated, head gasket, and the killer, a failed transmission that was over $200 and should have been covered under Toro warranty because it was not engineered strong enough for such a heavy machine IMO. But Toro failed me and their customer service is pathetic. So yes it could have been an alternative for some folks with 1/4 to 1/2 acre lots, but I would avoid this machine unless you like your local repair center.

 

[X580]

Agreed. Our present property is so hilly, I had to shop for a TRANSmission, not a “mower!” (and that’s how I wound up with the TuffTorq K72 (iirc) in our X580)

 

[Hexa Fox]

Agreed. Our present property is so hilly, I had to shop for a TRANSmission, not a “mower!” (and that’s how I wound up with the TuffTorq K72 (iirc) in our X580)

This thread has gotten so out of control. I know it is normal for a lot of communities but I don't think OP has posted since his first post. I pretty much mow on nothing but hills. I went with a Ferris because their suspension system hands down offers the best ride on the market. However, even though they are very nice reliable machines they are not as reliable on hills. If you are ever shopping for another mower you should look into a Cub Cadet with the Synchro Steer feature. I see people using them like Ventracs and it blows my mind. You can get them in residential or commercial but I would obviously shoot for commercial if money was not an issue. There are plenty of other tractors like Ventracs. A lot of people are getting rid of their 3400 series tractors now because Ventrac has discontinued them and it is scaring people away from them. So you can get a nice AWD machine with plenty of attachments still available cheap.