Is the x350 over-kill for my yard?

M

Mower Man Dan

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My Craftsman rider is becoming problematic after 20 seasons of use and I am considering replacing it before long. I am at a point in my life where I am willing to "buy once, cry once" and I have seen and studied for myself that it seems the x350 is a great choice. My criteria was: 42" cut, enough power to pull a garden cart full of wood, and I'd like the most reliable engine I can find. My yard is pretty flat and half an acre.

Is the x350 more mower than I should buy? Would a lower level JD with a Briggs v twin be just as good of a choice but for less money? My Craftsman is the 917.275680 with a 24 HP Briggs V twin and it has been problem free aside from replacing both heads a few years back.
 
A

Auto Doc's

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Hello M,

When it comes to the current JD rider mower lineup, reliable rider mowers don't begin until the X350 with a Kawasaki engine.

My advice is purchase from a servicing JD dealer and not a big box store. They will know your machine from the day it is unloaded and setup right off the shipping crate.
 
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Mower Man Dan

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Auto Doc's said:
Hello M,

When it comes to the current JD rider mower lineup, reliable rider mowers don't begin until the X350 with a Kawasaki engine.

My advice is purchase from a servicing JD dealer and not a big box store. They will know your machine from the day it is unloaded and setup right off the shipping crate.
Click to expand...
The good news is there is a dealer right down the street. I went in and talked to their sale guy and had a good rapport with him.

I am not married to buying JD, so any other highly regarded options are welcome suggestions
 
Last edited:
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Auto Doc's

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Hello M.

Avoid buying a display model that has been sitting. Fuel goes bad in the carburetor and the battery discharges. Aside from that some childish customers tend to abuse them a little at times.

Most selling dealers will agree to set up a new one right off the shipping crate if you ask them. It might be a 2 hour wait, but it is worth it in my opinion.

Years ago, I was a service manager at a local JD dealer, and we only kept minimal display models to avoid having trouble from the very start.

Once they set up your machine have them demo it for you.

Last but not least, make sure they give you the operators manual with your exact matching product ID number (PIN). This is so you have an accurate reference in the event your machine ever gets stolen. JD uses that number for customer and parts reference once it is registered in their system
 
J

johnboy647

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Mower Man Dan said:
My Craftsman rider is becoming problematic after 20 seasons of use and I am considering replacing it before long. I am at a point in my life where I am willing to "buy once, cry once" and I have seen and studied for myself that it seems the x350 is a great choice. My criteria was: 42" cut, enough power to pull a garden cart full of wood, and I'd like the most reliable engine I can find. My yard is pretty flat and half an acre.

Is the x350 more mower than I should buy? Would a lower level JD with a Briggs v twin be just as good of a choice but for less money? My Craftsman is the 917.275680 with a 24 HP Briggs V twin and it has been problem free aside from replacing both heads a few years back.
Click to expand...
I would highly recommend the X350n with the Kawasaki engine. I do a good bit of mowing and mine has over 1100 hours on it. I have never had any engine or transmission problems. I would consider a bush guard for the front if you get near any fences or trees. The hood is the weak. point of the X350, in my opinion, I would advise using extra care with the hood when checking the oil or changing the air filter. Servicing the X350 is fast and easy. It is a definite plus to be able to go to a JD dealer and get any parts needed. If they don't have them in stock they can usually get them the next day. You also develop a relationship with the JD dealer and they will help you with any problems you encounter. The X350 is a very good mower.
 
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Chuter

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I worked in the service department of a JD dealer for a couple of years. My advice is to stay with the 300 series or higher. NEVER buy anything from JD that starts with a 1 or has an E in it. Those are the models built to compete on price at the big box stores. Parts will fail faster on the cheaper models, don't cost much less, and the labor is the same. Within the 300 series, the differences tended to be features like horsepower, cutting width, power lift, and power steering. Pick the ones you want/need.

You might want to spend some time in the service department too, just to get a feel for them. Find out what it will cost to get your machine hauled in for service, unless you can haul it yourself.
 
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DeereJon

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Mower Man Dan said:
My Craftsman rider is becoming problematic after 20 seasons of use and I am considering replacing it before long. I am at a point in my life where I am willing to "buy once, cry once" and I have seen and studied for myself that it seems the x350 is a great choice. My criteria was: 42" cut, enough power to pull a garden cart full of wood, and I'd like the most reliable engine I can find. My yard is pretty flat and half an acre.

Is the x350 more mower than I should buy? Would a lower level JD with a Briggs v twin be just as good of a choice but for less money? My Craftsman is the 917.275680 with a 24 HP Briggs V twin and it has been problem free aside from replacing both heads a few years back.
Click to expand...
I just bought the X350 from United AG , Mowed once with it , Now mowing season is over , I wanted a fresh one for next season , It is my 4th Deere Mower , I had a XTS 38 , L110 ,D130 lasted 10 years , Bought the X350 for next season with the Kawasaki motor , hope to have a good 10 years with it , it was way more money than the past ones but is better built , mows much better , will be mulching leaves with it all winter so it wont set idle , we live on 2.75 acres with 100 trees ,will let you know how it goes,
 
toddsyr

toddsyr

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When I went shopping for a lawn tractor a few years ago, the JD website suggested the X350 for my lawn size.
Before plunking down 1000's of dollars though, I did my research. I read everything I could about reviews, complaints etc.
I found a lot of complaints with the X350 with one particular issue. People said after about an hour of use the rear axle got
pretty warm. To me, that says flaw. Parts that get hot wear faster. So..... I looked into the X570. The only complaints I could
find at the time were that the headlights aren't bright enough. Not a big deal to me and it's easily fixable with better bulbs.
Did I make the right choice? I think so. My X570 has performed flawlessly since I've had it. I did have the dealer come back
after purchasing it to make deck adjustments so I could actually cut the grass to a 4" height when set at 4". It was cutting it to
3.5" when set at 4. That's critical to me, I don't like weeds and it makes a big difference. And yes, as stated by others, don't
buy at a big box store. Contact a dealer. Hope this helps you with your decision.
 
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johnboy647

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toddsyr said:
When I went shopping for a lawn tractor a few years ago, the JD website suggested the X350 for my lawn size.
Before plunking down 1000's of dollars though, I did my research. I read everything I could about reviews, complaints etc.
I found a lot of complaints with the X350 with one particular issue. People said after about an hour of use the rear axle got
pretty warm. To me, that says flaw. Parts that get hot wear faster. So..... I looked into the X570. The only complaints I could
find at the time were that the headlights aren't bright enough. Not a big deal to me and it's easily fixable with better bulbs.
Did I make the right choice? I think so. My X570 has performed flawlessly since I've had it. I did have the dealer come back
after purchasing it to make deck adjustments so I could actually cut the grass to a 4" height when set at 4". It was cutting it to
3.5" when set at 4. That's critical to me, I don't like weeds and it makes a big difference. And yes, as stated by others, don't
buy at a big box store. Contact a dealer. Hope this helps you with your decision.
Click to expand...
You are right about the transmission. I did discover that you really can't check or service the transmission. It is also very hard to get to. That said, mine has 1100 hours on it and the transmission continues to work fine. I would advise not pulling anything too heavy too far with it.
 
toddsyr

toddsyr

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See, that makes a difference to me. I redid my whole yard with sod and new topsoil. I had to roll the new topsoil to compact it some so I don't end up with low spots. The roller weighs 300 lbs+ when filled with water. I also use a tow behind aerator with 175 lbs of cement block on it. I went a little bigger with the X570 but I don't worry about anything I do with it.
 
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