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Does anyone have any experience with these two lawn tractors. I can't seem to make up my mind. As far as price, the JD is a $100 more, but which one is better or more reliable? My current mower is a JD X300 with a bad transmission... Makes me a little weary of the JD, but I know anybody's machine can break down.

PickyBiker said:

Does anyone have any experience with these two lawn tractors. I can't seem to make up my mind. As far as price, the JD is a $100 more, but which one is better or more reliable? My current mower is a JD X300 with a bad transmission... Makes me a little weary of the JD, but I know anybody's machine can break down.

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It is well known that I do not like junk Deere.
I have a cub cadet that I put threw hell I run it hard and as fast as it will go.
For the money your going to get more mower with the cub.
If you go look at the JD threads on here you will see all the problems people have with them like the transmission.

I will tell anyone that in the price range your spending the cub is the best buy over any other mower

(( cowboy up and get over it ))

Unfortunately you are paying for the name and not the reliability with a John Deere.

With the big box store JD residential versions, the previous comments might be correct. With the true commercial versions, those comments seem to be way off from what I've seen. The commercial JD's are not only known for their durability, but they also have a reputation for giving a beautiful cut.

I have a Cub Cadet 1045 that I bought new in the early nineties, I think it was 1992. I used it a LOT for the first 10 years or so, but have not used it much since then, but it still runs great.

That said, I expect that the new version is quite different so I'm not sure what my testimony is worth.

Larry

Your testimony is worth the same as any other persons is. Those green tractors from the big box stores are well liked. There are quite a few around here as you get near the towns with big box stores. The cheaper Cubs are mostly sold through tractor Supply here abouts and are just as well liked as the green stuff is. The biggest and most common complaint in recent years I see on the Cubs is those with the cheap Courage single cylinder engines. Some folks run those things long and hard and are very happy with them. Others, they shell out or crack the blocks with low hours and they are not pleased to have a newish mower without an engine. The most important reason to buy one over the other is the service you can get if you need it.

Btw, I am not sure how similar my old 1045 is to those currently being sold.

Mine has hydrostatic drive and a 14HP Onan engine. Onans are designed for constant speed operation such as in generators so it is well suited for the purpose.

This all makes me curious. About the layout of the current 1045.

Larry

Well let your fingers do some walking as Cub has a fine site on the internet. One thing is for sure it does not have an Onan engine.

possum said:

Well let your fingers do some walking as Cub has a fine site on the internet. One thing is for sure it does not have an Onan engine.

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The LTX1042KW has a 18 HP "professional-grade" Kawasaki V-Twin engine. The cub has a 12 gauge deck too versus 13 gauge in the D series JD.

If you buy the Cub you will be buying a MTD. You might just as well look at some other brands also see it will be the same tractor only different color. You might save a few $s.

PickyBiker said:

Does anyone have any experience with these two lawn tractors. I can't seem to make up my mind. As far as price, the JD is a $100 more, but which one is better or more reliable? My current mower is a JD X300 with a bad transmission... Makes me a little weary of the JD, but I know anybody's machine can break down.

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I am also in the same situation as you and trying to decide which one of the two is best. I must admit that I too have been "hypnotized" by the green and yellow, but thanks to help from our LMF guys I am having a hard second look at the Cub Cadet. I have to admit that the Cub looks better on paper and the Kawasaki engine and the 9 gauge frame might just change my mind. I would love to go ride both and see how they ride.

reynoldston said:

If you buy the Cub you will be buying a MTD. You might just as well look at some other brands also see it will be the same tractor only different color. You might save a few $s.

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The cub is not the same as all MTDs.
It is a few steps up from the yard man.

Now it does have the same drive set up with the variable speed pulley. That I feel is one of the best.

The steering on the cubs is a two link set up. Without a tierod.

The yard man has a 14 gauge frame the cub has a 9

Saying all MTD made units are the same is saying why buy a Lincoln when you can get a different color ford for less money.

Or saying why pay for a craftsman when a poulan is cheaper

When I was looking at mowers last year in the $1500 price range. The things that made me go with the cub was. The seat, the deck has four anti scalp wheels.
The control panel that tells you when to change the oil and why it will not start.
The tight turning. And the Comfort of how everything is set up.

This is what I do with my cub. I get 2 to 3 yards a week like this.

The way they design the deck and the pulley set up let's this mower power thru tall grass.

Carscw said:

This is what I do with my cub. I get 2 to 3 yards a week like this.

The way they design the deck and the pulley set up let's this mower power thru tall grass.

View attachment 19892

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All you can say is wow! That is 100 times worst than anything I would ever mow. I think you may have sold me on the Cub!

I think cub cadet should pay me to advertise their mowers.

Carscw said:

I think cub cadet should pay me to advertise their mowers.

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I think you are right. If you took a video of your Cub plowing thru that thick stuff and send it to them, I'll bet they might send you something? I would send you at least a lid of a T-shirt. Either way your video would make a great youtube video! I could script a really cool video for you? First part would be silent and would show the mower and the nasty yard to be mowed. You would start mowing slow then we would speed up the action until the end. At the very end after you have demolished the tall grass you would get off the mower and just say; "Cub Cadet haters gonna hate, but the results speak for themselves".

PickyBiker said:

Does anyone have any experience with these two lawn tractors. I can't seem to make up my mind. As far as price, the JD is a $100 more, but which one is better or more reliable? My current mower is a JD X300 with a bad transmission... Makes me a little weary of the JD, but I know anybody's machine can break down.

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How many hrs until the tranny went bad?

Carscw said:

It is well known that I do not like junk Deere.
I have a cub cadet that I put threw hell I run it hard and as fast as it will go.
For the money your going to get more mower with the cub.
If you go look at the JD threads on here you will see all the problems people have with them like the transmission.

I will tell anyone that in the price range your spending the cub is the best buy over any other mower

(( cowboy up and get over it ))

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Yes that's one flaw i hate the john deer tranny but cubs deck is junky I am friends with a man who works at our cub dealer he said the deck is the biggest problem but carscw is right I would get the cub for the money as far as the new deer mowers mine are from the 80s I love them all mowers have flaws the deers flaw is the transmission the craftsmans flaw is the steering the cub is the deck

Look at Consumers Reports in the current issue. John Deere is number 1 and Cub Cadet did not even place. The article is very informative, and makes some interesting points. One of the grafts "Most and least reliable" shows JD with the least repairs and CC with the most.
I guess one can argue whether CR knows what they are talking about or not but I have had good success over the years with their recommendations.

cometdiner said:

Look at Consumers Reports in the current issue. John Deere is number 1 and Cub Cadet did not even place. The article is very informative, and makes some interesting points. One of the grafts "Most and least reliable" shows JD with the least repairs and CC with the most. I guess one can argue whether CR knows what they are talking about or not but I have had good success over the years with their recommendations.

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Repair shops tell you what brand they repair the most but they don't tell you that one brand sold 1000s more then the other.

Did you read what one was the most bought mower ?


Say junk Deere sold 10 mowers and 3 came in for repair cub sold 100 and 30 came in for repair. On paper it looks like the cubs are not as good because more came in for repairs. But it's the same percentage.

You pay the same money for each mower
A spindle bearing goes out. The cub dealer sells you a bearing for $4.25 the jd dealer sells it for $12.50. Oh the jd bearing must be better. Ha ha no it's the same bearing made at the same place by the same people with the same part number.

And as I have said before the JD will not keep up with the cub in tall thick grass.
I have put it up against a few JDs and out cut them every time.
I have a few friends that thought their jd was the best. Their next mower will be a cub or craftsman.

Out of curiosity I looked up the article again and found that 16,000 owners responded to the survey. Not a repair shop that only works on a couple of brands.
I do appreciate the spindle bearing info. Don't know anyone who doesn't like to save some money.

My point once again is opinions are like, well you know, and Consumers does a good job in not playing favorites. It never hurts to get as much info as possible before making an investment like a mower, and the info from 16,000 owners is strong.

cometdiner said:

Out of curiosity I looked up the article again and found that 16,000 owners responded to the survey. Not a repair shop that only works on a couple of brands.
I do appreciate the spindle bearing info. Don't know anyone who doesn't like to save some money.

My point once again is opinions are like, well you know, and Consumers does a good job in not playing favorites. It never hurts to get as much info as possible before making an investment like a mower, and the info from 16,000 owners is strong.

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John deere... Is no good its the same thing as craftsman, mtd. And all that if your going to buy a low end mower might as well save a couple bucks and get the same mower cheaper. John deere is expensive because that paint they put on is about 500$ a gallon lol that's all your paying for

Good gosh..... where are you from..... MTD is the lowest of everything. My 10 year old GX 345 can mow grass higher than any mower I have every tried. There are NO MTD that are 10 years old that still run and that includes worthless Cub.

Well 10 years ago john deere made a decent product......

exotion said:

Well 10 years ago john deere made a decent product......

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My john seers are from the 80s they are good but things have changed

cometdiner said:

Good gosh..... where are you from..... MTD is the lowest of everything. My 10 year old GX 345 can mow grass higher than any mower I have every tried. There are NO MTD that are 10 years old that still run and that includes worthless Cub.

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I have a 1981 ace hardware made by MTD
I use it as my brush mower.



I cut 12 yards like this every day with my cub. Put over 1000 hours on it last year.
Paid $1200 for it new sold it last week for $750.
The junk Deere in the $1500 price range will not even get this yard done.

Maybe you should climb out of the backwoods and take a look around there are more 10 plus year old MTDs still being used then any other mower

Well not to be argumentative but I owned the Lt 1045 with the 20hp single and it was one of the best Lawn Tractors I've ever owned and run. I also have run there ZTR's commercially and I've put those mowers through hell. The Cut quality on the 1045 and the CC ztr's far surpass any JD that I've ever seen. I personally believe that MTD is making a higher Quality machine than most people give them credit for.

MBDiagMan said:

With the big box store JD residential versions, the previous comments might be correct. With the true commercial versions, those comments seem to be way off from what I've seen. The commercial JD's are not only known for their durability, but they also have a reputation for giving a beautiful cut.

I have a Cub Cadet 1045 that I bought new in the early nineties, I think it was 1992. I used it a LOT for the first 10 years or so, but have not used it much since then, but it still runs great.

That said, I expect that the new version is quite different so I'm not sure what my testimony is worth.

Larry

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To begin with it sounds like you're comparing a residential version to a commercial version which really shouldn't be done. Now I agree John Deere is a durable machine and they have a good reputation but I also know they built there reputation on there heavy equipment/ farm equipment just like Case or Massey Ferguson, they didn't do it with there Lawn mowers. As far as the JD ZTR and there mowers go, they never made it in the commercial end of the market or with the guys that make a living mowing lawns, they could never compete with the likes of Toro, Exmark, Hustler, Scag and others in quality or price.