Lets talk riding lawnmowers/tractors.

[Nix]

My wife and I are going to be pulling the trigger on a rider this weekend. Im most likley going to be going with Craftsman Sears. They are having a spcial right now if you use your Sears card. I have always had good luck with Craftsman products so thats another reason.

What do you have/recommend?

We are going to look at this one>>> http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...Origin%7CSears

and we are going to be staying in this ballpark for price.

[Korndogg]

My dad has had his craftsman one for like 15 years or so and it still works great. Yeah he had to replace some stuff but its been 15 years lol.

[BR3W CITY]

my coworker has a VERY lightly used John Deere x720 with mower deck for sale if your interested. Very nice piece of equipment.

[0TransAm0]

when we first got our house i looked at those and other tractors.. i ended up getting a Bolens from lowes.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_317737-270-1..._description|1
this is what i have. haven't had any problems yet. then again i only used it like 5 times last fall. my yard is .75 acre and it gets the job done just fine. only down fall for this on is i can't use any front end attachments like a plow for the snow.. just pull behind stuff.
if i was the one to buy the tractor(my parents got it for a house warming gift) i probably would have gotten a bigger one just to have a bigger tractor even tho i don't need it

[Nix]

my coworker has a VERY lightly used John Deere x720 with mower deck for sale if your interested. Very nice piece of equipment.

Age and details and most important, asking price? Just out of sheer curiousity, you never know.

[Russ Jerome]

They have some Craftsmans at the scratch n dent area on Mayfair next to the K-mart (HWY/Burleigh), prices looks ok I guess but the old mans John Deer looks like a tank next to them...?

[Ricky Bobby]

i have a older craftsman one the carb on it was jacked buddy didnt want to mess with it took it to a friend who overhauled the whole motor and sharpened and greased it for $200 works great i like it best money i spent on a mower lol

[tommyt5078]

I got a new craftsman when I moved to my house in 03' the thing has been great. I think I got it for a little less the 1200.


I got an AUTO, were it's right at the right foot, forward and rev. 21HP TWIN CYLINDER 46" cut, got the TWIN because I bought the front plow (42") to move snow.....................I have been anal with maintenance, new oil filter, fuel filter, change the plugs, and change the oil at the start of the year, air filter ever 2-3 years, changed the blades for the first time last year, hit a big AZZ rock, maintenance is around 30-40 a year. I have heard about belts going out, but I still have the original.



If you have a perfect lawn I don't think should get a craftsman/simplicity would give you a better cut, from what I hear, I dont have a perfect lawn so this works great.

[theavenger333]

we've got a craftsman, had it for about 4 years, it's been very good. zero problems, easy to maintain. we actually have that model, before they made them all hydrostatic. it's definatly not the BEST! cut out there, but for the price, and all things considered it's a great tractor and the lawn looks good. plus the sears card deals are great, same reason my parents bought theirs.

[70 cutlass 442]

craftsman = Garbage
John Deere = good, but pricey
Simplicity = good, but pricey
Toro (pre 1996) = good (wheelhorse name)
Toro post 97 = crap

[Slow Joe]

My Mom had a Craftsman, that thing was built like a house (early 90s) - 12hp Single Cylinder Briggs
My Dad has a Craftsman, and we've pounded that thing hauling stuff, mowing and so forth for the past 15+ years with no issues. It's automatic or hydrostatic. - 19.5 hp Twin Cylinder Briggs
I have a 95ish Toro and that thing's a good unit. Got it from the in-laws, so far so good... 12 Hp Single Cylinder Briggs

Personally I'd buy a Craftsman, or similar... I see no reason in spending the extra ching on a Deere or Simplicity unless I was using a snow blower, or something like that...

[stenchmiester]

Fyi I work at a small engine shop. Sears equals murray for a little more than that price I can get you a high qaulity rider or ztr with a 5 year warranty. Message me for details

[Al]

Simplicity or John Deere

Most everything else is scrap iron.

[BAD LS1]

You will not be happy in the long run with that unit. Craftsman tractors aren't what they once were.This one is H.O.P. (husqvarna) though, vs being MTD built makes it the best of the worst in my opinion. However it does have the right engine on it anyway. I think you would be happier with the YT4000, it has the V-twin mill which is alot smoother and pleasant sounding. The one you are looking at has the big thumper 33 cube single. Look at the Snapper LT100 series at Sears for a best option.

[theavenger333]

^ yeah my grandpa just got a new snapper, the thing rules. i especially like the "zero turn" assist deal, when you crank the wheel all the way to one side, it turns on a dime, stops going forward

[Exitspeed]

I have a 19 year old Craftsman. It's still running strong. My uncle had it for 15 years and then gave it to me when he sold him house. I've had it for 4 years now.

I can't speak about the new ones though.

[BR3W CITY]

Age and details and most important, asking price? Just out of sheer curiousity, you never know.

its a 2008 x720. only 26 hours on it. 54" mower deck. Comes with wheel weights. 27 Hp, 2wd
Hydro, diff lock, power steering, hyd. lift
electric PTO

[wikked]

My mom bought a Craftsman in 2001, only thing that's been replaced is the battery as of now.
The only thing I hate about Craftsman's are the belly mounted decks. Once you've used a front mounted deck you'll never want to go back.

[BAD LS1]

^ yeah my grandpa just got a new snapper, the thing rules. i especially like the "zero turn" assist deal, when you crank the wheel all the way to one side, it turns on a dime, stops going forward

Yup Snapper AWS (all wheel steering) Its a bit of a illiusion of slowing down when you crank the wheel, but there isnt anything in place that pyhsically slows it down. Toro had this type of feature on older 5Xi models where it would slow the unit down for turns while keeping the pedal taped.

http://www.snapper.com/products/lawn...ractors/lt130/

[xwing]

I had a Craftsman with 24hp engine and 48" deck IIRC, it started and ran ok, but I wasn't happy with the cut. It seemed uneven, despite blade sharpening.
I think they are OK machines, nothing to be ashamed of.

Sold it, and got a 27hp Simplicity 60" deck, which has been great. Only thing the Simplicity does is eat a mower deck drive belt once every year or two, cutting my acre and a half, sometimes gets pretty TALL before I cut it, so it is earning its money...