Found out that my old mower has a cracked box. Decided to put money toward newer and larger model (14-16 hp). I cannot afford a John Deere, as much as I would like to; other than that, please advise on what are good models and those to stay away from (I know that a Briggs and Stratton engine is a good engine -- or used to be?).

Thanks very much,

TD

-- TD Matheny (theny@intrex.net), April 25, 2002

Answers

How much and what type of land do you have to mow? What is your budget? Do you want a riding lawn mower or a riding lawn tractor? Do you plan on new or used equipment?

Briggs and Stratton engines are the world's largest producer of air-cooled gasoline engines for outdoor power equipment. They are not the best engines, but are the more cost effective ones and will be found on many consumer grade gas powered product.

If your budget is small, most likey you will end up with an MTD mower. Note, MTD has many names they stick on the side of the mower. Cub Cadet, Troybilt, yardman, Ryobi, Yard machines, White, Huskee and many others are MTD products and are based on the same chassie designs.

TSC sells Huskee MTD as there low end machines and Cub Cadet as there high end machines. In the 14-16HP machine your looking at $1200-$2000 to get a new mower. If your going to spend $2000 you might look for a good used John Deere or look at the John Deere Sabre line. This is a lower cost JD. Home Depot also sells Sabre in an orange instead of JD green.

-- Gary (gws@columbus.rr.com), April 25, 2002.

We got a Sears Craftsman tractor just about a year ago for under $1000. They are running specials now....any Sears nearby?

-- Christina (introibo2000@yahoo.com), April 25, 2002.

Honda probably makes the best small engine, but a Honda powered mower would take a second mortgage to buy! Briggs make several versions of small engines you'll want the I/C or OVH versions. They make a cheapo that is worse than Techumsie!! With the state of quality available today, providing the rest of your old mower is OK I'd repower it with a Honda engine. Or I'd buy an old Kohler powered Cub Cadet or a Jacobson/Ford. They really don't make em like they used to unless you can afford the Deere prices. Pun intended.

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), April 25, 2002.

I got a used 212 JD from the dealer for $1000. It came with a rototiller. I think I stole it cause the tiller alone lists at $1600 new.

-- joe (conde1220@hotmail.com), April 25, 2002.

Wrong, you are right that the mower that John Deere sells at Home Depot is orange, but it is not a Sabre. It's atually better than a Sabre. It has a better deck, better front axle, and a heavier frame. I bought one 4-years ago before they were telling you it was a John Deere. It has been a very reliable mower. I have only changed the battery since new. I cut my lawn at least twice a week, and its 3- acres of all types of grasses. I always get compliments from its cut. And actually there is a John Deere dealer less than a mile from me and I drove 30 miles to a Home Depot to buy mine. They market it thru Scotts lawn care products. I bought mine for $1500.00 plus tax. And remember "don't fertilize it, mulch it". Lawn fertilizers and weed killers are for all the idiots in this world; I have never fertilized and yet my lawn looks 50 times better than all my neighbors who fuss all about and kill everything. Don't get me started.

-- (BALOOGABILL@YAHOO.COM), April 25, 2002.

MTD are still good mowers. Wish I had kept mine and skipped trading (up?) to an Ariens.

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), April 25, 2002.

If you don't mind used look for an old Bolens. They used Winconsin engines which were some of the best of that era. A JD dealer about an hour from me has all sorts of lawn equipment they've taken on trade including several of the commercial Gravely mowers. Any of those are built better than what's being sold new these days. Be careful about the large single cylinder Briggs & Stratton and Kohler engines on a used machine. They had some problems.

I'd look at the trade-ins in your area. You may find a deal.

-- Darren (df1@infi.net), April 25, 2002.

Those Sears are MTD also. Grey paint must cost a lot.

-- Mel Kelly (melkelly@webtv.net), April 25, 2002.

We bought a used Cub Cadet two years ago and love it. We mow a LOT of ground, and I have a small dump wagon that I haul stuff with all the time.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), April 25, 2002.

Well, we've had very bad luck with our John Deere so don't feel bad that you can't afford one. We now wish we'd bought the Cub Cadet we looked at before we bought the John Deere. We won't buy another JD product, that includes Scotts, and Homelite.

Stacy in NY

-- Stacy (KincoraFarm@aol.com), April 25, 2002.

Basically none of them are what they used to be. MTD builds most of the mowers out there now and they are just an old name on an MTD mower. I have a Murray that I bought at Wal-Mart 8yrs. ago. It's been well maintained and it works fine. I don't know what's broken on yours but if you're handy you might want to fix it.

-- Emil in TN (eprisco@usit.net), April 25, 2002.

Thanks to all who gave suggestions about lawnmowers. I'm a bit confused: what is a MTD? And who makes Cub Cadet -- which seems like the clear winner here.

To those who asked: I don't want used. I prefer new. And I have a lot of grass to cut and some of it is pasture. Would like to have a mower that can attach a plow too.

-- TD Matheny (theny@intrex.net), April 25, 2002.

MTD bought the Cub Cadet name plate a few tears ago. They purchased a proud name plate that once stood for quality and stuck it on thier own machines. The new machines are pure MTD and have nothing to do with CC other than the color paint. I purchased a newer 18 hp model 3 years ago before I new any better, a mistake I wont make again. The Kolher engine is fine but watch out for the electric PTOs on any of the new machines. I dont know who is making them (probably one maker makes them all) but they are not at all durable and very expensive to replace. Parts alone cost nearly $300 and mine failed in less than 100 hours of use.

I would be looking for an older Cub Cadet,made before MTD with a Kolher engine, an older Wheel Horse made before Toro bought them, for the same reasons, also Kolher powered. If I could afford it,and I cant, I would purchase the one machine that has not yet been perverted, KUBOTA!

-- Brian N. E. Ohio (brilas@hotmail.com), April 25, 2002.

I mow 2.5 acres and have tried many mowers from new MTD's to old tired ones. I always go back to old cub cadet modles with Kohler cast Iron motors. My property is hilly and bumpy and the 8hp kohler has all the power I need. A note on MTD products, bought a new one several years ago with a 5 year warrenty form Farm & Fleet, after 4 years the 14 hp Briggs blew up, I'd just changed oil and filter. They would not stand behind the guarntee. I guess that's one reason they arn't in business any longer.

-- Paul (treewizard@buffalo.com), April 26, 2002.

I have heard of other complaints about Briggs engines blowing up, and they dont seem to honor thier warranty. I avoid Briggs engines when I can. Your complaint Paul would be with Briggs not Farm and Fleet.

-- Brian N. E. Ohio (brilas@hotmail.com), April 26, 2002.

Wife tells me it is time to replace the 30 year-old riding Snapper my Dad gave us. Need your advice.

Background information: I don't like to waste my life mowing, so when we had a small town lot I would only mow about five times a summer. Now we mow about 4 acres of a steep hillside. Half is grass and half is weeds. We have planted hundreds of trees and bushes on the hill side. I had been using a 1955 Ford 600 tractor with a four foot roughcut mower. the cut length is about four inches. That works for us there is very little topsoil and the rain washes the cutting down the hill. No need to rake usually. She trims with a self-propelled push mower in the highest position. The trees/bushes and slope make it hard (not safe) to use the tractor anymore. I purchased a used 6 foot Woods finishing mower for the tractor last fall for the safe areas. She still needs a rider to cover the areas I can not safely cut.

What do you think of Simplicity mowers? That's what the dealer has in town. I know we need an engine with the oil under preassure for the hillside. Also must have low center of gravity, which we can get by filling the tires with liquid.

Any suggestions?

When the children move out, I plan to never cut grass again. Just hay fields only.

-- BossNass (chrisnass@hotmail.com), April 26, 2002.

I have 2 mowers, one with a new Kohler and the other has a Briggs. The Briggs is far superior to the Kohler.

-- Mel Kelly (melkelly@webtv.net), April 28, 2002.

My old JD has a Kohler engine and runs great and easy to maintain. The new JD models have too many computerized parts (sensors)that make it difficult to maintain yourself. My neighbors spent a fortune on a new one and have to take it to the dealer for repairs. And the parts have to come from them since there are no aftermarket parts available for the newer models. Wouldn't catch me buying a new JD. My neighbor who does small engine repairs prefers his Gravely, when he isn't saying nice things about the 20 year old JD models.

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), April 28, 2002.