Big Box Hardware store lawn mowers

[fmlewis]

I have a John Deere thats 21years old that recently bit the dust. I got it used and its lasted a good amount of time. Between the jeep and the house I just don't want to sink anymore money into it.

So I am on the market looking and noticed I can get some pretty nice financing from Home Depot, but was curious if anyone knows are the Toro's, Cub Cadets, Deere's, etc the same quality that you would get at a dealership? Are they the same parts? Will a toro dealer service a big box store bought mower? etc / etc

I honestly haven't done much looking yet other than the big box stores. I noticed alot of them are going to a kawasaki motor, a kohler is hard to find, and briggs and straton are here and there (mainly Sears).

Anyone bought one lately which brands are better, what to look for, etc. I am leaning towards a zero turn.

[94Dodge Truggy]

Toro and husquvarna are decent. All else are mostly MTD. Buy a used toro, scag or ex-mark on CL and cut mowing time down and have a nice machine.

[biggin69]

^^^What he said.

[underpowered]

all at a big box store are made by MTD except Husquavarna and Maybe toro. but even teh JD and cub cadet tractors may be branded as name brands, they are all MTD under it.

If you want the real deal, you have to go to an actual John Deer, cub cadet, ETC dealer to get a real one, otherwise the only differences will be some sheet metal and paint.

[blazerbrad]

Same as said above. A majority of the Big Box version mowers are not the same as you would find a dealer. Not necessarily saying they are bad, but you do get what you pay for. A LOT of the small equipment (mowers, weed eaters, pressure washers, chain saws, etc...) are made by the same manufacturers but painted various colors with different decals and sold under different names. At my previous job we did testing for a China-based company that made many different pieces of small equipment and all sold under numerous different "American" company names that are very recognizable as being around for a long time. They had just bought the right of the name from these places.

[eighty3bronco]

Toro and husquvarna are decent. All else are mostly MTD. Buy a used toro, scag or ex-mark on CL and cut mowing time down and have a nice machine.


Take it form me... i worked on alot of the MTD $hit and parts are a pain in the a$$ to get... all the major commercial equipment is good... Toro is alright, exmark was built from engineers that lef scag and made it better until toro bought them out, but they are still good. run far away from big box store crap Frank... You will be better off...

[solar1]

I have a box store 48" huskquavarna. Ripped the transaxle and tore the frame 6 weeks after I bought it with 24 hrs on it. Not hard on it, just mowing the front yard. Lowes said they had to send it off for evaluation then repair. Requested I wait upto one month for the evaluation. If deemed my fault, I would have to pay for the evaluation and transportation charges. Took it to a local dealer and warranty covered it but they swapped the complete mower to a new frame. Still took 3 weeks.

I won't buy another one. Model: YTD2348

[truk]

i bought a deere a year ago at dealer they said there all the same now on the smaller mowers. the dealer throw in a few extras store couldnt. matt

[kentuckytwostep]

If you want a mower that will last you will have to buy one of the higher grade zero turns, a large JD, Cub, Agco, Kubota, etc. garden tractor or get an older heavy duty garden tractor. I just bought this early '80's Kubota a few weeks ago... 2cyl diesel with a 48" PTO finish mower behind it :D I've read reports of people burning 1/4 gallon of fuel an hour mowing :eek:

[fordman00]

that thing is bad ass. Ive also been looking for a mower as im looking at a first home and looking at zero turns, I haven't seen any I like at the big box stores they all look cheap and small compared to older bigger deck mowers. My grandpa bought a bad boy or big dog or something zero turn from tractor supply a year or so ago and loves it. I've mowed with it once I like it but it didn't feel like it had enough ass to mow faster and turn the blades at the same time. And mu other Grandpa has an older john delete rider and had it for 12-14 yrs and it finally bit the dust this year, cost to much to fix it so he bought new. Don't know where your from from but there's simmer tractor in Monroe right of 63 by the hustler store and I think its buchannan in Lebanon is a john deers dealer, and west chester lawn and garden is off 129 and cincinnati dayton road they sell scag, toro, exmark ad kubota now I think. I've been looking on craigslist, I worked for west chester on the mowing ad landscaping side and I liked there toronto zero turns great stripes and had enough get up n go, I like scag to their a good mower, and I've used kubota diesels their good to, and I've used a diesel grass hopper great mowrt to. Sorry for the long post hope this helps. Good luck

Sent from my dumb phone!

[67fastback]

Hey i saw Leroy on Gotmudd.com as craftsman rider for 500 obo. looks nice.. :D

But if your looking for a Kholer/craftsman combo well I got a 14 hp maybe 16? rider that sat for a while, no deck or lights, would need a cab cleaning and battery, tires, but good for some parts, 250 obo if looking for project..:thumbup:

[frankensteinxj]

We recently had a husqvarna we got from lowes for maybe 5 years with a briggs and stratton motor.
Always regularly maintained as it should have been and one day the motor just blew, no signs of wear or anything. Just mowed about a 1/2 acre with it every week or so.

The way I see it anymore if you want something reliable you need to find something older when everything wasnt made so cheap.

[jlynch]

I bought a snapper pro commercial grade z turn mower 3 years ago. It has been a great mower. The ride is not as smooth as a high end z turn but the price is not as high either. I would definitely buy a commercial grade the ones from the box stores are junk.