Riding (tractor) Lawnmowers Researching to find the best one

[Watermonkey 0]

Ok, so I'm already sick and tired of mowing this monster by hand even with a self-propelled mower from Costco (it's going back, the self-propelled part is extremely weak). It took a total of about 3.5 hours yesterday to mow this mess and I hit a half dozen rocks doing it. I've got to get a couple yards of top soil dumped near the leach field and start filling in holes and do some basic landscaping and I've really got to get a riding lawnmower to take the strain off my aging body. I'm not getting any younger you know! So I was at Lowes the other day and I was looking at last years model of the "Big Red Horse" by Troy-Bilt. (No, that isn't a typo.) The Troy-bilt from last year has a 23 HP Kohler engine in it as opposed to the Briggs & Stratton used in the current model. I've heard and read from many sources the Kohler is considered more refined, quieter, and longer lasting. The other difference between last year and this year's model is last year they didn't have a low gear available but this year they do. I, personally, have no need for a low gear range so that's not a problem for me. The price difference between the two is about $400. I've read some bad things about Troy-bilt too, so I'm hesitant to warm up to it even though it's really pretty much everything I need at a fair price. The Cub Cadet from Home Despot is a strong contender too, but their prices aren't as good as Lowes. I'm looking at anywhere from 20 to 26 HP so I can cruise up hills with ease and generally have a comfortable time of it. Help me find the best bang for the buck with a good warranty and good reviews from customers... I'd like to spend at or under $2000 for this machine. I'd like to hear if anyone has any personal experience with any of the riding mower/ tractors too...

Edited May 18, 2007 by Watermonkey (see edit history)

[jlhaslip 4]

I use a 14 HP Craftsman that works just fine. Grade is about 4 ft rise in 30 ft, so it isn't exactly flat around here either... Be sure to ride straight up or down the grades. Don't ride "sidehill" or bad things can happen. 26 HP sounds like an Industrial/ Commercial Model to me. And TROY_BILT Tillers are awesome, or used to be...

[reelkill 0]

My grandpap bought a brand new tractor from home depot its a yard machines from home depot and it cuts good it just has some problems.The tires had problems with the beads and everything sounds real loose in short I would not recommend one of these tractors.

[Watermonkey 0]

Thanks reelkill. I'm reading up on these things and it seems the general consensus is to avoid anything that MTD owns which includes Cub Cadet, Yard Machines, and Troy-bilt. I'm not impressed by customer reviews of the Husky so far either. I'll research Craftsman in a little bit and report my findings on that as well. One thing I'm hesitant about concerning Craftsman is the engine they use, the B&S is one of the loudest engines around... Maybe they're not all the same though...