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Thanks for the video, I can add a little bit of light to the discussion. As a trucker I've hauled plenty of tractors over the years to include parts going to PDC's (parts distribution center) and manufacturing facilities as JIT freight (just in time). I know for a fact that the Deere plant in Greeneville, TN manufactures both big box grade and dealer grade tractors on the same assembly line. There are always scores of tractors stacked in their racks that are waiting for transport, some in white boxes and some in green boxes. Just like a car every unit has its own vin with its own corresponding BOL (bill of lading) and they are ordered in blocks. So, a load of 30 tractors may have multiple delivery points and must be delivered in order. So that each dealer or store gets that correct block of tractors with the correct vin.
I bought my S240 the first year there were made, it was a toss up between that and the D130. My local dealer had the D130 in stock, the deciding factor was the engine. Excellent service from the dealer. I have done all the annual maintenance, it should last a very long time.
I got my Toro Zero Turn from a dealer. The service was great. It was our first zero turn and my wife was concerned about the controlling it with lever handles. They started one up and had her running around the parking lot in no time. Delivered to our house for free and made sure we were comfortable with it.
@@woohunter1 Yes... That is the best way to describe how to drive a zero turn. And also need to keep both wheels turning in a turn to prevent tearing up the turf. May be one forward and one backward, but both turning when moving.
We had a JD Dealer in Savage, MN that was totally horrible. They'd lie to your face, refuse to sell parts, and would pick your pocket if they could get away with it. I started to drive much further to a tradition farm oriented JD store, and they screwed me even worse. I refused to even consider another JD when the time came a couple years ago to replace my older tractor.
Something to be aware of, and this is far more true for JD than say Cub Cadet, Toro, or Husqvarna. If you hate the dealer in your area, so you buy it from a box store, you are still going to have to take it to a dealer to get it worked on. That is especially true for JD, they have their dealer and parts supply locked down tight. If you want to do the work yourself, you'll still only have the option to buy parts from JD or their dealer. With other brands you'll usually have more options for service and parts. As for low end models, low-end model takes up the same warehouse, floor space, and handling time as a higher end model. So even if the margin is the same on the low-end and the high end, it is more dollars per mower for a dealer to concentrate on the higher end models and leave the volume sales to the box stores.
@@user-ub5bg8qz1d When I still had my JD it meant a longer drive to a reputable dealer for parts & supplies. WHen it was time for a new tractor JD wasn't even considered due to the way the local dealer acted.
I did my research before buying my JD zero turn. Going through part numbers ,many parts were identical across many models of similar size and capabilities. So smaller/ cheaper models probably not at dealers like you said. I like JD because parts are usually always available for years. Good selling point.
A good friend gave me his LX 255 JD and when I got it it was 15 years old everything on it worked fine and he ran it every week summer and winter so it had high hours, but he did keep it maintained,..He bought a new on for his retirement and gave me this one back in 2012, I keep it outside and it runs every time I turn the key,.. Oh,.. Also,.. the paint job still looks good although I did have to buy a new hood as the old one was brittle and cracked,.. He had it 15 years, I've had it 11 years,...
I actually work at the factory that builds ALL Z3, Z5, 100 series, and S240’s. We have special home depot mowers and lowes mowers. Some mowers are dealer only. Just various on product and accessories. We also build all the baggers and kits here as well.
I bought mine directly from John Deere. I physically went to a John Deere dealership and bought it from dad. I also bought the maximum additional warranty and I just did the 50 hour oil change last year on it. That’s my advice if you want a John Deere lawnmower, go directly through a John Deere dealership!
Buying my 3rd JD from the Ag Pro dealer network. They have proven over many years of why I buy from them as a dealer. On several occasions through the years, they have helped me select the right equipment and supported service and repairs after the sale. Always knowledgeable and ready to assist with anything I need. I highly recommend them. Thank you for taking the time to make these videos!
I too have bought several ( actually 8 ) J. D. lawn equipment from dealers , not big box stores . Better service and quicker turn around . Parts are another issue : try getting them at a box store . You eventually buy them from dealers . Also if issues arise , I can call , talk to a person and have a remedy over the phone . Try that with big box stores
Great video 👍 I have 5 acres to mow and it was taking me from 6-8 hours with a JD x384 tractor style mower. Looked at zero turn JD’s and no Lowe’s or Home Depot had any at all and could not deliver if they could. The local JD got used ones in and 5 used ones listed were sold that same day. Got super lucky JD had a cancelation of an order and picked up a Z530M brand new still with plastic on the seat and JD delivered. I was disappointed the scalpers and deck height were not adjusted at all, and this was from a dealership, but damn, live the mower
One thing about buying a mower at the home improvement stores and having to have it serviced at the dealer for warranty work is that there are some (not all ) dealers that cop an attitude that the piece of equipment was not purchased at their dealership and therefore they did not make the markup on the unit, but are expected to do any warranty work even though the dealer does get paid for said work. I have seen both attitudes as to warranty work on equipment but that is of course the way things are. Depending upon the severity of the application of the machine and the owner's mechanical capabilities it sometimes is wiser to deal with the dealer. I have a used John Deere 160 rider that was given to me and have basically restored the machine mechanically and have had quite a few seasons of use. It had a new replacement deck when I got it and I do not mind doing major mechanical work on it, but if I was not capable or did mind working on it, I would buy a new machine and take reasonable care of it or just pay a lawn service to take care of my yard. I have also seen people get used mowers ad constantly are paying to get them repaired as they are constantly needing something that is worn out replaced. Not good, best to buy new.
The JD dealer in my area doesn't carry anything lower than the X-Series lawn tractors....they just get more expensive and fancier from there. The box stores get the S series, entry level machines only. My dealer salesman was a snob, and quickly checked off JD as a tractor option, with just 1 sentence he did himself in on a tractor sale. When someone asks you about an X700 series machine, and then asks about a 1 series tractor and a salesman's reply is "Why you cannot afford one" is not the proper reply, nor should ever be said to a customer, especially when you don't know anything about them to begin with.
My local dealer wanted $79 to deliver/setup an S170. Lowes delivered it for free. Lowes is also good in that if something happens within 30 days they'll pick it up and send a new one. Not sure if a dealer would do that.
I bought a Husqvarna at Lowes 10 years ago after it was returned. They sold it to me at 2/3 of price. I went over it with a close look and found only one problem the bracket for grass level was put on wrong. I run the lawn tractor about 50 hours a year.
Bought a LA125 in 2009 from the local JD dealership, got a military discount on mower and accessories and they delivered it. I recently replaced the head gasket myself in 2022 by watching a video on UA-cam. It’s still working great! 😄
The biggest thing for me and why I bought my last John Deere from a dealership instead of Lowe’s or Home Depot was service and it was proven within a few days of ownership when the cable that engages the blades broke , I called the dealership and told them what happened and apparently it was a known common problem, they came out the next day apologized, replaced the cable in about ten minutes said sign here, no charge and off he went
Good information. thank you. Aside from a first oil change, the dealer might also throw in (or at greatly reduced price) an accessory you might have your eye on..Happened to me.
Thank you for the advice. Im still using my 20 yr old Lawn boy self propelled walk behind. Im thinking of next year getting a rider, takes me 1 hour to mow and I'll be 70 this fall. Knees are getting a little worn. You do a nice job on getting me to think the options over .
One benefit from the dealer is you can get information that the big box store cannot tell you. Like common failure’s and what to watch for or to just avoid entirely. My dealer gave me great info on my z920m and told me what they see commonly broken on machines that come back for service and what to watch for.
Hello From Kentucky. I have a 1987 165 hydro John Deere lawn tractor that was gifted to me a few years back with a #10S John Deere lawn cart and I have to say that this tractor is one of the best mowing tractors that I have ever owned. The 38 inch mower decks seem to be nearly as heavy as the tractor - Not Really, Just Seems Like It Is. A few days ago, I was mowing and broke the hydrostatic drive belt. The belt looked like it may have possibly been the 1987 OEM belt Although I have also purchased aftermarket parts for my Cub Cadets and John Deere tractors in the past years, I always recommend using the OEM John Deere drive belts because they are designed especially for the John Deere stuff. The aftermarket belts just don’t last as long as the John Deere belts do. While my tractor is apart, I am also replacing the 2 pulleys and the hydro cooling fan blade. The FB460V Kawasaki engine is guaranteed to start no matter how hot or cold it is outside. My tractor was manufactured at the Horicon factory and is a John Deere through and through. After I put the tractor back together, The 165 hydro should last for several more years.
i can tell u for a fact that in my area, southern missouri, that the local john deere dealerships will refuse to work on or warranty mowers sold by box stores that say john deere on them...i asked how they would know if the customer didnt tell them and they said its in the model or seral number of the mowers that tells if they are dealership or box store sold mowers
I purchased a grill not correctly assembled from a big box store. One of my co-workers purchased a Sears lawn mower that had no oil in it and he ran it down one lane of grass and it locked up. Sears gave him a new mower with oil in it.
Great video. As a small engine mechanic, I look VERY closely at thickness of metal, the power of the engine, and the history of the manufacture. John Deere parts are TWICE as expensive, because J.D. makes their own components like mower blades inhouse, with the Brand so heavily advertised, everything cost more.
They also bank on the JD name. The low end ones still use the B&S lower end motors and the lower end transmissions. But people buy on the name even if the product isn't quality.
Bought my first rider at lowes a husqvarna and everything was great but i did have to ck it over and level the deck. My 2nd one I just bought was also a Husqvarna but at a dealer and they didnt even level the deck so i may of just bought it from lowes but they both had the same price and they did deliver it free but so did lowes. I love the hydrostatic fender stick drive and i guess huaqvarna is doing away with that which is part of the reason i bought one of the last ones available. I bought the LGT 48DXL and really like it except the rubber gasket on the bagger keeps tearing, im on my 3rd one in two years.
In my area - central Virginia - the dealer will not work on John Deere if it was bought at a non-dealership. Also, the dealer offers great off season maintenance. Free pickup and delivery-and they check everything on the mower, so that it runs great during the summer.
I bought a Toro Zero Turn, 42 inch, from Home Depot, September 2010. The 10% military discount was applied. Other than oil changes, the only failure was the pto during Covid. It took three months to get parts from the Toro dealer, and what was installed wasn’t even from Toro.
We just took delivery of an X394 from the dealer. The 4 wheel power steering is amazing! We have a spreader/aerator, thatcherator, and a sweeper coming in a few weeks. So far, I love the machine and the service.
I bought my Toro Zero-turn "Time Cutter" from my local dealer. I have done business with them for decades. A local "Big Box" put it on "sale" two weeks later. For $200 more than the dealer's normal price. Unassembled (Available for $75 more) You pick-up or delivery is $50 extra. So the dealer delivered it with a full tank of gas, fully assembled, and the delivery man explained and demonstrated the controls, etc. Tricky on my first zero-turn. And his non-sale regular price was $200 less. TOUGH CHOICE NOT!
Where the Ego dealer in my area for the electric version? Oh, there is none. Lowes only sells gas version. Home Depot at brick & mortar store, might have one or two. Rest of the time, you have to order from online.
3 years ago I purchased a John Deere E120 from Lowes (I wanted the Kawasaki engine). It arrived missing the ignition. There was just a hole in the console and the driver found the plug hanging inside). The driver told me the factory tech had just gone over it and couldn't understand how the problem existed. I sent it back on the same truck, called one of the local JD dealers and they delivered the same model that afternoon fully assembled, tested and I handed the driver a check for the total. I think buying JD from Lowes or HDepot would be a huge mistake and I'd never consider doing it again.
I but a great deal of tools and other items from both Lowe's and Home Depot. However for tractors like John Deere, I have had very solid experience with the local Deere dealership. The problem with both Lowe's and Home Depot is that they are not tractor experts whereas the local dealership is.
Agreed they just sell the products and are really not obligated for service problems as most of the items sold in the big box stores are set up that way. They do not have service departments.
Thanks for the video. I have a question. I have an acre of land mostly grass, i am looking for a solid model something that will last and also have the ability to plow snow during winter time. what model under 5k would you recommend?
I found the major difference between big box stores and dealerships are first, all the warranty service is done at the dealerships in most of them. Second, if you need a post warranty repair the dealership where you purchased the mower should be able to fix it where big box stores do not offer service or repairs. The other thing you mentioned are commercial grade mowers, especially zero turns. I've never seen a commercial grade zero turn mower being sold at any big box stores, only residential grade mowers. I just purchased my first zero turn from our local Toro dealership. I purchased the lowest grade commercial Toro Z Master 2000 for one basic reason, the transmissions and hydraulic pumps are heavy duty compared to a residential grade zero turns like the Timecutters. I'm not so sure about garden tractors however, I purchased a Cub Cadet XT2 from a local Cub Cadet dealership where the big box stores only carry the XT1 grade garden tractors. Good vid and thanks for sharing. Cheers from Vermont.
Of course a lot of this depends on your local dealers. I have had a good experience with a couple of our local dealers. But, there is another company that owns multiple local dealerships just doesn’t seem to care about their customers. I took in a walk behind brush hog I bought from them and it took several weeks and multiple phone calls to get them to fix a minor engine problem. I also bought 35 hp compact tractor from them. I won’t take my tractor to them but, fortunately another company in the area (30 miles away) also sells the same brand and seems to be much more interested in doing business in a long term fashion.
Agreed. I had my mind set on buying a JD S160 4 years ago, I went to my local dealer and browsed their selection of lawn tractors outside for a while and was ignored. I then went inside and looked at the machines on display and was ignored, I saw acouple salespeople bsing to each other in their offices not paying any attention to me. After about 20 minutes of walking around the store and futilely sitting on a S160 to make it obvious what I was shopping for I walked back out. I went and bought my second choice mower from a different manufacturer who had sales people that made an effort.
Good afternoon tell people about the deck spindles they put a bearing in with the bearing cover on both sides of the bearing and they put on a grease zerk to grease the bearing how does the bearing get any grease igrease
Can you please do a video on the best grand stands and if they are good vs zero turns. I’m looking at used toro grand stands but idk what to look for lol.
i think it's generally understood that the same equipment goes to all stores (dealer or Home Depot or Lowes, etc.) but the biggest difference is in the setup. Generally speaking, but not always, the dealer will have the mower setup a little more precise, but that's not always true either. Also, the dealer might deliver it to you or have a few incentives for buying from them. For instance, free service for the first three years or perhaps an upgraded seat or some other add-on at no extra charge. It really all depends on the actual person doing the setup for you. Not all dealers are better that the big box stores. At one of my local Lowes stores, the guy that sets up all the riding mowers for them is an actual mechanic and does a pretty good job.
The easiest way to see how different the models value difference is compare warranties by taking a “box store” purchased item to a dealership for warranty. I found out from my gun smith buddy that Smith and Weston doesn’t have their normal lifetime warranty on box store serial numbers like gun store purchased
The million dollar question! I bought my Cub Cadet ZT1 42 May 5th 2020 from dealer it's the same mower at Home Depot but the service I received was unmatched along with same price.
Buying Lawn Mowers at the Big Box Stores are mainly for people that will only mow a 1/3 or at the max a 1/2 acre of flat yard. Many of the transmission's, drive trains, etc. are nothing more then plastics. If your yard has hills with much of an incline those Big Box Mowers may last for one mowing season before you have problems. I would say 75% + of the people buying these cheap mowers will just put the gas in and Mow then park it until the next time they mow. The average guy/gal won't check the fluids, tire pressure, underside of the deck, etc. as the should prior to and after every time they mow. They won't even blow off the grass clipping's on top of the deck or use the garden hose option to clean the deck underside(It works).
There really isn't a need for all that checking for a weekly 1/3-acre mow unless something's already wrong with the mower. The tires should be able to hold air for at least a season, and the oil should stay in that engine until intentionally released for the seasonal change. Check until you've verified that the mower is holding its stuff in like it should; after that, a seasonal once-over will do ya. Like I said...that's unless your unit is junk!
I bought my Toro Zero turn at Home Depot in 2010. So far still going strong. Here in Florida, we mow year around. I also help mow the churches five acres, and use it to move my utility trailer from the back yard to the front driveway. The only failure, was the PTO clutch during Covid, when parts were not available.
I don't know about John Deere, but the Cub Cadet models that were sold at box stores were definitely different. I'm sure the units were built by MTD, but it was obvious that the decks were thinner, sheet metal was thinner, more plastic, and model numbers that no one had heard of. Cub Cadet models sold through authorized dealers were the best choice, but many people are price shoppers. 20+ years later, very few of those mowers survive.
I have owned several John Deere tractors and always bought from a dealer and sometimes had to travel pretty far to get the best deal but the dealers usually take care of there customers with supplying the warranty parts and letting the owner do the repairs as long as you return you old part. It works out for them because they get the labor and I get my machine back running faster. I only buy the x500 series which is not to big or small for my needs plus the tractor gets used 365 days a year with plowing, blowing snow, hauling and grass maintenance.
On that one with loose lug nuts, the owner should’ve used his/her common sense & checked all nuts, bolts, etc to see is everything was tight. I’ve only bought two new riding mowers since I had a yard big enough to benefit owning one. First one was a Green Craftsman 42” deck & B&S engine. I wore it out. Then I bought a Red Craftsman T1800 with Kohler Series 7000 engine with a 42” deck to mow my acre yard, Sears had a service center & made sure the engine had oil in it, filled the gas tank, made sure everything was tightened up, he also made sure that I understood how to operate it plus helped me to load it on my trailer. With the insane prices of new mowers & poor build quality there’s no way that I buy a new one. Thanks for this video, I know it’ll help someone. We had a JD dealership locally but relocated 30 miles from here & is United AG & Turf
On our property we use a 20 year old woods zero turn mower and a 1975 IH cub cadet with snowblower and tiller and all weve ever had to do for either is routine maintenance. We do some small engine work on the side and it boggles my mind how junky new mowers are compared to mowers even 20 years ago
I can’t say today but 10 yrs ago there were several differences in the big box John Deere and the dealership John Deere. One of the major differences was the decks were better built on the dealership models. I know cause a friend of mine bought a new from the dealership and we went over the 2 of them very closely befor he bought them. I also know several people that have bought Deere’s from Lowe’s and they just don’t last as long. I have two Deere mowers. One is a ‘91 and the other is a ‘98 year model. And they still run great. Both obviously from a dealership.
My beef with the big box stores is they park their mowers out front exposed to weather, tampering, etc. and I have a problem with that. I don't park my own mower out in the weather, so I"m not about to go invest in a mower that's already been sitting outside for a month or more. I know why the stores do it (space), but that's not my problem.
Several years ago I bought my Cub at a local Cub dealership (he was having a good EOY sale). I don't mind paying a few dollars more to support the local guy and it wasn't really that much more than the Home Depot price plus they delivered! The following year my neighbor bought the same model from Home Depot. We compared the two one day when we were both mowing and noticed a few things different. Mine had folding arm rests on the seat, cup holder, hour meter, just some small extras that his was missing. Same model numbers. I know this was common for electronic products as well as I have a good friend that used to have a TV store. The box stores got similar model but they were missing some "extra's".
Bought my first tractor last season...A Deere X354...After hearing all the opinions of buying from a dealer, I drove 4hrs to the only dealer who had one in stock...Upon getting it home the deck wasn't leveled, the oil level was low, and the tires had only 5-7lbs. in them...I had also purchased a mulching kit, and armrests for the seat, and was told I had to install them myself...
The 300 series of lawn tractors is a nice choice. I would like to have one. Please don't think that all dealers are as cheesy as the one that you dealt with. I equate them the same as a used car lot. There are some that are upstanding and willing to work for the customer... and then there's the lackluster bunch that are all in for the sale and the rest is up to you.
5-7 PSI is ideal. Consider that the tires are the only suspension for the chassis and pumping them up any higher just beats the machine's chassis, and your spine.
I bought a Craftsman T130 riding mower from Lowe's a while back. From day one the steering on it has been loose and nobody knows why. I've put a lot of hours on the mower but it always leaves me with sore arms and shoulders since my yard is huge. After Hurricane Michael tried to wipe my part of the state off the map we've got very little in the way of knowledgeable repair facilities left in my area for those MTD manufactured mowers.
I suggest you take a close look at a SCAG residential zero turn. Way, way, way better than a JD, Husqvarna or Cub Cadet. The deck is at least twice as think as most residential mowers. My son just bought a 48 inch SCAG for $4900 with his military discount. Huge deal compared to the JD.
Great video, I didn’t need to see it though to know I’d never buy a lawn tractor/mower from a big box store. Dealership is always the best way to go. That’s just me though. I completely understand not everyone has the same opinions or options.
hi sir I bought my john deere s130 at a lowes cause my local dealer said doesn't have any in stock so I bought at a lowes and the dealer I talked to also puts them together for lowes. so I guess I got ok deal.
My comment is yes a big difference in materials used. I have had a JD for twenty years. More expensive but more machine. Mower deck, tires, even engine dealer engines have ball bearing on the drive end of the crankshaft. others have a sleeve bearing. Just worth the difference.
I had noting but bad experiences with the John Deere dealership and I just quit even using them except for parts and I ended up doing the work. The dealership I dealt with for 2 tractors a sub compact 2305 with a front end loader, backhoe and 62" deck. This tractor had an out of level deck the tires were swapped out from the lug tires to turf tires and the front end loader had loose fittings right from the day they delivered it. Then I was stupid again and bought a X590 with the 54" deck. This garden tractor had an overfilled transaxle, over inflated tires, the deck was not level and the engine was not filled with enough oil. I did the PDI myself after the experience with the 2305. This dealership was bought out by a larger company and it seemed to resolve some of the issues that they had but the PDI was penciled whipped on the X590 and I took this back to salesman and had taken pictures of all my findings. I was not happy and they would not even some goodwill. Just be aware not all dealerships are all that good and after having 3 different owners at the local John Deere dealership I can see definite issues that for the most part solved by aware consumer.
Speaking from experience at least in our area Rochester NY Lowes sells John Deere mowers are from a local shop Land Pro equipment, at least that is what Lowes told me when I was about to buy one when I asked about servicing it. I was told to contact them cause they handle the service contracts. I canceled my order thinking they would service it if I needed but it may take longer cause I didn’t actually buy it from them. I went with a locally owned family business and purchased a Cub Cadet XT2, I would rather give my money locally than a big corporation in situations like this anyways.
So the first answer is yes, they do sell different models at the box stores. I have a JD model 455 Diesel, 60" Lawn Tractor that is 25 years old. I did all repairs on the tractor and mower deck and the only issues I had on the Yanmar engine were a fuel shut off solenoid, fuel pump, alternator and fan belt. No internal issues. I have about 1600 hours on it and can still get all parts for it.
Bought my Cub Cadet from a dealer. Three year warranty, free delivery and came filled with gas. Im not just a number at the dealer. Have bought many chain saws from them and when I walk in they know who I am and get great customer service.
I'm surprised at how little is known about the retail model of Walmart, Home Depot and Lowes. These outlets do not actually sell any thing. there model is to offer retail space for ANYONE that wants to do so, and they will track the sale , report the inventory and bill you for that service. The reason that the products are at the lowest price point is that the manufacturer knows exactly how much/ little to charge and still turn a profit, and a price drop means that the retail cost is eating into that and they need to move the merchandise before they start losing money.
I'm no fan of John Deere, but I can say for certain it's way better to get yours from a dealership. I am a small engine mechanic and I get customers because of lowes and Home Depot not honoring their warranty all the time.
1- if the model numbers are the same, they're the same model. 2- Home Depot extended warranty starts after the dealer warranty and yes they're sketchy. But you don't take your JD equip to HD for warranty issues.
Oh, and I called 4 dealerships around me (United AG and Turf) and only one called me back to let me know he couldn't get the mower I wanted. I got my model from Lowes since the JD dealerships don't seem to want to do business
@@ne.laser_jon the biggest question is why you are willing to spend more to get the John Deere version in the first place. There is a lot of competition like badboy that blows JD completely away when it comes to ease of service, parts availability, and longevity. JD purposely makes a lot of their parts just slightly smaller or larger than similar (In many cases nearly exactly the same) mowers and charges a fortune for their part, also you get raped by the dealership on labor fees if it's not a warranty item.
I don’t know if Lowes still does it but back in 2000 Lowes was staring a program where they serviced what they sold. They contracted with Huffy Service First for outdoor power equipment assembly and service. I worked in that service for the summer season until the Labor Day cut back in sales at which time my pay got cut by 40% and I left. During that time period I unpacked, assembled, and serviced the outdoor power equipment. Also if a customer brought something back it was my job to clean it, service it and return it to the customer. Lowes policy of refunding a customers money if they didn’t like it may have ended the program. Our store had a customer by a 13 HP 36” deck mower, use it to cut a vacant lot, and return it for a refund, it was trashed, the deck belt was half burned up, the deck blades were dented and bent and it was covered in an 1/8” of dirt. The manager told me to do the best I could. I hosed it down, got a new belt, blades, air filter, everything that was damaged, and the manager sold it for $369, a $300 + parts loss + plus my time repairing. I told the manager he was crazy!
Well I think that the manager was doing the best he could to diffuse a situation and get that customer out of his hair as people will buy equipment on the cheap and then tear it up by that kind of use. When I was a tool dealer I had a stop on my route that was a small engine dealer and what happened was a fellow who did cable tv installation had himself a hydraulic boom setup on his truck and the engine crapped out. Well you could tell that the engine was at least a 12 hp Briggs or equivalent by the mounting pattern. Well this guy bought a 6 HP Briggs and he wanted the carburetor adjusted and the engine just did not have enough power to do the job and the guy had some sort of jury rig plate to adapt the engine to the mounting pattern. After two or three of his mechanics could not get the unit to work the owner finally came out and told the guy there was nothing they could do for him. You don't get rm all the time but there are people who are more trouble than they are worth and it is best to take a licking, move on and get them out of your hair. I think that was on your manager's mind in this case.
Dealers usually dont have a fraction of the sales volume of any big box stores. So they usually have to charge higher out the door prices for their mowers, and for delivery fees and sometimes, setting it up. That said, you are usually getting more experienced people at the dealership, in sales and servicing to deal with you, and since they do the same things frequently each day, they are usually pretty good at setting things up correctly.
I bought my JD125 from HD 20 years ago. As a mechanic I don't need someone who's an entry level mechanic to look it over for me. I maintain and repair my own mower. I'll be looking at HD when I buy my next one.
I bought my zero turn from a dealer. Tractor supply had it $200 cheeper. When you need warrantee or any other work done the dealer will do it no matter where you bought it but will charge for pickup and delivery and work on anything that wasn't bought there after they take care of their own customers. They also gas it up, make sure the oil is filled, steering goes straight and the tires are filled with air. Also informed me that I could get an extra year warranty if I bought a $75 service package that had oil, oil filter, oil filter and a couple of other things. Well worth it and not available from tractor supply. The dealer also is an actual mechanic and not a minimum wage sales clerk putting it together and setting it up.
it all depends on the dealer. i worked at one. a lowes unit came in for repair or service it was put on the bottom of the list. usually those that bought from the box stores want everything warranted. pffft sorry your worn blades broken spindle housings and tires full of thorns wont get warranty. our pdi's assured everything we sold was put together right adjusted properly operated to specs and free from defects. some of the box store stuff was horrendous. however all john deere sold at the box stores in our area was pdi'd by the local dealer.
I bought a Cub Cadet from a dealer instead of a big box store. The advantages were that it was $200 cheaper at the dealer , the warranty came free with purchase . It was $300 at the big box store. All work was done by a professional at the dealer. Also because my warranty was thru the dealer and not the big box store I get preferential treatment at the dealer. They take care of their customers first.
Well sir you generally do not get a warranty though the store the warranty is from the manufacturer and of course the warranty is exercised through the dealer. I was a MAC Tool dealer during the early eighties and of course we warranted the Mac manufactured tools for the life of the tool for defects in workmanship and materials and also honored the manufacturers warranty of every non Mac item we carried in our stock but did not perform any warranty work on items. And your point is well made that the dealer will be more apt to be preferential treatment as the machine was purchased at their dealership. Of note that particular dealer may be also liable for warranty work on machines sold from another dealership from another area. When I was a RPS p&d contractor I had a new International powered step van that was sold out of Chicago I believe but the dealer down here in Jacksonville Fl was responsible for any warranty work. Well the dude who ran the parts department did not like that. My response to him "if your commercial truck salesman sold a lot of units to a location in another city, the dealer in that area would be doing the warranty work. I had a Chevrolet P30 chassis step van purchased up in Ohio and the water pump pulley broke up in Georgia on the way home. The dealer there did the warranty work.
The warranty is not through the dealer, it’s through Cub Cadet. I can assure you small mom and pop owned tractor dealers aren’t fixing your broken stuff out of the kindness of their heart, they fix it without charging you because Cub Cadet pays them back lol.
@Pontiac2001GT if you will re-read what I wrote, it says " the warranty came free with purchase " and it was " thru the dealer" no where did I say the man that owned the local store gave me a warranty. I understand how warranties work. I used to work in the automotive field
@@dalekeener2533 Are you referring to the manufacturer warranty? All tractors have an inherent warranty on them as part of purchase. The box stores sell extended warranties for extra charge, unless you’re saying the dealer gave you an extended warranty for free, in that case, well they must make a ton of money to be able to repair things out of warranty for free
John Deere Lowe's mowers are made at MTD in Martin Tennessee in this area. I live about 15 miles from the plant and have worked there in the past painting for contractors doing work there and know several people who work there
MTD has never made anything John Deere. The 100 Series mowers regardless of where they are sold are made in Greenville Tn. MTD does make mowers in Martin Tn… but not John Deere, John Deere 100 Series is their competition.
I was a john deere dealer and the mowers are identical! Buy from the dealer as they set up the mowers for the stores and they have to service them. Pricing again are identical with the exception of clearance items.
Most mowers sold at Big Box stores are Lawn Tractors. Hydrostatic transmissions, even on Zero Turn designs, are NOT made to be serviced (trans fluid change) during their service lives, and when they croak, they're done. Most (not all) sold at JD (and other) dealers are in the Garden Tractor class, and have Hydrostatic transmissions that ARE designed to be serviced by the owner/user or a shop during their service lives. Big clue - Look at the rear wheels - if you see 4 or 5 lug nuts holding the wheel on, it's a heavier duty transmission; if you see only a hub cover (covering probably a C-clip or E-clip), it's' probably a light duty transmission. If you're looking for additional features, like hydraulic lift & lower for accessories, such as snow plow or snow blower, you'll probably have to go to an implement dealer for something in the Garden Tractor class.
Yes sir it pays to compare from one class to another, and you do have to know what you are looking for. Most homeowners do not know the difference and buy from the big box stores for price and convenience. And if they get service under reasonable maintenance and wear the unit our they will probably go and buy another new one. And there are some folks who just pay a lawn service to do their lawn. My brother does as he is an automotive upholsterer working out of his house and he can easily pay his lawn guy out of the money he makes doing convertible tops. The fellow across the street from him is a retired UPS linehaul driver and he can easily afford lawn service but prefers to do his own lawn service. It's different strokes for different folks.
i think experience plays a small role in these decisions. i used to work on cars before i started full time mowing, so going somewhere to get a mower fixed seems to me a huge waste of time, ill go get the part and toss it on, and get back to work. that alone takes away the dealer advantage for me. now my experience with the home depot cub cadet zturn has been great as it can be, so far at over 1000 hours in 6 years i just recently put in an ignition switch and starter relay, might have been $50 and took 10 minutes. i will 100% go with a box store model again. also i dont think im easy on this thing, popping wheelies into piles of leaves(never had a belt or hydro problem, still original), plowing snow (w/chains), and way too few oil changes, but i keep the blades sharp.
@@GenXMafia whats not real? i sit, it goes, it mows. i didnt buy it for the name. did you read? got my money out of it. im not paying 2 times as much for a name.
@@GenXMafia i just did some math, this thing says its meant for 1 acre standard homeowner use. thats an hour a week tops, roughly 30 hours a year. i basically put over 30 regular years of use on this, in 5. can you say thats shit quality? name dosent matter.
I bought a S100 from Lowes for $1400.00 which was miss marked from 2000.00. I had a 10% off Lowes coupon which took off $140.00 dollars plus John Deere had a special for a free trailer which I sold for $150.00 because did not need it. plus free shipping. Could not pass up the deal! I bought it in 2021 now they jumped up to $2399.00. I have only 19 hrs on it.
I have been buying from my local Lawn and Garden center for decades. My experience is Big Box stores are not cheaper, they just make you think they are. If I need service or parts, my store has me and my equipment in their data base, so I dont have to worry what size deck belt, filters, battery, gadgets, widgets or any other thing is the right one.
You better dig into the specifications. Big Box store models are cheaper because they have cheaper (lower quality) components. For example plastic transmission housings and transmission housings that aren’t serviceable. Just one example but a critical one.
Sometimes the equipment offered at a big box store is a "special run" of equipment. They are not generally carried by a dealership because they don't get them in. This is because there is not the profit margin available for the dealer to stock and sell them. For the big box this is not an issue as they buy and resell them in the thousands, which means they get them at the lowest price the manufacturer can sell them at wholesale while the individual dealer may only buy one or two of those units in a year. This means the dealer has to pay more for shipping and handling, because they are not getting hundreds of them delivered to central warehouses where they are shipped out with other merchandise in either full or ltl shipments.
The one advantage the dealer has is that they service what they sell. If you can't DIY service with your mower or don't have the time then a dealer seems the way to go. I live in a large metropolitan area and the John Deere dealership is closed on Saturday (sales) and Sunday. I would pass three Home Depots on my way to that dealer. HD gave me a 10% veterans discount with an option for interest free financing up to 24 months.
I disagree we purchased at HD a Toro Timecutter 50" with a military discount of $ 3741.58 with taxes. Funny you said that one of the HD employees set up the mower for delivery. It came on a pallet all secured with some gas it started right up and operates fine so far only got 2.0 hours on it. Also 3 years of unlimited warranty for everything plus motor & trans.
Dealers have more variation between being good and bad. Also, one of my mowers came from a dealer who is now out of business, and there is no one else covering that brand nearby.
If you live in a real area like I do a JD dealer may be much closer than Lowes or Home Depot. I drive by 2 JD dealers on my way to the closest Lowers! I have a new X739 and an older X534 that have both been great machines.
"Stores" often cheap out in important details like engine, trans, and the like where the dealers start with better build quality and goes up from there. Stop by a reputable dealer and they will walk you thru. For example my Husq. from the dealer had the better Kawa engine and Tuff Torque drive train, Lowes had the cheap weak stuff. Also, if an issue arises under warranty - do you want "Service" or "Circus"? Push mowers; maybe, but bigger stuff - choose wisely, Grasshopper.
You mentioned that the dealer will deliver a new unit free of charge. Ive just purchased a new S130 from a local dealership. I live about 20 minutes from the store and they want to charge $150 to deliver. The guy there says he starts waiving the delivery fee on the x300s. Pretty sure I can get it picked up myself. I realize they’ve got salaries and overhead but you’d think they’d waive the delivery fee for the purchase of a new mower and the short distance involved.
The amount of friends who’ve bought a new Husqvarna or some other big box brand tractor only to have it be a cash furnace. My 1988 JD 180 is still running like a beast. It mows, bags, tows and clears snow. Will most likely outlive me. Once a year mechanical maintenance, blade sharpening etc. you can easily drop 3k on a tractor with plastic bushings, no grease fittings, and a parts stock that’s non existent. All for some LED lights and a fancy paint job. The mind boggles at what stands for “quality” now.
It appears to me that they're not different so much as the dealers sell different models. I've never seen a 100 series lawn tractor at a JD Dealer. They seem to start in the 300 series. OTOH, you'll never see a 500 or 700 series lawn tractor at a big box lumber/hardware store. Which makes sense for JD dealers who generally deal with farmers who are buying big equipment.
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It's a down right shame that residential mowers cost so much and are made so cheap
Well that is the way nowadays disposable
You got that right.I have a 15 yr old Troybilt solid steel.All the ones I look at now are big hunks of plastic.
Bought a z335e for less than $2K before the pandemic. The current model is $3K.
@@terryhill545 i have a 22 Year old troy blit
@@zeroturn7091 What the hell was JD thinking when they came out with plastic transmission!?
Thanks for the video, I can add a little bit of light to the discussion. As a trucker I've hauled plenty of tractors over the years to include parts going to PDC's (parts distribution center) and manufacturing facilities as JIT freight (just in time). I know for a fact that the Deere plant in Greeneville, TN manufactures both big box grade and dealer grade tractors on the same assembly line. There are always scores of tractors stacked in their racks that are waiting for transport, some in white boxes and some in green boxes. Just like a car every unit has its own vin with its own corresponding BOL (bill of lading) and they are ordered in blocks. So, a load of 30 tractors may have multiple delivery points and must be delivered in order. So that each dealer or store gets that correct block of tractors with the correct vin.
I bought my S240 the first year there were made, it was a toss up between that and the D130. My local dealer had the D130 in stock, the deciding factor was the engine.
Excellent service from the dealer. I have done all the annual maintenance, it should last a very long time.
I got my Toro Zero Turn from a dealer. The service was great. It was our first zero turn and my wife was concerned about the controlling it with lever handles. They started one up and had her running around the parking lot in no time. Delivered to our house for free and made sure we were comfortable with it.
Haha, I remember telling my wife how to drive it: “do you know how to operate a shopping cart?” “Yes”. “Well there you go”
@@woohunter1 Yes... That is the best way to describe how to drive a zero turn. And also need to keep both wheels turning in a turn to prevent tearing up the turf. May be one forward and one backward, but both turning when moving.
Most lawn mowers are made by MTD
@@georgedavidson1221 not really. They make a lot… but not “most”.
@@georgedavidson1221 MTD = Made To Disintegrate.
I’m glad I’ve bought all my deeres from your location. Dealer support has been so much better than a Lowe’s/ Home Depot
We had a JD Dealer in Savage, MN that was totally horrible. They'd lie to your face, refuse to sell parts, and would pick your pocket if they could get away with it. I started to drive much further to a tradition farm oriented JD store, and they screwed me even worse. I refused to even consider another JD when the time came a couple years ago to replace my older tractor.
I haven't been to a dealer since I bought my LX277, 23 years ago.
Yep. I've had similar experiences.
Something to be aware of, and this is far more true for JD than say Cub Cadet, Toro, or Husqvarna. If you hate the dealer in your area, so you buy it from a box store, you are still going to have to take it to a dealer to get it worked on. That is especially true for JD, they have their dealer and parts supply locked down tight. If you want to do the work yourself, you'll still only have the option to buy parts from JD or their dealer. With other brands you'll usually have more options for service and parts. As for low end models, low-end model takes up the same warehouse, floor space, and handling time as a higher end model. So even if the margin is the same on the low-end and the high end, it is more dollars per mower for a dealer to concentrate on the higher end models and leave the volume sales to the box stores.
@@user-ub5bg8qz1d When I still had my JD it meant a longer drive to a reputable dealer for parts & supplies. WHen it was time for a new tractor JD wasn't even considered due to the way the local dealer acted.
Snapper and snapper pro is the mower for the prices. Especially with the icd deck on a mower that cost $6500
10:13 my dealer was gonna charge $75-100 for delivery depending on what mower I bought. They also didn’t mention anything about a free oil change.
I did my research before buying my JD zero turn. Going through part numbers ,many parts were identical across many models of similar size and capabilities. So smaller/ cheaper models probably not at dealers like you said. I like JD because parts are usually always available for years. Good selling point.
A good friend gave me his LX 255 JD and when I got it it was 15 years old everything on it worked fine and he ran it every week summer and winter so it had high hours, but he did keep it maintained,..He bought a new on for his retirement and gave me this one back in 2012, I keep it outside and it runs every time I turn the key,.. Oh,.. Also,.. the paint job still looks good although I did have to buy a new hood as the old one was brittle and cracked,.. He had it 15 years, I've had it 11 years,...
I actually work at the factory that builds ALL Z3, Z5, 100 series, and S240’s. We have special home depot mowers and lowes mowers. Some mowers are dealer only. Just various on product and accessories. We also build all the baggers and kits here as well.
Are the models sold in chain stores the same quality as the dealer models?
I bought mine directly from John Deere. I physically went to a John Deere dealership and bought it from dad. I also bought the maximum additional warranty and I just did the 50 hour oil change last year on it. That’s my advice if you want a John Deere lawnmower, go directly through a John Deere dealership!
Yes
From dad???
@@Dan-rx3yh no I bought mine from John Deere and got the maximum additional warranty
@@rudycarlson8245 You said you bought it from dad. what did you mean?
@@michaelmiller9785 I meant to say I bought it directly from a John Deere dealership, not from Home Depot and bought the maximum additional warranty
Buying my 3rd JD from the Ag Pro dealer network. They have proven over many years of why I buy from them as a dealer. On several occasions through the years, they have helped me select the right equipment and supported service and repairs after the sale. Always knowledgeable and ready to assist with anything I need. I highly recommend them. Thank you for taking the time to make these videos!
I too have bought several ( actually 8 ) J. D. lawn equipment from dealers , not big box stores . Better service and quicker turn around . Parts are another issue : try getting them at a box store . You eventually buy them from dealers . Also if issues arise , I can call , talk to a person and have a remedy over the phone . Try that with big box stores
Great video 👍 I have 5 acres to mow and it was taking me from 6-8 hours with a JD x384 tractor style mower. Looked at zero turn JD’s and no Lowe’s or Home Depot had any at all and could not deliver if they could. The local JD got used ones in and 5 used ones listed were sold that same day. Got super lucky JD had a cancelation of an order and picked up a Z530M brand new still with plastic on the seat and JD delivered. I was disappointed the scalpers and deck height were not adjusted at all, and this was from a dealership, but damn, live the mower
One thing about buying a mower at the home improvement stores and having to have it serviced at the dealer for warranty work is that there are some (not all ) dealers that cop an attitude that the piece of equipment was not purchased at their dealership and therefore they did not make the markup on the unit, but are expected to do any warranty work even though the dealer does get paid for said work. I have seen both attitudes as to warranty work on equipment but that is of course the way things are. Depending upon the severity of the application of the machine and the owner's mechanical capabilities it sometimes is wiser to deal with the dealer. I have a used John Deere 160 rider that was given to me and have basically restored the machine mechanically and have had quite a few seasons of use. It had a new replacement deck when I got it and I do not mind doing major mechanical work on it, but if I was not capable or did mind working on it, I would buy a new machine and take reasonable care of it or just pay a lawn service to take care of my yard. I have also seen people get used mowers ad constantly are paying to get them repaired as they are constantly needing something that is worn out replaced. Not good, best to buy new.
The JD dealer in my area doesn't carry anything lower than the X-Series lawn tractors....they just get more expensive and fancier from there. The box stores get the S series, entry level machines only. My dealer salesman was a snob, and quickly checked off JD as a tractor option, with just 1 sentence he did himself in on a tractor sale. When someone asks you about an X700 series machine, and then asks about a 1 series tractor and a salesman's reply is "Why you cannot afford one" is not the proper reply, nor should ever be said to a customer, especially when you don't know anything about them to begin with.
I have found that same situation. I need a smaller riding lawn mower & dealers in my area carry only commercial grade mowers.
My local dealer wanted $79 to deliver/setup an S170. Lowes delivered it for free. Lowes is also good in that if something happens within 30 days they'll pick it up and send a new one. Not sure if a dealer would do that.
I bought a Husqvarna at Lowes 10 years ago after it was returned. They sold it to me at 2/3 of price. I went over it with a close look and found only one problem the bracket for grass level was put on wrong. I run the lawn tractor about 50 hours a year.
Nice!
Bought a LA125 in 2009 from the local JD dealership, got a military discount on mower and accessories and they delivered it. I recently replaced the head gasket myself in 2022 by watching a video on UA-cam. It’s still working great! 😄
The biggest thing for me and why I bought my last John Deere from a dealership instead of Lowe’s or Home Depot was service and it was proven within a few days of ownership when the cable that engages the blades broke , I called the dealership and told them what happened and apparently it was a known common problem, they came out the next day apologized, replaced the cable in about ten minutes said sign here, no charge and off he went
Good information. thank you. Aside from a first oil change, the dealer might also throw in (or at greatly reduced price) an accessory you might have your eye on..Happened to me.
Thank you for the advice. Im still using my 20 yr old Lawn boy self propelled walk behind. Im thinking of next year getting a rider, takes me 1 hour to mow and I'll be 70 this fall. Knees are getting a little worn. You do a nice job on getting me to think the options over .
Until you reach that age group people simply don't understand why you'd want or need a rider 🙂 Good on you!
Good for you Sir....
I'm still using my HRR216TDA Honda self propelled walk behind. This machine has traveled from TX to CA and back and it still works fine.
One benefit from the dealer is you can get information that the big box store cannot tell you. Like common failure’s and what to watch for or to just avoid entirely.
My dealer gave me great info on my z920m and told me what they see commonly broken on machines that come back for service and what to watch for.
You also get preferential treatment for parts , repairs
Since neither Lowe's or Home Depot sells a machine that large, a Z920M, your comment is essentially irrelevant.
@@kevinstorm6009 For that model yes . Not for ALL of the others !
@@kevinstorm6009 I was referring to ALL models that are sold at big box stores !
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I will never buy from a big box store again. Buy from a dealer,and have support when you need it.
Hello From Kentucky. I have a 1987 165 hydro John Deere lawn tractor that was gifted to me a few years back with a #10S John Deere lawn cart and I have to say that this tractor is one of the best mowing tractors that I have ever owned. The 38 inch mower decks seem to be nearly as heavy as the tractor - Not Really, Just Seems Like It Is.
A few days ago, I was mowing and broke the hydrostatic drive belt. The belt looked like it may have possibly been the 1987 OEM belt
Although I have also purchased aftermarket parts for my Cub Cadets and John Deere tractors in the past years, I always recommend using the OEM John Deere drive belts because they are designed especially for the John Deere stuff. The aftermarket belts just don’t last as long as the John Deere belts do. While my tractor is apart, I am also replacing the 2 pulleys and the hydro cooling fan blade. The FB460V Kawasaki engine is guaranteed to start no matter how hot or cold it is outside. My tractor was manufactured at the Horicon factory and is a John Deere through and through. After I put the tractor back together, The 165 hydro should last for several more years.
i can tell u for a fact that in my area, southern missouri, that the local john deere dealerships will refuse to work on or warranty mowers sold by box stores that say john deere on them...i asked how they would know if the customer didnt tell them and they said its in the model or seral number of the mowers that tells if they are dealership or box store sold mowers
I purchased a grill not correctly assembled from a big box store. One of my co-workers purchased a Sears lawn mower that had no oil in it and he ran it down one lane of grass and it locked up. Sears gave him a new mower with oil in it.
You said the Sears mower had no oil. Did Sears sell it with gas in it?
The guy should have checked the oil.
It’s your responsibility to check and add oil!
Thanks for doing this video.
One thing that Loews offers that a dealer may/may not offer is a 10% military discount which can save you hundreds of dollars.
That's a good point. I have come to like Lowes over Home Depot for many reasons
@Mechanical_Mind - Home Depot allegedly offers a military discount but is limited to $400 annually.
I use my military discount at Home Depot ever time I go there, and have never had any limits on the discounts.
@robertheinkel6225 - That's good but I was merely stating the information on their Website. Loews has no limit.
Great video. As a small engine mechanic, I look VERY closely at thickness of metal, the power of the engine, and the history of the manufacture. John Deere parts are TWICE as expensive, because J.D. makes their own components like mower blades inhouse, with the Brand so heavily advertised, everything cost more.
They also bank on the JD name. The low end ones still use the B&S lower end motors and the lower end transmissions. But people buy on the name even if the product isn't quality.
Good video for mower comparison
8:16 on my z920m the manual states at 8 hours break in your supposed to check and tighten the wheel hardware.
Bought my first rider at lowes a husqvarna and everything was great but i did have to ck it over and level the deck. My 2nd one I just bought was also a Husqvarna but at a dealer and they didnt even level the deck so i may of just bought it from lowes but they both had the same price and they did deliver it free but so did lowes. I love the hydrostatic fender stick drive and i guess huaqvarna is doing away with that which is part of the reason i bought one of the last ones available. I bought the LGT 48DXL and really like it except the rubber gasket on the bagger keeps tearing, im on my 3rd one in two years.
In my area - central Virginia - the dealer will not work on John Deere if it was bought at a non-dealership. Also, the dealer offers great off season maintenance. Free pickup and delivery-and they check everything on the mower, so that it runs great during the summer.
I used to be in sales at a John Deere dealership. One of our stores did all the uncrating and set up for the local lowes
I bought a Toro Zero Turn, 42 inch, from Home Depot, September 2010. The 10% military discount was applied. Other than oil changes, the only failure was the pto during Covid. It took three months to get parts from the Toro dealer, and what was installed wasn’t even from Toro.
AllI could find at the big box stores at the time I was buying was 20" self propelled mowers. But I wanted a 21" and only dealers had them.
We just took delivery of an X394 from the dealer. The 4 wheel power steering is amazing! We have a spreader/aerator, thatcherator, and a sweeper coming in a few weeks. So far, I love the machine and the service.
I bought my Toro Zero-turn "Time Cutter" from my local dealer. I have done business with them for decades. A local "Big Box" put it on "sale" two weeks later. For $200 more than the dealer's normal price. Unassembled (Available for $75 more) You pick-up or delivery is $50 extra.
So the dealer delivered it with a full tank of gas, fully assembled, and the delivery man explained and demonstrated the controls, etc. Tricky on my first zero-turn. And his non-sale regular price was $200 less. TOUGH CHOICE NOT!
Where the Ego dealer in my area for the electric version? Oh, there is none. Lowes only sells gas version. Home Depot at brick & mortar store, might have one or two. Rest of the time, you have to order from online.
3 years ago I purchased a John Deere E120 from Lowes (I wanted the Kawasaki engine). It arrived missing the ignition. There was just a hole in the console and the driver found the plug hanging inside). The driver told me the factory tech had just gone over it and couldn't understand how the problem existed. I sent it back on the same truck, called one of the local JD dealers and they delivered the same model that afternoon fully assembled, tested and I handed the driver a check for the total. I think buying JD from Lowes or HDepot would be a huge mistake and I'd never consider doing it again.
I but a great deal of tools and other items from both Lowe's and Home Depot. However for tractors like John Deere, I have had very solid experience with the local Deere dealership. The problem with both Lowe's and Home Depot is that they are not tractor experts whereas the local dealership is.
Agreed they just sell the products and are really not obligated for service problems as most of the items sold in the big box stores are set up that way. They do not have service departments.
Thanks for the video. I have a question. I have an acre of land mostly grass, i am looking for a solid model something that will last and also have the ability to plow snow during winter time. what model under 5k would you recommend?
I found the major difference between big box stores and dealerships are first, all the warranty service is done at the dealerships in most of them. Second, if you need a post warranty repair the dealership where you purchased the mower should be able to fix it where big box stores do not offer service or repairs. The other thing you mentioned are commercial grade mowers, especially zero turns. I've never seen a commercial grade zero turn mower being sold at any big box stores, only residential grade mowers. I just purchased my first zero turn from our local Toro dealership. I purchased the lowest grade commercial Toro Z Master 2000 for one basic reason, the transmissions and hydraulic pumps are heavy duty compared to a residential grade zero turns like the Timecutters. I'm not so sure about garden tractors however, I purchased a Cub Cadet XT2 from a local Cub Cadet dealership where the big box stores only carry the XT1 grade garden tractors. Good vid and thanks for sharing. Cheers from Vermont.
Of course a lot of this depends on your local dealers. I have had a good experience with a couple of our local dealers. But, there is another company that owns multiple local dealerships just doesn’t seem to care about their customers. I took in a walk behind brush hog I bought from them and it took several weeks and multiple phone calls to get them to fix a minor engine problem. I also bought 35 hp compact tractor from them. I won’t take my tractor to them but, fortunately another company in the area (30 miles away) also sells the same brand and seems to be much more interested in doing business in a long term fashion.
Agreed. I had my mind set on buying a JD S160 4 years ago, I went to my local dealer and browsed their selection of lawn tractors outside for a while and was ignored. I then went inside and looked at the machines on display and was ignored, I saw acouple salespeople bsing to each other in their offices not paying any attention to me. After about 20 minutes of walking around the store and futilely sitting on a S160 to make it obvious what I was shopping for I walked back out. I went and bought my second choice mower from a different manufacturer who had sales people that made an effort.
Good afternoon tell people about the deck spindles they put a bearing in with the bearing cover on both sides of the bearing and they put on a grease zerk to grease the bearing how does the bearing get any grease igrease
Can you please do a video on the best grand stands and if they are good vs zero turns. I’m looking at used toro grand stands but idk what to look for lol.
i think it's generally understood that the same equipment goes to all stores (dealer or Home Depot or Lowes, etc.) but the biggest difference is in the setup. Generally speaking, but not always, the dealer will have the mower setup a little more precise, but that's not always true either. Also, the dealer might deliver it to you or have a few incentives for buying from them. For instance, free service for the first three years or perhaps an upgraded seat or some other add-on at no extra charge. It really all depends on the actual person doing the setup for you. Not all dealers are better that the big box stores. At one of my local Lowes stores, the guy that sets up all the riding mowers for them is an actual mechanic and does a pretty good job.
The easiest way to see how different the models value difference is compare warranties by taking a “box store” purchased item to a dealership for warranty. I found out from my gun smith buddy that Smith and Weston doesn’t have their normal lifetime warranty on box store serial numbers like gun store purchased
The million dollar question! I bought my Cub Cadet ZT1 42 May 5th 2020 from dealer it's the same mower at Home Depot but the service I received was unmatched along with same price.
I can’t tell you how many of those I’ve worked on.
@@StephenBrewer89 Wow!
Buying Lawn Mowers at the Big Box Stores are mainly for people that will only mow a 1/3 or at the max a 1/2 acre of flat yard.
Many of the transmission's, drive trains, etc. are nothing more then plastics. If your yard has hills with much of an incline those Big Box Mowers may last for one mowing season before you have problems. I would say 75% + of the people buying these cheap mowers will just put the gas in and Mow then park it until the next time they mow.
The average guy/gal won't check the fluids, tire pressure, underside of the deck, etc. as the should prior to and after every time they mow. They won't even blow off the grass clipping's on top of the deck or use the garden hose option to clean the deck underside(It works).
Also if you mow on hills, get a riding mower with an oil pump.
There really isn't a need for all that checking for a weekly 1/3-acre mow unless something's already wrong with the mower. The tires should be able to hold air for at least a season, and the oil should stay in that engine until intentionally released for the seasonal change. Check until you've verified that the mower is holding its stuff in like it should; after that, a seasonal once-over will do ya. Like I said...that's unless your unit is junk!
I bought my Toro Zero turn at Home Depot in 2010. So far still going strong. Here in Florida, we mow year around. I also help mow the churches five acres, and use it to move my utility trailer from the back yard to the front driveway. The only failure, was the PTO clutch during Covid, when parts were not available.
I don't know about John Deere, but the Cub Cadet models that were sold at box stores were definitely different. I'm sure the units were built by MTD, but it was obvious that the decks were thinner, sheet metal was thinner, more plastic, and model numbers that no one had heard of. Cub Cadet models sold through authorized dealers were the best choice, but many people are price shoppers. 20+ years later, very few of those mowers survive.
Cub Cadet has been manufactured by MTD since 1981
I have owned several John Deere tractors and always bought from a dealer and sometimes had to travel pretty far to get the best deal but the dealers usually take care of there customers with supplying the warranty parts and letting the owner do the repairs as long as you return you old part. It works out for them because they get the labor and I get my machine back running faster. I only buy the x500 series which is not to big or small for my needs plus the tractor gets used 365 days a year with plowing, blowing snow, hauling and grass maintenance.
On that one with loose lug nuts, the owner should’ve used his/her common sense & checked all nuts, bolts, etc to see is everything was tight. I’ve only bought two new riding mowers since I had a yard big enough to benefit owning one. First one was a Green Craftsman 42” deck & B&S engine. I wore it out. Then I bought a Red Craftsman T1800 with Kohler Series 7000 engine with a 42” deck to mow my acre yard, Sears had a service center & made sure the engine had oil in it, filled the gas tank, made sure everything was tightened up, he also made sure that I understood how to operate it plus helped me to load it on my trailer. With the insane prices of new mowers & poor build quality there’s no way that I buy a new one. Thanks for this video, I know it’ll help someone. We had a JD dealership locally but relocated 30 miles from here & is United AG & Turf
On our property we use a 20 year old woods zero turn mower and a 1975 IH cub cadet with snowblower and tiller and all weve ever had to do for either is routine maintenance. We do some small engine work on the side and it boggles my mind how junky new mowers are compared to mowers even 20 years ago
I can’t say today but 10 yrs ago there were several differences in the big box John Deere and the dealership John Deere. One of the major differences was the decks were better built on the dealership models. I know cause a friend of mine bought a new from the dealership and we went over the 2 of them very closely befor he bought them. I also know several people that have bought Deere’s from Lowe’s and they just don’t last as long. I have two Deere mowers. One is a ‘91 and the other is a ‘98 year model. And they still run great. Both obviously from a dealership.
My beef with the big box stores is they park their mowers out front exposed to weather, tampering, etc. and I have a problem with that. I don't park my own mower out in the weather, so I"m not about to go invest in a mower that's already been sitting outside for a month or more. I know why the stores do it (space), but that's not my problem.
Where do you think dealers park their stock of mowers besides the couple you see on their showroom floor?
Several years ago I bought my Cub at a local Cub dealership (he was having a good EOY sale). I don't mind paying a few dollars more to support the local guy and it wasn't really that much more than the Home Depot price plus they delivered! The following year my neighbor bought the same model from Home Depot. We compared the two one day when we were both mowing and noticed a few things different. Mine had folding arm rests on the seat, cup holder, hour meter, just some small extras that his was missing. Same model numbers. I know this was common for electronic products as well as I have a good friend that used to have a TV store. The box stores got similar model but they were missing some "extra's".
Bought my first tractor last season...A Deere X354...After hearing all the opinions of buying from a dealer, I drove 4hrs to the only dealer who had one in stock...Upon getting it home the deck wasn't leveled, the oil level was low, and the tires had only 5-7lbs. in them...I had also purchased a mulching kit, and armrests for the seat, and was told I had to install them myself...
The 300 series of lawn tractors is a nice choice. I would like to have one. Please don't think that all dealers are as cheesy as the one that you dealt with. I equate them the same as a used car lot. There are some that are upstanding and willing to work for the customer... and then there's the lackluster bunch that are all in for the sale and the rest is up to you.
5-7 PSI is ideal. Consider that the tires are the only suspension for the chassis and pumping them up any higher just beats the machine's chassis, and your spine.
I bought a Craftsman T130 riding mower from Lowe's a while back. From day one the steering on it has been loose and nobody knows why. I've put a lot of hours on the mower but it always leaves me with sore arms and shoulders since my yard is huge. After Hurricane Michael tried to wipe my part of the state off the map we've got very little in the way of knowledgeable repair facilities left in my area for those MTD manufactured mowers.
I suggest you take a close look at a SCAG residential zero turn. Way, way, way better than a JD, Husqvarna or Cub Cadet. The deck is at least twice as think as most residential mowers. My son just bought a 48 inch SCAG for $4900 with his military discount. Huge deal compared to the JD.
From Lowe's or direct from Scag ?
The 100 series mowers are made in Tennessee, the 240/300 models are made in Horicon, Wisconsin.
Great video, I didn’t need to see it though to know I’d never buy a lawn tractor/mower from a big box store. Dealership is always the best way to go. That’s just me though. I completely understand not everyone has the same opinions or options.
hi sir I bought my john deere s130 at a lowes cause my local dealer said doesn't have any in stock so I bought at a lowes and the dealer I talked to also puts them together for lowes. so I guess I got ok deal.
My comment is yes a big difference in materials used. I have had a JD for twenty years. More expensive but more machine. Mower deck, tires, even engine dealer engines have ball bearing on the drive end of the crankshaft. others have a sleeve bearing. Just worth the difference.
Good info, Thanks.
I had noting but bad experiences with the John Deere dealership and I just quit even using them except for parts and I ended up doing the work. The dealership I dealt with for 2 tractors a sub compact 2305 with a front end loader, backhoe and 62" deck. This tractor had an out of level deck the tires were swapped out from the lug tires to turf tires and the front end loader had loose fittings right from the day they delivered it. Then I was stupid again and bought a X590 with the 54" deck. This garden tractor had an overfilled transaxle, over inflated tires, the deck was not level and the engine was not filled with enough oil. I did the PDI myself after the experience with the 2305. This dealership was bought out by a larger company and it seemed to resolve some of the issues that they had but the PDI was penciled whipped on the X590 and I took this back to salesman and had taken pictures of all my findings. I was not happy and they would not even some goodwill. Just be aware not all dealerships are all that good and after having 3 different owners at the local John Deere dealership I can see definite issues that for the most part solved by aware consumer.
Speaking from experience at least in our area Rochester NY Lowes sells John Deere mowers are from a local shop Land Pro equipment, at least that is what Lowes told me when I was about to buy one when I asked about servicing it. I was told to contact them cause they handle the service contracts. I canceled my order thinking they would service it if I needed but it may take longer cause I didn’t actually buy it from them. I went with a locally owned family business and purchased a Cub Cadet XT2, I would rather give my money locally than a big corporation in situations like this anyways.
I was totally shocked when I went from the X300 to the X350! Now getting half the mowing hrs per gallon of fuel.
I bought an X 350 about a year ago. I should have bought a couple extra gas cans. Man that thing soaks up the gas
Thank you so much
So the first answer is yes, they do sell different models at the box stores. I have a JD model 455 Diesel, 60" Lawn Tractor that is 25 years old. I did all repairs on the tractor and mower deck and the only issues I had on the Yanmar engine were a fuel shut off solenoid, fuel pump, alternator and fan belt. No internal issues. I have about 1600 hours on it and can still get all parts for it.
How many are still made basically the same but sold as different brands like MTD used to do?
I want some of those crates! The possibilities are endless.
They will be sent back to factory and reused
@@ronaldmangin570 yes, it was just an anecdote.
Bought my Cub Cadet from a dealer. Three year warranty, free delivery and came filled with gas. Im not just a number at the dealer. Have bought many chain saws from them and when I walk in they know who I am and get great customer service.
I'm surprised at how little is known about the retail model of Walmart, Home Depot and Lowes. These outlets do not actually sell any thing. there model is to offer retail space for ANYONE that wants to do so, and they will track the sale , report the inventory and bill you for that service. The reason that the products are at the lowest price point is that the manufacturer knows exactly how much/ little to charge and still turn a profit, and a price drop means that the retail cost is eating into that and they need to move the merchandise before they start losing money.
I bought a Z 525 from HD at the end of last year for 2k less then dealers and this years price. Came with 3 year JD warrant.
I'm no fan of John Deere, but I can say for certain it's way better to get yours from a dealership. I am a small engine mechanic and I get customers because of lowes and Home Depot not honoring their warranty all the time.
1- if the model numbers are the same, they're the same model.
2- Home Depot extended warranty starts after the dealer warranty and yes they're sketchy. But you don't take your JD equip to HD for warranty issues.
Oh, and I called 4 dealerships around me (United AG and Turf) and only one called me back to let me know he couldn't get the mower I wanted. I got my model from Lowes since the JD dealerships don't seem to want to do business
@@ne.laser_jon the biggest question is why you are willing to spend more to get the John Deere version in the first place. There is a lot of competition like badboy that blows JD completely away when it comes to ease of service, parts availability, and longevity. JD purposely makes a lot of their parts just slightly smaller or larger than similar (In many cases nearly exactly the same) mowers and charges a fortune for their part, also you get raped by the dealership on labor fees if it's not a warranty item.
I don’t know if Lowes still does it but back in 2000 Lowes was staring a program where they serviced what they sold. They contracted with Huffy Service First for outdoor power equipment assembly and service. I worked in that service for the summer season until the Labor Day cut back in sales at which time my pay got cut by 40% and I left. During that time period I unpacked, assembled, and serviced the outdoor power equipment. Also if a customer brought something back it was my job to clean it, service it and return it to the customer. Lowes policy of refunding a customers money if they didn’t like it may have ended the program. Our store had a customer by a 13 HP 36” deck mower, use it to cut a vacant lot, and return it for a refund, it was trashed, the deck belt was half burned up, the deck blades were dented and bent and it was covered in an 1/8” of dirt. The manager told me to do the best I could. I hosed it down, got a new belt, blades, air filter, everything that was damaged, and the manager sold it for $369, a $300 + parts loss + plus my time repairing. I told the manager he was crazy!
Well I think that the manager was doing the best he could to diffuse a situation and get that customer out of his hair as people will buy equipment on the cheap and then tear it up by that kind of use. When I was a tool dealer I had a stop on my route that was a small engine dealer and what happened was a fellow who did cable tv installation had himself a hydraulic boom setup on his truck and the engine crapped out. Well you could tell that the engine was at least a 12 hp Briggs or equivalent by the mounting pattern. Well this guy bought a 6 HP Briggs and he wanted the carburetor adjusted and the engine just did not have enough power to do the job and the guy had some sort of jury rig plate to adapt the engine to the mounting pattern. After two or three of his mechanics could not get the unit to work the owner finally came out and told the guy there was nothing they could do for him. You don't get rm all the time but there are people who are more trouble than they are worth and it is best to take a licking, move on and get them out of your hair. I think that was on your manager's mind in this case.
Dealers usually dont have a fraction of the sales volume of any big box stores. So they usually have to charge higher out the door prices for their mowers, and for delivery fees and sometimes, setting it up. That said, you are usually getting more experienced people at the dealership, in sales and servicing to deal with you, and since they do the same things frequently each day, they are usually pretty good at setting things up correctly.
I bought my JD125 from HD 20 years ago. As a mechanic I don't need someone who's an entry level mechanic to look it over for me. I maintain and repair my own mower. I'll be looking at HD when I buy my next one.
I bought my zero turn from a dealer. Tractor supply had it $200 cheeper. When you need warrantee or any other work done the dealer will do it no matter where you bought it but will charge for pickup and delivery and work on anything that wasn't bought there after they take care of their own customers. They also gas it up, make sure the oil is filled, steering goes straight and the tires are filled with air. Also informed me that I could get an extra year warranty if I bought a $75 service package that had oil, oil filter, oil filter and a couple of other things. Well worth it and not available from tractor supply. The dealer also is an actual mechanic and not a minimum wage sales clerk putting it together and setting it up.
it all depends on the dealer. i worked at one. a lowes unit came in for repair or service it was put on the bottom of the list. usually those that bought from the box stores want everything warranted. pffft sorry your worn blades broken spindle housings and tires full of thorns wont get warranty. our pdi's assured everything we sold was put together right adjusted properly operated to specs and free from defects. some of the box store stuff was horrendous. however all john deere sold at the box stores in our area was pdi'd by the local dealer.
I bought a Cub Cadet from a dealer instead of a big box store. The advantages were that it was $200 cheaper at the dealer , the warranty came free with purchase . It was $300 at the big box store. All work was done by a professional at the dealer. Also because my warranty was thru the dealer and not the big box store I get preferential treatment at the dealer. They take care of their customers first.
Well sir you generally do not get a warranty though the store the warranty is from the manufacturer and of course the warranty is exercised through the dealer. I was a MAC Tool dealer during the early eighties and of course we warranted the Mac manufactured tools for the life of the tool for defects in workmanship and materials and also honored the manufacturers warranty of every non Mac item we carried in our stock but did not perform any warranty work on items. And your point is well made that the dealer will be more apt to be preferential treatment as the machine was purchased at their dealership. Of note that particular dealer may be also liable for warranty work on machines sold from another dealership from another area. When I was a RPS p&d contractor I had a new International powered step van that was sold out of Chicago I believe but the dealer down here in Jacksonville Fl was responsible for any warranty work. Well the dude who ran the parts department did not like that. My response to him "if your commercial truck salesman sold a lot of units to a location in another city, the dealer in that area would be doing the warranty work. I had a Chevrolet P30 chassis step van purchased up in Ohio and the water pump pulley broke up in Georgia on the way home. The dealer there did the warranty work.
The warranty is not through the dealer, it’s through Cub Cadet. I can assure you small mom and pop owned tractor dealers aren’t fixing your broken stuff out of the kindness of their heart, they fix it without charging you because Cub Cadet pays them back lol.
@Pontiac2001GT if you will re-read what I wrote, it says " the warranty came free with purchase " and it was " thru the dealer" no where did I say the man that owned the local store gave me a warranty. I understand how warranties work. I used to work in the automotive field
@@dalekeener2533 Are you referring to the manufacturer warranty? All tractors have an inherent warranty on them as part of purchase. The box stores sell extended warranties for extra charge, unless you’re saying the dealer gave you an extended warranty for free, in that case, well they must make a ton of money to be able to repair things out of warranty for free
John Deere Lowe's mowers are made at MTD in Martin Tennessee in this area. I live about 15 miles from the plant and have worked there in the past painting for contractors doing work there and know several people who work there
MTD has never made anything John Deere. The 100 Series mowers regardless of where they are sold are made in Greenville Tn. MTD does make mowers in Martin Tn… but not John Deere, John Deere 100 Series is their competition.
@@Pontiac2001GT You are correct. I work in the very JD factory where the 100 series, S series, 300 Ztrak, and 500 Ztrak are built.
I was a john deere dealer and the mowers are identical! Buy from the dealer as they set up the mowers for the stores and they have to service them. Pricing again are identical with the exception of clearance items.
Does the dealer offer military discounts?
I agree always buy from dealers
Most mowers sold at Big Box stores are Lawn Tractors. Hydrostatic transmissions, even on Zero Turn designs, are NOT made to be serviced (trans fluid change) during their service lives, and when they croak, they're done. Most (not all) sold at JD (and other) dealers are in the Garden Tractor class, and have Hydrostatic transmissions that ARE designed to be serviced by the owner/user or a shop during their service lives. Big clue - Look at the rear wheels - if you see 4 or 5 lug nuts holding the wheel on, it's a heavier duty transmission; if you see only a hub cover (covering probably a C-clip or E-clip), it's' probably a light duty transmission. If you're looking for additional features, like hydraulic lift & lower for accessories, such as snow plow or snow blower, you'll probably have to go to an implement dealer for something in the Garden Tractor class.
Yes sir it pays to compare from one class to another, and you do have to know what you are looking for. Most homeowners do not know the difference and buy from the big box stores for price and convenience. And if they get service under reasonable maintenance and wear the unit our they will probably go and buy another new one. And there are some folks who just pay a lawn service to do their lawn. My brother does as he is an automotive upholsterer working out of his house and he can easily pay his lawn guy out of the money he makes doing convertible tops. The fellow across the street from him is a retired UPS linehaul driver and he can easily afford lawn service but prefers to do his own lawn service. It's different strokes for different folks.
i think experience plays a small role in these decisions. i used to work on cars before i started full time mowing, so going somewhere to get a mower fixed seems to me a huge waste of time, ill go get the part and toss it on, and get back to work. that alone takes away the dealer advantage for me. now my experience with the home depot cub cadet zturn has been great as it can be, so far at over 1000 hours in 6 years i just recently put in an ignition switch and starter relay, might have been $50 and took 10 minutes. i will 100% go with a box store model again. also i dont think im easy on this thing, popping wheelies into piles of leaves(never had a belt or hydro problem, still original), plowing snow (w/chains), and way too few oil changes, but i keep the blades sharp.
You know its not a real Cub Cadet, right?
@@GenXMafia whats not real? i sit, it goes, it mows. i didnt buy it for the name. did you read? got my money out of it. im not paying 2 times as much for a name.
@@GenXMafia i just did some math, this thing says its meant for 1 acre standard homeowner use. thats an hour a week tops, roughly 30 hours a year. i basically put over 30 regular years of use on this, in 5. can you say thats shit quality? name dosent matter.
I bought a S100 from Lowes for $1400.00 which was miss marked from 2000.00. I had a 10% off Lowes coupon which took off $140.00 dollars plus John Deere had a special for a free trailer which I sold for $150.00 because did not need it. plus free shipping. Could not pass up the deal! I bought it in 2021 now they jumped up to $2399.00. I have only 19 hrs on it.
What luck.
@@paulmccarthy341 I was there at the right time.
I have been buying from my local Lawn and Garden center for decades. My experience is Big Box stores are not cheaper, they just make you think they are. If I need service or parts, my store has me and my equipment in their data base, so I dont have to worry what size deck belt, filters, battery, gadgets, widgets or any other thing is the right one.
That is a plus
You better dig into the specifications. Big Box store models are cheaper because they have cheaper (lower quality) components. For example plastic transmission housings and transmission housings that aren’t serviceable. Just one example but a critical one.
If you are comparing the same models, they’re the same no matter where sold
Sometimes the equipment offered at a big box store is a "special run" of equipment. They are not generally carried by a dealership because they don't get them in. This is because there is not the profit margin available for the dealer to stock and sell them. For the big box this is not an issue as they buy and resell them in the thousands, which means they get them at the lowest price the manufacturer can sell them at wholesale while the individual dealer may only buy one or two of those units in a year. This means the dealer has to pay more for shipping and handling, because they are not getting hundreds of them delivered to central warehouses where they are shipped out with other merchandise in either full or ltl shipments.
The one advantage the dealer has is that they service what they sell. If you can't DIY service with your mower or don't have the time then a dealer seems the way to go. I live in a large metropolitan area and the John Deere dealership is closed on Saturday (sales) and Sunday. I would pass three Home Depots on my way to that dealer. HD gave me a 10% veterans discount with an option for interest free financing up to 24 months.
I disagree we purchased at HD a Toro Timecutter 50" with a military discount of $ 3741.58 with taxes. Funny you said that one of the HD employees set up the mower for delivery. It came on a pallet all secured with some gas it started right up and operates fine so far only got 2.0 hours on it. Also 3 years of unlimited warranty for everything plus motor & trans.
I work in fabrication on lawnmowers, I recommend a heavy duty fabricated deck ,instead of a stamped deck , will last longer
Dealers have more variation between being good and bad. Also, one of my mowers came from a dealer who is now out of business, and there is no one else covering that brand nearby.
If you live in a real area like I do a JD dealer may be much closer than Lowes or Home Depot. I drive by 2 JD dealers on my way to the closest Lowers! I have a new X739 and an older X534 that have both been great machines.
"Stores" often cheap out in important details like engine, trans, and the like where the dealers start with better build quality and goes up from there. Stop by a reputable dealer and they will walk you thru. For example my Husq. from the dealer had the better Kawa engine and Tuff Torque drive train, Lowes had the cheap weak stuff. Also, if an issue arises under warranty - do you want "Service" or "Circus"? Push mowers; maybe, but bigger stuff - choose wisely, Grasshopper.
You mentioned that the dealer will deliver a new unit free of charge. Ive just purchased a new S130 from a local dealership. I live about 20 minutes from the store and they want to charge $150 to deliver. The guy there says he starts waiving the delivery fee on the x300s. Pretty sure I can get it picked up myself. I realize they’ve got salaries and overhead but you’d think they’d waive the delivery fee for the purchase of a new mower and the short distance involved.
The amount of friends who’ve bought a new Husqvarna or some other big box brand tractor only to have it be a cash furnace. My 1988 JD 180 is still running like a beast. It mows, bags, tows and clears snow. Will most likely outlive me. Once a year mechanical maintenance, blade sharpening etc. you can easily drop 3k on a tractor with plastic bushings, no grease fittings, and a parts stock that’s non existent. All for some LED lights and a fancy paint job. The mind boggles at what stands for “quality” now.
A big difference the 500 series at the John Deere dealer is 7-10 thousand but will last 20 years or more with very little problems.
Not without going through a couple plastic hoods.
It appears to me that they're not different so much as the dealers sell different models. I've never seen a 100 series lawn tractor at a JD Dealer. They seem to start in the 300 series. OTOH, you'll never see a 500 or 700 series lawn tractor at a big box lumber/hardware store. Which makes sense for JD dealers who generally deal with farmers who are buying big equipment.