# Help me pick a lawn tractor!



## jauslong (Jun 17, 2015)

I just bought a beautiful, hilly, overgrown 7 acres of heaven. But I grew up in suburbia and never had any use of a riding mower or tractor or anything like that. My last lawn mower was a push mower.

Now that we have this amazing place with amazing space, I'd like to get a machine that will help me do what needs doing.

Here are my needs:
Cutting almost two acres of lawn, with some fairly tight spaces.
There is a wooded hill that I'm interested in cutting trails into.
Central NY gets a lot of snow, so the ability to handle a snow blade or snow thrower.
pulling firewood
And I'm on a budget. (let's assume that I have $1000 to $1800 to spend.)

I'm open to buying used, but I want this thing to work for me for the next 10 years or so.

Here are my options as I see them:
local craigslist has a guy with John Deere 318. It's old, but it looks like a beast. He wants $1600.

a neighbor of mine is selling a $400 John Deere 110 (that's REALLY old), and it has no mower deck but includes a snow thrower.

local craigslist has a John Deere 212 for $650 with a mower deck. 

The craftsman T2000 20380 is $1400 and can be delivered to my house. Brand new sounds like a good way to get something to last, right?

Or maybe there is another model that you think I should look into? My primary concerns are reliability and the thing being able to handle more than just mowing the lawn.

What do you think?


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## Thomas (Nov 1, 2006)

I think your price little low for what you want your tractor to do... "Central NY gets a lot of snow,There is a wooded hill that I'm interested in cutting trails into,but I want this thing to work for me for the next 10 years or so."

You may want to think in the of Kubota BX or other models.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

That Craftsmna had a few bad reviews about vibration, and it's seems a bit small. I have a 30 inch 12.5 HP for just cutting grass, and it's done! Finally got a great little mower, 24 horse and a 48" deck. The deck is manufactured and not pressed steel, and it has 4 rollers around the edges, and another big roller at the front of the deck to keep the blades out of the dirt! I love it..... so far. 
By the sounds of what you want to do, you're looking for a farmall cub, or something similar, with a belly mower!At least you could drop the belly mower in the fall, and put a plow on the front for snow, and maybe even pull a larger wagon to haul gear when you are clearing trails.


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## jauslong (Jun 17, 2015)

Thanks. I may be overstating what I need it to do. When I say clearing trails, that is something that I'm going to be doing mostly with a chainsaw and a machete. I can't afford more than $2000, although I don't need to spend on a snow blade until later in the year.

What do you all think about going used vs. new? Any thoughts on the JD models I mentioned?


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## skunkhome (Nov 30, 2008)

I am thinking you should be looking for tractors with 12" or larger rear wheels attached to a hub with lug nuts or lug screws. Good solid, Older Simplicity and AC Garden tractors with horizontal shaft engines, mower deck and any number so attachments can be had from $500 to $1500. You seem to be partial to john Deere and you can find bargins there also. Well kept cub cadets as well as craftsmen with horizontal shaft engines are also an option, but don't buy any of them unless they have a working mower deck as that can be one of the most difficult and expensive attachments to find. 

I have two garden tractors, that are 35 and 41 years old. I gave $400 for one and $700 for the other. They plow, till, mow, grade and haul... Fortunately I have no need for snow removal equipment but if need be, they could do that too. They are as reliable as any of the new stuff my neighbors have and when they do break they are totally repairable. If the tractor is solid don't let age chase you off.

Farm-all cubs are great little tractors but they have their weaknesses and now, when they break they are expensive.


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