Cub Cadet vs John Deere

[El Conquistador]

I bought a CC z turn in 2002 at tractor supply for $2999 mowed about 3 acres with it. Never any problems just usual maintenance. In 2019 I bought another CC at tractor supply for $2999 and gave my old one to our daughter, she is still using it and its running strong. My vote is for a cub cadet.

 

[BR8818]

Why not the gx54d $300 more with a better trans axle? Will you ever be removing the deck for a snow plow? If so fab decks weigh more a stamped deck might make for easier removal.

I'm a JD fan, but saving a $1k and getting a better trans is tempting. My grandpa has a CC he's had problems with it not sure what model but it has the k46 and he mows 5 (rough) acres so it's a self inflicted problem. My 1991 JD 430 has 3k hours on it and still runs strong, kinda apples to oranges though.

 

[Hoosierdood]

I run the parts dept at a local Deere dealership. Couple points about Deere. The machines you buy at the big box stores are not built to big box specs with a JD tag on them. You can buy those exact same models at a dealer. Deere reserves the better built machines as dealer exclusives, so big box stores can only sell the lowest end models.

If you had a 185 Hydro, then stick with the X300 series. Grease the deck spindles every 10 hours, change oil, air filter, fuel filter, and spark plugs every year. Do that and it will outlast you. Dont be like the guy I talked to today who bragged about how he hadn't changed his fuel filter in 13 years, and it looked like tar inside of it.

Get the extended warranty if offered. The money you spend will at least pay for a new seat since the seat absolutely WILL crack before the warranty is up. Pro tip - seats are covered under warranty, and many people don't know that. They wait till the warranty is up and go to pay $175 for a new seat and then I tell them that it could have been covered under warranty if they came in 6 months ago. Also, take the mower into the dealership at least 6 months before the warranty is up and have them go through the whole thing. Warranty claims are a guaranteed payout from Deere. Dealerships will be happy to fix everything they can under warranty.

Be careful with aftermarket parts. Deere parts cost more, but you arent just paying for a name. You are paying for the thousands of man hours and expertise that makes every Deere part work with every other part of that machine. I get several calls per week where people wonder why the part they ordered on Amazon, or bought from one of the other small engine shops around town wont work right on their Deere mower. Even down to the fuel, air, and oil filters, the parts are designed to work exactly to the specs that Deere intended for them. If I had an older machine, I wouldn't care so much, but if you buy new and want it to last, dont skimp on aftermarket parts.

If you have any parts or service related questions about Deere, feel free to pm me. I'm not all that up to speed on the new sales side of the business though.

 

[patience0830]

After my last JD, I won't do that again. My snow plowing needs are taken care of with a shovel or the 44 horse Kubota. Snapper commercial 61" zero turn for the lawn. Put my Scag FreedomZ up at the renters.

 

[mbills2223]

Just curious, has anyone actually owned higher end model Cub Cadet like I am looking at or is just based off hearsay. I know John Deere makes a quality machine for the most part (though my dad's 1025r has had more issues than I would put up with), just seems like with the same engine and trans axle the quality cant be too far off.

My grandpa was a farmer...wouldn't own a true tractor that wasn't green, but for mowers he has always used Cub Cadets. Never any problems beyond routine maintenance. We can still mow with one that's probably 30 years old.

I have a Cub Cadet ZTR, same story here...beautiful cut and no problems.

 

[Bugzilla]

Bought a Cub 782 used 30 years+/- years old. Only had to put a front seal in the engine the 7 years I used it. Got about what I paid for it when I sold it. Had a Deere 425 I bought used. Ran that about 5 years and got bit by the soft cams they had. Traded that on a new Simplicity Legacy. Still have that about 9 years now. If I had to do it over again I would have looked for a used garden tractor as the 425 did not give much to the trade with the bad cam. Like a car, depreciation is big. And if you do basic maintenance and do not abuse the equipment, most all will last years and years.

 

[Ingomike]

CC is not really a company, they are just a nameplate of MTD...

To the OP, does this fact not disturb you at all or cause you to question the value of the company?

 

[mbills2223]

To the OP, does this fact not disturb you at all or cause you to question the value of the company?

Not OP, but is MTD something I should know?

 

[snapping turtle]

Spartan mower is what I went with this year. Never had a zero turn before this. My old huskavarna still runs fine but it has got through 2 decks in 10 years and the mow was ok but not nice. So I pulled the trigger on a spartan.

 

[Brandon]

Have a JD, i like it. Much prefer the hustler sd zero turn. Thing is a beast.

 

[Mark-DuCo]

To the OP, does this fact not disturb you at all or cause you to question the value of the company?

Not really, MTD isn't the only company that makes lower end junk and higher end models. John Deere makes junk models too.

 

[KLB]

This is like any other debate on INGO. You could take CC and JD and replace them with 9mm and .45, or Glock and 1911.

For the record, I am all green. I had a x320, which I gave to my step-daughter which is still going strong after 15 years. Now I have a z930m, and a couple of 50hp utility tractors.

 

[Butch627]

I bought a JD 425 new, the cam problem came up at just under 1000 hours, it is a simple minor fix. At about 3000 hours replaced it with its great grandchild a x700 series. Other than the extra 5hp which I believe is actually not able to be fully used. 25 years and 2 generations after the 425 the JD engineers should be ashamed of themselves for their lack of improvements and steps backwards in several areas. The 425 family was a far better built and engineered series.

 

[FreeLand]

Another vote for green for the parts and dealer support. I mow 3 acres. Really like my zero turn. The two months mowing with a tractor while it was down was very painful and slow. I'd seek professional advice about your hills before buying a tractor instead of a zero turn.

 

[Hoosierdood]

You’re right about the concern with the hills. Zero turns don’t do well on steep hills. All the steering is in the drive wheels. If the grass is a little wet and you start slipping, you have no control and could roll over.

 

[Tactically Fat]

JD at a authorized dealer is made to JD specs. JD at big box store made to their specs with JD name on it. Simplicity makes a top rated machine BUT they are expensive initially but over the years their cost per year is really good.

I've looked. I cannot find any concrete evidence that the JD mowers sold at box stores, ANY box stores, are any different at all than the tractors sold at the JD dealerships.

I highly suspect that this is one more wholly unsubstiantated urban legend / myth.

 

[Tactically Fat]

Not OP, but is MTD something I should know?

"Should know" vs. it's nice info to have.

MTD owns Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt, Rover, Wolf Garten, and Robomow.

Something sticks in my craw that they used to own a few more well known American brands, too. But CC and Troy Bilt are the ones they sell here in the USA.

 

[Mark-DuCo]

Looks like I am going to go with the X380, mainly because I don't care for the new FastAttach spindles on the CC. Seems like people are having a lot of issues with them once they get dirt in them. It won't be here til way after the last mow of the year though so I'll have use my dad's 1025 the rest of the year.

 

[Bugzilla]

I bought a JD 425 new, the cam problem came up at just under 1000 hours, it is a simple minor fix. At about 3000 hours replaced it with its great grandchild a x700 series. Other than the extra 5hp which I believe is actually not able to be fully used. 25 years and 2 generations after the 425 the JD engineers should be ashamed of themselves for their lack of improvements and steps backwards in several areas. The 425 family was a far better built and engineered series.

What do you mean? The engineers are doing what they are told. Squeeze every dollar out of production cost and make it last 1 day longer than warranty. The CC782, 1980 vintage, 17 hp, I had was as stout if not more than the Simplicity Legacy, 2010 vintage, 27hp I have.

 

[mbills2223]

"Should know" vs. it's nice info to have.

MTD owns Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt, Rover, Wolf Garten, and Robomow.

Something sticks in my craw that they used to own a few more well known American brands, too. But CC and Troy Bilt are the ones they sell here in the USA.

Interesting. Follow up question....am I supposed to be angered by this? Lol