re: Recommend a riding mower that doesn't suck

Why are commercial mowers considered a must these days?

They are made to run 60+ hours A WEEK. Your average guy won't put much more than 60 hours on one a year. They cost much more than your basic riding tractor.

I think my old man paid ~3500 for his and he can cut an acre and a half in a little over an hour.

No need for a commercial mower for the guy to teach his kid how to work. Just get a non-box store model john deere.

ETA: looks like the x300 is a hair under 3500 new. That's a pretty badass mower. I'd get the kid something a little smaller unless there's a chance you might start using it instead of the belly mower.

I was running a 185 horse tractor at 15, so idk why I'm even concerned

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looks like the x300 is a hair under 3500 new. That's a pretty badass mower. I'd get the kid something a little smaller unless there's a chance you might start using it instead of the belly mower.

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I had a JD X300 when lived at a different place but had just an acre then. I loved it especially after having a junk piece of Troy Bilt.

I'm leaning to waiting on the mower, we're over half way through this mowing season, and possibly getting a zero turn next year, Bad Boys are popular in these parts and on the lesser side money wise. Our property is flat so no worries on hills/slopes.

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Kid is 12 and your not confortable with him driving a mowing tractor?

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No, not really. He can barely reach the pedals good enough without coming off the seat. Not talking about a garden tractor here, 24HP diesel tractor with loader etc.

If he can't reach the pedals, I can dig your apprehension. But he's gonna hit a spurt in a year or two and be ready to drive it.

Subtle brag, I spent my summers on this from like 10 to 15 years old cutting grass...

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PLUS Kohler is the engine of choice

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I've read Kawasaki was the engine of choice.

So someone please educate me on the difference between buying a JD at Home Depot/Lowes and buying one at a JD dealer. I'll be in the market for a riding mower for 1 acre in the next 6 months. I'd like to spend no more than $3k on one and don't really think I need a zero turn or something super fast. The wife would like to be able to use it.

You have a different selection at a box store vs a dealer. The models available at box stores are economy models and the ones at the dealers are the quality ones.

There's exceptions but that's the jist of it.

There are some that say the Cub Cadet is crap but my neighbor has one that is ten years old and my uncle has one about the same age and they both say they will replace theirs with another when it goes down. So I bought the Z Force 60" fab decked ZTR and I love it. I mow 3 acres and it wipes it out with a swiftness.

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Cub Cadet

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Mine is 8 yrs old. I put gas in it, sharpen the blades about every other year, plug flat tires, jump the original battery off everytime I need to mow, and have changed the oil once or twice I think. I cut right at an acre every 10 days or so, and it has never had a hiccup.