Advice please.....
I moved into a home with 2 acres (mostly flat) and I'm planning to buy a riding mower this fall to help with leaves (yard rake) and then with mowing next year. I've narrowed it down to Cub Cadet but I'm struggling to find the perfect model.
I really prefer the EFI for the efficiency, ease of winterization and lack of potential fuel issues. I also prefer the fab deck. BUT, I like the added features of the XT2 series (bearings in wheels, bumper incl, quick-change blades, etc).
I was tempted to wait until the spring to see if anything new comes out but I have a ton of trees and I am not looking forward to raking/blowing them all--which is why I'm thinking to buy now.
So what are your suggestions as to what might be the best fit? Initially, I was leaning toward the XT1 LT46" EFI FAB but then was drawn to the features of the XT2 SLX50" KH or even the XT1 ST54". The XT2 and ST54" have a stamped deck (not fab) but don't have the EFI. It does have the other features I like. I like that I could buy the LT46 or XT1 ST54" at Home Depot for the sake of easier returns just in case (since I don't have any real dealers nearby and the the XT2 would need to be shipped here direct). (EDIT: I see that the XT2 SLX50 DOES have the EFI but just doesn't show it in the heading. I'm pretty interested in that one since it seems to check a bunch of my boxes but the reviews on the CC website are pretty meh)
I don't plan on using this for snow removal but would do some occasional light brush hauling and seasonal lawn sweeping. I'd most likely add a mulch kit and had thought about a bagger but the sweeper seems more economical. I'm decently handy but I don't plan on working on this every weekend so lower maintenance is definitely a plus--which is why I liked the EFI, quickswitch blades, and the ball bearings in the wheels (vs needing to be lubed).
Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated!
The new efi engines in the cub cadets are the Chinese built motors. At least the ones I saw at the dealer. I’d rather have a Kohler until these things prove themselves. There are times you will need to remove the deck and a stamped will be much lighter and easier to work with. The typical homeowner shouldn’t really need a fabricated deck unless you are very hard on equipment. I’d opt for a zero turn over a tractor but that’s another topic.
