Zero Turn, down to two. Would appreciate the help (Cub vs JD)

[skiflyer]

Looking for some guidance on purchase. After filtering for reputable dealer near me, availability, budget, I'm left with 2 mowers to choose between and I just can't pick.

#1) John Deere 365r with the 48" deck
#2) Cub Cadet ZT2 with the 54" deck

I'm replacing a 42" deck John Deere riding mower that we bought when we had very different property.

The property is about an acre, big chunks wide open with nothing there, but we have about a dozen saplings we planted in the last year to steer around.

After putting on the accessories we use, accounting for the slight difference in trade in from the different dealers, the Cub is about $1200 more than the Deere.

If I could buy the 375R with the 54" deck, I'd be done, but there aren't any in stock until fall... but I can't. So these are my two choices. I'm seriously torn. I want the Deere, but I think the bigger deck and stepping up to the ZT2 I think makes the Cub worth it. Any one have some help in deciding, or questions I should be asking myself to help decide?

 

[bertsmobile1]

Go to the cub section and see all of the people with cub problems then go the the JD section and see all of the problems people have with their Deers
Then go to your friendly JD dealer confident that you are getting better mower hands down.

 

[bkeller500]

This is just my opinion but I would be hesitant to purchase a Cub ZT2 machine. Looking at them at my local HD and at a Farm Ag store nearby, I see some good and some Bad. The Bad is what is going to hurt you down the road. By Bad, I am referring to the cheap construction and short cuts and plastic. And the Cub deck seems to be on the weak side. The frame and engines and drive train are pretty solid but after that it gets a from me. The John Deere 365r is probably in the mid range for JD with some short cuts taken to keep the price down, but it will likely last you longer. I would have more confidence in JD. But if you can't wait for a 375r and like the build and those features, you might have time to take a look at other options. Ferris, Scag, ExMark,Toro Simplicity, Kubota and others all have some pretty competitive models for the homeowner. This purchase will probably be a 5-10 year purchase. You will be driving it weekly and there is nothing worse than owning and driving a mower you hate. Regrets last a long time. I went thru this process last year for my 1-acre property and settled on a Simplicity Courier XT . It is a mid range unit built off a Ferris/Simplicity design. Take another look at your local options and if possible ask for a test ride. Compare them again. Most important to me is the deck and the finished look of the lawn. If that Cub meets all of your requirements then grab it and enjoy the mow.

 

[skiflyer]

This is just my opinion but I would be hesitant to purchase a Cub ZT2 machine. Looking at them at my local HD and at a Farm Ag store nearby, I see some good and some Bad. The Bad is what is going to hurt you down the road. By Bad, I am referring to the cheap construction and short cuts and plastic. And the Cub deck seems to be on the weak side. The frame and engines and drive train are pretty solid but after that it gets a from me. The John Deere 365r is probably in the mid range for JD with some short cuts taken to keep the price down, but it will likely last you longer. I would have more confidence in JD. But if you can't wait for a 375r and like the build and those features, you might have time to take a look at other options. Ferris, Scag, ExMark,Toro Simplicity, Kubota and others all have some pretty competitive models for the homeowner. This purchase will probably be a 5-10 year purchase. You will be driving it weekly and there is nothing worse than owning and driving a mower you hate. Regrets last a long time. I went thru this process last year for my 1-acre property and settled on a Simplicity Courier XT . It is a mid range unit built off a Ferris/Simplicity design. Take another look at your local options and if possible ask for a test ride. Compare them again. Most important to me is the deck and the finished look of the lawn. If that Cub meets all of your requirements then grab it and enjoy the mow.

Thanks for the reply bkeller500... the Cub does meet my requirements on paper, but like you, I'm hesitant regarding quality, whereas I trust the JD and trust the dealer to make it right if I'm wrong. The scag and kubota are the only other options I have with good local dealer support, and they're not in the budget for me.

Leaves me with buying the ZT2 and taking delivery in a week, or hoping the JD dealer gets a 375R this fall... patience is probably the right answer, but not my strong suite with a season of mowing ahead.

 

[skiflyer]

Go to the cub section and see all of the people with cub problems then go the the JD section and see all of the problems people have with their Deers
Then go to your friendly JD dealer confident that you are getting better mower hands down.

If the JD dealer had a 54" deck in stock I'd be done... but I take your point.

 

[MParr]

The Cub is built stouter than the JD. It has serviceable transmissions and the JD doesn’t. I think you will be fine with the Cub. Maintain it well and it should serve you for a long time.

 

[skiflyer]

The plot thickens, the local home depot has the 54" JD in stock (4 in fact)... that's just frustrating since the dealer said he won't have any until fall.

 

[skiflyer]

The Cub is built stouter than the JD. It has serviceable transmissions and the JD doesn’t. I think you will be fine with the Cub. Maintain it well and it should serve you for a long time.

And you're probably right since I'm stepping up into the ZT2 for the cub instead of the Z300 line for JD which is probably more directly comparable to the ZT1.

 

[RayMcD]

Neither, look at somethng better than a Big Box brand.. r

 

[skiflyer]

Neither, look at somethng better than a Big Box brand.. r

I'm all ears. But with my requirements I haven't found anything.

Zero Turn
<$5,000
Local dealer for service
52" or greater deck size (I'd consider 50" if there was something amazing I'm not seeing)