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[Gun 4 Fun]

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Should You Buy John Deere Mowers at Box Stores?
Submitted by Todd on June 19, 2008 – 6:05 pm21 Comments.Ads
You see the ads every Sunday from your local "Big Box Stores", you know the ones, the orange place and the blue place. They advertise a brand new John Deere mower for half the price you see at the local John Deere dealer! Like you I was amazed that they could sell the thing for so much less. The John Deere 42″ X300 shown in the adjacent photo retails for $2,899.99. The John Deere BG20444 shown in the photo below retails for $1,499.00. The BG20444 is a model sold exclusively at Home Depot.

Both of these are John Deere 42″ mowers. The one from HD is a model manufactured exclusively for HD. Here's where the problem starts. The big box stores have made deals with manufactures to supply exclusive products at attractive price points. They ask the manufacturer to take one of their best selling lines and "water it down" in order to capture the market share of home owners looking at newspaper flyer's. The reality is you're buying a model that's not built to the same standard. The old saying holds true, you get what you paid for.

I bring this up because I've had the pleasure of speaking with some John Deere dealers that are frustrated with the results of this practice. They end up seeing the customers when something breaks or doesn't work correctly anymore. The cheaper box store models show up in their repair shops repeatedly for worn out and broken parts. When they explain to the customer that there is a huge difference between a model purchased at the big box store and a model they might find at a dealer the customer has a hard time understanding.

The box stores play some interesting games with the specifications to trick the average Joe. For instance, the two models I've compared here do not have the same size engine. In fact, the cheaper model has a larger motor, 19.5 HP, while the X300 only has a 17 HP engine. So an unsuspecting customer might stop right there and think the larger motor and cheaper price must mean he's getting a better deal. The reality is the bigger motor isn't as nice as the smaller motor and the rest of the machine is no where as good quality.

When I purchased my X300 the dealer was pretty blunt with me. He said listen, if you want to buy half the machine then go back down the hill to the orange building and get one. But make sure you save the other $1,400 because you'll need it repairing the cheaper model. I'm no dummy and I know that you get what you pay for so it wasn't a hard decision for me.

The bottom line is this, if you see something that seems too good to be true, IT IS! Please understand how these franchises are operating in this country and do your research before you make a major purchase and find yourself unsatisfied later. Secondly, don't blame the repair man for the expensive frequent repairs if you choose the cheaper model. I'd like to give some of the blame to John Deere for reducing their quality to make a sale. However, I understand that the market place is a tough place to survive.

Related Posts:
John Deere X300 Mulching Mower Works Great

That post says nothing. It is comparing apples to oranges. In any line of machinery, there are different levels of quality and performance. Comparing and X300 to the ones at Home Depot is rediculous, because they aren't even close to the same category of machine. It's like comparing a Chevy Vega to a Cadillac.

You can buy the exact same machine at your dealer that you can at HD or Lowe's. Period! For the exact same price! Go to a dealer and see for yourself. Deere's deal with big box stores was- "You can't sell these for less than our liscensed dealers, or we will pull your inventory, and refuse to let you sell any more. Plus you will be inviolation of our contract." I got that from a dealer here who services and preps for both of those stores, which are within a mile and a half of me.

Cub Cadet does the same thing with their lineup. They have the stuff that they sell at the big box stores, and the stuff they only sell at their smaller dealerships, which is in another class from the big box store tractors.

The only thing in that link that is correct is that the engines ij the X300 are much better than the entry level engines in the HD and Lowe's tractors. My 445 has electronic ignition, water cooled and fuel injected. You can't reall, and fairly compare the X300 to mine either. They are on a different playing level.

 

[dlstewart01]

I just posted that because you said the link didn't work. I got no dog in this race. I have a 16 year old Cub Cadet with a shaft drive and Kohler engine thats still runs and mows great.

 

[mitchell]

You can't get an X series Deere from Lowes but you can get an LA series Deere at the dealer. Wanna guess where Lowes gets their LA mowers from? The local dealer. The LAs are nice for what they are: Light duty grass cutting machines

If you get a conventional mower, don't over look the Craftsmans and by all means get a Hydrostatic Transmission.

If you just need to cut grass, get a Zero Turn. I would recommend you get this one:

Not as nice as the Gravely or Dixon's, but for two acres once a week 30 some weeks a year, it will last you a long long time.

John Deere products for homeowners: Features for EZtrak Z245

Lowes does sell that machine, just like your local dealer. Around here they are right at $3000 + TTL. And now that it's the off-season, Deere usually runs 0% financing for a year if you need to go that route. I would recommend you buy from the dealer, just because of the service factor.

 

[Lee Barner]

tom beckwith, the place comes with a 60s something ford 2000 which is the same a the old 801 that i used farming in the 60s. and a bushhog for the acres that aren't "mowed". i guess i could also just stake the horse out in a different place each day. lee

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

I just posted that because you said the link didn't work. I got no dog in this race. I have a 16 year old Cub Cadet with a shaft drive and Kohler engine thats still runs and mows great.

I am sorry if you took it that I was attacking you, so I apologize for that. I wasn't. I figured that you were doing just what you said you were doing.

I just get sick of all of the misinformation, and BS floating around on the wondernet. Maybe Al Gore really did invent it, since half of what is posted on the net is bull.

 

[don95sml]

I have a 12-year old Toro/Wheel Horse, on which my dealer completely repaired/refurbished the mower deck and brakes, plus replaced the main drive belt. It's like new again. Unfortunately, Toro no longer makes a lawn tractor, so I can't recommend one. My advice, though, is to buy from a local authorized dealer that handles the brand you want, stocks spare parts, does repair work, and can deliver and/or pick up the mower from you when required. I stress the "local" part and wouldn't recommend any big box store except maybe Sears.

 

[ladder13]

I looked at the LA series at both the dealer and HD, they ARE the same machine, there is no difference. I'm sure though that the rumor will not go away anytime soon. The entry level machines are the only ones sold at HD, at least for now. I chose the x300 because, imho, it was a much better value for my money, especially with the $300 instant rebate. The frame and components are of higher quality and it sports a Kawi motor, which brings a premium in any brand mower. I like Tim's analogy of driving a Vega or a Cadillac, the 300 sure does drive like a Caddy, maybe even like a Lexus. My .02.

 

[Big Fred]

Don't rule out a JD because of price. Two years ago I bought a new JD X300 from a JD dealer. The tractor was priced at $2995. After arguing price I got him down to $2600. Told him I needed a few days to think about it. I went to JD's websight and they had a $200 rebate on all of the 300 series tractors. Got my new JD for $2400.

JD dealers sell the same 100 series that the big box stores sell. The big boxes don't sell the higher grade JD's AND try to argue price at Lowes or Home Depo !

 

[enfield]

borrow the neighbors goats

Goats are browsers like deer. They prefer leaves and bark over grass. Sheep eat grass.

 

[CW Spook]

I bought a 48" Hustler FasTrak zero-turn a couple of years ago and just love it. It's probably a bit of overkill for my yard, but it's so well built it will also probably be the last mower I ever have to buy.

 

[caseydog]

I've had great luck with Husqvarna ,Model 2348 specifically , 23 horse Briggs Intek twin ,Hydrostat trans, 48" cut, electric blade engage , very tight turning radius , comfortable high back seat. Since I bought mine two friends have bought them , we all love them. I got the high lift blades and bagger option +$300.

Same model available at Lowes or a Husky dealer , at the same price if the dealer is honest , $1799. Never been a fan of Deere small equipment, small being anything smaller than my old 4020.

 

[Super38]

I bought a 48" Hustler FasTrak zero-turn a couple of years ago and just love it. It's probably a bit of overkill for my yard, but it's so well built it will also probably be the last mower I ever have to buy.

Agreed. Look around and see what the pro's in your area are using. I can steer my Hustler and sip my beer at the same time. the bil can't do that on his Husqvarna.
You're moving out into the country now, the size of your mower does matter