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Cub Cadet XT series

837K views 4K replies 220 participants last post by  evh 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Has anyone seen the specs or know any additional info on these new tractors? I see from the video the XT2 has a Kawasaki motor if you look close.
 
#2 ·
2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

It seems Cub cadet has done a major over haul of its Lawn and Garden tractors that will be available in October. Here is a link to the article I found. I would say they have raised the bar from manufacture to warranty to options. I would think the John Deere guys will have to do something to compete at these price point. I saw a video that the X2 series uses the Kawasaki motor and has a fabricated deck available. Here's the link to the article.

http://www.wggb.com/2014/09/19/cub-cadet-lawn-tractors-get-full-makeover-for-2015/
 
#2,671 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

Maybe they should focus on the machine more than spending money on the ap development to help the owner. That's what this forum is for.

The Courage engine scares me, also. I hope Joe Consumer has enough sense to upgrade to the Kawi.
i paid more for a 13HP with a Command engine 18 yrs ago than they want at the Tractor supply for the higher HP courage engines today. Just sold my old command engines tractor with almost 800 hrs on it no problems still didn't smoke or use oil. i ck'd the youtube vids on the Courage engines and ran the other way.there's a reason they are cheaper,you get what you pay for. ~~Oldguy
 
#6 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

The X2 I saw in video has Kawasaki engine and some models have an up graded. Hydrostat tranny. They even have a model in that X2 series with a fabricated deck that JD doesn't offer on the X300. The JD X300 has the K46 and the standard 2014 CC had the same along with the KW motor. They improved the seat back height and angle, e coated the frame, made the deck come off with three cotter pins, made all the serviceable stuff easier to get at. And it has a 3 year warranty on the motor and tranny and 5 year on most the rest if I remember correctly. It sounds they addressed many concerns from those who are partial against the brand. The video says the X2 is 1800.00 that's with a manual PTO which you have that choice also, I don't mind either way manual or electric. Unless the guys in green or orange have a big release CC seems to have raised the bar.
 
#7 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

Consumer reports is going to do a test on lawn tractors in October, they are pretty unbiased. I don't think a CC made the best buy or excellent rating for 2014. This will be a good litmus test to see if the new model has addressed most of the concerns people have.
 
#1,982 · (Edited)
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

Consumer reports is going to do a test on lawn tractors in October, they are pretty unbiased. I don't think a CC made the best buy or excellent rating for 2014. This will be a good litmus test to see if the new model has addressed most of the concerns people have.
Didn't read this thread through but consumer reports nor any other test can tell you anything about what will be the problems in the future.
Use and features sure but that's not what's really important.
These things all share parts and certain things fail and give problems at a high rate when they are 5-10 years old or 200-275 hrs. The new tests don't do much for you there.
I did catch post 20 about the k46 trans. I wouldn't want to own one but I'm sure consumer reports and other reviews touted its smooth ease of use. Who cares when it goes out at less than 350 hrs and 8 years. You would rather have a 5-6 speed then.
 
#8 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

The app is a little out of the box.. Its a little overkill since maintenance isn't really all that hard to keep up with, to me anyway. It's one of the first mowers to integrate smart phone technology that I've seen.

In my experience MTD lawn tractors perform well for their intended purpose. When you start to push or abuse them they won't hold up, but most won't. They are made for cutting grass, and the article even says the MTD decks do it better than most. In that regard they aren't bad at all.
 
#9 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

The app is a little out of the box.. Its a little overkill since maintenance isn't really all that hard to keep up with, to me anyway. It's one of the first mowers to integrate smart phone technology that I've seen.

In my experience MTD lawn tractors perform well for their intended purpose. When you start to push or abuse them they won't hold up, but most won't. They are made for cutting grass, and the article even says the MTD decks do it better than most. In that regard they aren't bad at all.
I think with the HD tyranny's they are putting in the X3 they may be built for ground implements. We will see.
 
#15 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

I hope they work better than Huskys AWD walk behinds have. Marketing invented something that no one needed and the suckers bought them. Roger
Or maybe a few people needed. In 1993 I was mowing lawns and had one with a bumpy and steep small back lawn. I had a commercial 21" Snapper self propelled with a Robin 4hp 2 stroke engine. It really could have used a locking rear axle or 4wd as it seems I was fighting the mower to mow that back yard. Even a limited movement suspension would have helped keep both rear tires on the ground over such a bumpy lawn.
 
#17 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

I have been searching the net for all the information I can find on the new XT series and they seem like they have got it right making three versions for whatever your need is. The standard of comparison by many seems to be the JD300 and it seems the CC has exceeded this unofficial standard.
 
#20 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

Hunter only time will tell if the exceeding a JD 300 is true or not. Are you a dealer selling them because your sure seem like you are. Hopefully all fo what you are hoping for will be true. Roger
The core of the 300 is a Kawasaki motor and K46 tranny from what I'm told the 2014 CC 1042KW had both of those also. Now CC has added a seat that is at least as good it would seem and added options of a fabricated deck Bluetooth needed or not, a easier deck removal, and a warranty that's 3 years on some items and 5 years on the others. These are just what I have read and watched on the net. All this at a lower price point than the JD300. Maybe the 300 will have a nice rebate or something to help.
No I'm not a dealer just a consumer that's looking at getting a new tractor to cut grass and maybe a wagon/trailer to do yard work. Its not that I don't like the 300 but it seems over priced for what it has at the core compared to a few others. I like researching about anything I may purchase. I called the dealer to see when I could see one they don't even know when and how many they will get yet.
 
#21 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

You keep mentioning fabricated decks. To me fabricated decks are not as good a atamped one piece decks like JD uses. They are fabricated because they are cheaper to make that way. At least that my opinion. To me the core of the 300 is not only the motors but the frames they are bolted to. Seen to many MTD frames that break in normal use. Maybe they got the frame right with this new series. Only time will tell. Roger
 
#22 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

You keep mentioning fabricated decks. To me fabricated decks are not as good a atamped one piece decks like JD uses. They are fabricated because they are cheaper to make that way. At least that my opinion. To me the core of the 300 is not only the motors but the frames they are bolted to. Seen to many MTD frames that break in normal use. Maybe they got the frame right with this new series. Only time will tell. Roger

Amen to stamped decks.
Fabricated decks are cost cutting.
 
#24 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

IMO, there's too much technology going into these. Why do you need bluetooth and an app to tell you when to change oil? Why not just an hour meter and a service light.

All this adds up to is more things to go wrong. You're putting cheap electronics in a machine that a lot of homeowners keep outside, in the extreme cold, heat, snow, wind, and rain. You have mice that'll get into the engine, chew up wires, and then damage or short out something.

I said the same thing when Snapper introduced the NXT line of mowers. Mowers are a tool, there's no need for an abundance of technology in them.
 
#27 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

IMO, there's too much technology going into these. Why do you need bluetooth and an app to tell you when to change oil? Why not just an hour meter and a service light.

All this adds up to is more things to go wrong. You're putting cheap electronics in a machine that a lot of homeowners keep outside, in the extreme cold, heat, snow, wind, and rain. You have mice that'll get into the engine, chew up wires, and then damage or short out something.

I said the same thing when Snapper introduced the NXT line of mowers. Mowers are a tool, there's no need for an abundance of technology in them.
My guess is the Bluetooth will only be on the higher end tractors like the NXT are for snapper. They also have a new steering system that from what the picture shows will have a real nice feel.
 
#28 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

I like fabricated decks for the durability factor. Less likely to bend a spindle mount if you hit a stump or something. Although I don't see how they could be any cheaper to make, you have to cut the pieces, put them in a jig, and then weld them together. That's at least two more steps than stamping out a normal deck. In a factory setting that means a lot.

I did see that Snapper must have either been "Acquired" by the MTD conglomerate or is at least contracting them to make their low end mowers. Maybe that's why they are getting the Bluetooth stuff too.
 
#29 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

The deck on my 40 year old Sears Suburban is a fabricated type and I can still go out and mow with it and get a decent cut. It's not great but It'll cut the lawn.. They can take a better beating than a stamped deck.. It costs less to stamp a deck than fabricate.

As far as Cub, Briggs, MTD, Snapper, Simplicity, Murray and Tecumseh. They are all companies under one parent company. This is why the Snappers at Walmart are the old Murray chassis lines.. Premium Snapper tractors have had the gizmo's for a couple years now
 
#35 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

stamped decks are for high volume production because they have to pay for expensive stamping dies, fabricated decks are cheaper for low production numbers.

And usually fabricated decks are made of thicker material because a stamping machine to stamp that thicker metal would be much more expensive.
 
#31 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

A fabricated deck is more expensive according to what I read and they say more heavy duty because of how its made. It seams the options or levels of HD type stuff going into this new line of tractors is getting the brand back to where it started a good tractor. They will have the big box level also, but we will see if all the press on them is correct.
 
#34 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

Hunter do you believe all the things marketing people tell you? They don't build anything they just write about things to make them sound good even if they are not. Roger
No marketing is just a tool to sell but if you are referring to fabricated decks, hand made is more expensive than stamped on most anything made. Like I said above consumer reports will be fair. The previous year CC didn't even have a one tractor on the list. Check out the videos and web pages with pictures it does appear they have made some improvements. But as I say we will see.
 
#33 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

This happens all the time in marketing. A new product is brought to market and instantly compared to the benchmark. Most of the time in five years the "next best thing" is brought out and compared to the same benchmark. The benchmark has established itself in that place because it has consistently been the benchmark. New competition needs time to even consider being a replacement to that benchmark. In my experience most of the competition falls aside over time to be replaced by whatever the next thing is.

Might this be a new benchmark? Maybe. However I am going to require time to prove that.
 
#36 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

This happens all the time in marketing. A new product is brought to market and instantly compared to the benchmark. Most of the time in five years the "next best thing" is brought out and compared to the same benchmark. The benchmark has established itself in that place because it has consistently been the benchmark. New competition needs time to even consider being a replacement to that benchmark. In my experience most of the competition falls aside over time to be replaced by whatever the next thing is.

Might this be a new benchmark? Maybe. However I am going to require time to prove that.
Lohman, very well said that's how it is with about everything we purchase. Yes time will tell and I have said it many times in this thread. I am encouraged the mechanical components are the same as the benchmark if you are meaning the JD 300. I went to the dealer and drove it and have used many JD tractors but they do cost quite a bit more. Just for mowing grass I would rather spend a little less. Even if it roves to be equal or close I would only put it as the benchmark within its competition price point also. Most of the time you get what you pay for but sometimes the benchmark is priced at a point because they can. Again good points.
 
#38 · (Edited)
2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

Fab deck = marketing or not wanting to invest the stamping tools. Trying to play into the old idea that they are stronger/thicker/or commercial grade. On a $1500
tractor they will be neither.

That Bluetooth $$$ could have gone into hard parts quality like bearings, belts, engine.

I do like the new color scheme and hoods. Cub needed to reset things, looks like a decent effort. Regardless of brand, you get what you pay for, so there will be trade offs to hit these price points.
 
#40 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

Fab deck = marketing or not wanting to invest the stamping tools. Trying to play into the old idea that they are stronger/thicker/or commercial grade. On a $1500
tractor they will be neither.

That Bluetooth $$$ could have gone into hard parts quality like bearings, belts, engine.

I do like the new color scheme and hoods. Cub needed to reset things, looks like a decent effort. Regardless of brand, you get what you pay for, so there will be trade offs to hit these price points.
I fabricated deck even if not commercial grade would cost more. I don't think they are saying its that, just giving those who want it an option to have that choice if they want to pay the extra. The Bluetooth as stated in the next comment would be a very low cost and I wouldn't think cause the tractor to cut some other quality item because of it. The younger buyer I would think would like this, would seem part of marketing. Again , I think not sure it wont be available on all models. Yes CC needed to do this reset to set things straight. Yes you get what you pay for most of the time. The assumed standard which most say to purchase, the JD 300 seems to be over priced compared to this offering. They already offer the same tranny and a Kawasaki motor an a deck that is one of the better cutting ones. In addition on the 42 inch they have 4 anti scalp wheels which I personally like but not to all. The steering has been redone, hopefully it will have that nice feel the JD300 has. The CC now having the a 3/5 year warranty shows they are standing behind the new line. Just a thought.
 
#39 ·
Re: 2015 Cub Cadet XT Enduro

I think you are overestimating the cost of that Bluetooth gimmick. I doubt it adds more than a couple dollars, and likely less, to the cost of each machine
 
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