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Kbeitz

· Collector of many tractors
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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I had a friend move down from NYC and never cut a blade of grass in his life... He bought a new home and ask me to help him with buying a lawn tractor... So I told him what to look for and what not to buy... So what did he buy??? Wally world cheapo.... How long did it last??? One mowing... He says... No problem ... I got 30 days to take it back.... Yea right.... He will just get store credit.... Some people just need to learn the hard way.... What happened to the tractor??? He knows nothen about tractors and caught the starter on fire trying to get it started... Thats all I know...
I hate cheap tractors... I see them in our local junkyard every week and I wont take any parts because its all junk... Plastic carbs ... Plastic this.... Plastic that.... Junk... Now let me find an olde and my pockets are full...
I love the old stuff.... Its fixable....
 
#3 ·
Kbeitz said:
I had a friend move down from NYC and never cut a blade of grass in his life... He bought a new home and ask me to help him with buying a lawn tractor... So I told him what to look for and what not to buy... So what did he buy??? Wally world cheapo.... How long did it last??? One mowing... He says... No problem ... I got 30 days to take it back.... Yea right.... He will just get store credit.... Some people just need to learn the hard way.... What happened to the tractor??? He knows nothen about tractors and caught the starter on fire trying to get it started... Thats all I know...
I hate cheap tractors... I see them in our local junkyard every week and I wont take any parts because its all junk... Plastic carbs ... Plastic this.... Plastic that.... Junk... Now let me find an olde and my pockets are full...
I love the old stuff.... Its fixable....
Click to expand...
I don't think the starter is a "cheap" tractor issue. Sounds like a B&S or Tecemse(sp?) issue. :hide:
 
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Discussion starter · #6 ·
I posted it because I HATE cheap tractors... I'm sure inexperience had a lot to do with it... But I don't like junk... Our factory has one of the new junk tractors and when I get to mow the grass I take one of my antique Wheelhorses to work just so I wont have to sit on a junk tractor... You should see the pile of new junk tractors that comes into the local junkyard... And did you ever look behind a Wally world store and see all the returns just ready for the boneyard???
 
#7 ·
Kbeitz said:
I posted it because I HATE cheap tractors... I'm sure inexperience had a lot to do with it... But I don't like junk... Our factory has one of the new junk tractors and when I get to mow the grass I take one of my antique Wheelhorses to work just so I wont have to sit on a junk tractor... You should see the pile of new junk tractors that comes into the local junkyard... And did you ever look behind a Wally world store and see all the returns just ready for the boneyard???
Click to expand...
Cheap are hard to find, MTD went up when B&S killed Murray!!! Price of steel affected as well. Cheap AYP on sale at Sears are now better than MTD.
 
#8 ·
I guess it depends on what you are trying to do with the tractor. As an example; the SIL has the cheapest Craftsman LT1000 he could buy and it cuts his 3 acres just as good my CC2166. Sure my CC2166 cost 3 times as much as the LT1000 but will it last 3 times as long, or do 3 times as good of a job? Who knows. All I can say is that the SIL's kids do the mowing so I don't think they are using due care. The ole POS LT1000 keeps mowing along.

Perhaps Kevin's buddy is especially tallented with mechanical stuff and no matter what tractor he had would end up a POS.
 
#9 ·
cadurning said:
I guess it depends on what you are trying to do with the tractor. As an example; the SIL has the cheapest Craftsman LT1000 he could buy and it cuts his 3 acres just as good my CC2166. Sure my CC2166 cost 3 times as much as the LT1000 but will it last 3 times as long, or do 3 times as good of a job? Who knows. All I can say is that the SIL's kids do the mowing so I don't think they are using due care. The ole POS LT1000 keeps mowing along.

Perhaps Kevin's buddy is especially tallented with mechanical stuff and no matter what tractor he had would end up a POS.
Click to expand...
I agree. My LT1000 keeps running strong, even after "I" nearly broke it good (another thread). Thing is that the next day it fired up and ran great. :fing32:

If you don't use "common sense" and do the maintenance, any tractor, cheap or premium, will not last. :tsk:
 
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#10 ·
Seems thos LT1000 are a tough rig.I got one in 02?-03? I have put this mower thro **** and back. I mean I have down some REAL HARD work with it. Still runs and drive great.
 
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Discussion starter · #11 ·
I'm not putting names on the cheap tractors... I don't want to do name bashing....
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My friend took his tractor back and wanted to trade for a bigger better one... The store said thay had none.... Then he said he wanted his money back.... They said that could not do that.... He said what about the one sitting out front.... They said that it was sold.... The mananger said to give it to him.... So he took it.... Wait untill the man comes to the store to pick his new mower and finds out thay sold it.... I sure don't think much of this store.... This story gets better every day....
 
#12 ·
so Kevin-- he's [ or was] your "friend" why didn't you go along with him? he is your friend-- you can tell someone a lot-sometimes- sometimes it's a lot to take in -- maybe he isn't as innately intelligent as you-- by your statements, he sure isn't as experienced as you - no amount of words or encouragement can replace the experienced hand and eye laid directly upon the item in question-- he never had any " real time" in the saddle -- he listened to what you said and then forgot most of it when he got to the sales pitch -- I've seen the pix youv'e posted for years -- how did your dad teach you? telling you? letting you loose on your own? or working with you? -- bigl22
 
#14 ·
Kevin you did the most you could do. You can lead a horse to water but you cant make him drink.

As far as cheap tractors go iif it were not for them half of this forum would not be here. I myself define cheapness as anything made overseas because of my era of upbringing. I remember at the 5&10 store where all that junk was and no one ever thought about buying it because it was cheap junk. In todays market the cheap junk is still a good buy money wise but then it comes down to ones own personal view of value. I will still buy american if available over foriegn as I think it gives more for the money.. You will never hear a owner of a lexus say he bought a piece of junk even if it's been in the shop for months because the dollars mean value to that individual (thats a story that I can tell). In reality one mans junk is another mans treasure. You are reading to much into your friends decision.. Remember it's his junk and not yours.
 
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#16 ·
The newer tractors DO mow well, most do better mowing than some of my oldies. But the difference between oldies is in life span. Yes, the newer ones can be repaired, but only so many times. The oldies can be refurbished many times over & still work as good as new. The metal in oldies are very thick and even they (rarely) develop cracks in frames & decks, but can easily be welded & back to work. Newer ones are just barely thick enough to accept a weld, & after a few years there's not enough metal left to repair. I've welded on many of my neighbors newer mowers that were only 2 or 3 yrs old. Stamped axle beams splitting, frames cracking from twisting, motor mounts cracking, on & on. Most my oldies have 1/4" steel frames, cast iron front axle beams, etc. No comparison. And the engines on most oldies can be run till worn out, but still be totally refurbished to like new condition for way less than cost of replacement. And as far as transaxles, hydro's & such.....only two of my 30+yr old tractors has ever needed any hydro or transaxle service. A MF1650 had a 10-cent o-ring blow & a Bush Hog D4-10 needed a gear refurbished. Yes, the oldies give trouble too, but are easily back to work, as it's usually small stuff. I can buy lots more for my money getting old iron & restoring it. Not everybody knows how or has the tools required to restore oldies though, so they have little choice. Most probs with newer tractors (IMHO) are related to operator, and of course bad operators shorten lifespans of tractor, but give that same operator an "oldie" & it can stand up to him/her for much longer......and still be repaired.
 
#18 ·
Kevin, I get your drift. That is why I got rid of my first "cheapy" and upgraded to my current shaft drive model. I found some of the previous posts funny because people do want to assign names to some "cheap" tractors.

Mind you, my first tractor was not cheap, it was over $2200 and flat out needed a new short block at 30 hours. But, it sure was made cheaply. It amazes me how many 1960's Cubs, Wheelhorses, Suburbans, Whites, are out there for sale still. Mostly all still running, with who knows how many hours.
 
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