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Ted, I replied to your posting earlier but I have a feeling I did something wrong and it never got posted . . . so forgive me if this is the second one. Since you work for a JD dealer, maybe you're the guy who can answer my original question instead of all this "JD's are better" stuff I've been getting. I'm a mechanical engineer, so things mechanical are nothing mysterious to me. I've looked over both the JD LT-180 and the comparable Craftsman DLT2000. The DLT 2000 has a 10 gauge deck with four gauge wheels, greasable mandrels and a nose roller. The gauge wheels are mounted to the deck in what appears to be a stout manner, unlike the cheaper Sears decks. The engine is a 20 HP Kohler, the hydrostatic drive may or may not (do you know?) be identical to the one in the JD unit, and like the JD, the Craftsman has a plastic hood and dash, enviable features for life in Hawaii where the State Color is rust. I've spent some time looking over (and under) the JD lawn tractor and I can see really no difference in quality of construction. The JD uses a Kawasaki engine and I know nothing about these. The Kohler is proven and I've had several that gave exemplary performance for many years. So my question remains: The Sears unit is $2600 and the JD is $3400. I am open to some intelligent discussion on specifics of how the JD is worth the extra money. Sears, in Hawaii, does a terrific job with service and repair, too. We just bought a 3-acre farm and the seller showed me his 8 yr old Craftsman garden tractor which which he's been mowing the fields twice a month for all those years. The machine showed little signs of any maintenance, was covered with rust, but still did the job. The owner told me that Sears was right out there with same day service for the duration of the 3 yr warranty to repair anything that went wrong, including belts, a battery, a tire, and tuneups! Since the expiration of the warranty, repairs were limited to a drive belt every year and a deck belt every other year. I'm still open, though. I know all about how terrific the older JD machines were, but I need real-time input on what's available now. I'm willing to spend the extra money, but only if I am convinced it's worth while. I've heard, and it is plausible seeing as how everybody else is doing it, that JD has used its good name to promote its consumer line of lawn tractors, at the same time downgrading them to basic consumer quality. Any feedback on this? I'm listening... Aloha!
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