With the grass beginning to grow in many parts of the country, a little weekend yard work may be in order. But why settle for a labor-intensive push mower when you can ride around on the Rolls-Royce of lawn tractors? Thats pretty much how John Deere bills its X758 Signature Series Tractor and at around $17,000 for the fully decked-out version (with the snow-blower attachment and an extended-service plan), its one of the most expensive of its kind.
But what do you get for a tractor that costs as much as a Honda Civic? Well, you get a lot of car-like features: Think four-wheel drive, cruise control, tilt steering and a powerful 3-cylinder diesel engine that provides extra torque and durability, according to Deere. Oh, and you also get cup holders and a port to plug in your cell phone (just in case you need you need to talk to your stock broker in the midst of your mowing, a cynic might suggest). But perhaps the key element, say Deere execs, is an auto-connect feature that makes it extra-easy to snap on the all-important mower deck (the part that actually cuts the grass).
The reality:
Sure, it might be fun to drive, but it wont necessarily make your yard look that much better, say lawn pros. For starters, unless you have at least half an acre of yard to maintain, you can probably get away with a standard motorized push mower, which can cost well under $500. But even if you have a large lawn, you need no more than a basic lawn tractor the sweet spot for models that can do the job and last through several seasons of mowing is between $2,000 and $4,500, pros suggest. And they recommend any number of manufacturers that offer models in that price range, including Husqvarna, Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt and, yes, John Deere. Pros also says the snow-blowing, gardening and other accessories can make a lawn tractor an extra-essential purchase. Simply put, it is a machine designed to do more than mow, says Hank Will, editor in chief of GRIT, a rural lifestyle magazine.
But what to look for in a lawn tractor? The key is a solid engine, but experts suggest that the X758 one, which has 24-horsepower, could be overkill. Carl Eickenberg of Power Equipment Plus, a New England-based retailer that also sells online, suggests that for the average suburbanite, 20 to 22 horsepower might be all thats needed. And while a diesel engine indeed provides plenty of torque, no homeowner needs a diesel, says Mark Sodja, outdoor equipment specialist for eReplacementParts.com.
Still, theres more to a mower than the engine. Pros say its a good idea to look for a hydrostatic transmission, which makes it easier to shift speeds. And, yes, thats the very type of transmission found on the X758, but it can also be found on much cheaper models. As for some of the other features on the X758, theyre more about the show-off factor than the mow factor, pros say. You buy an X758 because you want your neighbor to watch you mow your lawn, says Mark Sodja.
And to a great extent, John Deere officials dont dispute that, when it comes to their top-of-the-line model. Its not about, Do I need it? Its about, Do I want it? says Greg Weekes, a Deere marketing manager. But thats why Deere has lawn tractors at all price points: For a quality tractor at a lower cost, Weekes suggests consumers consider their 300 series models, which start at $3,000.
Cy Valley said
11:15 PM, 04/26/13
George Jones could have used one of those and he could have afforded it, tu. Unfortunately, since George met his demise recently, he didn't quite live long enough. From George's autobiography:
"Once, when I had been drunk for several days, Shirley decided she would make it physically impossible for me to buy liquor. I lived about eight miles from Beaumont and the nearest liquor store. She knew I wouldn't walk that far to get booze, so she hid the keys to every car we owned and left. But she forgot about the lawn mower. I can vaguely remember my anger at not being able to find keys to anything that moved and looking longingly out a window at a light that shone over our property. There, gleaming in the glow, was that ten-horsepower rotary engine under a seat; a key glistening in the ignition.
I imagine the top speed for that old mower was five miles per hour. It might have taken an hour and a half or more for me to get to the liquor store, but get there I did."
Uke said
11:29 PM, 04/26/13
Just heard a bit of an interview he did back a couple years ago with an NPR host! That good ol' boy Texas voice, scratchy, mellow comes right at ya! George will be missed by a lot of his fans, and the Country & Western establishment!
April 26, 2013, 12:41 p.m. EDT
The Rolls-Royce of riding mowers
Big Spender: Is this lawnmower worth $17,000?
By Charles Passy
John Deere
The pitch:
With the grass beginning to grow in many parts of the country, a little weekend yard work may be in order. But why settle for a labor-intensive push mower when you can ride around on the Rolls-Royce of lawn tractors? Thats pretty much how John Deere bills its X758 Signature Series Tractor and at around $17,000 for the fully decked-out version (with the snow-blower attachment and an extended-service plan), its one of the most expensive of its kind.
But what do you get for a tractor that costs as much as a Honda Civic? Well, you get a lot of car-like features: Think four-wheel drive, cruise control, tilt steering and a powerful 3-cylinder diesel engine that provides extra torque and durability, according to Deere. Oh, and you also get cup holders and a port to plug in your cell phone (just in case you need you need to talk to your stock broker in the midst of your mowing, a cynic might suggest). But perhaps the key element, say Deere execs, is an auto-connect feature that makes it extra-easy to snap on the all-important mower deck (the part that actually cuts the grass).
The reality:
Sure, it might be fun to drive, but it wont necessarily make your yard look that much better, say lawn pros. For starters, unless you have at least half an acre of yard to maintain, you can probably get away with a standard motorized push mower, which can cost well under $500. But even if you have a large lawn, you need no more than a basic lawn tractor the sweet spot for models that can do the job and last through several seasons of mowing is between $2,000 and $4,500, pros suggest. And they recommend any number of manufacturers that offer models in that price range, including Husqvarna, Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt and, yes, John Deere. Pros also says the snow-blowing, gardening and other accessories can make a lawn tractor an extra-essential purchase. Simply put, it is a machine designed to do more than mow, says Hank Will, editor in chief of GRIT, a rural lifestyle magazine.
But what to look for in a lawn tractor? The key is a solid engine, but experts suggest that the X758 one, which has 24-horsepower, could be overkill. Carl Eickenberg of Power Equipment Plus, a New England-based retailer that also sells online, suggests that for the average suburbanite, 20 to 22 horsepower might be all thats needed. And while a diesel engine indeed provides plenty of torque, no homeowner needs a diesel, says Mark Sodja, outdoor equipment specialist for eReplacementParts.com.
Still, theres more to a mower than the engine. Pros say its a good idea to look for a hydrostatic transmission, which makes it easier to shift speeds. And, yes, thats the very type of transmission found on the X758, but it can also be found on much cheaper models. As for some of the other features on the X758, theyre more about the show-off factor than the mow factor, pros say. You buy an X758 because you want your neighbor to watch you mow your lawn, says Mark Sodja.
And to a great extent, John Deere officials dont dispute that, when it comes to their top-of-the-line model. Its not about, Do I need it? Its about, Do I want it? says Greg Weekes, a Deere marketing manager. But thats why Deere has lawn tractors at all price points: For a quality tractor at a lower cost, Weekes suggests consumers consider their 300 series models, which start at $3,000.
"Once, when I had been drunk for several days, Shirley decided she would make it physically impossible for me to buy liquor. I lived about eight miles from Beaumont and the nearest liquor store. She knew I wouldn't walk that far to get booze, so she hid the keys to every car we owned and left.
But she forgot about the lawn mower. I can vaguely remember my anger at not being able to find keys to anything that moved and looking longingly out a window at a light that shone over our property. There, gleaming in the glow, was that ten-horsepower rotary engine under a seat; a key glistening in the ignition.
I imagine the top speed for that old mower was five miles per hour. It might have taken an hour and a half or more for me to get to the liquor store, but get there I did."
He was one of a kind!
Here's the link for ya Cy:http://www.npr.org/2010/12/13/131967772/george-jones-the-voice-of-heartbreak
In his own words, in his own voice...
Freddie bought his neighbor a new grass cutter.