Go with a real tractor like I have. 1950 Ford 8N.
He can have a lot of fun with it. If he cant mow the grass he can drive over it and squash it into the turf. He will be the envy of every man on the street as his will be bigger than any other guys on the street.
You could buy him a 6' finishing mower for it as well with turf tires
Oh, and as a father, may God richly bless you for making your poor old daddy's life easier. Your a good son.
I have gone through 10 John Deere's in the last 15 years but switched to this one two years ago and found they are not only a lot cheaper they cut better and are better constructed.
Exmark Lazer Z® Liquid-Cooled 27-hp Kawasaki® Liquid-Cooled V-Twin engine with a 72” full-floating, UltraCut™ deck.
Could you become my child for a while? I have to mow a half acre with a push mower and it is nearly killing this old lady. Actually it is the humidity.
Hydrostatic drive, hydraulic deck lift ... nice. $1,800
I'd lean to the Cub Cadet. I've lookwd at this model and it seems to be fairly well constructed. I do prefer the two cylinder engines however and would lean to a Kawasaki powered model. They are generally seen to be the gold standard among professional lawn service people. I have one in my John Deere LX280 and it is a true pleasure to cut my grass. But it priced beyond your target range. I also have one in my Scag professional mower and it hasn't given me an ounce of trouble. Suggest you look over at Lawnsite.com for the views of the pros.
I picked up a used Cub Cadet 1440 garden tractor yesterday for $750 and it has a two cylinder B&S Vanguard engine and still is running fine at 618 hours on the clock. All I need to do is repair one tire and replace the seat. The deck and mower still seems to be in perfect working order.
I'm not sure of what John Deere's marketing strategy is with respect to their mass retailers and dealers. These are not the same machines.
I have 1 acre of lawn and a 12 YO Murray, 12.5 hp and 40 inch deck. It runs as well as the day I brought it home. No cup holders though. Go with the one with the best cup holder.
Plowing these fields in the hot summer sun
Over by the gate lordy here she comes
With a basket full of chicken and a big cold jug of sweet tea
I make a little room and she climbs on up
Open up a throttle and stir a little dust
Just look at her face she ain’t a foolin me
She thinks my tractor’s sexy
It really turns her on
She’s always staring at me
While I’m chuggin along
She likes the way it’s pullin’ while we’re tillin’ up the land
She’s even kind of crazy ’bout my farmer’s tan
She’s the only one who really understands what gets me
She thinks my tractor’s sexy
We ride back and forth until we run out of light
Take it to the barn put it up for the night
Climb up in the loft sit and talk with the radio on
She said she’s got a dream and I asked what it is
She wants a little farm and a yard full of kids
One more teeny weeny ride before take her home
She thinks my tractor’s sexy
It really turns her on
She’s always staring at me
While I’m chuggin along
She likes the way it’s pullin’ while we’re tillin’ up the land
She’s even kind of crazy ’bout my farmer’s tan
She’s the only one who really understands what gets me
She thinks my tractor’s sexy
Well she ain’t into cars or pick up trucks
But if it runs like a deere man her eyes light up
She thinks my tractor’s....
She thinks my tractor’s sexy
It really turns her on
She’s always staring at me
While I’m chuggin along
She likes the way it’s pullin’ while we’re tillin’ up the land
She’s even kind of crazy ’bout my farmer’s tan
She’s the only one who really understands what gets me
She thinks my tractor’s sexy
She thinks my tractor’s sexy
She thinks my tractor’s sexy....
We have a Cub Cadet and my husband is happy with it (I preferred a John Deere). He's pretty rough on mowers and hasn't managed to kill it yet, so it must be a pretty good one.
I'd suggest a bit more thought. I wish your Dad well. But thirty or forty years from now or whenever you inherit the tractor, you'll be better off buying a used Kubota B model that includes a standard diesel engine now. Not only will your father spend a lot less time mowing but the tractor will have a real pto with 3 point hitch and be able to run a long list of attachments ranging from a backhoe to any kind of mower you'd want. There's no comparison between a 20hp cast iron diesel and a 20 hp aluminum and pot metal gasoline engine. Besides that the tractor will still have several thousand hours of life left when you get it. The Sears or Cub will have been recycled long ago.
You also won't be buying parts that often. I bought a 30hp Kubota "lawnmower" several years ago and it was one of the best equipment decisions I made.
I've owned the same Craftsman for about 16 years...15 horse, 42 inch deck...I'm pretty rough on it...Nary a problem...Still using the same belts...
As far as I know, they still have the 'satisfaction guarantee' on their products...My mother bought and had them install an external full house air conditioner...She was unhappy with it...Although reluctantly, they removed it and took it back with no charge to my mother...
I'll buy another Craftsman...
Cub Cadet has a good reputation as far as I know...Never owned one...
We have a Sears Craftsman mower, and are very happy with it. It's about 5 years old now, and has survived a teenage boy driving it at top speed while he mowed for those five seasons.
The only problems have been a flat tire (kid's fault) and bent blades (twice, kid's fault.) It always starts, and the warranty is good. The oil is easy to change, too.
I always buy home-realted stuff at Sears.
Go Cub, it's a respectful mower and shows you want him to ride in style. I would have got one but went JD instead. I still may buy a cub cadet. I have a 1956 cub-lo-boy tractor that runs to this day, every day.