New Simplicites

[nomochevys]

Went to my local dealer to look at a new Conquest. I need a bigger mower. My 38 inch cut broadmoor is a good machine but too small. Im running the guts out of it.

The salesman told me all about it and then he pulled the hood. It had a Briggs and Stratton Professional series engine. [censored]? I was expecting a Vanguard. He began to tell me about how good it was ect..... blah blah and I left.

This made me sick. I really like Simplicity mowers. Had them all my life and now they cheap out? I knew a little about this before I showed up but man this is bad. I really need about a 50 inch cut mower and now I have to look at JD and Cub.

 

[Eddie]

I thought a B&S professional engine was a very good engine. What makes you think it is not?

 

[cronk]

Simplicity is now owned by....Briggs and Stratton Power Products!

If the B&S Professional is similar to the engines in the Deere L or 100 Series then they seem to be a great engine.

 

[nomochevys]

Originally Posted By: Eddie
I thought a B&S professional engine was a very good engine. What makes you think it is not?


I have heard its nothing but an inteck but dont know for sure. The Vanguards are a known engine. That is a fact.

 

[nomochevys]

Is there a mechanic in the house? There is no way in [censored] this engine is as good as the Vanguards imo. Simplicity has cheapened out. This makes me sick.

 

[Cujet]

Might want to check the EPA label for lifespan related information. Briggs engines clearly show the quality on these labels.

 

[660mag]

Originally Posted By: cronk
Simplicity is now owned by....Briggs and Stratton Power Products!

If the B&S Professional is similar to the engines in the Deere L or 100 Series then they seem to be a great engine.



+1
The closest thing you can get to a good ole simplicity now is a Snaper.

 

[nomochevys]

Well, it makes sense becausue Briggs owns them now. I keep mower till they die and I have doubts on the professional series engines. I have a Vanguard and I know its good.

I need a bigger mower because Im running my Broadmoore to death. Its a fine machine but its too small for my needs now.

Im sickened that Simplicity has cheaped out with cut rate engines. I love the mowers but now I honestly feel I must look at deere and cub. There is no way in heck this engine is as good as a Vanguard and that is what I expect from them. They have let me down. After 33 years of running Simplicitys I need to look elsewhere.

 

[nomochevys]

Checked into a prestige but its too expensive and big for what I need but it does have a kohler 27 hp engine. The conquest is what I need and it has a dang briggs profesionall series junker on it. I will not buy it.

Going to look at deeres and cubs. Cant believe I said this. Its a first in over 30 years. Things and times change. I need the best mower for the money.

 

[Johnny]

I guess my main question is, how do you know the Briggs Professional is junk?

I really can't see Simplicity or any other high end mower using junk engines.

 

[HM12460]

Have you considered buying an older used Simplicity and giving it a good re-conditioning? If you're looking at John Deere and Cub Cadet at Lowe's/ Home Depot, you're not doing yourself any favor's. They're pretty cheap azzed junk too.

 

[addyguy]

I thought Briggs engines were perfectly reliable, just very basic and old-fashioned?

Why would you avoid an engine that is KNOWN for reliability, especially if you will be working it hard?

Sounds like a foolish, judgemental move to me!

 

[dwendt44]

Briggs has 'cheapened' their products as much as they can.(they're not alone)
Cheaper means pushing the limits on reliability.
No iron liner, if not done correctly or carefully, means the engine won't last long, certainly not 'forever' as the older, sturdier versions are/did.

 

[lexus114]

its a [censored] shame this is what the world is coming to.

 

[greenaccord02]

Originally Posted By: dwendt44
Briggs has 'cheapened' their products as much as they can.(they're not alone)
Cheaper means pushing the limits on reliability.
No iron liner, if not done correctly or carefully, means the engine won't last long, certainly not 'forever' as the older, sturdier versions are/did.


While it's nice to look back on yesteryear with a tear rolling down your cheek, the fact is that only I/C engines have an iron liner and it's been that way for decades. They quit making solid iron engines back in the fifties and since then a sleeve has been an upgrade.

I've got a '54 aluminum engine of theirs without a liner and it runs like a top. And believe me that thing has some serious hours on it. I have engines from the sixties, seventies, up to today that have seen and continue to see regular use. I have a 4.5 horse c.2004 that is a fine machine. Just as well built as a 40 or 50 year old model. None of them have iron liners except the 11 horse on my old snapper rider, because it's an I/C. So, if the manufacturer didn't want to spring for the I/C engine, that's their fault. Briggs still delivers quality, but like everything else you have to be willing to pay for upgrades.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: nomochevys
Checked into a prestige but its too expensive and big for what I need but it does have a kohler 27 hp engine. The conquest is what I need and it has a dang briggs profesionall series junker on it. I will not buy it.

Going to look at deeres and cubs. Cant believe I said this. Its a first in over 30 years. Things and times change. I need the best mower for the money.


I wouldn't really consider a Kohler to be an improvement over a Briggs. They are about the same.

And a Cub Cadet? Unless you get one of the small tractors, you're just getting a big, fat MTD. They aren't all bad, but just not in the same class as nicer John Deeres and Simplicities anymore.

If you want a good riding mower, go to your John Deere dealer (not Lowe's), and get something with a Kawasaki engine (iTorques are Kawasakis).

 

[cronk]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl


I wouldn't really consider a Kohler to be an improvement over a Briggs. They are about the same.

And a Cub Cadet? Unless you get one of the small tractors, you're just getting a big, fat MTD. They aren't all bad, but just not in the same class as nicer John Deeres and Simplicities anymore.

If you want a good riding mower, go to your John Deere dealer (not Lowe's), and get something with a Kawasaki engine (iTorques are Kawasakis).


+1, The John Deere X series with Kawasaki engines are made to last.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: Cujet
Might want to check the EPA label for lifespan related information. Briggs engines clearly show the quality on these labels.


Like we've said in a few threads, this is not an indication of engine lifespan. I know of 250hr EPA spec'd V-twins with double or triple the hours on it and still operating like new. This number is an indication of EPA spec compliance.

That said, there's no doubt this number indicates the engine manufacturer has thrown more money into a particular engine to 'earn' it a higher EPA "A,B or C" spec, therefore it's probably a higher quality built engine. I wouldn't hesitate to use the A,B,C grade to gauge a high dollar from an average engine. An actual lifespan gauge has waaay too many variables.

I too would want a ridiculously high dollar premium engine in a $6000 Simplicity Conquest. Something liquid cooled, fuel injected, maybe diesel, etc. Unfortunately this is becoming few and far between. People aren't buying $6000 lawn/garden tractors to that degree anymore with the readily available selection of $3000 and under machines.

The positives of that Simplicity Conquest are the Tufftorq K66 trans with diff lock. That's a great trans. Things are laid out well on a Simplicity for maintenance. Operator comfort is even better than Deere IMO and the decks and related components are built like tanks on them. They weigh in at 700lbs which is 100 or 2 heavier than most in this class.

Given those positives, which are the main things IMO with the engine being last, I wouldn't let that engine scare you and go with it if that's what you really wanted in a machine. It's usually the engine that dies last.


Joel

 

[660mag]

Originally Posted By: nomochevys
Is there a mechanic in the house? There is no way in [censored] this engine is as good as the Vanguards imo. Simplicity has cheapened out. This makes me sick.


The briggs pro series is a sleeved engine.

 

[kcfx4]

someone said to get a snapper, well snapper and simplicty are both owned by briggs, there one in the same. Also someone mentioned smaller cub cadets arent made by mtd, thats incorrect they all are except sub compact tractors. Best advice is to go to a jd dealer and say i dont want any lowes junk, and getting one w a kawasaki engine will ensure that, not to mention the best small engine avalible in my opinion