Toro riding mower with Courage engine, bad buy?

[JTK]

The biggest issue with this particular rider is it has version of the MTD transmatic transmission. It's not a "gear" drive. It's belt and variator pulley drive. Total junk IMO. I've owned them and worked on them.

 

[Brian123]

My single courage engine with about 400 hours is reliable. BUT!!!
These have a pressure lubed engine, not splash. And a tiny oil pump so it will take a long time to fill the oil filter. Too long. I have not seen a shop that will prefill, takes them too much time. so evenutally BOOM. As it says in the manual, you must prefill the vertical oil filter. Kohler recommended oil filter now has a drain back valve. To prefill need to use a toothpick or small screwdriver to push back one area of the drain back so it can vent air. Then prefill, and remove toothpick. It does not damage the drain back, but if it did, the original filter did not have one so no bother. I use 10W30 auto oil. stays clean a long time. I have a small yard now, so I only change once every 2 years.

Other than that, no issues. The mtd muffler had issues but removing the screws that hold it in and welding on studs fixed that. Really loud when the muffler falls off.

Rod

Well, my single Kohler Courage died last week with 950 Hours on it. Good Luck with your Courage ragtoplvr

 

[GMBoy]

Got a 21hp Courage in a Husqvarna lawn tractor (2014)- have not had any issues. It seems to run smooth and almost feels as powerful a my Craftsman (2011) with a V-Twin briggs of 24hp.