What mower to buy for 2 acres?

I'd run away from John Deere. They are super fanatical about preventing you from fixing your stuff anywhere other than JD. Perhaps their mowers aren't affected as much as their big tractors, but that company has gone down hill recently.

I cut that amount easily with a simple 48 inch cub cadet zero turn.
 
I'd run away from John Deere. They are super fanatical about preventing you from fixing your stuff anywhere other than JD. Perhaps their mowers aren't affected as much as their big tractors, but that company has gone down hill recently.

I cut that amount easily with a simple 48 inch cub cadet zero turn.
This isn't really the case for most of their lawn care grade equipment. That is more of an issue with really expensive newer model farm equipment with lots of software integration. I'd say John Deere is probably one of the easiest mower brands to get parts for. Not only are there dealers everywhere, and many online sources for parts, but they seem to still produce parts for older equipment long after other manufacturers have stopped. I've found parts in stock at the dealer for Deere garden tractors from the 1960s and 1970s.

As far as what models, I'd say most of the machines with a Kawasaki engine are a safe bet, most of the box store models had Briggs and Stratton engines, some had Kohlers. A lot of what you need depends on the property. Do you have hills? Do you want to run a snowblower, tiller, or other attachments? I personally have been mulching the leaves for years instead of bagging them, but mulching them if you have a ton of trees with large leaves can sometimes be a pain.

If you want a solid list of models to look for, feel free to PM me.
 
This isn't really the case for most of their lawn care grade equipment. That is more of an issue with really expensive newer model farm equipment with lots of software integration. I'd say John Deere is probably one of the easiest mower brands to get parts for. Not only are there dealers everywhere, and many online sources for parts, but they seem to still produce parts for older equipment long after other manufacturers have stopped. I've found parts in stock at the dealer for Deere garden tractors from the 1960s and 1970s.

As far as what models, I'd say most of the machines with a Kawasaki engine are a safe bet, most of the box store models had Briggs and Stratton engines, some had Kohlers. A lot of what you need depends on the property. Do you have hills? Do you want to run a snowblower, tiller, or other attachments? I personally have been mulching the leaves for years instead of bagging them, but mulching them if you have a ton of trees with large leaves can sometimes be a pain.

If you want a solid list of models to look for, feel free to PM me.

Yes you're probably right about the servicing bit, but I refuse to support a company with such bad policies. There are other just as good options around without the JD mentality.

I blew up a JD with a water cooled Kawasaki. Have no idea how, it was always serviced at the end of every season. Dealer told me I didn't stay on top of cleaning out the plastic mesh/filter on the rad, which is BS, I was pretty religious about that too, he just happened to catch it in dandelion season and there was some fluff over it.

Kohler is a great engine, I run that now in my Cub Cadet, 24 HP air cooled. Also ran that in a toro I owned at one point.

I'm not a fan of briggs at all though.
 
Be careful of mowers that were sold at home centers. Their practice is to cost cut on the transmission size which will affect the mower in hotter days. My Husqvarna has an inferior trans and I have to pause between mowing the front lawn and the rear lawn because it will overheat and start slipping. My lawn has some grade to it but not extreme, I mow across the grades rather than up and down. The front is about a half acre and the rear a little more.
I mulch year round, when its cold out and I mow the leaves is the only time the trans works adequately.
If it has the tufftorq k46 transmission you can change out the fluid for an updated spec to 50wt oil. Tufftorq even says "In heavy usage applications, oil changing is recommended after the 1st 50 hours of operation and every 200 hours, thereafter."
 
Bagging would be nice to pick up the leaves it there are lots of them in fall , then you can pile up the leaves some where and let them turn into excellect compost. The size and time you want to spend mowing and the manuverability needed will determining the size of cut. Bigger is always better until bigger is too big.
 
This isn't really the case for most of their lawn care grade equipment. That is more of an issue with really expensive newer model farm equipment with lots of software integration. I'd say John Deere is probably one of the easiest mower brands to get parts for. Not only are there dealers everywhere, and many online sources for parts, but they seem to still produce parts for older equipment long after other manufacturers have stopped. I've found parts in stock at the dealer for Deere garden tractors from the 1960s and 1970s.

As far as what models, I'd say most of the machines with a Kawasaki engine are a safe bet, most of the box store models had Briggs and Stratton engines, some had Kohlers. A lot of what you need depends on the property. Do you have hills? Do you want to run a snowblower, tiller, or other attachments? I personally have been mulching the leaves for years instead of bagging them, but mulching them if you have a ton of trees with large leaves can sometimes be a pain.

If you want a solid list of models to look for, feel free to PM me.
I would 100% agree with the #1 reason to buy Deere is the parts .
 
If it has the tufftorq k46 transmission you can change out the fluid for an updated spec to 50wt oil. Tufftorq even says "In heavy usage applications, oil changing is recommended after the 1st 50 hours of operation and every 200 hours, thereafter."
Thats what they say, but in practice theres no fluid that will compensate for an inadequately sized transmission. The fluid change is far from a cure. Of course changing the fluid requires a fair amount of work and the removal of the entire axle assembly to access it. especially for a transmission touted as "no maintenance"
 
22 years and still running strong, parts are no problem. My Deere has outlasted my neighbor's choices by a factor of 3. I'm not at all sure there is a better choice than a Deere.

I've had multiple mowers, and the deere blew up under the same usage that two other mowers haven't. The toro I owned was too small for the yard and I ended up putting in new steering shafts every few years, it was just too light duty for the yard.

The cub cadet zero turn I own now is entry level commercial and will take a beating. It cost less than the 300 series I blew up, and the frame is like 5 times stronger as the deere would flex and twist going over ditches diagonally, the CC just rolls over with wheels in the air and no flex whatsoever, even with a bigger and heavier deck + engine. I've been distracted by branches and ended up hitting roots in the ground so hard with the deck that it stop the mower dead in its tracks and bounced back an inch or two, no damage to the deck or the frame or anything. It's a beast.

I've had no trouble getting a belt for it, nor a battery, nor blades; the only things I've done to it other than oil changes. Dealer has been established for decades and I'm not exactly worried about parts.

YMMV. But I refuse to support a company with such abhorrent policies as JD. If you want the right to fix your own equipment which you own 100%, stop buying from them and vote with your wallet.
 
I've had multiple mowers, and the deere blew up under the same usage that two other mowers haven't. The toro I owned was too small for the yard and I ended up putting in new steering shafts every few years, it was just too light duty for the yard.

The cub cadet zero turn I own now is entry level commercial and will take a beating. It cost less than the 300 series I blew up, and the frame is like 5 times stronger as the deere would flex and twist going over ditches diagonally, the CC just rolls over with wheels in the air and no flex whatsoever, even with a bigger and heavier deck + engine. I've been distracted by branches and ended up hitting roots in the ground so hard with the deck that it stop the mower dead in its tracks and bounced back an inch or two, no damage to the deck or the frame or anything. It's a beast.

I've had no trouble getting a belt for it, nor a battery, nor blades; the only things I've done to it other than oil changes. Dealer has been established for decades and I'm not exactly worried about parts.

YMMV. But I refuse to support a company with such abhorrent policies as JD. If you want the right to fix your own equipment which you own 100%, stop buying from them and vote with your wallet.
Which 300 series blew up on you? None of the brands are perfect, there are certainly some Deere models I would avoid. Having repaired mowers as a side business for 15+ years, MTD is the brand I would avoid most out of all the others though.
 
Which 300 series blew up on you? None of the brands are perfect, there are certainly some Deere models I would avoid. Having repaired mowers as a side business for 15+ years, MTD is the brand I would avoid most out of all the others though.

I don't remember the exact 300 number. I believe it was an 18 or 20 hp, but it was definitely kawasaki and also liquid cooled. Built somewhere around late 90's IIRC? 48 inch deck, power steering.

Edit: found my service records, it was a 345 built in 1997.
 
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I don't remember the exact 300 number. I believe it was an 18 or 20 hp, but it was definitely kawasaki and also liquid cooled. Built somewhere around late 90's IIRC? 48 inch deck, power steering.

Edit: found my service records, it was a 345 built in 1997.
Engine failure?

It's good to recognize that in any class of Garden Tractor or Z-Turn mower, the class of engine is the same and there may be engine brand options. Deere offered both Briggs and Kawi. Pick the one you like best.
 
Engine failure?

It's good to recognize that in any class of Garden Tractor or Z-Turn mower, the class of engine is the same and there may be engine brand options. Deere offered both Briggs and Kawi. Pick the one you like best.

It was about 10 years ago and I don't remember the details. Went to start it one morning and it didn't start, had little to no compression and mechanic said something about it being a result of overheating. Oil/temp light never came on once and it was treated the same way the other mowers I owned were.

I'm not suggesting JD is junk, just saying that it's not neccesarily any higher quality than other brands at the same price (as you pointed out, they all use the same engines), and the downside is you're supporting a company with horrible policies (even if they don't (yet!) apply to the model in question).
 
Have you looked at the Bad Boy, or ventrac mowers? I've heard good stuff as far as them being well made and in the USA.
 
22 years and still running strong, parts are no problem. My Deere has outlasted my neighbor's choices by a factor of 3. I'm not at all sure there is a better choice than a Deere.
My question is, did the neighbor maintain his mower?
 
My 1998 JD LX 188 with the liquid cooled Kawasaki 501V has been stellar for 25 years! I always blow the dirt and debris off around the engine, radiator, and transmission with a leaf blower after every use. It also pulls a 30 bushel capacity Cyclone Rake multiple days every fall. I also had a 345 that was bulletproof as well. I’d be willing to bet that there’s not one part on my 25 year old Deere that I can’t get from JD.
I blew up a JD with a water cooled Kawasaki. Have no idea how, it was always serviced at the end of every season. Dealer told me I didn't stay on top of cleaning out the plastic mesh/filter on the rad, which is BS, I was pretty religious about that too, he just happened to catch it in dandelion season and there was some fluff over it.
 

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My 1998 JD LX 188 with the liquid cooled Kawasaki 501V has been stellar for 25 years! I always blow the dirt and debris off around the engine, radiator, and transmission with a leaf blower after every use. It also pulls a 30 bushel capacity Cyclone Rake multiple days every fall. I also had a 345 that was bulletproof as well. I’d be willing to bet that there’s not one part on my 25 year old Deere that I can’t get from JD.

Yes, and again that wasn't the point of my posts. I was just saying: 1) JD isn't necessarily higher quality than other brands for the price, and 2) they have bad policies which even though they don't affect this specific product, make me vote with my wallet and avoid the brand.
 
1) JD isn't necessarily higher quality than other brands for the price, and 2) they have bad policies which even though they don't affect this specific product, make me vote with my wallet and avoid the brand.

1) Mine clearly was better quality than the competition.
2) Parts have not been a problem, even 22 years down the road. Because JD's are so common and the company produces parts seemingly forever, purchasing a JD is, in my opinion, worthy of consideration. Even Ebay is full of JD parts.
 
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