I looked at all the 42 inch deck lawn tractors out there to replace a 42 inch decked 20 year old cub cadet. The new cubs are made by MTD as are the Troy bilts, Yard Man etc. Briggs owns Snapper, Husqueverna makes Craftsman and their own brand, don't know who make Toro's but they use the Courage engine which I am not a fan of. The Deere 130 uses a Briggs and Stratton Engine and is a smaller more appropriate tractor for my yard. The rub is that the Deere dealer says the X300 at $3000 with tax will last 600 hours and cost $5.00 and hour to own while the cheaper D130 at $2000 will last 300 hours and cost $6.66 an hour to own. The X300 is just a much bigger tractor physically!

Anyone hate the briggs V twin engine?

I'm running a 130 on 1 1/2 acres with no problems to date. I have my doubts that it's only a 300 hour machine.

Of course I got mine new, out the door last year for $1400, so that is $4.66 an hour.

I have a X300 42" and mow more than that. It's a good rig. There is a guy here wo used to own a JD dealership and he told me 900 hrs if I takecare of it. The seat is falling apart on mine. I have over 300 trouble free hrs. Smoked a couple of belts brfore I solved that problem by removing the guards. The Kawasiki engine is top shelf.

I have the 36in Snapper and it has been nothing but problems. Paid $2000 for it and would sell it today for $1000. powdr

I recently got one of those too for my 1.5 acres. Like it quite a bit.

I have a Deere x300, i like it but not as much as the bolens before which also had a B&S engine. My seat is also cracked, I have a little over an acre and no problems once I took the mulching attachment off (loss of power). I paid $3K.

Well heck guys, I got a push mower.

too funny, I called Cub Cadet to inquire about changing the hydrostatic transmission fluid in my current tractor, as I thought I would fix it up a bit before selling it....the technical support guy gave me a price of $15.00 for 12 and $3.00 shipping. I said "12 what", he did not know but put me on hold to ask around....12 ounces he says...now the tractor holds 6 quarts in the transmission, so I rough figured that to about $300 to replace the fluid and asked him to go check again...

Yes sir $18 shipped for 12 ounces...but its a special oil that has very little wear...

I thanked him, hung up and drove to the John Deere place, bought 6 quarts of JD fluid for $35.00, replaced the fluid and used a filter I had bought several years ago and it runs fine.

If you do the math they want $1.50 per ounce and it takes $288.00 worth of the special Cub Cadet transmission fluid to service the transmission...