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Four years ago, when we moved to our present property, Dave and I purchased a John Deere L130 lawn tractor. Going from a city lot where I pushed mowed our entire yard to 3.8 acres of ground, I knew we were going to need a riding lawn mower. Unfortunately, I didn't do enough research. Yes, the L130 could handle the amount of acreage that needed to be mowed but no, it didn't do it quickly or efficiently.
What I don't mow is taken up with house, barn, garden beds, septic pond and blackberry patch---(possibly the .8 I always tack on to be correct instead of just saying 4 acres.) The rest is grass that can easily get so thick, it was nearly impossible to get the L130 through without clogging up the mower deck. So then I'd have to get off the mower and clear the deck before I could proceed. What a pain!!!
Besides the clogging problem, I was literally working the tractor to death. During an average season of mowing, I could easily log 80+ hours. That's a lot of wear and tear on a lawn tractor. I was filling the gas tank twice as well, using all of both full tanks. At the price of gas, it was getting very expensive. Needless to say, it was wearing me down too. All the tight turns required stopping and backing and going forward so that I could get as close as possible to a target object, i.e., trees, utility box, shed, etc. I do all the mowing while Dave does all the weed eating. I assure you he has the worst of it and yet, fighting that lawn tractor for six hours a trek was taking its toll on my neck, arms, and back.
My neighbors, who'd all been mowing their properties a bit longer than me, used zero-turn mowers. They would get on their mowers long after I had started and were finished long before I was done. After two seasons of mowing with the lawn tractor, I decided it was time to reevaluate my equipment needs. This posting is not to advocate for one brand of tractor over another. Mr. Smith, my neighbor to the northeast, just bought a brand new Kubota last spring and really likes it but, I can't talk about it because I have no experience with it. So, I'll tell you what I do know.
Why did I choose the John Deere brand? Simple:
1. My husband's grandfather swore by his John Deere farm equipment.
2. The John Deere dealer is 6 miles from our house.
3. The performance of the lawn tractor impressed me enough to want a zero turn of the same
kind.
My rule of thumb for everything is: Compare all brands for manufacturing and features. I love my 757 but it does have a couple things I'd change. For overall performance I'm still impressed.
So what did I get?
1.Speed/Efficiency
My mower runs up to 9.5 mph. It's not only fast but its fun---kinda like riding on a go-cart while doing my work. Moreover, it's taken my mowing time from six hours a week to two and a half hours. Less time on the mower, more time in the garden!
Fuel wise, I'm filling the tank once and one tank will last two mowings. Yes the tank is bigger so I'm probably saving roughly a couple gallons each week. When gas was $4 a gallon, that was nothing to sneeze at.
2. Manufacturing/Construction
The 757 has a rugged, 300 pound steel cutting deck. The mower is commercial grade. I can sit and spin in place (dig a hole in the ground) because of its hydraulic capabilities which make mowing around objects a snap. It's tough. I hope its the last mower I'll ever have to buy.
3. Power
I am able to mow down the toughest grass situations without worrying about the cutting deck clogging up.
I'm sure John Deere would say I didn't quote exact specs as good as they might have liked me to but, I know what's important to me and all that other jazz can be found on their website!
As for the L130? Still a great lawn tractor. And it still gets its share of the work. We bought a small wagon for it to haul around for moving dirt, mulch, gravel, etc. It's not sitting in the barn collecting dust . . .
