A New Riding Lawn Mower

It was time!  The old 'White Outdoor" riding mower was nearly 25 years old.  I limped it along the past several years.  It needs annual professional repair (about $400 a shot).  The charging system stopped working last year, so every start or stall needs a jump-start and it complains "NNOOO" even then.  And it cuts unevenly these days.

The tires go flat in a few weeks and, they are sneaky about it.  The tires are stiff enough so that air-pressure loss isn't immediately visible.  Until, I make a sharp turn and the bead breaks (tire separates from rim).  If any of you have ever tried to re-bead a small stiff tire, you know how difficult that is.   I should have put inner tubes in them years ago.

The local outdoor yard equipment shop is awful.  High prices, and it takes a month.  When it opened, there were good owners, but they sold it to people who are sullen and greedy.  Most mechanaics understand "make it go good", but with these new guys, you practically have to write a detailed repair ticket yourself.

So this year, when the engine started clunking and clanking when I jumped it making grinding noises as it s l o w l y started, I decided I had had enough.

I research Consumer Reports (CR) magazine, of course.  They got me my last 3 cars (all really good) and with pricing information that made the salesmen complain bitterly at first and try to deny the data.

This year, all the top models of riding lawn mowers were John Deere.  But I made the "mistake" of looking for negative reviews of them "just in case".  Naturally, I found some.  "The transmission is weak",  "you can't tow anything uphill", the dealer doesn't honor the warranty".  But other people loved them.  Well they sell snowplow attachments, back soil plow attachments and give a full 2 year warranty, so how weak can they be>  And CR tests equipment very thoroughly.

After carefully comparing the suitable riding mowers in the most recent CR  article and ratings several times, and considering my modest requirements (not trying to tow anything heavy around, gentle upslope, high rating for even cutting, good mulching rating, etc), I settled on an e-130 John Deere.


Naturally the local Big Box store didn't carry it, but going to the John Deere website, I found a local dealer (who actually had the CR price).  I called.  First, they answered a long list of questions I had about the E-130 that weren't in the specifications.  Like, do the tire valves face outwards or inwards (inwards ones are REALLY awkward).  I said we had a sale.

They told me they could give me the best price if I went back to the John Deere website and my Zipcode would actually direct the sale back to them (manufacturer incentives are really high right now).

When I expressed some doubt about that, the local guy stayed on the phone and directed me through the website, getting me to both the appropriate mulching kit and inner tubes.  I purchased.  Sure enough, in 15 seconds, they got confirmation of the sale!


I picked it up today.  Cant use it yet, it has been raining.  Well, it should dry out By Sunday morning (slight chance of rain in the late afternoon, so say 1PM mowing. 

But here is a separate nice part!  I got help!  I am saving more for a post tomorrow, but if you have read this far, tune in tomorrow!  I pay myself by the word (joke).