Why are GT's fading away?

[Save Old Iron 1,563]

 

believe it or not it was him who told me to look at older deere's, wheelhorses, and cub cadets.  he doesn't like the newer 100's at all.

 

I hear what you are saying. When I get into this conversation with folks, I glance over my shoulder to see what type of car or truck they drive.

 

Surely with this attitude of "older is better", they must all be driving a 1970's pickup or a 90's Crown Vic? Right?

 

A dealer who won't sell the lower end of his line? With the number of sub $2000 tractors that leave the big box stores every year, those are all lost opportunities for Deere dealers to cultivate a much larger customer base. If correct expectations are set when selling the lawn tractors, time is spent training and educating the new buyer and providing reasonably priced  yearly maintenance, the new customer may well be back in a few years to trade in the 100 for a 300.

 

I just dislike dealerships that see me walking thru the door and think they just scratched off a winning lottery ticket.

Edited May 8, 2015 by Save Old Iron

[truckin88 104]

The only GTs I can think of out today are deere, cub, simplicity, husq / Dixon / craftsman, and is Ingersoll still around? I think what has happened is that the 5-7k gt has been filled with premium ztrs when the primary job is mowing. The people who want snow and ground work, by a scut with 0% for 72months deals making 20k doable, and you get good machines that can do more with loaders etc. I think the market has gotten small to a point where it is niche now someone that looks at a simplicity might buy a scag.

And big box store machines have their place ans price point.

Edited May 8, 2015 by truckin88

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

The only GTs I can think of out today are deere, cub, simplicity, husq / Dixon / craftsman, and is Ingersoll still around? I think what has happened is that the 5-7k gt has been filled with premium ztrs when the primary job is mowing. The people who want snow and ground work, by a scut with 0% for 72months deals making 20k doable, and you get good machines that can do more with loaders etc. I think the market has gotten small to a point where it is niche now someone that looks at a simplicity might buy a scag.

And big box store machines have their place ans price point.

Truckin88, I think you hit the nail on the head. The housing market has changed since the '70s and '80s. With planned developments, the lot size has grown to be "too large" for a push mower so the rise of the lawn tractor. Shopping at a box store for building materials, let's buy the lawn tractor there too. The owners of "McMansions" that still cut their own grass have gone to the ZTR. When I was shopping five years ago for equipment to use on my current home and property, I knew I needed a tractor. EVERY dealer tried to put me in a ZTR! Only for the "CFO", I would have gone for a SCUT with the 0% financing. You should see the spreadsheets that I made to justify the purchase. It didn't work though! I'm glad it didn't as I probably wouldn't have Wheel Horses today.

 

Most consumers are not like this forum's members.Most are loyal to this brand but still accept other choices. Having the topic"Other Brands" is a good example. Good-hearted ribbing occurs sometimes but never is it mean-hearted. A different forum had a member complaining about the ride his ZTR was giving him on his rough ground. He wanted a tractor for two acres - but his perceived choices were ZTRs ! Someone pointed that out to him in a response that all ZTRs are the same as far as ride goes. I have never tried one so cannot speak from experience.

[kaiser 100]

I hear what you are saying. When I get into this conversation with folks, I glance over my shoulder to see what type of car or truck they drive.

 

Surely with this attitude of "older is better", they must all be driving a 1970's pickup or a 90's Crown Vic? Right?

 

A dealer who won't sell the lower end of his line? With the number of sub $2000 tractors that leave the big box stores every year, those are all lost opportunities for Deere dealers to cultivate a much larger customer base. If correct expectations are set when selling the lawn tractors, time is spent training and educating the new buyer and providing reasonably priced  yearly maintenance, the new customer may well be back in a few years to trade in the 100 for a 300.

 

I just dislike dealerships that see me walking thru the door and think they just scratched off a winning lottery ticket.

 

in his defense the dealerships are in rural Vermont, not much call for gt's out there. he sells the big stuff. but his collections are insane. one warehouse fill with autocar tractor trailers, another filled with old deeres and another filled with farmall.

 

yesterday I heard a "new tractor" in the neighborhood. we have a new neighbor who push mowed his 2 acres last week. he must have gone to HD because he was mowing with a new cub cadet last night.

that little motor may say it's 20hp, but she sure sounded like she was struggling.

Edited May 8, 2015 by kaiser

[baerpath 517]

 

 

I just dislike dealerships that see me walking thru the door and think they just scratched off a winning lottery ticket.

Ya I'd think that also if I saw you walk in.  LOL LOL LOL    Try truck shopping 50 grand to start Ford had the nerve to show me a Platinum F450 crew cab dually $74,000  They smoke or snort the good stuff

[coldbear 29]

Seriously...back in the early eighties my wife and I took a tour through the Troy Built factory where the tillers were made. I was needing a few cosmetic pieces for my 7HP Horse and the tour guide would stop and hand me the parts I needed as we proceeded. FREE, NO CHARGE, OUT OF WARRENTEE. That's why I still own them. That was the nicest corporate run outfit that we ever encountered. We are losing the American Dream fellas !

[RMCIII 838]

This topic has been around the horn a few times, only in different shades of "grey". Chuck - while the L110 probably is a good quality "lawn" mower, I think the topic was "GT". Garden Tractor..... I am  sure an L110 would fail miserably being used as a garden tractor.

 

It's just the world of today we live in when it comes to what we see that is mfgd. today. Small gardens, maybe even no gardens, has diminished the need for a mower that is also used as the garden tractor. Additionally these 3 items come into play:

 

Economical - the mowers of today use half the gas they use to burn on the same sized lawns. EPA standards

 

Cheaper - Customer driven, "I want to pay less" and still have a John Deere!

 

Faster - Meaning the cut of the lawn. "I don't want to spend 2hrs. on my lawn." As someone stated in the thread ZTR's are dominating the market.

 

Put all 3 of these together, plus my opinion, on 1 more item:

 

Laziness - The youth of today would faint if they had to go out and do some "real work". I am sure there are members in here that have raised their children to understand that manual labor will not kill you. But for the rest of the world, Well - just look at how many info-mercials we have now compared to 15 years ago, on how to lose weight, cut calories, get into shape...

 

RMC

[roscoemi 245]

I think Deere bought Scotts to build their low end tractors at the box stores. I've heard the dealer here will not service these imitation tractors.

[Save Old Iron 1,563]

I think Deere bought Scotts to build their low end tractors at the box stores. I've heard the dealer here will not service these imitation tractors.

 

 

Pre 2002 Scotts were not manufactured by Deere,so yeah, can't believe they will work on those"imitations" either.

 

Deere/Scotts parts are listed on the Deere internet site and cross match to the L110 numbers I have searched for - even down to the orange touch-up paint.

[Save Old Iron 1,563]

T. Chuck - while the L110 probably is a good quality "lawn" mower, I think the topic was "GT". Garden Tractor..... I am  sure an L110 would fail miserably being used as a garden tractor.

 

.

 

RMC

Just responding to the 4 or 5 posts immediately preceding mine that did bring up lawn tractors / L110's - and those after mine that bring up ZTR's and SCUT's - all inevitable deviations to the OP's question.

 

The L110's would have a hard time being used in the garden as there no garden implements offered for this model. A tractor that knows its place, paired with a reasonably intelligent owner, will be one less "piece of crap" comment being posted on the great internet of things. Add to this 5 less "I heard they are crap" from parrots who have never even owned one!.

 

All in all, my comment to OPs question would be this - folks have discovered low cost and reliable lawn tractors are available, Most folks do not require or desire "garden tractors" anymore.

But all is not lost. All manufactures need to do to keep the next generation coming to their door is to add LED's, Bluetooth, and a USB port to the dash tower. Have you seen Honda commercials lately?  No mention anywhere of safety, reliability or gas mileage.

Edited May 11, 2015 by Save Old Iron

[tunahead72 2,340]

... But all is not lost. All manufactures need to do to keep the next generation coming to their door is to add LED's, Bluetooth, and a USB port to the dash tower...

 

You forgot cup holders.

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,342]

Production: Manufacturer: John Deere Factory: Horicon, Wisconsin, USA   John Deere L110 Engine:    Kohler 490cc 1-cyl gasoline full engine details ...

 

Actually Deere made the L-series, plus the Sabre, the later Scotts, the LA series and now the D-series in Greenville, Tennessee.   The higher end John Deere L&G lines are made in Horicon, Wisconsin.

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

Wasn't the JD L(LA?) s actually sold as a Honda at one point?. Owning a Johnny Bucket, I check his site every so often. It amazes me the owners of the JD L/LA/LT that put the Johnny Bucket on it. Some even put the Sleeve Hitch on as well! 

[coldbear 29]

Not throwing the JD's under the bus here but my next door neighbor had one delivered this morning. Somehow was delivered in a Lowes truck, not a JD dealership van. She mowed her grass a few minutes then POW! That was it , kind of sad to see the big truck taking her lawn tractor away. I hope she gets her money back but I doubt she will. It sounded rather loud from the start to the finish.

[squonk 38,916]

Store probably forgot to put oil in it.

[Keith 21]

 If you want a garden tractor maybe you really need a used Kubota.

Classic garden tractors are capable of serious work, but can be traction challenged for many projects.  Four wheel drive is what you need.

 

Edited May 17, 2015 by Keith

[coldbear 29]

Friend of mine once had a home on 1/3 of an acre. Went to Sears and bought a twin 16 hp , 44" deck to take care of it. Had to turn the LT around in the middle of the road to complete the job. I asked him why he bought a large tractor? His response was " I always wanted one" . Go figure .

[RedRanger 1,468]

Friend of mine once had a home on 1/3 of an acre. Went to Sears and bought a twin 16 hp , 44" deck to take care of it. Had to turn the LT around in the middle of the road to complete the job. I asked him why he bought a large tractor? His response was " I always wanted one" . Go figure .

​Power to him.

[Tankman 3,515]

My boys and I, now grandsons too, like to hang out in the barn. Talkin' tractors, great deals on old but worthy "machines."

We laugh watchin' folks purchasing a Deere at Lowes or a Cubbie at Home Cheapo.

A waste of $$ in our opinion. A neighbor purchased an old Bolens I hadn't been using, loves it. His BIG box store thingy failed every cutting season.

Our latest two projects an Allis Chalmers and a Panzer reek of engineering. We like it that way!

The '90 520-8 shown pictured with a son and grandson collecting firewood in our woods.