Either one will do since $1,500 is the Top of your Price range I would probly go with the YT 3000 So you can have a Hydrostatic transmission over a Gear which is what the LA105 Deere is. But if you were to increase your Budget I would also suggest the Deere LA115 which is $1,749 with a Hydro transmission. I'm personally a Deere and Cub Cadet man Myself. You can also look at used in the Premium Brands Like Deere,Cub Cadet or Simplicity

Here is a link that might be useful: HYDRO YT3000

In that price range I would definitely go used. Check the local dealers as they get a lot of trade ins this time of year. You can also check Craigslist or local ads. $1,500 just doesn't get you much in a new tractor but headaches.

Man that is kind of disappointing news, but not surprising. I have nothing against buying a used machine of better quality but I figured that I could find something decent for that amount. I was hoping to hear that a company like John Deere would not put their name on a product (even lower end) that wasnt good for a guy to maintain an acre lot. I do not however want to run into any headaches on top of what I already have.

What year machines and what hour amounts should I be looking for in used? Which engine types are best, Ive seen alot of Kohler and Briggs and Stratton.

Please do a search of this forum and read the responses of other answers to the same or simsilar questions.

Your price range is the base bottom of the barrel and will get you a tractor that with miminmum care will last 3-5 years. That is a cost of $300-$500 per year not including service and repairs, to own and then you do it all over again.

Most on here have been there and done that too. Later they regret it and end up buying good to great equipment.

You are strongly advised to stay away from big box ie. Sears,Lowes,Menards,Home Depot and Farm Stores, because it is better to find the best dealer-service center close to you and work with them. In the long run you will be glad you did.

My guess for your price range of $1500-1800, you can get yourself a good quality used lawn tractor in the John Deere LT series from 2004 or 2005 years. The LT series were the entry level mowers sold at the JD dealers back when in production. These are not the box store mowers. Call some JD dealers in your area and you may find one.

You can also go on the web and search for www.MachineFinder.com. Once on this site, navigate and enter accordingly. You may find some of these LT's nearby.

The LT 160 has a 16hp kohler engine w/42C deck and hydro transmission. The LT170 has 16 hp V-twin Kawasaki engine and I think possibly a 48C deck.

You can also search www.JohnDeere.com and view some of the older mowers no longer in production. This way you can study the differ models yourself. You can view their specs, available attachments and more.

Good luck!

You are only mowing a little less than 1 1/2 acres. A new JD,
Craftsman, or Cub will do fine. If you maintain it properly it will last a lot more than 5 years. So I say if you like new instead of used, go for it.

The LA 105 will be just fine for a acre But if you have a lot of obsticles it can be a pain to switch gears. Gear LT atleast to me are fine when you have a lot of opean ground and don't have to change gears very often. I just wish Deere still made Gear Garden tractos. I had a 1988 JD 240 that was Gear transmission and it was great for my needs at the time. I now use a JD X485. Use to look at would be as said above the Deere LT series LX100 or LX200 series or even the JD 200 series or GT200 series. used cub cadets would be the 2000 or 2500 series. Simplicity would be the Broadmore,conquest,landlord or soverign

Thanks for all of your replies. I would definitely be taking good care of the machine, and there are not alot of obstacles in my yard to worry about. However I was searching used and found a 2007 JD LA125 w/ 40 hrs for $1500. I talked the guy down to $1300. Would this be better than the new LA 105 or the Craftsman?

Well for $1,300 I don't see why Not use it for now and maybe somewhere down the line you can upgrade to a New machine. The only Problems with Deere L and LA series tractors have been on the 48inch mowing decks and thats a spindle related issue which is usually covered by the warrenty when it happens and they replace the spindels with greasable spindels and the problem is solved. My younger Brother work for a JD dealer and that is what he has seen.

Used LA125 for $1300. I would spend a few hundred more for a new one and get the 2 to 3 year warranty that comes with.

Craftsman yt3000 is a rly great tractor 21 hp and platinum engine series i just got one and i love it