If you went with a X320 could you use the 48C deck?Do you have any gates or areas where a 48C would not fit?The reason I ask is because the 48C in my opinion alone is worth the extra cost.However you mention bagging leaves so you must be planning on a 42C deck?If that is your plan I would stick with the X300 because the X320 has larger tires and a 42C will not stick out past the rear tire by much.Makes it hard to trim around trees etc when the deck does not hang out much.

If you would be going with the 48C get the X320.If not get the X300 and take the savings and get a old Garden tractor with a blade to use for snow plowing and heavy loads.

Thanks for the reply! I was thinking the 42" deck for either. The 48 would fit through one of my two gates so it's doable, but considering my lawn size it would only save me a pass or 2 tops, plus the minor hassle of one more blade. I actually didn't even consider the extra width on the tires. That is definitely something else to consider on the 320.

I would LOVE to have have a second machine, but storage is a major issue. Plus, it's been hard enough to get the wife's approval on 1 tractor let alone 2! Thanks again.

Anyone have experience with the X300 in the snow?

your dealer can order the X320 with the 42" deck. they may not want to do it, but it IS an option. there are a couple posters on another tractor forum who have done it.

davidandkasie, the dealer did mention this as an option and didn't make it sound like it would be a big deal. If I do go with the 320 I'd get the 42.

Your wet snow is going to be heavy to push with a blade, most likely requiring weights/chains - all putting more stress on hydro. For that reason, would go with the x320.

The 42C will fit on the X320 thats not a problem.What I mean is when your trying to go around something like a flower bed.When there is not much deck sticking out.You can not get as close when your turning because the back wheel is right there.May not be a problem with your yard but was with mine.

However you mention a bagger.Not sure if there is a bagger available for the 48C without powerflow?

I went through this type of decision myself I had purchased the x300 and the k46 tranny went after 8 hours of just mowing I returned the unit with in the 30 days and bought a x500 I have over a acre to mow but have plans to get a plow for the same exact reason you mentioned also I have plans for yard expansion including a garden for which I will be getting the pull behind tiller. I my opinion go for the 320 just for the heavier duty tranny (k58)

jacksoncove - I remember reading a thread about your experiences. I was hoping yours was not a typical experience, but my doubts about the k46 and snow removal was basically the reason for my original question.

IÂve come to the following conclusions:
- Based on storage and use I need a 42" deck
- I will definitely be using the tractor for light snow removal. I do have a walk-behind snowblower, so anything deep enough to blow thatÂs what IÂll use. 2" of snow or slush and I will plow. We usually get the 2" variety.
- The only other use I will get out of it is possibly light hauling with a cart.
- I am looking to spend no more than $4K for the tractor if possible
- I donÂt like the idea of the x320 with 42" deck because of johndeereÂs issues stated in his post above
- IÂm not opposed to other brands, but IÂve ruled out Cub Cadet and anything from Sears or the box stores due to past experiences with dealers (CC) and the tractors themselves

My FIL has suggested I look at a Kubuto since he loves his. I know they are excellent machines and possibly a better grass-cutting option, but I have doubts about the tranny in the "lawn tractor" line for them as well. The closest dealer is 25 minutes away. I canÂt seem to find much information on what exactly is in the Kubota 1880 or 2080. My guess is that its similar to the k46 and probably not built to handle plowing snow. The dealer said since it does have a plow attachment that means it can handle plowing. He wasnÂt very convincing. Anyone have info on either of these Kubota models?

Are there other brands that I should be looking at that fit my needs that I havenÂt considered?

Thanks very much for your input. Just lurking on this forum for awhile I have learned a ton. So thanks to everyone for your time!

I have an x300 with almost 300 hrs on it with no problems great machine .I pull a cart with heavy rocks and a full load of firewood up and down small hills on my lot almost an acre.... has not missed a beat since i bought it. I would think it should be able to push 2 or 3 inches of snow and slush with no problems at all It does a great job cutting my lawn also

You might want to consider Simplicity?I am a John Deere fan and have 3 machines.I like them and the LX277 is the most nimble and would be the most suited for a 42C deck from the list of machines I own.

X320 with a 48C
LX277 with a 48C
318 with a 46

The reason I mention Simplicity is because they have the Broadmoor and I came very close to buying one a few years back.Because it has the same nimble feel as my LX277.I am sure it has the heavier transaxel then the X300.I think there are 3 deck sizes available?

I know what you mean about Cub Cadet I had a 2166 and after 1 season I was trying to trade it for the Simplicity mentioned.I had to deal with it longer and finaly traded it off for the X320 this year.I do not like to knock other brands but Cub Cadet is not what they use to be.

If you have a Simplicity dealer near you.You might want to consider the Broadmoor.

tallen4392 - thanks for the feedback. It's definitely good to hear the positive experiences. My gut tells me the x300 will work, but I don't know if I can get past all the horror stories with the transmission.

johndeere - funny you should bring up the Simplicity. I talked to someone at work today who asked why I wasn't considering them. I guess I will be adding the Broadmoor (and the Regent?) to my growing list. The nearest dealer is a little farther than I'd prefer, but still doable. I will check them out this weekend.

So I couldn't decide between the 2 Deeres, and now I'm back up to 5 or 6. I do want to make sure I look at all options though, and I am really enjoying the search.

Thanks again for everyone's help. Any more thoughts are welcome.

Have you considered a small single-stage snowthrower for the light snow removal? Look for a good used Toro 2-stroke at garage sales, auctions, ebay, etc. That is what I am doing currently (looking for a second-hand single-stage) as my big two-stage is overkill for most snows here. I considered a blade for my tractor, but my driveway is LONG and no good place to pile up the snow, plus it is on an incline so if I miss any snow it will turn to ice (not good to slide down an icy hill into traffic).

gdj204 - sounds like I'm in a similar situation to you. I have a big two-stage blower that I use for deeper snows, but it's no good for the little ones. My problem is that I have a ton of pavement to clear and a smaller blower would take forever. I figure that for me the blade is much quicker, and also there is a slope falling off from the edge of the driveway and parking area so there is room to pile up the snow. Thanks for the idea though.

A few years ago someone on this forum had a video showing his garden / lawn tractor with a rotary broom mounted on the front. He was removing snow from his driveway, and it worked real slick. I couldn't believe how far out it cast the snow. Might not work well with a heavy wet snow tho. See link to one mfr.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bercomac rotary broom

Well I'm back down to the original 2. My local Kubota dealer can't get the one I'd want for at least a couple months. No Simplicity dealers close enough. I found a place that has a Massey 2522 I like (same as the Regent), but the transmission is identical to the x300 and the cost is about the same. The Massey 2620 (same as Broadmoor) is nice, but cost is higher than the x320. I really wish I could do the x320 with the 48" deck but it's just not going to work with a few tight areas between trees/fence/etc. So it's once again down to the x300 and x320 with 42" deck.

I actually like the idea of the power broom, but after looking at the cost of the broom plus all the recommended options with it, the x300 is getting up their real close to the cost of just the x320 with blade.

Probably going back to the dealer to decide today or tomorrow. Thanks to everyone for your help and suggestions.

Remember the discharge chute on the 48C is massive.I have to raise mine to get it in my shed.I have a bungee cord that attaches to the rod and goes under and the other end hooks under the running board.Works very well if you could get in the tight places with it up?If you can get around with a 42C with the discharge chute down I think its about the same as a 48C with the discharge chute up?Just a thought?

johndeere - My decision would be so much easier if I could use that 48" deck. But with the 48" I'd actually have to lift up the chute WHILE I am mowing in a couple areas.

So just to exhaust all avenues, I drove the 40 minutes to the Simplicity dealer. Turns out the owner lives right down the road from me. Said they have free pickup and delivery through the warranty period, and if I need any parts he can drop them off personally. That eased my long-distance concerns a little. And for some reason the new Broadmoor (they just got the 2010 model year) is $800 less than the identical Massey and even $200 less than the x320. Go figure.

I'm sure I'm going overboard with this decision, but I just want to get it right considering the cost. Going to sleep on it and pull the trigger tomorrow. Most likely going to be the Broadmoor. Thanks again for the help.

The X300 would probably plow snow just fine. The K46 has issues in high-workload situations, as it gets hot and loses power, but since you'll probably be plowing snow when it's cold out, I'd think you'll be okay if you go that route.
But a simplicity would definitely be my second choice.
One cool feature about the Simplicity is the roller that spans the rear of the deck. In PA, with KY bluegrass or some other tall-leaf variety that stripes easily, you can make your lawn look like Wrigley Field.
Good call on having the 2-stage walk-behind as a backup for deep snow. Blades work great for slush. It won't overwork your tractor as long as you're using it primarily on the angle instead of trying to bulldoze large areas.

I'm curious how the traction control works in the Broadmoor. I'm assuming if it were a locking differential they'd advertise it as such. Is this some kind of limited-slip diferential? Either way, I'm sure it will make snowplowing easier.

One more thing:
Along the lines of what Johndeere said, I highly recommend going larger than the 42" deck. Don't think of it in terms of yard size. Even with 1/4 acre you'll cut your mowing time significantly with a 48" deck. I have a GT225 which came with a 42C. I upgraded to a 44M. I also have a GT262 with a 48C. What the larger deck (either a 44 or 48 does for you is it allows you to cut a whole new path with each pass, whereas with the 42 you'll find yourself overlapping tire tracks or else you'll leave "orphans" as my grandfather called them). That not only wastes time, it also compacts your soil.
I don't know if the 44M is compatible with the new X series, probably not, but it can work as either a dedicated mulching deck or a rear discharge deck, so the chute woes aren't an issue. I started a thread about it. If you're interested, you can search for it at the bottom of the forum. Type "Piranha." It's the first hit.

So after all the back and forth I've settled on the x300. In the end I couldn't get past the price. Even though I'm convinced the Broadmoor is a better overall tractor, it's also $1300 more with all the attachments I need (the Regent is really more comparable to the x300). It also helped to see my wife's reaction when I told her the price of the Broadmoor.

The 300's are hard to come by right now, so the dealer will have to track one down for me. Unfortunately, an order wouldn't come in until mid-Nov. Hopefully I can get one soon enough to get some mowing in before winter.

marineguy - thanks for the follow ups. Makes me feel better to hear about the x300's plowing abilities. I've never even thought about the issue with the 42" deck and tire overlap, although I've seen those lawns with the permanent grooves. At least with the small turning radius of the 300 I will be able to turn around anywhere and not always mow in the same direction.

Thanks to everyone for your help.

I would go with the x320 with the K58 tranny instead of the K46 the x300 comes with and I pull a 850lb lawn roller with ease on my 3.5 acres and it doesn't even strain or struggle. I weigh 240lbs and have 90lbs of "rim guard" in the rear tires and like I said it pulls the roller like it isn't even there.