Should I Buy My John Deere Lawn Mower From Home Depot Or My Dealer? (DAY 19)

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Click below 👇👇👇 for the links to the other questions... ⭐30 DAYS OF QUESTIONS⭐ - (Links will be updated as the videos are put out) 👉DAY 1 - Is A Stihl 4-Mix Engine A 2-Stroke Or A 4-Stroke? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3fCkGueqJWVpZo 👉DAY 2 - Are John Deere riding lawn mowers made by MTD? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3StpIqpmZuGgtE 👉DAY 3 - How Do I Break In A New Chainsaw? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/hHaXgmSPbdtli5Y 👉DAY 4 - Does Soaking WeedEater Line In Water Actually Help? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmXLd4GVn9uYg8U 👉DAY 5 - Why Does My Briggs Lawn Mower Say Never Change The Oil? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4eqnpiqnLSWndE 👉DAY 6 - Can I Use Outboard Mix Oil In My Chain Saw? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/d53QlpqYm7p9prc 👉DAY 7 - What Is Your Favorite Chain Saw? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/rX6tlntmn6iWfq8 👉DAY 8 - Why Does My Grass Chute Keep Plugging Up? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/jaXFmZyErpllf7c 👉DAY 9 - What Does The Purge Bulb Actually Do? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZOngYhtaMuEh7s 👉DAY 10 - What Is Your Favorite Penetrating Oil? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKPdf6mVecdjkKM 👉DAY 11 - How Do I UnFlood My Chainsaw Or Weed Eater? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGG4n5mlgZqkjc0 👉DAY 12 - What Is The Best 2-Stroke Gas / Oil Mix Ratio? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5PWk36nj8esqNk 👉DAY 13 - Why Does My Leaf Blower Bog Out When I Pull The Trigger? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/hWXJfp2JnJyNlbc 👉DAY 14 - What Does WARRANTY Actually Mean? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/el6bYWhqhpuprpI 👉DAY 15 - Can I Remove ETHANOL From My Gas? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4vSZXyqjs6AebM 👉DAY 16 - Why Is My Pressure Washer So Hard To Pull Start? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6HMoaaaostrp9U 👉DAY 17 - Why Does My Chain Saw Leak Oil? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYGYeoeJe7yIkMk 👉DAY 18 - Can I Use Old Dirty Motor Oil As Bar And Chain Oil In My Chain Saw? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/n521i4Gpd7N4abs 👉DAY 20 - Do Battery Powered Chain Saws Work Good? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJObiYF9m62mh7c 👉DAY 21 - Honda Is Stopping Lawn Mower Production? FAKE NEWS!! ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2W3hKqNfauVY9E 👉DAY 22 - Will cleaning the rust off my flywheel help with spark? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/rWmQlquDnLqbq8U 👉DAY 23 - NO SPARK! How Do I Know If My Coil / Ignition Module Is Faulty? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/fnOpq5KEZbirq7s 👉DAY 24 - Will I DESTROY My Pressure Washer By Doing THIS? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGOynX-Edr9-l5o 👉DAY 25 - How Do I Fix An On/Off Kill Switch? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6rEhqN9nZZseas 👉DAY 26 - Why doesn’t my lawnmower have an oil drain plug on it? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/eImtk4qNnbKeZtU 👉DAY 27 - Why Is There Black Oil Coming Out Of My Muffler? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/iX-rlYieatmFpaM 👉DAY 28 - Can I Put A LONGER Bar On My Chain Saw? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/haO1pquVfLiEh7M 👉DAY 29 - Why Does My Engine STOP Running After A Few Minutes? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2avdqqEnpKam68 👉DAY 30 - Can I Make A Lawn Mower Run On Propane? ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5y8dJRnjM15fdU

[@blackenedmagic888]

Support your local dealership? That would be dependent on how much of a difference in price there is between the dealership and big box store.

[@stclairstclair]

*Steve, Could you do a video on Tecumseh engines leaking oil from the governor linkage, I haven't seen a video about this, I would like to do add a seal like Honda uses, thanks again!

[@markdanielczyk944]

I agree with supporting local dealers, but that green paint is EXPENSIVE! I'll keep my old IH Cub Cadets!

[@boatman222345]

Years ago I worked as a lawn mower mechanic. The chain stores back then sold Lawn Boy lawnmowers for less than the dealer I worked for paid wholesale. But when those lawnmowers came to us for repair they often wound up at the very back of the line. Recently I purchased a Toro walk behind lawnmower. Home Depot was selling it for $15 less than the local lawn mower shop and you had to assemble it yourself. The local dealer assembled it, filled the tank with gas, and ran it for ten minutes to be sure all was functioning correctly. And when I needed advice on replacing a part they were there to ask. Shop locally not just to help the local dealer but to help yourself!

[@randymartin5521]

I bought my 2002 John Deere LT150 from our local dealer 21 years ago precisely for the warranty reason. I ended up never needing to use the warranty, actually, I never set foot in there again for anything related to my mower except to buy air, fuel and oil filters and a replacement grass chute because it got old and brittle and broke where it connected to the deck. I never even needed to replace the mower deck drive belt. We had boat doors on the basement so I kept it clean, dry and out of the weather in the basement, which I am sure contributed greatly to it's longevity. I sold it because we moved to somewhere where I would never need it, otherwise I'd probably still have it.

[@AllenLarson-f1x]

I am a retired person with no connection to ether John Deere or Home Depot. Seven years ago we purchased a JD D-170 from Home Depot and have 124 hours on it. We have only needed to put fuel in it and an annual oil change. We always use premium fuel.

[@AwosAtis]

I have two JD mowers I bought from Lowes. First, a question. What is the probability that I'll need warranty work within the warranty period, especially since I only mow a couple of yard acres during the spring and summer? When I bought my second mower about ten years ago (from lowes) I decided to take it in to the local JD dealer for the following spring maintenance before the season started. After paying a $500+ dollar bill (oil, filters, etc change and a couple of deck pulleys) I decided to start learning from channels like this and do my own maintenance and repair. It has saved me a bundle of money thanks to you and channels like yours. So, my advice is if you have the tools and interest, buy from a big box store and DIY on repairs.

[@krumple8560]

I have had a JD sub-compact 4-WD tractor for a number of years that has given me excellent service. I don't use it often and have always done my own service. Recently a problem cropped up so I went to the local JD dealership where I bought it to see about getting it fixed but found that their labor rate was $120.00 an hour. While I was there I asked about getting routine service maintenance done and was informed that they had their "Winter off-season Maintenance Special" on and it was ONLY $500.00 to change the oil and check things over. Needless to say I fixed the problem myself and will continue to do my own maintenance. While I love the quality of JD equipment I do not love the expense of their service. Just my $0.02 worth. YMMV.

[@thebubbacontinuum2645]

A lot of dealers try to get as much as possible from every job, and then they whine when people don't come back. May every dealer who acts like that go out of business and end up working at Burger King. You can shear a sheep over and over, but you can only skin him once. A lot of dealers are too stupid to understand this.

[@ericshaffer9823]

Mine wants $300.00 for the same service "offer". Runs fine and I can change the oil and grease the hubs just fine, thanks to some excellent KZbin videos! Thank you Steve!

[@pierrelarocque3214]

One day you might have a serious issue that requires a trained technician that uses factory tools to fix. Then you will understand the $120 hourly fee.

[@krumple8560]

@@pierrelarocque3214 Oh, I understand and appreciate the time, tools, training and overheads that go into a labor rate. But all that training etc. is not necessary to change oil, replace filters, check hydraulic fluid and gear lube levels. The issue I went in for was popping a rear tire off the wheel and losing all the antifreeze it was loaded with. Since I ended up fixing it myself the job surely did NOT require a highly trained technician or sophisticated factory tools. While I was talking to the female service manager the guys behind the counter made sure I knew what the hourly rate was as the service manager never mentioned it. Like I said, just my $0.02 worth. YMMV.

[@pierrelarocque3214]

@@krumple8560 read my comment again please.

[@retiredrick1715]

Really Really enjoying these 30 days of questions!

[@michaelbaumgardner2530]

Bought a 135 off a local dealer,used it 13 seasons,changed the idler pulley and new blades and regular maintenance,good ole mower

[@sapelesteve]

Totally agree with you on that Steve! I always support my local dealerships. The large conglomerate stores have put to many small dealerships out of business.

[@tomphillips2608]

Amen. Totally agree. Big box stores really put a hurt on the little guy , especially in marginal economic areas.

[@shortfuse43]

@@tomphillips2608 Just like when Walmart moves into a small town.....

[@dhatch3511]

Maybe the best option decision for someone looking for a new mower would be to not buy a John Deere lawn mower if you know the dealers won't sevice their products that John Deere pays them to make warranty repairs on. John Deer needs to choose dealers who want to perform warranty work for John Deeres customers in a timely manner and dump dealers who have no interest in servicing products not purchased from them. Simple solution.

[@GWHcraig1088]

As somebody who works at Tractor Supply, i say it also depends alot on how handy the buyer is. if you can fix or maintain your own equipment a big box store is fine. may it be a string trimmer, chainsaw or zerotrun mower.

[@johnskitzis6540]

Glad you pointed pointed out the how the service works on the purchase from big box stores. I’m sure quite a few people were not aware of that. Thanks guys!

[@dalesayyeau5334]

Hello Steve 😁 long time viewer please keep the the content coming! I bought my Deere at home Depot ( only reason is I had a very substantial discount from a friend otherwise I would have gone to the local shop) and the associate there told me that they can't let any of the tractors go until a rep from John Deere comes on site and give it an inspection and the go-ahead. If the rep doesn't like what it sees they can't let it go until they are satisfied... As for warranty work I can't speak for everyone but when I got some warranty work done at my local shop they greeted me very well and my work was done in a timely manner and that is the reason I always go to them for parts and service...

[@jasonbusch3624]

Our local dealer supplied Lowe's with their John Deere Tractors

[@rangerbandit911]

So I recently acquired my first John Deere. An old 265 with a 48" deck. I am currently waiting on a new fuel pump to get it running. It seems well built and find a little comfort in the knowledge you also have a john deere mower. Thanks as always for the knowledge you keep passing along. I try not to miss any of your videos.

[@timothydolan5587]

Thanks you two for more common sense heads up. I too am a strong believer in supporting local businesses.

[@Herbybandit]

Bang on! That's exactly why you should support your dealer, you'll get a quick more personalised service opposed to the big box stores where their support is slow and vague to say the least. Big box stores know a little about everything (and you know what they say about a little knowledge) wheras a dealer know everything about what they sell

[@paulbetker2310]

Wow that's crazy stuff. Thanks for the insider information.

[@beverlyc.8175]

Great video. Same idea for Toro and Echo products. Always buy from dealer. It's all about customer service over the life-cycle of the product.

[@MidniteSon]

Also depends on the price. Sometimes the big box stores have closeout prices that the local dealer may not be able to compete with.

[@keithwestbrooks8629]

Mine was not a John Deere, but a Husqvarna. I bought mine at a local dealer for the same reason. Had a small problem, they came got it fixed it and returned it back to me.

[@davedavies6518]

Love your channel. I bought a John Deere from a Rona here on the Sunshine Coast for my Dad for Father's day. BAD BAD BAD mistake. It needed service work the 2nd month he owned it, (it would not start0. He only used it a couple of times, still on the original fuel it came with. The only place that will do warranty work on it, is a authorized dealer. On the sunshine Coast you need to take a $130.00 ferry to get to the closest authorized dealer (I need to trailer the mower). That would be to get it there, then another $130.00 after it's fixed to get it back, and it would be a full day traveling time each day. I took the chance of voiding the warranty by fixing it myself. Good gamble. It was getting fuel and spark to the plug. I pulled the plug and never seen a plug so badly fouled. Cleaned it and it's been running great for the last two years now. What ever mower you buy, check where the warranty work can be done.

[@tgmccoy1556]

Bought mine at the JD dealer. No regrets.

[@paulvilleneuve9628]

I’ve had so many people, friends of mine, say that they’re different! I knew they weren’t. John Deere is not going to have a lower grade of equipment just to sell at the big box stores. Having been a mechanic for years, the sad fact of the matter is that everything is so cheap made today!!! I have two 318 John Deere’s and a 332 John Deere all made in the eighties and they will still outlive a brand new one made today! Nice job Steve 👍

[@shawnkane7152]

Not always true with all products. Door openers are different. I was a dealer and the box store openers were pieced rails and half cable and chain. Our rails are solid and full chain. So some differences. They could sell an opener cheaper than I could get them from the warehouse. True story. Figure that one out.

[@JohnDouai-c2r]

Gotta have those resales, ya know. It's all about planned wearout.

[@scottmarshall6766]

Great series guys! Enjoying even the stuff I knew or learned from, and the wide range of topics is great. Don't stop at 30!

[@tractortalkwithgary1271]

I would suggest that anyone stay away from the cheaper end mowers from John Deere. They are made to meet a competitive price point. Stay with the mower lines that are only sold by John Deere. They cost more money but are much better quality machines. I have an older John Deere 335 GX. It has mowed 6 acres of lawn for years and has never been back in the shop for anything. It has nearly 1000 hours on it and still does not use oil between intervals. I doubt that any of the budget prices models will ever be able to make that claim. Great points Steve, as always.

[@jimbrewer2893]

Our JD dealer owns 36 locations in 3 states. So it's not really local, if that makes sense. I got my JD from Lowe's 3 years ago. It was on sale, plus my discount, plus 200 cash back from Deere. Yeah, heck of a deal. It came with the dealer sticker, not Lowe's. The dealer sent me a welcome letter along with all the warranty information and registration. The big box stores use to have service people. Now all they have is someone to assemble what you purchased, for a hefty price. I agree in supporting local business. If it truly is local.

[@ikswodolg2]

I agree that the same number model at either place is the same mower. But would also like to add that the X series mowers/tractors are only available from the dealers and are way better quality then the box store units.

[@Greg_Gatsby]

I agree with you. I had an X300 I bought used and I used it hard until I tore up the mower deck. Now I have an X354 I bought in 2021 and as of last Wednesday it only has 15 hours on the clock. But I love it and don’t abuse it. It will outlive me.

[@Kevin-ne3tl]

I have an x350 that I bought at the dealer, as you can't buy that series from a big box store. It's been a great machine. I was done with the big box store stuff. Spend a little extra and get a heavier frame, a Kawasaki v-twin, and a better overall tractor.

[@bretlambky]

I have been told that exact thing. I enjoy doing my own maintenance so it’s not as big of a deal Great advice Steve and April! Support your small town businesses!

[@dennisketterer814]

This is why I watch your show whenever I can .your so up to do with everything.i have been watching your shows free about 8 years now. Don't go anywhere Steve. Your my way to getting things done where is the beer. 😉👍

[@tomrogers9467]

Right On! Not mentioned are the cases where a customer feels the “problem” is a warranty issue, but the dealer doubts the manufacturer will cover the repairs. Known as a “Disputed Warranty”. If I, as the dealer, ( and I ran a shop for years) sold the unit myself, I am going to go to bat for MY customer. If it’s a box store sale, the customer will pay upfront, I’ll submit a warranty claim, and the manufacturer will decide. If they decline, no skin off my nose, and I got paid anyway.

[@kbjerke]

I purchased Martha, my Deere, from a dealership. They have all the parts and accessories I need, although oil filters, air filters, and oil I buy from Amazon, because the dealer's prices are *WAY* too high. Thanks for the video, April and Steve!

[@JohnDoe-ny1wp]

Yeah, I had a hydraulic steering cylinder go out on my compact tractor. JD wanted $800 and I bought a SPICER (same) for $ 350 online.

[@tinpony9424]

Great Beatles reference there.

[@kbjerke]

@@tinpony9424 Glad someone caught it. LOL

[@johnguertin5054]

the filters and parts you are buying on amazon are 99% counterfeit. Sad but true

[@kbjerke]

@@johnguertin5054 Thank you *SO* much for your fountain of wisdom.

[@coreyalexus9495]

Love your channel Steve. I've learned alot from you. I totally agree with purchasing the john deere lawnmowers. I currently work at a Home Depot and its totally true when doing the warranty work. I always say to customers that I deal with to take it directly to the dealer or purchase the item at the dealer.

[@6900pilot]

I agree 👍🏻 support your local dealer April and Steve out..

[@bret_Lambky]

I have been told that many times! Your the step kid to the dealership! I agree with buying from your local dealers! 👍🏼👍🏼

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Right on

[@jankunkel396]

Sears at one time was doing service work for the Big Box Stores under the A&E name.

[@handson2211]

Great info! Thank you! It’s great that your wife April has been joining in too. Love it 👍

[@tracycrispino3446]

Dealer will support you after the sale. I have had great experiences with my dealer!

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Right on

[@ralphmowery2898]

Abought 15 years ago I bought a JD rider from the local dealer (large dealer) . It had a problem of only moving about 100 feet and then stopping from the first time I tried to use it. They came out , picked it up, repaired the problem and brought it back. Defective switch in the seat so they replaced the seat. No charge for any of that.

[@hirampritchard5588]

Right on Steve and April, I have bought my John Deere lawn tractors from my local dealer and had them do the maintenance. My first one lasted 20 years. 👍

[@johnny5173]

Awesome advice I did not know that Home Depot sends their stuff to the local John Deere dealer. I would rather support my local business anyway!!!!

[@mikewatson4644]

My "local" JD dealer has 12 dealerships spread across 3 states. Most of the longtime employees left when the locally owned dealership was sold to the big JD dealer. Everytime that you go in the door, it seems like there is someone different working behind the counter. I'm not too sure but what they want to be the size of Home Depot or Lowe's.

[@jimbrewer2893]

Yep. I'm acquainted with a lot of the farmers around here. Many complain about the poor service they get now.

[@chrissnyder3479]

We had 5 dealerships in my area. Now only 4 and they’re all the same company “Greenmark”.

[@jimbrewer2893]

@@chrissnyder3479 Quality Equipment owns here, SC and VA.

[@grantsnell6782]

You make valid points. I think it all comes down to how big the price difference is, and whether one would take a gamble for that amount of money.

[@A3Kr0n]

I'm still mad at the dealer who charged my dad over $700 to replace the drive belt on his John Deere mower. I replaced all the belts on my little Cub for less than $70.

[@thebubbacontinuum2645]

My John Deere 430 basically has to be cut in half to replace a belt. Unbelievably stupid engineering.

[@spreadgeorgia]

I can't deal with the dealerships in my area as they are all owned by the same person. They do have riding mowers, but they sell big tractors and equipment to farmers. They are not really interested in selling a non-farmer a lawnmower. I had to go with a snapper from another dealer, much smaller than the JD dealership.

[@tycox8704]

There has to be more to that than just a belt change. Was anything else replaced or serviced?

[@RoundBallDefender]

That’s because it isn’t just a belt replacement. You need to detach the the steering rack, and drop an axel to remove the derive belt on a John Deere.

[@kerryredwolf7432]

Wasn’t long ago they charged me $700 for a head gasket, I was away at work and my wife had it repaired for me, I nearly had a heart attack

[@davehaggerty3405]

Locally John Deere, Case IH, JCB are farm implement dealers that have little time for lawnmowers. My best option is lawnmower shops. Or hang on to the owners/parts manuals and buy parts on line.

[@beast1624]

The answer for me where to buy is ALWAS the dealership. Even if I have to pay a little more at least I have a relationship with someone who will help me with repairs and questions rather than dealing with a 13th grader at a Big Box store who is clueless. Any extra you pay at the dealership is worth it IMHO. Thanks for this series! It has been great.

[@rangerbandit911]

Steve once again you and the Mrs. Prove that their are a few good things up there in the great white North. Love your videos and the 30 days of 30 questions.

[@waynestefinashen239]

Ranger there are more than a few good things about Canada, we have our problems but they will be dealt with in the next election i have faith in the rest of our country.

[@tomrogers9467]

@@waynestefinashen239 If we don’t get rid of Turdeau and his Liberal Criminals, we might as well join the US.

[@waynestefinashen239]

@@tomrogers9467 You are 100% correct i have faith that the Canadian voters are fed up with what has been going on with this Federal Government and a majority change is forthcoming! I have posted many comments on Clyde Do Somethings channel that more Canadians need to get out to make their vote count this also applies to the USA. Pretty sad when only 50% of the voters actually care what goes on and then the other 50% whine about the end result!

[@mattwaters6987]

Great video and information. Really good to know about buying from a dealer. If they price match, then even better. Thanks!

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

You're Welcome...

[@redwolf8539]

I'm love'n these quick question and answer sessions!!

[@Colt3854]

I like to support the dealers as long as the price difference is not extreme. I realize these big mobs have much greater buying power. But half of the sales people at these big hardware store are unable to answer any questions about mower maintenance. I like supporting the bloks who get their hands dirty fixing these mowing tools.

[@kurtneumann3164]

Dealer, no brainer! Learned my lesson especially with appliances,etc.

[@joeport6823]

Great point on shopping local!

[@haroldneely9253]

We have a collection of John Deer mowers, because we don’t throw anything out it seems. 2 from lowes 2 from John Deer the differences are definite. Dealer mower has Kawasaki engine, box store, Briggs & Stratton. It sounds like things have changed for the better possibly, but the Kawasaki powered mower we’ve had 2 over the last 30 years, and the Briggs just a handful, not long at all. I say we, we have 3 properties and it’s just what that particular care taker wants to spend. I do maintenance on them, and I know the heads are the biggest problem with the Briggs. Learn to do valve adjustment do it early then every so often, remove valve cover and have a look.

[@Gary67242]

very interesting, ive been told by a service tech that they're different. nice that you guys cleared this up.......thumbs up !!

[@kevinmason3086]

Something I didn't know thanks for the tip thinking about buying a new mower this year now sure if I'm buying a John Deere or a Cub cadet yet

[@garypratt1453]

Excellent presentation

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@jimmysimpson4542]

Talked to my local Deere dealership after buying a 120S from Home Depot. They told me that when HD get a shipment of JD mowers, they, the dealership, do the set up on them, not HD. Just a side note, got them (JD) to do the conventional oil system conversion for me. Great service. Got it back in a week.

[@apackwestbound5946]

Never disappoints, another quality discussion.

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Thank You...

[@shoosh9996]

I bought my Toro snowblower from a local small engine dealership/repair shop. Been in business for decades. Handles were poorly assembled and all rods and cables adjustments were way off.

[@tomw7794]

Good Information on the service . My john Deere Dealer ( Mom and Pop) less then 2 miles from my house was shut down by John Deere. They would not even let them remain an authorized service center. Now the nearest one is 24 miles away and a 40 minute drive. They do service at home if possible or they pick up no problem. They are actually very nice but it costs $$. My neighborhood guy would tell me how to fix it and I could pick up the parts easy.

[@Bellboy40]

The same thing happened to my local John Deere dealer here in this small town. I don't know the details, but he was forced out of selling Deere equipment. He had been the dealer here for many, many years.

[@grattonland]

In 2004, my only options was to buy a John Deere from the dealer. Back then, the Craftsman was almost identical to the John Deere, fender hydrostatic instead of pedal, the cowl was the same. Anyway, the Sears in Saint John, NB no longer had a service dept, and the John Deere dealer did, so I bought a JD for 100$ more so I could get it serviced locally.

[@grege2383]

My local Echo dealer has always taken care of me. Echo is fixed price so Home Depot can't sell Echo equipment any cheaper than a local dealer.

[@AtlantaGardener30047]

Wish I had seen this earlier. Bought an S100 from Lowe’s May 2024. Registered it and saw it was a 2023. Fuel line and carburetor clogged after just 6 hours of use, 2 1/2 months later (I only use ethanol free gas with 1 ounce of Stabil per five gallons). Lowe’s said it’s not their problem, I should have bought the extended warranty. Local Deere dealer says Lowe’s puts gas in them to move them, then they sit for months to years on the lot. On top of that they’re telling me the warranty doesn’t cover fuel issues, so it’s almost $500 to repair. I will warn everybody I can reach to never buy a lawnmower from Lowe’s. Don’t make the same mistake I did.

[@lacesout1199]

Sometimes leaving mowers outside they sell them as new and already rusted

[@bobblenuts]

Ariens Snow blower same. Had nasty storm predicted few years ago, gave son my older big 33" blower for his big needs and got new Ariens smaller blower for myself. Had trouble with starter, contacted Lowes, they said take it to John Deere for warranty. JD dealer is within walking distance from me...I DIDENT KNOW THEY SOLD ARENS BLOWERS as it's a AG big tractor dealer or I would have bought from them rather than big box. Lesson learned here too. 👍

[@BearE9090]

I buy from small engine shops. They charge $10.00 (which goes to a charity) to assemble the units to make sure it is working correctly, they demonstrate the unit with you and answer any questions that you need to know. Plus they give you a bottle of super fuel which the have used some to fill your machine with. This ensures you that when you get home to use the equipment you don't have to worry if there is any problems with it.

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

I have seen that with vehicles as well. You buy it from a dealer far away from home but expect your local dealer to do the warranty, of course they will do their customers first. You eventually will get yours fixed, but don’t expect them to reward you for shipping elsewhere.

[@skip7243]

Funny thing however is that same dealer probably sells 30% of his cars on line to someone far away!

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

@@skip7243 Probably true nowadays! Much of this I am quoting before buy/selling cars on the web was much of a thing. Even so, I bet your still right!

[@fredhart7904]

Would you do us a favor? The plastic hoods on these mowers crack, break, Could you show us how-to repair the cracked hood Thanks Fred

[@RHFD1704]

My father went to get a new riding mower this year from our local John Deere dealer and they told him they no longer sell them and to get it from the big box store. They said they would still be happy do the work on it though and all warranty work would be sent to them anyways. He got the mower from Lowes and after a couple months use he started having a belt issue. The local Deere dealer came out and picked it up, serviced it and brought it back to him that same week.

[@altonrowell613]

What about John Deere using plastic transmission cases. And you make a good point about warranty work. I didn't know that.

[@Geopolitic157]

Thanks for another learned video April and Steve!... I have a 185 John Deere with a 38 deck and dual grass bagging system, ( great for grass clippings compost), purchased in 1991, from the dealership. The JD Technical Manual is very articulate. I do my own maintenance on it. Over the years, had to replace blades, couple of bearings, starter solenoid, batteries, with lots of oil changes and grease jobs, but no serious problems. It has the Kawasaki engine, and a lot more metal frame (470 pounds) than the newer ones..It is imho, a "tank". I have learned much from sharing creators such as yourselves on various platforms....Hell, I became a "Brain Surgeon" on the YT platform alone.....Although admittedly; it has been a challenge to find my first client..... Now, where did I put that "Nectar from The Gods Vodka" , we learned to make, from "Day 17"..hmmm......

[@twobeer3316]

Dealer 100% We need these in our area for parts and service and their knowledge and expertise, oil and filters are also cheaper than my local box stores by several dollars. Home Depot and Lowes have the credit card advantage with their financing promotions, being most of us already have their cards.

[@stevengentry8648]

Thanks Steve

[@johndenver8574]

Depends on what kind of john deere you're looking for. X700 series dealership. If you want a simple john deere s100 sure store. At the dealership though if you have questions the dealership will know so much more information. The box stores will not know much.

[@DconBlueZ]

Thanks for the video, always enjoy watching!

[@leebrowwski]

She's great for the ratings of your show! (likes)

[@chrissnyder3479]

There are no small dealerships around anymore. They all were absorbed by one big conglomerate or sadly forced to close

[@robertskelton2576]

I bought a JD Sabre from the local dealer in 2000. Cost a little more but set up, delivered and ready to go. Had a few problems with in warrentee, bad battery, starter relay etc. Since I work on my own equipment instead of hauling the mower in each time the dealer just gave me the parts needed. Win win for both. Now 23 years later the 1542 is still running .

[@kevinhenry7273]

When dealing with a dealer, they also carry other models than the 4-5 the big box carry and when talking to you he may offer a model that is better suited to your needs.

[@williambyington4864]

I have always bought my JD Lawn tractors from our local dealer. The price Lowes was asking for an E150 was the same at the dealer.

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Right on

[@waynestefinashen239]

Our local John Deere dealership does not discriminate on your position of repair or service provided it is a John Deere regardless of where it was purchased. You go to the back of the list only when you bring in equipment other than John Deere and this sounds reasonable to me. As far as the difference between purchase from a dealer or big box store: 1. You are correct on warranty work going to the dealership 2. I would always buy from the dealership because it will be properly set up and assembled ie: mower deck levelled properly, cables adjusted properly etc. This alone makes all the difference in proper operation since the dealer has trained employees on this equipment and the big box stores need to read the manuals. 3. Big box stores for example sell push mowers boxed and some may have a container of oil for you to install and others may not. At Eliminator Performance we have received 4 such seized mowers in 2022 that were run without oil. In all cases we were able to free them up and get them running WITH NO GUARANTEE ON HOW LONG THEY WOULD SURVIVE due to lack of oil installation.

[@boomertsm]

Hey Steve, don't forget that many JD dealerships do most of the repair work for customers who may have bought from HD or Lowes! I initially bought my JD D125 new from Lowes, and it was delivered by the local dealership who picks up, repairs, and delivers my lawn tractor every year in a very timely manner. No back shelf operation for them.

[@joelmollenkopf3767]

Excellent Nice seeing you April

[@dave5176]

Never had much luck with dealerships doing any kind of maintenance work. Bought a 2017 Jeep, and it developed an oil leak in the oil cooler under the intake manifold. We took it in for an oil change, and they didn't tell us anything about it because the warranty was running out in a couple of weeks and they didn't want to fix it, so I ended up fixing it myself. Had trouble with Ford dealerships too. My John Deere has a quick change oil filter, and I can grease the rest. I'd rather take it to someone like you that does small engine repairs if I can't do it myself.

[@pnwester2697]

Does this line of reasoning ring true with Honda push mowers? By the way, I understand Honda is phasing out mowers. That bums me out.

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

I will answer that on day 21!

[@jc7654]

if you can afford it buy a commercial JD lawn mower/tractor like a x350 , only sold at JD dealership , much better machines and has a much better warranty , 3x that of the cheaper base grade ones that are sold everywhere. I've had 2 of the cheaper ones ,la115, s120 . the deck and gearbox failed on the la115, and the s120 head gasket has blown through into the pushrod gallery. making it burn oil and smoke. both cut grass great and lasted until the warranty was gone before failure. the build is heavier on the x350 , the motor is stronger as well as the gearbox. in my opinion it is worth paying more for something that you don't have to replace.

[@undertakerfire7810]

I gotta say on top of this which is all true you can buy what I like to nickname “dealer level” model tractors vs the cheaper models that are sold in big box stores at the main dealerships, meaning higher end better made stuff vs the cheap models, I feel the cheap ones especially these days are not that great, if you want it to last go with older equipment or the higher end models with the new stuff...

[@jamescaron6465]

I can tell you that many products that you find in the big box store are made differently than when you find them from a dealer. One fella I took my snowblower in for some service showed me two Ariens snowblowers. one from Home Depot one from his shop. The Home Depot snowblower had a stamped steel gearbox instead of a cast iron one. It also had body made from thinner, steel. Also getting those parts that are different are harder to obtain as well and the better parts don’t always fit see the big box stores can order so many of them that they can tell the manufacture to make him to a price point and the manufacture will often do it.

[@davidduma7615]

But were those two snowblowers the exact same model number?

[@Pontiac2001GT]

@@davidduma7615 nope, because then his “facts” and “secrets” would fall apart

[@HondoTrailside]

So I live during the summer near a small capital town in Canada. The nearest dealer is 90 miles away, because there is a huge HD in the capital, so probably no smaller dealer could keep any of the business. Obviously I have to buy at HD, and when I did, my mower never broke down, so I have been good, until a flood took it. But my point is that while shopping local makes more sense, the fact of HD is driving the local businesses out.

[@TomSmith-me7ph]

Glad to know the difference. Thank you!

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

You're Welcome...

[@plkracer]

Just a quick comment, the S series used to be dealer only, example the S240, but the last 2 years they went from the E series to S series in the home stores. The 100 series are always the consumer grade, whether it's a L105, D110, E130, etc. The John Deere dealers here assemble them, then give them to Lowe's to sell. They have the assembled by sticker on each one.

[@poochie49]

I bought my JD E130 directly from my John Deere dealer which is about 2 miles away. I did go to Lowe's but didn't order it from them even though it was about $100.00 less. My dealer prepped it and even delivered it right to my door. The replacement oil filters are another issue entirely.

[@randy1862]

I appreciate what you're saying I had the same thought last year when I bought a Husqvarna lawn mower I supported my vocal dealer when it came time to get a oil filter and change oil I need a decided to call and see if they have my oil filter and stopped they told me they didn't know they would have to look it up and call me back that's been 6 months I haven't heard from them since I went to Napa and got my own no more business from me

[@herbb8547]

The John Deere lawn tractors sold at Home Depot are the cheap ones. If you can afford it, go to a dealer and get an X series. Much, much better than the cheap S series. We have an X354. It is awesome!

[@gharv1313]

Excellent question today SteveO, I was under the impression that the box store tractors weren’t as commercially built. I’ve had two John Deere and they both came from the dealership. I had an x300 and I have a x580 right now. Maybe it’s the certain models aren’t available at the box stores but your review was awesome today. It also made a lot of sense on the warranty work , especially with the times were in! Cheers🍻 Steve and April out!

[@concernedcitizen3651]

Great info guys.

[@NutmegThumper]

Both dealers in CT are 45 & 55 mins from my house. Would be a challenge getting equip to/from. HomeDepot is in town 3 miles away. Glad to hear S models are not just HomeDepot models. Question is what is the lowest model you would recommend for a homeowner with an acre yard? Is the S model decent?

[@randykuhns4515]

I have a John Deere LX 255 which was 15 years old when I got it back in 2012 and it still runs very well, PLUS the deck is STILL in good condition and the paint is still good and not peeling off,...

[@U.S._Army_Retired]

I’ve been told by Lowe’s and Home Depot that they are only renting space to John Deere for their lawn tractors. They do not do the pre delivery checks, John Deere does, even though it is delivered by the store. My local John Deere Dealer verified all this.

[@plkracer]

Yes, the dealer here puts a sticker on each unit that is sold in Lowe's, and they make a small amount of each one assembled and checked.

[@SuperDragonWagon]

i bought a John Deere lawn tractor S120 from Home depot in 2022, in 2023 with only 6.5 hours i a was cleaning under the deck ,a neighbor asked if i lubed the spindles i did not see the zirc fittings until i pulled off the spindle covers no grease,however the 5 front zircs were lubed .emailed John Deere was told that the dealer was to prep the machine than send to Home Depot well i ended up lubbing spindles 14 pumps both were dry the John Deere service manager was not very concerened about lack of grease .made a comment to the Garden dept head at home Depot about the lack grease on fittings for future sales