GTX2154LE

[Ky Greg]

About a year or so ago I was thinking that when the 50th Anniversary model came out I might just buy me one seeing how I have never had a brand new L&G tractor......today I had my mind changed real quick! 7K for a dang lawn tractor??? They must be out of their ever lovin' mind! Thanks, but no thanks...I'll stick with the vintage models...

[Paul B]

Greg,
7 grand is a lot of money, but if you look at the cost of a "vintage" model when it was new, it was about the same price, in the money of the day; 61 Original, $619 for just the tractor w/electric start, 65 100, $765 for just the tractor, by 74 a 149 was $1746, a 44" deck was $244. In 76, a 800 was $1581, a 1650 was $2540. By 1981, a Cadet 8hp lawn tractor without a deck was $1620, a 782 was $3760 and a 982 was $4885. So when you look at it that way, that 7 grand is really not that much higher than what the older ones were................but I'm probably not going to buy one The 2000 starts at $3099 and GTX2100 at $4899 w/electric power steering and lift, which is a little better than the $7 grand of the anniversary model

[Amigatec]

And you will still have half the tractor of an older one.

[dmcdowell]

We got our 2542 in 06 for about $3400. with deck and bagger. It has been great but reverse is way to slow and forward is a little lacking at 5.8. In hindsight I would have gotten a 2544 due to the larger front wheels. I believe the 6" front wheels are dictated by the deck configuration only. It was this tractor that got us started on yellow fever not vice versa. I read some of the improvement on the spec sheet for the new 2000s and they have fixed my small complaints on the speed in both directions. Steerring on the 2542 is fantastic without assist so I would not consider paying for that option anyhow. Our 20hp kohler is an animal and will overpower the deck at will when in heavy stuff. At 450hrs it is trouble free except the 1156 light bulbs fall out of there sockets once in a while. I consider it an excellent purchase even when we decide to mow next to my brother in laws 585x down at my mothers. Price that against a upper level Cub and then you won't be so sad at cubs prices. (Plus our 147 beat him in ground speed towing 1000lbs, don't know who would win with 2000)

[J Hayes]

this is fairly accurate on most things

http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl

[Farmallgray]

Comparing them to the price of a new car or truck they are actually much cheaper than they were back then. I don't know how people afforded to buy the IH built tractors. I guess if you figure they were buying a high quality product that was built to last and they knew they wouldn't need to replace it for at least 10 years or so. At that point the cost could be spread out over many years, then they really weren't that expensive. Nowadays people don't WANT stuff that lasts. They get bored and want to buy new stuff every couple years. If there were still a demand for a garden tractor that would last 30 or 40 years (it would probably cost 20K) then CCC and all the other companies would be building them. Nobody is willing to PAY that nowadays. Those of us that want a machine that lasts 30 or 40 years already have older tractors and can't or won't buy new anyway.

[Amigatec]

I've always looked it as if a company made something that lasts 30 years, then after people bought these items it would be 30 years before they bought them again. Selling a product every 30 years doesn't keep you in business very long. Besides most people don't take care of their small equipment anymore.

I needed a better front half for my RER Snapper, I found one at the mower that was probably 10 years newer then mine. Some of these used a bushing on the left rear axle that was greasable, the PO never greased it. The bushing wore out and after the axle cut a 2" long slot in the frame it finally broke the axle. In fact there were 4 places to grease on the parts mower and nothing was greased. Mine had the bearing instead and I replaced it, and shouldn't have any more problems with it.


NOTE: A new RER Snapper runs about $1400.