Where would wheel horse/ toro be today?

[AHS 1,473]

It seems to me that people are mad when they buy a Troy bilt, or mtd and it breaks a year later! With everything made in China today, and John deere being at the top of the market. It seems to me that the 70’s and 80’s were the “tougher than nails” years for wheel horse.  What do you think?

[lynnmor 7,365]

This has been discussed a number of times, I believe that the consensus is that in this throw away world, people no longer give a rats petoot.

[skrusins 128]

lynnmor is 100% correct. Maybe that is why we have land fill problems. Even some of John Deere tractors made by MTD.

Wheel Horse could not compete with disposable equipment. I knew this because I was a dealer and had good friends at the South Bend Plant.

 

Edited August 3, 2019 by skrusins
spelling

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,506]

  The last units produced were the 315-8 speeds and with a 42” deck they were well over $4000.... closer to $5000 I think. Pretty tough sell for a non-hydro, manual lift, non-bagger equipped machine. 

  I can’t help but wonder what it actually cost the factory to plop one of these classic machines in a dealership showroom. 

  If you think about it the tranny, frame and sheet metal were all pretty much unchanged from the introduction of the 300/400 series machines of the mid to late 80’s. TORO couldn’t have been spending much on research and development  since it was all old previously designed parts. 

  

[Darb1964 1,055]

Kubota still make a good strong garden tractor and they are mostly built in the United States. There are other companies that build good stuff too, very expensive. JD  way overrated in my opinion. Good thing still lots of old wheel horse tractors out there for small money competitively.

[AHS 1,473]

7 hours ago, lynnmor said:

This has been discussed a number of times, I believe that the consensus is that in this throw away world, people no longer give a rats petoot.

All of you have very good points! The people who grew up in the 80s had a clue what to do with a carburetor! The people in today’s world would just go buy something at Lowe’s, a JD, or a Troy bilt and they would just smile from ear to ear! And I bite my tongue to say that they bought a piece of crap for $3k!

[bds1984 1,452]

As much of a Wheel Horse fan I am and not so much a green machine fan, John Deere does not use MTD for manufacturing their 100 series.  Those are made in a Deere factory in Greenville, TN.  

[AHS 1,473]

14 hours ago, Sparky said:

  The last units produced were the 315-8 speeds and with a 42” deck they were well over $4000.... closer to $5000 I think. Pretty tough sell for a non-hydro, manual lift, non-bagger equipped machine. 

  I can’t help but wonder what it actually cost the factory to plop one of these classic machines in a dealership showroom. 

  If you think about it the tranny, frame and sheet metal were all pretty much unchanged from the introduction of the 300/400 series machines of the mid to late 80’s. TORO couldn’t have been spending much on research and development  since it was all old previously designed parts. 

  

Just wondering, how much was a 520? That was too long ago for me!

[Dennys502 245]

According to my 1994 red book the suggested retail price for a 520H was $5274.

[N875ED 98]

So I checked the Federal government consumer price index, and a $5,274 item in 1994 would cost about $8,900 today.

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

On 8/4/2019 at 6:52 AM, AHS said:

Just wondering, how much was a 520? That was too long ago for me!

My Anniversary 520H with 48" deck cost me $6300 brand new in March of 1998 (just when Toro was launching the xi series) that was after trading in a late 80s Cub Cadet ,sticker price was $7500.

Edited August 5, 2019 by WVHillbilly520H

[953 nut 56,115]

6 hours ago, N875ED said:

So I checked the Federal government consumer price index, and a $5,274 item in 1994 would cost about $8,900 today.

That sounds about right! If you bought a new GREEN THING that would be equivalent (though nothing Green could equal a ) to the 520H it would cost the same as the inflation adjusted .

[AMC RULES 37,141]

  You'll soon find that 9k wouldn't even come close to replacing a  from todays Toro lineup.

 

[Darb1964 1,055]

I still have the paper work when I bought my 520_h in March of 1988, 3600 for the tractor, 1000 for the deck. Took me some convincing to talk my bride into that expenditure.

[adsm08 2,215]

On 8/4/2019 at 12:15 AM, bds1984 said:

As much of a Wheel Horse fan I am and not so much a green machine fan, John Deere does not use MTD for manufacturing their 100 series.  Those are made in a Deere factory in Greenville, TN.  

Unless you buy it at Lowes.

[adsm08 2,215]

21 minutes ago, Darb1964 said:

I still have the paper work when I bought my 520_h in March of 1988, 3600 for the tractor, 1000 for the deck. Took me some convincing to talk my bride into that expenditure.

Yeah, but if you still have it then it was well worst the investment.

[Darb1964 1,055]

Yes it was worth it, if some one offered me 3000 now I wouldn't take it. Because of sentimental value yes,but it runs as good as ever. I bought it in 1989 not 88 my bad.

[bds1984 1,452]

2 hours ago, adsm08 said:

Unless you buy it at Lowes.

Those are all JD made no matter where they're sold.  

[AHS 1,473]

22 hours ago, 953 nut said:

That sounds about right! If you bought a new GREEN THING that would be equivalent (though nothing Green could equal a ) to the 520H it would cost the same as the inflation adjusted .

Amen to that!!

[adsm08 2,215]

19 hours ago, bds1984 said:

Those are all JD made no matter where they're sold.  

 

Almost everything sold at Lowes is produced to a lower quality than a comparable unit bought anywhere else.

 

Even If it was made in the same plant, it may not be made to the same quality.

[AHS 1,473]

Lowe’s bought out craftsmen tractor (in Maine) there all MTD junk!

[adsm08 2,215]

1 minute ago, AHS said:

Lowe’s bought out craftsmen tractor (in Maine) there all MTD junk!

That's been that way for years though.

[bds1984 1,452]

2 hours ago, adsm08 said:

 

Almost everything sold at Lowes is produced to a lower quality than a comparable unit bought anywhere else.

 

Even If it was made in the same plant, it may not be made to the same quality.

 

I'm not going to speak for the quality of products sold at Lowes; all big-box stores have their strengths and weaknesses.  Go walk into a Lowes and then into any John Deere dealer and you'll see they sell the exact same ENTRY level units from the 100-series.  JD isn't going to risk soiling their reputation by selling two different lines of consumer grade products.  If I were to buy one, I'd purchase it from the actual JD dealer who knows a thing or two about them.  

Lowes didn't buy the Craftsman name, Stanley-Black&Decker did in early 2017.  Craftsman had various manufacturers over the years; in the last fifteen-ish years their mid to higher end machines were AYP (Husqvarna) and were red, while lower end machines were grey and manufactured by MTD but all of them are now regardless of where they're sold and what color.  

[Darb1964 1,055]

John deer tarnished their image many years ago when they adapted what I call the Sears mentality. Make it to break. Many companies have flowed that mentality. Last as long as the warranty engineering.

[AHS 1,473]

7 hours ago, Darb1964 said:

John deer tarnished their image many years ago when they adapted what I call the Sears mentality. Make it to break. Many companies have flowed that mentality. Last as long as the warranty engineering.

Your exactly right!! I can’t count how many of the companies that have gone that way, from tires to truck plows!!