I recently sold my Craftsman and replaced it with a 1450 bought from abthomas. The Craftsman mowed beautiful. Smooth, tight turning and easy to maneuver.
The 1450 on the other hand, vibrates more, takes turns like you're pulling a trailer and doesn't have that "whirring" deck sound nor does it blow all the grass clippings out the discharge like you're vacuuming the lawn and blowing it out the other end.
BUT....but, I don't mow to impress or win any contests. My lawn looks great, it takes a little longer, the hydro on the dash is taking time to get used to, steering is going to cause me to develop Popeye arms, I need to prepare a little more earlier for high spots or obstacles and it uses a little bit (not much) more gas than the Craftsman.
At the end of the day I look at it this way... I had a 12 year old Craftsman that I managed to sell for $400 running good, but time is limited on it's use to the person who bought it. The 1450 on the other hand is 41 years old and still running strong. Sure I might have to tinker with it now and again but there's this awesome IHCC forum I joined to help me through it.
So in a nutshell, I don't mind the inconveniences. I have a cool tractor that can do much more than my Craftsman could ever do. And seeing as how I like to make sure that the money I work hard to get the most use from is being used for something that lasts, I believe this Cub will be like all the others on this forum... still doing it's thing long after the fancy newer riding mowers like my Craftsman are stripped and rotting away in some scrapyard.
Sorry for the long winded toot-my-horn, but I really like my Cubs...
The 1450 on the other hand, vibrates more, takes turns like you're pulling a trailer and doesn't have that "whirring" deck sound nor does it blow all the grass clippings out the discharge like you're vacuuming the lawn and blowing it out the other end.
BUT....but, I don't mow to impress or win any contests. My lawn looks great, it takes a little longer, the hydro on the dash is taking time to get used to, steering is going to cause me to develop Popeye arms, I need to prepare a little more earlier for high spots or obstacles and it uses a little bit (not much) more gas than the Craftsman.
At the end of the day I look at it this way... I had a 12 year old Craftsman that I managed to sell for $400 running good, but time is limited on it's use to the person who bought it. The 1450 on the other hand is 41 years old and still running strong. Sure I might have to tinker with it now and again but there's this awesome IHCC forum I joined to help me through it.
So in a nutshell, I don't mind the inconveniences. I have a cool tractor that can do much more than my Craftsman could ever do. And seeing as how I like to make sure that the money I work hard to get the most use from is being used for something that lasts, I believe this Cub will be like all the others on this forum... still doing it's thing long after the fancy newer riding mowers like my Craftsman are stripped and rotting away in some scrapyard.
Sorry for the long winded toot-my-horn, but I really like my Cubs...