Troy-Bilt 382cc 30-Inch Premium Neighborhood Riding Lawn Mower

I am a retired John Deere Consumer Products Dealer (1970's era) we sold lawn & garden tractors (not the lawn tractors that Deere has now.) I had some health problems that required a riding mower. Looked for a rear engine 30" Deere, not available in the USA only available in Europe. Go figure. These were one of our best sellers back in the 70's.Did about one week's worth of research on internet and in the big box stores. MTD seems to be the leader in the 30" rear engine rider. Making them for Cub Cadet, Craftsman, Troy Bilt and others. Same unit but some different motors and colors. The Troy Bilt is available with a Briggs & Stratton or a "Troy Bilt" engine.The Troy Bilt engine is a 420cc Powermore, It has a cast iron cylinder sleeve, pressure oiler and a screw on automotive type oil filter. Yes it's made in China, but so are about 50% of the Briggs & Stratton. The powermore has roller bearings on the crank-shaft and a smoother acting mechanical governor. Fuel shut off solenoid (prevents after boom) during shutdown. Dual circuit alternator allows for faster battery charging. The 420cc is rated at 14.5hp to 15.5hp depending on the method used for calculation. Forged steel crankshaft making it stronger and more durable than cast iron. WE HAVE A WINNER!Amazon has this mower with this engine at the best all around price including shipping for prime members. Left gate delivery right into you garage. Lowes has a 30" Troy Bilt but, it is the Briggs engine with none of the above engine features.Plan on about 45 minutes to assembly using SAE 7/16", 1/2", 9/16" wrenches.Cuts like a golf course lawn and that is cutting this coarse Flora-tam (crab-grass type) Florida Lawn.I am 6'-5" and 240lbs and the seat is adjustable to fit from small to XL people.Take it from a die-hard John Deere person, this thing "runs and cuts like a Deere"

8 months after I got it, it quit running. The warranty repair shop blamed it on Ethanol damage. They stated that the manufacturer was aware of the problem, but since less than 5% of their worldwide sales are in ethanol states, it was not worth the effort to correct the problem and it is not covered by warranty! They quoted me 30 days to repair the mower. They had it for 70 days! It cost me $285 to get this mower repaired. I thought troybilt was a good name, I will never buy another of their products!!!

I purchased this 26J Mini-Rider from Amazon on 5/16/16 and it worked nicely on our lawn for the season. The mower has been properly maintained and never “abused.” In April of this year, after running well for several cuttings, it began stalling out several minutes after start-up. Draining and replacing the gas and oil made no difference. Amazon carries the following statement about this mower in the manufacturer’s description: “Troy-Bilt offers a 2-year limited warranty with extensive coverage to give you the durability you should expect.” Again, this machine has not been abused, neglected, or improperly maintained. The warranty states that “The following emission warranty parts are covered (if applicable): 1. Fuel Metering System 2. Cold start enrichment system (soft choke) 3. Carburetor and internal parts (or fuel Injection system) 4. Fuel pump 5. Fuel tank.” I paid to have the mower picked up and checked out by the closest authorized Troy-Bilt repair center, and provided copies of my proof of purchase and registration with Troy-Bilt. The repair tech says that the mower needs a new carburetor, and that Troy-Bilt refuses to cover this under warranty. So now it’s apparently haggle time with Troy-Bilt, which should not be necessary. If Amazon carries any weight with the manufacturers of equipment that they sell & promote, now would be the time to help out.

I bought this in 2015 and now have two full seasons of use. For the size and price, this has been a very good investment for our appx. 1 acre property surrounded by woods. My experience has been excellent.Pros:Small size means it fits in the garage nicely.Has never failed to start or operate well, with minimum maintenance -- blowing it clean with a leaf blower after each use, and keeping gas and oil in it.Very easy to steer, even in some tight spaces. Some other reviewers complained about lack of or difficult to use reverse. I found no such problem. Just remember to turn the key CCW and then press the reverse button before shifting it into reverse. (This is a safety feature.)Comfortable ride for me, but do expect a bit of bumping and shaking. The only ride suspension is by virtue of springs under the seat.Cons:Perhaps a bit too narrow for the size property we have. It takes me about 1.5 hours to mow, but we do have a lot of obstacles. On the other hand, that's the trade-off for size and price.I got the bagger later, which works very well, but it's capacity is pretty small. I only use it for leaves, of which we get a lot. I have to dump the bags maybe 14 to 18 times during a run in the fall.Other:The cutting height adjustment has 5 settings, but I've never used less than #3. #2 is too close, and #1 nearly scalps the ground. Perhaps this can be adjusted, but it's never been enough trouble for me to try.Some other reviewers complained about the jerky start. I experienced this the first few times, but just like learning to drive a stick, you get used to it quickly. My take-offs are pretty smooth now.You have to reach between your legs and bend forward a bit to shift into reverse. I can imagine that if someone has a big gut this could be stressful. Mine is small enough that it's not a problem -- yet.When in any given gear, it's easy to go slower by simply stepping on the clutch-like pedal slightly. It's not a true clutch, but ends up essentially down-shifting continuously. I like this, others might not.