Hello. After reading a bunch of older posts, thought I'd start one for Summer of 2012. If I missed one, someone please link me? Thanks.

What's the best brand / company making Lawn Tractors / Riding Mowers these days?

We have studied mowers until we're absolutely frozen stuck in the decision process. I'm trying to help by posting this, and see what the general consensus is with newer brands & companies, and to some degree models. Thanks in advance for your opinions. I think if we had confidence that one brand's model range was better than others, we could then decide exactly on which model. I will be very excited to NOT be mowing 1.5 acres with a walk-behind, hopefully very soon! It's good exersize, but I don't have the time.

We primarily are concerned with getting a tool with as few issues as possible over the long haul. We appreciate solid engineering and well built stuff. (we keep our Toyota SUVs for 10 years, if that tells you anything) We don't have to have a lot of comfort features. We'll be good on maintenance. We're expecting to spend 2-3k, and hoping it's closer to 2, but can be flexible if NEEDS be. I would like to be able to add a tow cart, and probably a thatcher thing. (having never owned a rider / tractor myself, that's as far as I can imagine :) but we'll probably end up with more toys. Maybe a snow blade - it snows fairly here when we do have winter)

We're in a new construction from 9/2011, with about 1.5 acre mowed area looking pretty good by now. We sodded a little - about 10 pallets, the rest is seed n straw (S&S), and some of that is pretty rough yet with briars n vines. Some of the S&S areas are pretty bumpy too - we have a solid year of work filling in holes and uneven areas. I'll save the worst for my old 22" push Murray. There's gentle grading hill in 2 areas right around the back of the house, the rest is flat. Not much plantings yet or funny shapes of grass. I've heard that 0-turns leave bald spots in the grass when turned.

All opinions greatly appreciated - thanks!! We're mid-Atlantic, zone 6b/7a if that matters.

Thanks!! - Les.