The answer is definitely YES!!!!!!!!!

As booboo99 said, the Simplicity will last twice as long as a Craftsman. I also purchased the 42" snowthrower to clear the drive in the winter and it works perfectly. For the snow removal alone the differential lock it worth the money.

You might want to check with a dealer to see if there are any left over 08's in stock. You might get a deal so they can move stock off the floor.

Enjoy the journey.
eal51 in western CT

Check the video link at the bottom.

Kevin

although they may both have the same engine model line and tranny model line, there probably are other differences. AYP specs for the engines/trannies are a lot looser than Simplicity and they may also strip out certain options. in addition, the simplicity frame is going to be welded versus the craftsman is going to be bolted together.

several years ago i compared the Deere L130 to the higher LT line and could not see the reason for the 1500 price difference. same engine, same tranny, same size deck. now that i know better, it was the "little" things tha tmade the difference such as bigger/better axles, better spindles, frame size/thickness, frame welding versus bolting, design of the steering, etc. i have just about rebuilt that L130 from one to the other, whereas had i gone a little higher quality i most likely would have had a lot less issues. and a machine that would last more than 5 years(this is it's 5th season and i just replaced it with a X500).

if you can afford the 2000.00 now, get the simplicity. if you cannot, keep in mind tha tyou will likely spend at least that much to keep the Craftsman going as long as the Simplicity should last. you are comparing a 5-10 year design life to a 15-20 year design life machine.

Every year, because of its design, leaves would get caught in the frame and would come into contact with the muffler and catch fire. I started blowing the leaves separately each year to avoid that, but eventually the tractor caught fire at some point anyway. Usually I could just clear it out with a stick, but last year, the fire was so big, I had to run to the house to get a fire extinguisher before the fuel lines ruptured. Strangely enough, although scarred, the damn thing kept running.

Then there was the time that a delivery truck pulled into the driveway while I was mowing and surprised me. I shut the engine off too quickly and was rewarded with the loudest backfire I'd ever heard. About 20 minutes later I tried to restart it, but it just turned over without catching. After a couple of hours I tried again and it fired up. From that point on, it would start only when cool, but as soon as it heated up, the engine would die and not restart until it cooled off sufficiently. So I called out the trusty Sears repairman who, after much headscratching, told me I needed a new carburator for only $350. I'm fairly handy and the facts and diagnosis just didn't match up, so I put him off while I thought about it. After much research and a talk with a great guy from a Massachusetts Koehler distributor, I finally determined that it was the ignition module that had gone bad and the backfire was probably unrelated and coincidental. I changed out the module and the tractor was back to normal. Had I allowed the Sears service guy to replace the carburator, I would have been out $350 and still scratching my head along with him.

There are other stories, but life is short. By the time Sears called me the next day and rescheduled again for the following Monday, despite not being able to understand a single word the woman on the other end of the phone was saying, I had utterly changed my mind and cancelled the Craftsman. I called up a Simplicity dealer I had spoken to earlier and made a good deal with him and the Conquest 23/50 was delivered two days later, fresh out of the crate, prepped, primed, and ready to go. The delivery guy was also a repairmen and went through the whole tractor with me and even gave me some advise on the leaf blower I was having trouble with, which proved to correct the problem. I mowed the lawn that day with the new Conquest and it sliced through the 5 weeks of growth like a hot knife through butter. It didn't even hesitate and didn't leave one ragged spot on the lawn. It was great.

I still don't know if it's worth an additional $2K. I guess only time will tell. But it's shiny and new and works like a charm. I have a great dealer to help me when I need it and I'm a very happy guy. As for the Craftsman, I'm not putting any money into it except to buy a used snow/dozer blade if I can find a cheap one. And since it won't seem to die, I'll plow snow with it until it does.

Thanks for all your help. It's been an experience.

Congrats on your purchase of the Conquest. You won't regret your decision. The first difference you already spoke about - reliable dealer service and knowledge.

Many happy hours in the seat!

Enjoy the journey.
eal51 in western CT

Oh yeah....we need pictures.

Kevin