JD often has a winter promotion on the Select Series.

If you had pulled the trigger on the expired deal you would have gotten consideration from JD. I'm sure JD wouldn't have wanted to lose a sale or you could have returned the X300 and bought it under the new promo.

Since you can wait till spring that is an advantage to you but some are getting ready for the snow blowing season so a purchase might be imminent.

Oh yes, if I was going to do chores needing a tractor during the winter I would have jumped at the fall promotion, which represented a 10% discount. The reason is that in addition to that discount, they would also discount attachments for the select series. I think it was something like buy $400 worth of attachments and get $200 back which is a great deal. Sort of makes me wish we had snow here in Texas!!! Well, almost.

There's a great joke about Texans, skiing, and snow.

Im hearing some of the new 2011 models will have Emmision compliance junk added like cataletic converters and smaller fuel capacities because of bladder being added to the tank.Not sure if the X300 series will be affected by this change.But if they will I would jump now rather then dealing with what might be a headache with first year problems.

I bought mine in april 09 and saved 1400 off list.I saved
700 by shopping around and by purchasing an 08 model who cares. The comp is going far and few between here deals like that arent common, deere dealers are consolidating and are buying eachother out. I also get first class service , had a few issues DEERE came through a bit slow, but solved.

The X300 2010 shows 17hp while the X300 2011 shows 18hp so there may very well be changes on the 2011 that some may find undesirable.

One link is worth a thousand rumors.

Here is a link that might be useful: Link to the future of OPE

I can sum up that document in two words... BUY NOW

A second link is also helpful.. Let's talk about the real problem...forget the OPE emissions....let's talk beef!

Here is a link that might be useful: Cattle emissions

Well folks, I guess there's no telling what the gummint will have your typical garden tractor looking like in a few more years.
And speaking of cattle!.............remember the "Post O.S.H.A." Cowboy?

{{gwi:331376}}

I'll give you my hamburger when you take it from my cold dead hands.

Have you tried a Turkey Burger? Yah, me neither....

Looks like there will be emission controls and junk added in 2011 so that may make me re-think this question of when to buy. It also looks like they have to increase the HP from 17hp to 18hp because of the drain these controls will place on the engine. All that spells price increase to me. The only reason I can think of for this change in HP is because of this emission control requirement. Too bad because that Kawasaki 17hp was suppose to be a really smooth, commercial grade motor and is one of the reasons I was moving towards Deere rather than another manufacturer. Maybe the 18 HP will be just as good but whose to say at this point.

No government regulations are complete without a thicket of bureaucracy to support them.
Like "Cap and Trade", EPA permits juggling of numbers by OEMs of OPE to meet or achieve compliance with the standards.
Similar to what began in the 1970's regarding automotive fuel economy standards (Corporate Average Fuel Economy or CAFE for short), corporate averaging across a range of engines will be allowed under the rules known as ABT (Averging, Banking, Trading).
Considering the relatively small volume of emissions coming from OPE, I have the opinion that the entire thing is more about tapping into another money well to feed government coffers than it is about reducing any emissions.
With all the new emissions standards going into effect, I predict that there will come a day when owners of OPE will be required to purchase a "Certificate of Compliance" annually after passing a mandated emissions test administered by the government.
Possibly the professional and commercial lawn service folks would be targeted first followed by the home owner sector.

"Honey, I'll be back later. I have to take the lawn mower and the weed eater to the test center and see if they pass or not and then run over to the courthouse to get this year's operating permit."

Anybody got a reliable crystal ball??

Here is a link that might be useful: Of course there's a bureaucracy

If the government is involved , well you know the rest.....

We'll all be whizzing around the yard quietly on our gas/electric Hybrids, or all electric "plug-in recharge" riders. Battery technology is getting there, it'll just be a logical cross-over from the auto world. No more hydraulics to mess with...just clean and reliable electric motors at each rear wheel, ZTR or tractor mower. There will be so few all-gas mowers left over from the 2020 and older era that they will just be grandfathered in like old cars with no emissions control are today.

The change in HP is because JD is changing from the FH engines to the newer FS series of Kawasaki engines. The FH engines are no longer available as they do not pass emissions for 2011. The FS's are in general larger displacement, and as such have more horsepower and torque. There is nothing "emissions" driven off the engine like on a car. So, you are getting an honest extra HP.

That is good to know, engine tech. I have to assume then that this FS Kawasaki will be at least as good as the old one, maybe even better given it will have more hp and torque.

The FS series Kawasaki engines are rumored to be consumer grade while the FH series is a commercial grade engine.

Oh, oh. That's not good.

I can't wait to see how they'll get a CARB Tier III and EPA Phase III compliant engine with a carburetor to run right from sea level to 10,000 feet.

Yup, looks like the sweet spot for the JD Select Series is 2010