lOVE THIS TRACTOR! IT'S QUIET, VERY EASY TO STEER

Love this tractor! It's quiet, very easy to steer. Gets close to most edges so I don't have to do much weed eating. Back up without turning blades off. Cleans blades effortlessly with water hose connected to adapter on mower deck. Easy to blow off top of mower deck and air filter after each use. Smooth driving and very quiet. Because of the 4-wheel steer, mower deck gets close enough I don't have to do much trimming with a weed eater after I'm done.

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Very Good 4 Steer mower with some ergo concerns

The x354 is the 4 wheel steer version of the x350-42. Its 181/2 HP engine is very good. Ours came with the Mulch kit and is being exclusively used as a mulch deck. We had to remove the rubber chute deflector in order to fit through the gate. We have issues with the drive pedals being too close. The deck and foot brake pedals pose ergo issues for us seniors. Control panel is very good having engine speed, battery voltage, fuel and hour meter all inclusive. Control panel buttons generally good fit and finish except for cruise control which is loose. Legroom is marginal. Ride is generally OK. Deck noise is horrible. Ear defenders are a must! Deck cleanup is easy. However washout port connector is hard to remove. Comes a 4 year warranty!

Pros

• low steer effort
• excellent mulch ability
• easy deck wash
• excellent control panel
• easy deck leveling
• engine compartment instructions
• excellent deck fence grass cutting
• 4 year warranty

Cons

• noisey!!!!
• cruise button vibrates
• pedal ergo issues
• deck and brake pedal ergo issues
• washout port connector
• deck removal
• enhine filter maintenance
• ignition key location
• rio button

Looks nice easy to install.

Upgraded from a John Deere D 125 which I thought was a great little tractor. The X 354 is a world above in quality and handling. Great for a large yard with many obstacles. Maneuvers around them with ease.

Pros

• good tractor for a yard with trees etc.

Cons

• sterring takes getting used to .

Outstanding Unit

I purchased the x354 and a snowblower for it, best investment. Very smooth and works great in the summer and winter.

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What an AMAZING piece of equipment!

We recently purchased a X354 to replace our well aged '04 L111 and '05 L120 tractors. The X300 series is a beast when compared to the 100-series units found at the big-box stores!! I've only put about 4 hours on it but am thoroughly impressed. The chassis feels much stronger than the 100 series. Much fewer squeaks and rattles on bumpy stuff and feels more solid all around. The 4-wheel steer is amazing!! Our back yard has dozens of pine trees and the X354 turns so tight we can now mow all the way up to the tree trunks! The steering effort is very low as long as the tires are turning - with motion, it's almost like power steering. The digital dashboard is wonderful!! It's crystal clear and easy to view and read in any lighting condition. All controls are sensibly laid out and operate easily. We purchased the 7 bushel 2-Bag Hopper Assembly to help clean up our pine-tree covered back yard. Our older L120 and L111 just couldn't pick up the pine needles and cones - and the volume of debris from these trees is astounding. The new system has EXCEEDED ALL EXPECTATIONS for bagging! The included high-lift blades pick up everything that's not rooted. Pine needles 4" deep, pine cones, small branches, dirt, rocks, previously mulched pine debris - ALL OF IT! It has brought our yard down to the bare topsoil! The biggest problem with the bagging system is there is so much vacuum, it will clog the chute very quickly if you don't go very slow. The collection bags are also greatly improved from the older L-series system. These bags remove and empty very easily. The hopper is also a massive improvement from the old style. So far, the X354 has performed beyond expectations in every way! The Kawasaki engine is a dream, the deck is extremely quiet, the bagging is amazing, and the 4-wheel steering is outstanding! If you’re looking for a great residential lawn tractor that is sturdy, versatile, and does a great job, look no further than the X300 series tractors.

Pros

• tight turning
• strong chassis
• quiet operation

Cons

Good tractor but key issues to consider

During my first use within 15 minutes the engine blew a valve. At first JD would only pay for a rebuild of parts, but the dealer convinced them a new engine was required. It has run flawlessly since. As mentioned by others this is not a zero turn and is limited to 24 inches circle requiring backing up. This questions the benefit for buying this over a regular tractor. Also it is extremely noisy requiring ear muffs from the gun range to minimize the noise. On the positive side it provides an excellent level mowing surface. It is very intuitive to use. In the end it is a JD and that speaks highly for the product. If you look in the neighborhood there are 3 JD's for all competitors all together.

Pros

• excellent smooth mowing surface
• it's a jd
• turning is good

Cons

• not a true zero steer
• noisy

Great product, worth every penny

I switched from a Z335 zero turn, for ease of getting on and off. I'll never go back this tractor has it all, great handling, delivers a wonderful cut, well made and is easy to service. The switch over from mulching to bagger could use a little help in the engineering area. You shouldn't have to add a remove a plate at each switch.

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best mower ever

I took delivery of my mower two weeks ago. the snow finally melted and I couldn't wait to get into the yard to suck up the remaining leaves (and play with the new mower). the four wheel steer worked like a dream. was able to get around all the landscaping without an issue. the bagging system worked great. the mower sucked up everything in the yard and put it in the bags without an issue. I did in 25 minutes what usually took 1 hour and 20 minutes with a push mower. with all the leaves I do in the fall, the bagging system will make my life substantially easier. wish I would have got it years ago

Pros

• excellent manuverability
• great quality
• excellent bagging system

Cons

• high price

It's fun to mow the lawn with

I bought it last spring and used it the whole summer. I added on the mulching kit and the rear bagger. Yes, it's a pain to switch between the two, but it takes only about 15 or 20 minutes twice a year so it's not that huge of a deal to me. I bought this over a zero-turn mower because I need a tractor to haul stone and dirt and gravel with. Can't do that with a ZTR mower without shelling out the transmission, yet I didn't want to give up ZTR completely. 4 wheel steering was as close as I could get. If you trim around a telephone pole, you can almost do it without backing up. 18" (mature trees) seems to be about the minimum you can turn with this. When you turn hard, the back end wiggles a little, but you get used to it soon enough. It starts easy every time, it's quiet, it's easy to do maintenance on (get an oil filter cap wrench, though), it cleans up fast and easy, and it's a real pleasure to own. I put 100 hours on it last year and have no complaints. Oh, one thing, get a steering wheel spinner for it, John Deere makes a good one. You need this for the ultimate in maneuverability. Without a spinner, you would get tired of steering real quickly. With a spinner, it's a one hand operation. You don't need power steering, the X354 turns super easy. I spin that wheel all over the place all day long without even thinking about it. Maybe it's the spinner that makes all the difference. I love this mower. Highly recommended.

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Four Wheel Steering - Never going back!

I was using a JD LT166 riding mower, manufactured in 2001 and it runs like a charm. Has a 42 inch freedom mulching deck with opposing spinning blades. So why did I buy an X354? Only excuse I have - I just wanted a new mower. More on the X354 shortly. I maintain my equipment carefully. Was delighted to find out I had several friends who wanted my old mower. A sixteen year old machine and sold the mower for $1000. I was delighted. Prior to purchasing the X354 I did a ton of research. I was concerned that their new deck would not mulch as well as my old LT166. Everything I read, asked other users and checked with my dealer all said I would be pleased. The next decision was four wheel steering. And the last decision was the 42 inch deck. I bought the mower kind of end of season and had just layed a new sod lawn. I cut something like 15,000 square feet with a ton of defined planting beds and ornamental trees also with defined edging. THIS MACHINE IS A DELIGHT TO USE. I mowed my lawn maybe ten times before the really cold weather settled in and I winterized the mower. Steering is very easy. Almost feels like power steering. Ease of cutting really close to the edging is a piece of cake. Best I can tell the mulching blades work very well. The grass is cleanly cut and the mulched clippings you almost cannot see when you run your hands over the mowed lawn. And JD quality of build is obvious. I would not buy another brand. Another happy camper in MI.

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