4 wheel steer is great!

This is my 2nd full year of ownership. I previously had a 324 four wheel steer. The added power steering and hydraulic lift are a real plus. I have a lot of trees to mow around and I too have an issue with the deck rollers scalping around some trees that have a taper around them. They do need to figure out a modification on this. I mow approximately 3 acres of trees and lawn on a varying landscape and the 4 wheel steer is a lifesaver. Also, the mulch deck is prone to retaining grass and requires cleaning more than I would like. But overall, am happy with the unit. Have about 270 hours on it.

Pros

• easil manuvers around everyt
• reliable

Cons

• deck wheels
• deck accumu

Turn Yard Work to Yard fun

I have owned John Deere Garden equipment for the last 15 years. While still in good condition, I retired my L108 tractor in favor of a new X394. I added manual mulching control and blades and a front brush guard. I have a modest size lawn that rises in height about 20 feet from the pond in my back yard. I have lots of curved flower beds to navigate. I have mowed my lawn twice with the new tractor. To say this powerful 48" deck unit is overkill is an understatement. I easily mows my 100 x 120 foot lot in a matter of minutes. Beautiful cut, 4 wheel power steering makes all maneuvering quite simple, and I quickly mastered the extra features of this new unit. My only observation is that I really should be mowing my side of the neighborhood to allow this tractor to really show what it can do. Nothing runs like a Deere.

Pros

• hydrolic lifter for the mower deck and the pto

Cons

• brush guard lowered first to open the hood.

No Mower deck manual

What a pain. I bought this tractor and the 48A mower deck. I used to have a 345 tractor and 48 deck. This deck has two belts, and the owners manual had no diagram of the belt routing. I owned my JD 345 and 48 deck for 15 years, and deck came with manual and was not as nearly hard to remove and service deck. THIS deck, (Accel 48A) I've spent six hours trying to get the belts back on, after cleaning the deck. No explanation in the manual on how to route the belts. And no, it's not obvious how the belts go on. So you know, be prepared for a pain in the neck. Grrrr

Pros

Cons

• belts & cheap metal

"Lawn Lathe"- Precision Cut Tool

This is my first riding mower. Go big or go home, right? Cutting St.Augustine grass is a breeze for this thing. I have a 1/2 acre with a number of palm trees to cut around. That's where it's precision really shines! I wish the deck would cut at 5" tho. Some of the plastic has come loose around the tilt column also. Other than that, its been really solid over the past 5 months of ownership. I never wash it off,just leaf blower and always try to cut when it's dry. Also wouldn't mind if Deere offered some other colors too. Black maybe?

Pros

• great cut
• easy handling
• plenty power

Cons

• thirsty
• plastic quality
• no 5" cut height

This mower is a joy to use.

I have always used Craftsman mowers and got pretty good results. My x394 is many times better than the Craftsman. My only complaint is the deck wheels should swivel. When making a tight turn they tend to scrape the ground sliding sideways leaving a circle around trees. Power steering and deck lift are great. My deck washout doesn't seem to do much but not a major problem to me. My wife has no desire to use my mower she much rather see me on my green tractor.

Pros

• power four wheel steering
• deck lift
• digital guages

Cons

• deck wheels

Best Mower I Ever Owned

This is not your Big Box Store rider, quality through and through. Excellent turning radius, power steering makes mowing a breeze, for someone with arthritis and lots of obstacles to mow around. The hydraulic lift and engagement make this feel like you are not operating a basic model, its quality you can feel. Not a cheap mower but you get what you pay for. Love my new x394 and my dealer is just awesome for service!

Pros

• quality
• ease of use

Cons

Pricey, but worth it to me

I have an odd shaped 1/2 acre in lower Michigan and my self propelled walk behind mower would take me about 3 hours. Because its a 2nd home, that was too much time to spend cutting the grass since I am only up there on weekends (and its cuts into my boating & family time). Did a lot of research on mowers and the X394 stood out to me. Its my first riding mower and is VERY easy to use. I had the dealership add the grill guard and the mulch kit. My lawn cutting went from 3 hours to less than 45 minutes and it looks better too!! Love the 4-wheel steering and the hydraulic mower deck - I would purchase it again!!

Pros

Cons

Hard to clean deck

I replaced a GT235. When I purchased this mower last year I thought the under deck clean out was a good idea. But I wash my deck every time I mow. The top of the deck is very hard to clean. The blade pulleys are recessed into the deck and hold water plus the belts are too close to the deck and you can not wash clippings and debris under them. It takes twice as long to clean after mowing. Also, because of the 4 wheel steer, the tires are narrower and where you have to mow the same area, it leaves wheel marks in the yard even when not too wet. On a plus, the power steering and power deck are great.

Pros

• power steering and power deck

Cons

• hard to clean deck
• leaves tire tracks in lawn

Can't get this mower away from my wife.

Recently traded our 1996 LX 176 for a new X 394 with 4 wheel steer and hydraulic deck lift. I initially thought I wanted a Zero Turn like the commercial guys use but since my wife does as much mowing as I do she was concerned about the learning curve for the zero turn. After a lot of shopping and comparisons we went with the X394 and could not be happier. The cut quality is better than any zero turn I have seen. The power steering and the hydraulic deck lift are features I didn't know I needed but once you have them will not want to do without them. My only complaint is I have trouble getting to it before my wife does.

Pros

Cons