John Deere Riding Mower Model LA125

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John Deere Riding Mower Model LA125

by Karen
(Florida)

This riding lawn mower is a dream!! I cannot wait to get out into the yard and mow the grass. This riding mower was purchased in April of 2006 and still looks and operates like brand new! The turning radius is wonderful, the ride is extremely comfortable and the maintenance is relatively low. I enjoy taking my grandson for a ride which he absolutely adores doing.

This is definitely one outdoor chore which is extremely high on my list. Living in Florida, during the summer it is not uncommon to have to mow your lawn at least twice a week. In the past, this has been a difficulty for me especially with property of any degree of size using a push mower was not something very high on my to do list.

Well now, it is number one!! This model handles turns, hills, obstacles all with ease. I have a one-half acre piece of property and this dream machine makes cutting the grass a pleasure and no longer a chore.

Sure I could have purchased a much cheaper riding mower but decided that the term "you get what you pay for" definitely pervails. I did check out the Sears line of riders but was not happy with the ratings, feedback or consumer report findings. One of my neighbors purchased a MTD Yardman from Walmart and suggested I try it out since the cost was so much less than any John Deere rider.

Well I can tell you I was not impressed and after my neighbor tried my John Deere, she definitely is a reformed lawn mower owner! She is green with envy every time I hop on my rider. She is most anxious for hers to die so she can justify purchasing a John Deere!

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John Deere Riding Mower Model LA125

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Sep 10, 2010
Rating

Don't buy this piece of junk
by: Anonymous

Dave you very funny!! I was going to get this Lawn Mower but have changed my mind

Sep 08, 2010
Rating

For Dave...
by: Anonymous

Dave, are you Dave Barry? You are a comic genius and should have your own column syndicated!

Aug 28, 2010
Rating

Don't buy this piece of junk
by: Dave

This has to be one of the worst decisions I have every made. I bought this mower to save time. WRONG.
FLAWS: 1) The bagger clogs no matter how high you set the blade. 2) The battery dies in a week. 3) The rubber clips that attach the bagger to the mower regrade after a year and break. 4) The plastic chute comes loose and hits the blade. 5) The most uneven cut I have ever seen.
TYPICAL USAGE: 1) Go out and try to start L125, battery is dead and engine doesn't turn. Hand push mower to front. I then go find jumper cables and move car to get close to mower. I start the mower and am ready to mow. Wrong, the mower is so wide it won't fit through a typically average gate in back. So I take of all attachments and push mower through gate. Ready to mow.
2) Start mowing with blade at 3". Bagger clogs after one row.
So I get off of mower and am careful not to turn if off because I might have to repeat step 1. Reach in to chute and pull out four arm fulls of grass. Ready to mow.
3) Adjust blade to 4 inches, see 2)
4) Decide to mow only half rows see 2)
5) By this time, the driveway is covered with 1/2 inch of clippings because the clog throws everything out from under the mower to everywhere except the bag.
6) Decide that because of 5) mowing without bagger can't be bad because I have a 1/2 hour of sweeping ahead of me anyway.
7) Make sure not to bounce while mowing because the switch on the seat detects the slightest weightlessness and loves to turn the mower off. Don't want to repeat 1). But unfortunately kids have left their toy bricks in the grass and now I have a decision to make. Should I turn everything off, and unmount the mower to move the bricks or should I risk amputation. Well, I am so mad that amputation seems like the easy way out.
8) Put the mower into high gear and floor it, ignoring kids, dogs, neighbors and anybody who dare get in my way. By this point I am ready to light this dang thing on fire. But I must preserve because my neighbors are watching and wondering why there are 4 inch green tread marks all over my driveway, and why I am completely covered in grass clippings.
9) Finally done. Huge clump of grass all over my yard. Grass everywhere, and the yard looks like cr@p.
10) Go get Toro law mower and start over.

Anyhoo, things you want to watch out for:

1) None of the reasonable things (grass catcher, pipes, blade, rubber things that break, battery) are covered under the warranty. They are considered 'reasonable wear' items

2) Dealer in Escondido loved to offer no help at all and then ask 'Is there anything else I can help you with'. Uhhh, how about helping me not kill myself because I hate this stupid mower so much.

3) You will want to think about causing bodily injury to whatever engineer designed this piece of Winnie the Pooh. But put it in the back of your mind. There is always Craigslist and you might be able to get half your money back.

There, I feel better now.

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Aug 28, 2010
Rating

Submitted by: Dave

Title

Comment
This has to be one of the worst decisions I have every made. I bought this mower to save time. WRONG. FLAWS: 1) The bagger clogs no matter how high you set the blade. 2) The battery dies in a week. 3) The rubber clips that attach the bagger to the mower regrade after a year and break. 4) The plastic chute comes loose and hits the blade. 5) The most uneven cut I have ever seen. TYPICAL USAGE: 1) Go out and try to start L125, battery is dead and engine doesn't turn. Hand push mower to front. I then go find jumper cables and move car to get close to mower. I start the mower and am ready to mow. Wrong, the mower is so wide it won't fit through a typically average gate in back. So I take of all attachments and push mower through gate. Ready to mow. 2) Start mowing with blade at 3". Bagger clogs after one row. So I get off of mower and am careful not to turn if off because I might have to repeat step 1. Reach in to chute and pull out four arm fulls of grass. Ready to mow. 3) Adjust blade to 4 inches, see 2) 4) Decide to mow only half rows see 2) 5) By this time, the driveway is covered with 1/2 inch of clippings because the clog throws everything out from under the mower to everywhere except the bag. 6) Decide that because of 5) mowing without bagger can't be bad because I have a 1/2 hour of sweeping ahead of me anyway. 7) Make sure not to bounce while mowing because the switch on the seat detects the slightest weightlessness and loves to turn the mower off. Don't want to repeat 1). But unfortunately kids have left their toy bricks in the grass and now I have a decision to make. Should I turn everything off, and unmount the mower to move the bricks or should I risk amputation. Well, I am so mad that amputation seems like the easy way out. 8) Put the mower into high gear and floor it, ignoring kids, dogs, neighbors and anybody who dare get in my way. By this point I am ready to light this dang thing on fire. But I must preserve because my neighbors are watching and wondering why there are 4 inch green tread marks all over my driveway, and why I am completely covered in grass clippings. 9) Finally done. Huge clump of grass all over my yard. Grass everywhere, and the yard looks like cr@p. 10) Go get Toro law mower and start over. Anyhoo, things you want to watch out for: 1) None of the reasonable things (grass catcher, pipes, blade, rubber things that break, battery) are covered under the warranty. They are considered 'reasonable wear' items 2) Dealer in Escondido loved to offer no help at all and then ask 'Is there anything else I can help you with'. Uhhh, how about helping me not kill myself because I hate this stupid mower so much. 3) You will want to think about causing bodily injury to whatever engineer designed this piece of Winnie the Pooh. But put it in the back of your mind. There is always Craigslist and you might be able to get half your money back. There, I feel better now.

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Jul 25, 2010
Rating

good mower
by: craiglb

I bought a l125 last week and it's a good mower, but, the cutting height lever gets in the way when I get onto the machine. It's located on the left rear fender so I hit my leg or rear end almost every time. It says it has an 18" cutting radius, maybe, but it's no better than the 10 year old craftsman I just got rid of. The John Deere guy said when putting the PTO in, to engage the blades, do it when the engine is running at a slow speed. There are "belts and springs" under there that could come loose. My old craftsman, I engaged the blades at operating speed all the time, no problems. I didn't realize that I paid so much money for such a delicate machine. But it does a great job of mowing the lawn, nice even cut, does not clump, or very little clumping, I mulch my grass not bag it.
The best part of this mower is the seat, it is very comfortable and with my bad back it's easy to sit and mow the lawn with it.

Mar 20, 2010
Rating

requires some upkeep costs
by: Anonymous

John Deere 125 My husband and I purchased the John Deere 125 in May of 2006. We live in a fairly rural suburb in what many people would describe as "fly-over country". Our total lot size is 1.24 acres and borders a farm.

After two gruelingly humid mid-western summers spent trudging across the grass and tripping into gopher holes with an old push mower, I met the arrival of our John Deere 125 with great happiness. I am a petite middle-aged woman who had never operated a riding mower before. I had some reservations about the John Deere, but, after just a few minutes of instruction, I felt completely comfortable driving the mower. It is actually kind of fun. I am very impressed by John Deere's dedication to safety. When the driver exits the mower's seat the machine immediately shuts off.

This is a very welcome feature when the operator is met with sudden impediments in the mowing path, as is often my case. Moreover, the machine is very gas-efficient. The tank can hold approximately two and one-half gallons of gasoline, and requires very little oil, which is readily available at any Wal-Mart. The mower's tires have been a big disappointment. They are prone to deflate easily, especially in humid weather. They are also readily punctured. In three years we have had to replace two tubes and one tire. Although, admittedly, the expense on each occasion proved to be minor, all repairs were a big pain in the neck, since we had to pay to have the mower hauled to a local service provider. Having the mower's blades professionally sharpened, as suggested in the operator's manual, is not cheap.

Overall, the John Deere 125 is an excellent mower. It will definitely free homeowners up to landscape other portions of their property, since a 1.24 acre portion is easily mowed in approximately one hour--if you go fast. Consumers should be advised that tire care can be a problem. Upkeep of the mower will require a some cash. Despite these setbacks, I would strongly recommend the mower--the John Deere 125 has allowed me to focus on putting in extensive native wildflower beds. Additionally, I am now able to actually enjoy my summer weekends.

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Mar 20, 2010
Rating

Submitted by: Anonymous

Title

Comment
John Deere 125 My husband and I purchased the John Deere 125 in May of 2006. We live in a fairly rural suburb in what many people would describe as "fly-over country". Our total lot size is 1.24 acres and borders a farm. After two gruelingly humid mid-western summers spent trudging across the grass and tripping into gopher holes with an old push mower, I met the arrival of our John Deere 125 with great happiness. I am a petite middle-aged woman who had never operated a riding mower before. I had some reservations about the John Deere, but, after just a few minutes of instruction, I felt completely comfortable driving the mower. It is actually kind of fun. I am very impressed by John Deere's dedication to safety. When the driver exits the mower's seat the machine immediately shuts off. This is a very welcome feature when the operator is met with sudden impediments in the mowing path, as is often my case. Moreover, the machine is very gas-efficient. The tank can hold approximately two and one-half gallons of gasoline, and requires very little oil, which is readily available at any Wal-Mart. The mower's tires have been a big disappointment. They are prone to deflate easily, especially in humid weather. They are also readily punctured. In three years we have had to replace two tubes and one tire. Although, admittedly, the expense on each occasion proved to be minor, all repairs were a big pain in the neck, since we had to pay to have the mower hauled to a local service provider. Having the mower's blades professionally sharpened, as suggested in the operator's manual, is not cheap. Overall, the John Deere 125 is an excellent mower. It will definitely free homeowners up to landscape other portions of their property, since a 1.24 acre portion is easily mowed in approximately one hour--if you go fast. Consumers should be advised that tire care can be a problem. Upkeep of the mower will require a some cash. Despite these setbacks, I would strongly recommend the mower--the John Deere 125 has allowed me to focus on putting in extensive native wildflower beds. Additionally, I am now able to actually enjoy my summer weekends.

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Nov 20, 2009
Rating

A great mower for the price
by: Anne Cole

Pros
- virtually maintenance free
- affordable
- nice safety features
- looks great

Cons
- none

Rating
- 5 out of 5

We have had our John Deere LA 125 for 9 years and it is still running strong. It is virtually maintenance free. We have 2 acres of uneven lawn so we run it to the limit.

We purchased the lawn mower at Home Depot at a very affordable price. At the time of the purchase, we had been through a mower every 2-3 years and were tired of buying disposable mowers. We decided on John Deere because of the name brand and really did not research it much. Since that time, we have never regretted it.

Our teen age daughters are also able to operate it with the safety features on it. It turns off when you are lifted off the seat and also turns off when you are in reverse with the mower down.

The green finish still looks great and does not fade in the sun like other models. It also came with a portable roof to protect you from the sun and a drink holder for your beverage while you are mowing.

We would strongly recommend lawn mower to anyone that has less than a perfect yard. It is for someone that does not like to have a high maintenance mower. It is for someone that likes all the safety features for the young adults in the family to drive. It is overall a great mower for the price of the purchase.

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Nov 20, 2009
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Submitted by: Anne Cole

Title

Comment
Pros - virtually maintenance free - affordable - nice safety features - looks great Cons - none Rating - 5 out of 5 We have had our John Deere LA 125 for 9 years and it is still running strong. It is virtually maintenance free. We have 2 acres of uneven lawn so we run it to the limit. We purchased the lawn mower at Home Depot at a very affordable price. At the time of the purchase, we had been through a mower every 2-3 years and were tired of buying disposable mowers. We decided on John Deere because of the name brand and really did not research it much. Since that time, we have never regretted it. Our teen age daughters are also able to operate it with the safety features on it. It turns off when you are lifted off the seat and also turns off when you are in reverse with the mower down. The green finish still looks great and does not fade in the sun like other models. It also came with a portable roof to protect you from the sun and a drink holder for your beverage while you are mowing. We would strongly recommend lawn mower to anyone that has less than a perfect yard. It is for someone that does not like to have a high maintenance mower. It is for someone that likes all the safety features for the young adults in the family to drive. It is overall a great mower for the price of the purchase.

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Sep 07, 2009
Rating

Disapointed with John Deere
by: Anonymous

I was very excited to buy my first John Deere. I read a lot of reviews and researched the various models. One of the worst design flaws is the large plastic "chute" that takes the clippings to the rear bag containers. It almost always clogs. The only time it does not is when I am only cutting less than an inch. I can't tell you how frustrating this is and today the chute would not sit inside the bag catcher (another headache while I mow), so the grass was flying everywhere. This problem started from day one. A Deere mechanic told me that it was a design flaw, gave me a new tube, and it still does not work. I do not recommend this product.

Apr 16, 2009
Rating

A classic that never goes out of style
by: Anonymous

I have owned the John Deere LA125 Riding Lawn Mower for just over a year a now and I have do many great things to say about this piece of machinery. It is easy to start and easy to operate. BY the simple push of a front or back foot pedal, it moves easily. This John Deere is very quiet and you can barely hear it running. It takes corners with ease and provides a super sharp presicion cut that transforms my backyard into a golf course picturesque setting. This John Deere is great on gas also.

It only takes a couple of gallons of gas to fill it and it mows my entire 2 acre lawn in the country. The ride on the John Deere is a smooth one, with its big puffy yellow seat you can comfortable sit for hours on end and mow your grass. The shocks make it a smooth ride with fewer bumps and dips.

This John Deere comes in the classic John Deere green and yellow colors and is recognizable as being set apart above all of the rest.

This John Deere also has lights for night time mowing and also for those late night joy riding drives.

John Deere is a classic that never goes out of style and I would recommend everyone to own a Deere!

Apr 16, 2009
Rating

A fantastic mower for the price
by: Anonymous

I own a John Deere LA125 Lawn Tractor and I must say it is an asset to my family! My mower is designed for comfort and convenience as well. It has a steering wheel, cruise control, and a very comfortable high back seat.

The two blade cutting system allows all of my mowing to go very smoothly. It has never clogged up on me once! The mower also has an area on the back that allows easy attatchment for a canopy or the bag system. It even has a wash port underneath the deck to provide easier cleaning at the end of each use!

I love that part! It has a cast iron front end for extra support and the engine is great for a mower! It supports a 21 hp engine that provides excellent lubrication for the very best performance.

Even the hood has lots of thought put into it! It will not dent and keeps all of the UV rays out! Two headlights are placed so even the most dedicated of mowers can mow at dusk! The operator station was very well thought out as well.

It features easy access to the ignition right on the dash, wide footrests for safety, and comes complete with a cup holder.

It has a 4 gallon tank that has an easy view gauge to make it much easier to know when to fill up. The mower has a neat reverse button that allows it to keep working even in reverse!

All in all, this is a fantastic mower for the price and is a simple way to get back to your life quicker!

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Apr 16, 2009
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Submitted by: Anonymous

Title

Comment
I own a John Deere LA125 Lawn Tractor and I must say it is an asset to my family! My mower is designed for comfort and convenience as well. It has a steering wheel, cruise control, and a very comfortable high back seat. The two blade cutting system allows all of my mowing to go very smoothly. It has never clogged up on me once! The mower also has an area on the back that allows easy attatchment for a canopy or the bag system. It even has a wash port underneath the deck to provide easier cleaning at the end of each use! I love that part! It has a cast iron front end for extra support and the engine is great for a mower! It supports a 21 hp engine that provides excellent lubrication for the very best performance. Even the hood has lots of thought put into it! It will not dent and keeps all of the UV rays out! Two headlights are placed so even the most dedicated of mowers can mow at dusk! The operator station was very well thought out as well. It features easy access to the ignition right on the dash, wide footrests for safety, and comes complete with a cup holder. It has a 4 gallon tank that has an easy view gauge to make it much easier to know when to fill up. The mower has a neat reverse button that allows it to keep working even in reverse! All in all, this is a fantastic mower for the price and is a simple way to get back to your life quicker!

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John Deere Riding Mower Model LA125