Just to throw out my 2 cents
I currently have a 2003 White Outdoor Power GT2550, which is just a basically a Cub of a different color-built by MTD too.
Has the same components and deck as a Cub except it has full rollers for striping.
As far as the stamped decks, I have had no metal fatigue issues with the stamped deck and the "shell" is actually the same as my newly acquired Cub 3240 40th anniversary, with diffent rollers/casters bolted on.
I believe you mentioned currently having a Husqvarna mower, which if I recall, are built by Poulan, just like Craftsman. I have seen the metal on those decks fatigue and have had to weld a couple neighbors' mower decks in the past, but that has not been an issue on my MTD stamped deck. Wife has bent several of the brackets and roller hangers from pushing around trees, but there has been no cracking and the shell is still solid.
My White has been a pretty good mower and is still working. It has nearly 500 hours on it in a very rough ~2 acre yard. I have replaced the drive belt once, the deck belt a few times, steering shaft bushing twice, spindle bearings once, all idler pulleys once, deck idler bracket, carb kits once, and steering arm plastic bushings. Sounds like a lot, but that is over 7 years of ownership (second owner, bought with 130 hours) and many hard hours (wife does a lot of my mowing) and the replacement parts have been very reasonable. It didn't need any parts replaced until it passed the 200 hour mark, and then some of the cheaper components (non-sealed bearing idler pulleys and plastic steering bushing) started needing replaced.
This model is no where near as well built as the 3000 series I just picked up, however as a lawn mower, it isn't bad. The deck has always done a great job mowing, so long as the blades are kept fresh, and the hydrostat hasn't given me any problems to date.
the only item that was difficult to replace was the drive belt, but that still took less than an hour.
All in all, I have been happy enough with it to buy another MTD product, however I chose to step up to an actual garden tractor this time and not a lawn tractor. The 3240 is definitely built heavier in most all areas and I am looking forward to running it for many years to come.
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