The Current MTD Made Cub Cadets I Like just as the Old MTD or IH
I have a 2018 Cub Cadet XT3 GSX which replaced a 2002 Cub Cadet 2206
We Bought the 2206 with a 48-inch deck(standard) an electric lift sleeve Hitch, 30-inch Belt driven Hydraulic tiller
Great Tractor! We Traded it for the XT3GSX, Only downside was couldn't use the electric lift sleeve Hitch,30-inch Belt driven Hydraulic tiller as the Rear hitch plate was changed to accommodate a Larger Gas Tank
But In spring 2021 Bought a 30-inch Bercomac Belt driven PTO tiller for the XT3GSX Going to be it Main Job now
Have the following for the XT3GSX
OEM 46-inch Front Blade Lifted By on Board electric lift
54-inch Fabricated deck
OEM weather enclosure. Not An Original Cab, But very easy to Take on & Off
OEM sleeve Hitch with Johnny Products electric lift upgrade Kit
Plan to Purchase a Bercomac 48-inch PTO driven Rotary Broom for it (for future Winter & fall work)
The XT3GSX will not Be used for mowing anymore since I Bought a Cub Cadet SX54 Z-force Steering wheel zero turn.
The wife and I Bought a friend a XT2 GX54 D In 2017 to replace his Old Craftsman lawn tractor
XT2 GX54 D is a belt driven Garden tractor with a Tuff-torq K62 with Pedal Operated Diff Lock. He had close to 800hrs On it as of last spring
Issues with the XT2 GX54 D all replaced Under the MTD warranty
The seat was replaced Twice
Fender deck Once and That was his son damaging it and the covered it under warranty
The Oil drain, which was a Kohler design flaw which Kohler Had Updated and MTD/Cub told him about it
But other than those Minor Issue It has been a great Tractor for Him
The Only other Issue was the Agri-Fab Made snow plow, this model
https://www.cubcadet.com/en_US/ridin...A30017OEM.html fell apart within 1 year and Dealer that it was purchased from Told MTD that he was using it commercially which was false, so it was Not covered and that dealer neither one of us go to anymore. So Purchased a New Dozer Blade That Agri-fab came out with for the XT1 & XT2 series
https://www.cubcadet.com/en_US/ridin....html#start=11 and it is a Much better Made Dozer Blade and Hasn't been an issue.
So while the New Tractors are Not MTD clone of the old IH frame design Tractors anymore. They are decent machines. Their Frame are Much better than any Husqvarna Lawn or Garden tractor On the Market today. Because MTD/Stanley, Cub's still use a rail frame design. Husqvarna uses a stamped design
.
For the Price, they are very ergonomically friendly and decent designed Lawn or Garden tractor.
The Only Issue I have Had with My Cub Cadet XT3 GSX was a Warner Issue and Not MTD/Cub's Fault. Bad front Electric clutch seized at 1.5 hours. The XT3 is basically an MTD/Cub 2500 series with some Updates. The electronic Power steering is not Bad. The Hand Lever diff/lock work nicely(but would prefer a pedal). The electric lift is a Heck of a lot faster than the Old Duff-Norton Actuators In the Narrow and wide frame Tractors