John Deere LA130 Riding Mower

by Eenest Smith
(Sioux Falls, South Dakota)

I own a John Deere riding lawn mower model number LA130. It is a 5 speed with 4 levels of height adjustment, 30 inch deck, manufactured in the 1990's. This is a medium size riding mower, good for small lawns. We have about 1 acre of land and it worked well for us.

Ran very well, just like the slogan "runs like a Deere" I purchased this mower used from a previous lawn care maintenance worker after seeing the ad on Craigslist. The man told me it had a small engine, but it was very efficient. He told me there were no issue aside from regular maintenance.

Problems I found were rough ride, transmission jarring issues, and no cup holder. (I like to have a beer when I mow the lawn) This was my first major lawn care purchase, as a new home owner. We have owned/used it for one season now and it cuts great every time. I would buy a John Deere riding mower again based on my experience with this particular model.

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John Deere LA130 Riding Mower

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Mar 26, 2012
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I'm Please With My John Deere LA130 Lawn Tractor
by: Duane Doody

In 2008 I bought a new riding mower. I chose the John Deere LA130, 48 inch cut. I bought it at Lowes Home Improvement store. I live in Odon Indiana, but I bought the mower at the Bloomington, Indiana store.

Generally the mower has held up very well. I have never had any issues with the motor. I have never saw any signs of it leaking or burning oil. It has started every time I used it with no problem.

I have had to replace the battery once. I changed the battery after I had owned it for four years. I am very diligent at doing regular maintenance on my John Deere LA130. I always change the oil on time, and that has probably helped with the motor being so reliable.

It rides very comfortably. The seat is comfortable to sit in, and the steering wheel is easy to reach from the seat. It is fun to drive, almost making mowing not such a chore. Even though I am happy with my purchase, I have had a few problems with the John Deere LA130 mower.

On several occasions the belt on the blades have broken very easily. I have probably put about 10 belts on the blades since the time that I have bought it. It also seems to wear out the blades very quickly. I am careful not to run over anything, or hit any gravel, but the blades still wear out quickly.

I go through about one set a year, and the replacement blades cost about $40. I also feel that it uses quite a bit of gas for a lawn mower. It usually uses about one gallon of gas per acre.

The John Deere LA130 is good for large yards, but would probably not be so good for small yards. It is good for large yards because you can mow fairly quickly, saving you time. It rides very smoothly, so going full speed is no problem. It would probably not be to good for small yards because it does take quite a bit of space to turn, also it is large, and that might make backing up difficult in small spaces. It is best for wide open spaces.

Overall I am happy with my purchase and would probably buy a John Deere again.

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