Ride On Mower Review: John Deere D140 Lawn Tractor

When John Deere picked up a blacksmith tool back in 1837, he wanted to shape the future of the agriculture industry. With two centuries of experience narrowing in, the company continues to build on Deere’s early legacy.

John Deere D140: The Introduction

John Deer Australia is the result of a merger that had taken place back in 1986. The great stag found one of Australia’s founding tractor brands struggling during the rural downturn of the 80’s. Chamberlain tractors had been one of our finest exports, but they had completely ceased the manufacturing of their signature machine.

The merger meant that Chamberlain tractors, having a history that stretched to 1949 and a former munition factory in Perth, was able to continue to build their legacy under the green and gold Deere flagship. The two have since become an influential duo. Custom building machines for the Australian landscape and living by the Deere mantra.

“I will never put my name on a plow that does not have in it the best that is in me”John Deere

John Deere faces more competition now than it once had, with Chinese brands building cheaper mowers and Japanese exports like Kubota arriving on Australian shores with excellent zero-turn and diesel ride ons. So how does the John Deere D140 stack up to its latest competition?

John Deere D140: Key Features

Mow The Lawn In Style

The D14 looks slick, real slick. Whether you’re a fan of the Springbok or not, the colour scheme, an iconic glossy green and yellow, looks lavish as the machine shapes lawns. The ride on also has stacks of attachments available, including a bucket holder, a lawn stripping kit and space for a sun canopy to save your skin during those mid-summer days. To make sure the colours don’t fade or rust after a couple of months, the D140 hood, paint and primer are all weather resistant.

Built For the Operators

One of the most common comments made of the John Deere D140 is that the seat and ergonomic control designs make the mower one of the most comfortable ride ons available. The D140 has developed on the ideas of it’s predecessors in the 100’s series, making adjustments to the blade and choke levers so that they are more accessible to the driver.

The parking break and height transition lever are also placed on either side of the driver’s seat so they can be managed with ease. The seat itself has a high back and can be easily adjusted. The controls are made simple so that the mower is perfect for anyone wishing to step up their lawn game and purchase their first ride on. Perfect too for those who’d rather put their kids to work!

Optimised for Acres

The D140 has been developed to efficiently handle yards of around two-acres. The primary features of the ride on allow the machine to cover the acres with speed and finesse. The 22hp, 2 cylinder, Briggs & Stratton engine gives the mower enough grunt to cover decent hills while reaching a maximum forward speed of 5.5mph.

There’s a cruise control deck and a two-pedal-hydro-transmission control system meaning the mower can be flicked into reverse with the touch of a foot. For durability there’s an inbuilt debris management system that protects the engine from dirt and grass clippings and to help you keep the blades clean there’s a hose attachment in the mowing deck.

Guaranteed Performance

The John Deere warrant will cover the D140 for as long as 2 years or 120 hours, whichever comes first. But in the meantime, to assure the mower is cared for there is an on board service-reminder-system that tallies the hours. This system also guides owners with hourly milestones that reminder you when to replace the oil and service individual parts.

Not forgoing safety features, the mower has an RIO switch beneath the steering wheel and has been designed to comply with the ANSI standard.

John Deere D140: Price

A 2011 model of the D140 can be purchased for a cost of USD$1,999, which according to Homeowl is 9.1% cheaper than the average lawn tractor. Newer models can go for (brand new) around AUD $4990.00. If you are after a used model however, the Machines4u marketplace always has John Deere ride on mowers passing through, and is definitely worth a check.

John Deere D140: Videos

John Deere D140: The Verdict

It’s not easy to have fun cutting the grass. But with the operator focused innovations on the John Deere D140, the stress and labor have been minimised. It’s a difficult give and take process that John Deere undertake when building cheaper ride ons. Too many features and the mower grows in price. Not enough and the mower enters the market unprepared and unequipped. John Deere has found it’s happy medium with the D140 and it’s bound to save you time and health when it comes to acre trimming.