S240 LAWN TRACTOR 42 IN

Dissapointed in performance

Bought a mid grade Deere mainly for the quality . I am very disappointed in the mowing and mainly the bagging during leaf season. The mower blows the leaves out of both sides of the deck and leaves a lot behind. The large rear tiires tear up my lawn leaving muddy marks when making sharp turns. In two months the yellow foam seat is ripped in three places and i did not ppuncture or have sharp ob jects in my pocket. While i bought the s240 for the Better Kawasaki engine i am really not impressed ! My neighbor has a cheaper Ariens and his lawn looks like it was vacuumed during leaf season ! Going to get a Toro Zerp tirn next spring!

Pros

• good engine

Cons

• poor cut and bagging

Buy the home depot model instead

Purchased s240 to replace l155 ftom home depot. S240 lacked power, height and straight cut of the older JD. As some others have said, seat rips after only several sittings. Cut of blades with 42 " mow deck is uneven. As other said it may be because of lack of enough mower deck wheels. Mulch capability works well on the mower. Cost more. So save your money.. Don't see the reason to buy another s240 over the big box. Kawasaki engine holds up well as the B&S motors. Just take care of both.

Pros

• john deere
• starts immediately

Cons

• not work cost over big box john deere
• seat rips easily just by sitting on it

Mows very well. Relativally quiet for a v-twin engine

I can't wait till the grass has grown some more. I get to use my John Deere. Easy to use. Easy to maintain. Just did the first 8 hours maintenance. Blades stay sharp. Primarily use it in mulch mode. The leaf bagger works like a dream and is easy to dump and continue. First time putting the bagger on is tricky, but 2nd time on piece of cake. Will be buying the aerator soon.

Pros

• reliable
• quieter than most
• mows a flat lawn. no tracks.

Cons

• eject chute for grass is in the way.
• seat sensor is too senstitve.

Cuts OK on flat straight terrain

Bought the S240 new this spring and used it all summer. Cutting on flat straight terrain it's fine. Cutting while cornering or on a slight slope creates uneven cuts and in some cases long divots if you turn the wheel too much. Previously I had an LX172 and in retrospect I should have kept it. I now use my push mower every other cut. The seat has NO shock absorption. The dealer gave me springs but I wasn't able to install them. The hydrostatic tranny has limited power. I need a running start to get up my shed's ramp. It's not steep. The gas tank is way too small. The S240 does provide a comfortable ride.

Pros

• comfortable ride

Cons

• uneven cut on slight slopes and corners.

Great riding mower

Bought this mower in July 2020; have about 7 hours on it and it runs like a Deere. Definitely worth the mark up with the Kawasaki engine and electric PTO. The cut is great, engine is smooth, and handles my yard in half the time compared to the old push mower. Went with John Deere over the competition due to better reviews, more options, and dealer support. If you’re on the edge between getting the E series or the S240, spend a little bit more and do it.

Pros

• smooth ride
• easy operation
• electric pto
• kawasaki engine

Cons

• floating gas tank

Best cut of the bunch!

I have had 3, 42" cut mower's and this S240 cuts the best of all of the others. Engine is quiet and powerful. I pull a cart regularly and have no problems. Very pleased with my purchase.

Pros

Cons

Kawasaki engine is worth the price!

Was "forced" to upgrade to this model due to a short supply of entry level machines in our area. I'm glad I did because, as the old adage goes, a "cheap tool" is the most expensive one you'll ever own. The engine is clearly superior to the Kohler in my former LA 115 machine. It runs smoothly and quietly with ample power to mow anything in its way. The electric PTO is a big plus. Overall, for the extra price the upgrades in quality and build provide good value.

Pros

Cons

Great Lawn Tractor

The John Deere S240 is an absolute BEAST!!! Cut my thick knee high grass with ease. Was definitely worth the little bit extra for the Kawasaki engine over the Briggs and Stratton. The 18.5 hp Kawasaki is absolutely stout.

Pros

• kawasaki engine
• smooth ride
• smooth cut and operation

Cons

• none so far

Great lawnmower

I love my S240. It is comfortable and easy to use. The only complaint I have is that I wish they added more scalp wheels to the 42” deck rather than only two. In my opinion, every deck should have at least 5, one on each corner and one in the middle on the front. Two scalp wheels is simply not enough for most people as most do not have nice level lawns.

Pros

• reliable
• comfortable
• easy to use

Cons

• 42” deck only comes with 2 anti scalp wheels
• backfires occasionally

great mower with kwasauki power

traded my 2005 lt 150 john deer that was in good shape at jd dealer. the old mower had a kohler engine that was trouble free. the new 2020 S240 mower has a lot of improvements, electric PTO, twin cyl. mower deck with HD spindles, high back seat , fuel guage, cruise control, avail mulch kit, transaxle to handle torque ov kawasauki engine. it is a very good unit. never had any problems with the old JD mower so i stayed with the brand. KWASAUKI motor has more durability than BRIGS . my neighbor tried it and bought one as well. grass cut is like a carpet and it cuts in reverse which is handy.on my lot of 1.5 acres. i use the new GF6A oil . MOBIL 1. and extended oil filter and TOP TIER regular gas.

Pros

• oil change gets all old oil out

Cons

• none so far

Nice color

I’m glad this product came with a 3 year bumper to bumper warranty, let’s see if John Deere honors it. Please send me a new seat as this one is about to split. Sorry, I sat on it twice!! It’s brand new

Pros

• nice color

Cons

• paper thin seat

Don't waste your money

Go to home depot and buy a cheap one or step up to an x series. The s240 is no better then the junk you'll get at the box store. My first and last deere product

Pros

Cons

• not worth the money

Excellent mower!

Had this mower for 4 years now. It's been a great mower. Love the upgraded engine. It is very worth the money to upgrade from the D-Series. It has 103 hours. Never had a problem out of it. If you keep up with the maintenance, this mower will last a long time. I went with the 42 inch because, at the time, that is all they offered. Just Remember, it is built off the D-Series frame, so it is not the "sturdiest" of mowers but the upgraded power options are a plus. If you take care of it, it will last.

Pros

• engine
• transmission

Cons

• frame

failures keep coming

I went to the local dealer rather than the big box store and bought what I thought would be a "top of the line" lawn tractor. The S240 has upgraded features they said. Well, in 60 hours of light mowing, I have replaced one mower deck spindle bearing, one idler pulley and repaired a plastic headlight that fell apart. There must be something better out there.

Pros

Cons

So far so good

After much waffling back and forth between the S240 and the L170, I decided on the S240. I received it two weeks ago, the day before our first snow storm. After the snow melted and we got three dry days, I used it to pick up the last of the leaves and to mow the side yards on my property. I filled the mower, which turned out to be no small feat. The combination of the filler being under the seat and having the bagger attachment on the back, made it impossible to do alone, as you need a funnel. So I had to have my wife hold the funnel at an angle while I poured the gas. This will be a MAJOR inconvenience. I guess I’ll have to find a different funnel to use, so I don’t need help to fill the thing every time it needs gas. On the plus side: It mowed very well. The bagger works well, except you have NO IDEA how full the bags are without getting off the machine-the clear panel they put at the top of the bagger is useless. For the half hour I used it though, it mowed and sucked up the grass clippings and leaves VERY well. I can’t wait for Spring to come around, so I can spend come quality time behind the wheel. I’ll update with more this spring!

Pros

• kawasaki engine
• comfortable seat
• tight turning radius

Cons

• gas filler location

Not like my old 165

I was surprised how cheaply this thing is made for a tracter that costed almost 3000.00 with a bagger. The tractor has 130 hours on it, so far I am on my 3rd seat they are like paper thin. The gas cap cracked and needs replaced. and the plugs at the end of the front bumper started falling off. I would not buy this unit again. I live in a development have about 15,000 square foot lot (very flat). It cuts nice and is easy to do maintenance on but not well built at all. If I knew all this before hand I would of looked at something else. Also forget the bagger kit if you don't spend the extra $50.00 for a deflection kit as it does not pick up even dry leaves very well without this kit. It should be included with the bagger for almost $400.00.

Pros

• look nice

Cons

• where do i begin

S240 So far so good!

I've been using the S240 42" deck for over 2 months. So far, I think it's a great lawn tractor! I have .75 acres to take care of and looked at the 100 series initially. However, I chose the S240 due to the factory upgrades over the 100 series which I felt were worth the extra cost. Plenty of power, reasonable engine decibels, cuts amazing, transmission is smooth with very precise speed control, comfortable, and has great visibility over the front hood while driving. I had assumed that prior to delivery, the dealer would run through a check list to ensure that things like a level deck was taken care of. Nope! Not a knock-on JD, but certainly the dealer. Deck was way out of level! I was able to get the deck nice and level with proper anti-scalp wheel adjustment. It really does a nice job cutting the grass! I also bought the mulching kit and installed it last week. It does impact the quality of the cut slightly but nothing to complain about. I’ll keep it on for the fall but will likely take it back off again next spring. It only takes about 15 minutes to install/remove (including the blades). I agree with the reviewers that JD could come up with a tank design which puts the fill cap in one of the fenders. It would be a good design change for the folks using the bagger attachment. Now, on to my only true complaint. The positive camber on the front wheels is too aggressive when turning. I love the tight turning radius and don't want to give that up but when I do a tight turn the positive camber of the front wheels makes the outside edge of the front tire gouge into the ground, ripping out the grass. I don’t see a way to make an adjustment. Is there a fix for this JD? For now, I'll try not to turn as tight as the tractor allows. I didn't have this problem with my old lawn tractor which, when I made tight turns the camber stayed somewhat neutral. Overall, I think it's a great lawn tractor and expect to have it for many years.

Pros

• great cut
• smooth transmission
• easy to level deck

Cons

• rio is a pain

Belt snapped

I bought this because if it’s reputation. As others have mentioned, the machine shuts off at full throttle. I’m mainly disappointed because all I do is cut small area of grass and 13.5 hours into it, the belt snapped. I only feed high level gas (no ethanol).

Pros

Cons

Great mower

I have had this mower now for a year now. I have a 20 acre farm and use a mower for about 3-4 acres. It has performed extremely well and recommend it strongly. Maintenance is easy. I bought it with a 48" deck and have had no issues to date.

Pros

• 48" deck
• very good turning radius

Cons

• small fuel tank

Quality cut

I’m a 3 year owner of the S240 42 inch deck. I have half acre of lawn and a low to medium hill on one side of the house, here is my long term review. This machine is a hybrid of the 100 series and some of the X -Line options. It’s more like 80/20 being more of a 100 series machine. Transmission is K46 not to be used for heavy towing with dump cart or pushing snow, made for mowing on low grade hills and up to 1 acre. If I had to mow more than 20,000 square feet, I would upgrade to a 48 inch deck commercial machine. I prefer to bag the clippings, with sharp high lift blades, the cut is on par with commercial machines. The bagging system is the 100 series bagging system, while it does the job, I have some clippings that blow out of the sides of the plastic cover that goes over bags and fall back to the lawn, just enough to be a nuisance that I can live with. Bagging system design can be improved. Kawasaki motor speaks for itself and it’s the main reason I bought this machine. The two adjustable nuts that are found on the left and right side of the deck for adjustment purposes are invaluable. Never realized how important this was, my previous non JD mower did not have it and it was a nightmare trying to level deck. Parts are overpriced because of JD name. Excellent tuning radius, no need for front bumper, I took front bumper off to gain more clearance when going around trees and shrubs. The reverse override button is a pain but there is a solution for that. All in all this is a very good machine for bagging clippings and side discharge, mulching is very slow. So if you are not looking for a Kawasaki engine like I was, I would suggest to save money and buy a higher end 100 series JD with v twin Briggs and Stratton engine and K46 transmission.

Pros

• quality cut and bagging with high lift blades
• deck leveling

Cons

• price for parts
• bagging system
• reverse override button

Not happy with the s240

As a 100% combat wounded US Marine I thank you for the discount Yet I’m not happy with this model Only 14 hours on it Would have and would like one of the 300’s series Yet I’m again very disappointed with this model Thank you for actually taken a bad review But I stand by my review

Pros

Cons

I can't believe I hesitated.

FYI I have a .33 acre yard, that being said I can now mow everything with an even cut in 17 minutes. I used to push mow the front and use a Troy-Bilt pony for the back. Now I ride with ease and I can't wait to cut my yard again. I have a feeling I will be cutting every 4-5 days instead of hacking my back yard every 10 days. I will say the wife was not happy until I came back inside after 20 minutes to help out with my 2 yr old. I will never buy anything but a John Deere again. I'm pretty sure this will be the last one I have to buy though.

Pros

• awesome
• my wife can use it.

Cons

Garden tractor equipment with lawn tractor body

This is a Hybrid Version tractor, it bridges the gap between lawn tractors and garden tractors, looks and feels like a lawn tractor with the motor and transmission of a garden tractor.

Pros

• smooth
• not to big for subdivisions
• strong transmission

Cons

2018 s240 with 48in. deck

Just purchased 16 April 2019. So far it's helped tremendously with spring cleanup. Cut hours off of my work load. I opted to get the 10p cart as will as aerator / spreader combo. Haven't gotten to mow yet, because the grass isn't ready. When it came time to buy a lawn tractor there was no other choice for me. I grew up with John Deere. So when it came time for a rider I already knew I was getting quality. I bought mine through a dealer so I could get the options I wanted and needed.

Pros

• great quality

Cons

• attachments are expensive

Waited too long

I have wanted a John Deere mower for quite awhile and finally decided it was time. I never did like the way my old Craftsman LT2000 cut. I could only use it on my back yard and had to push mow my front. So I researched the E series when they came out with the quick change oil filters. I thought this would be the one. I too started at the big box store, thinking that the savings would be greater using my store credit card discount. Then I stopped by my local dealer, he offered me a good deal and explained the difference in buying from them vs the box store. There I noticed the S240. For a few hundred dollars over the E130, I could get so much more.I was sold and he found a leftover 2018 that was reduced and with the financing through John Deere, it was a no brainer. Finally got to use it the other day and man what a difference. I can mow the front without gouges and streaks. Yes as someone else stated, the seat switch is a bit touchy and the mow in reverse will take some time getting used to vs the old Craftsman but the cut and ride of the S240 make it worth while. I see many years of happy mowing on my Deere. Thanks to Caleb at Sloan Implement for being patient with me over the last few months while I contemplated which mower to buy.

Pros

• quiet
• smooth cut and ride

Cons

GREAT VALUE...EXCELLENT QUALITY.

CANNOT BE BEAT FOR THE PRICE...THE MULCHING CAPABILITIES ARE JUST AVERAGE...THAT IS MY ONLY DING.

Pros

Cons

This mower has some real problems!

The bagger on the S240 is so difficult to put on and clippings frequently miss the container. The "see through" slot on top of the bagger they added is a joke as you have to be off the mower to try to look into it. The top of the bagger does not open all the way to allow you to take the full bags off easily. Two things on the mower itself that are inconvenient are the placement of the gas container. Try holding a 5 gallon can of gas over half the S240 to reach the gas cap area. I copied some of what SPIDER wrote because I'm having the same difficulty with this model.

Pros

Cons

This is why you go to a Deere dealership...

I had done my research, decided on the E130, it was 100% what I was looking for. Yes I could get another brand for a couple hundred bucks less but I wanted a Deere. I decided I didn't want to buy from Lowe's and last second decided to go to a Deere dealership. I called and asked if they had the E130 and they did. As I pulled up it was already out front and shined up for me (even though it was starting to rain). I talked to the salesperson (Blake) and told him what I needed. He asked if I had checked out the S240 in 42". As I did all my shopping on Lowes.com and the E130 was already at the top of my budget I said I hadn't. He showed me the mower and told me the differences (mainly Kawasaki motor and transmission as well as other upgrades like the seat). It was another $500 over what I was already prepared to spend but I really like Kawasaki as a brand. He talked it up and definitely peaked my interest. I re-iterated how the E130 was already overkill for my yard and he said it was probably the right choice. I decided once I went over $1500 I was going to finance. Deere ain't no fools, they offer 9 months no interest on the E line and 12 months on the S line making the S line cheaper payment which makes the $500 over the cost of the E more palatable. I decided to with it on a bit of a whim, I was going to pick it up the next day. The next day I went in and signed the documents and they already had my mower on a trailer on its way to my house which was great. I got home and fired it up and immediately went into mowing my WAY overgrown wet lawn, which would have taken me HOURS with my push mower trying to mulch it, the Deere had no issues. That seat and the tight super easy steering made it feel like a cadillac of tractors. I am really happy with it 1h and 1 cut into it. After doing the homework I see that it is pretty much the Xline on the Eline chassis. Worth it IMO.

Pros

• smooth engine
• not very loud

Cons

I am rating the bagger on the S240, poor design

I had an LT160 and miss my bagger. I could have that on and off in 30 seconds. The bagger on the S240 is so difficult to put on, the dealer had to move the bungee clips so they were usable. There is no longer a trigger on the chute that tells you the bagger is clogged. The "see through" slot on top of the bagger they added is a joke as you have to be off the mower to try to look into it. The top of the bagger does not open all the way to allow you to take the full bags off easily. Two things on the mower itself that are inconvenient are the placement of the gas container. Try holding a 5 gallon can of gas over half the S240 to reach the gas cap area. Another design flaw, the parking brake lever and the cruise control lever hit your legs when you are driving. I have to wear shin guards when mowing.

Pros

Cons

Does the job

Just bought a house that has a lot of yard and most of it is a hill. Tried mow with my self propelled Honda the first 3 times cutting. Was going to eventually die mowing for hours in the hot GA summer. Bought the 240 online, dealer delivered with ease. It now takes me less than an hour to mow. This beast goes up a pretty steep hill with ease. Very happy with my purchase.

Pros

• hill climbing
• ease of use
• seat comfort

Cons

S240 42"

I just bought it, mowed with it for 60 trouble free minutes. I replaced my lx325 after 20 years of service. I think I spent $90.00 on parts for that mower besides blades, filters, and regular maintenance. I did order a new mulching kit today. I hope to see you in 20 years John Deere dealer.

Pros

• comfortable seat
• big steering wheel
• nice size not too heavy
• lots of power

Cons

• gas cap is under the seat
• it only holds 2.4 gals of fuel

Not for women under 140 lbs.

We are so disappointed with the S240. Although I have mowed with our Cub Cadet for years, since we “upgraded” to this tractor, it’s been nothing but frustration. Although our dealer has been as helpful as possible, there is a flaw with the seat that means the tractor will not run properly for me because I am not heavy enough for the seat sensor. The dealer states John Deere makes the specifications for 140 lbs. My husband does not have an issue because he weighs much more. We purchased the tractor because of John Deere’s reputation for reliability and because my husband travels a lot with his job. Sadly, that has not worked out for us. The dealer will allow us to upgrade for a price, but it seems important to let people of lighter stature to know that this mower may not work for them.

Pros

• steers easily

Cons

• bad seat design
• won’t run properly for smaller people
• brake very stiff
• lines in yard when mowing
• loud

Mower deck

I am pleased the tractor but cannot get the deck to cut properly. The dealer picked it up and leveled the deck but it still does not cut evenly. It also does not do a very good job cutting. after cutting the grass stands up leaving streaks not in the wheel tracks

Pros

• tractor

Cons

• deck

Really Nice Machine!

It took awhile to find one. Two local dealers couldn't get it as JD is now tooling up for the 2018 model. But, the local AgPro had two in stock at another store. I had a smaller 38" Deere and Cub years ago and have been pushing the last 5. It's good to be back in the saddle again. This is just a nice machine. I also got the bagger and installed it myself. Maybe an hour. Took my time. Didn't want to scratch anything up. It's a little taller sit than the old Cub, so there are some areas I don't feel as comfortable, even with the OS! grabs on the rear fenders. Getting used to the 42" deck. The RIO also something new that takes "remembering", but a good feature. Tire pressure of 10 rear and 14 front is max. and a pretty stiff ride. I am lowering to around 8 & 12 psi. X tranny, X seat, Kaw 18.5 engine is quiet and strong, larger tires, $200 cash back thru end of Oct. Fueling is a bit blind as the fuel gauge is in front of the seat. No real mention of this part in Manual. I only use non-eth fuel for my vehicles, especially my small engines. My neighbors have to be a bit jealous. I try not to rub it in.

Pros

Cons

Best gift a wife could buy her husband!

Total time since new- 8 hours Average time per cut- 45minutes After mowing our lawn for 30 years with 2 Honda HR line self propelled mowers (the first lasting 20 years, still have my 2nd), my wife felt bad that I was taking nearly 3 hours to mow the lawn and told me to just go get a riding mower. So the search began and I was able to quickly narrow my choices down to the S-240 and the Kubota 1880. The 100 series from Deere would have probably worked fine, but I wanted to get the best value for my investment. I purchased the unit with the JD bagging attachment. I'm impressed with the silky smooth operation of the Kawasaki engine. Be prepared to fill the gas tank more often if you run it at full power as it does like the gas! However, it has more than sufficient torque to handle my 1/3 acre with a few small hills if I back the throttle down to the low range of the suggest RPM and I can get 3 cuts (2.25 hours) on one tank with a bit to spare. As for the quality of cut, I am still learning the best "route" to take to minimize scalping. I've lowered the anti-scalping wheels to the bottom register which has helped significantly when cutting on hill sides. I also noticed that the blades did not have a good edge on them so I sharpened them to improve the lower RPM cut quality. I believe Deere can further improve the cut quality and leave the brand X products in the dust by increasing the cutting edge by another inch or so and adding additional off-set blades, similar to the Honda products. The bagging attachment is worth every penny if you are looking for a clean finish. No vacuum needed.

Pros

• outstanding value no regrets

Cons

Awesome machine

I had a JD 214 for over 30-years so I knew my next lawn tractor would be a John Deere. The S240 has the drive train from the 300 series but not at the 300 series price. I am so thrilled JD desired to offer this model. It is just perfect for me and my property. If anyone is looking to get a 100-series lawn tractor I would strongly encourage you to look at the S240 first. You will not be sorry.

Pros

• engine
• transmission
• seat
• steering wheel
• sound level
• turning radius
• hood
• color (green)
• basically everything

Cons

• none