Sears, Kmart, John Deere, and most other garden tractors are
lightweight toys built by either MTD or American Yard Products (owned
by Electrolux). The product label will tell who built it.
Cub Cadet and Toro (Wheel Horse) are heavy-duty machines built to work
hard. They cost about twice as much as the 'home owner' tractors and
are worth every penny.

-Carl

Nope not 100% true. If you buy a John Deere from a John Deere dealer and not
from Home Depot, it will be a John Deere made unit. My understanding is that
John Deere tried the cheaper home owner market and it didn't work out. I
don't think they sell the MTD made units anymore. My John Deere riding mower
is made 10 times better than a John Deere unit I found at Home Depot. Mine
has a massive (well for a riding mower anyway) cast iron front axle on it,
not one made from two pieces of stamped sheet metal riveted together.

Lane