In a previous video, we tested the x320 engine and transmission. This was an important step before we could feel comfortable spending over $1,000 on missing parts.
What parts?
Mainly, the showy ones. The hood was damaged, both before receiving it, and also from me unloading it.
x320 Hood
A new, OEM hood from John Deere costs around $600. I opted for this generic one from eBay to save $200. All in all, I think that it’s probably worth the savings.
One of the predrilled holes didn’t line up perfectly, and there was a small crack that occurred during shipping. Even though it was packaged well, it’s just a brittle material. I was able to secure a $40 refund from the seller.
The area that cracked is reinforced by the internal hood, so the blemish is merely cosmetic, and it’s hard to see. That said, I will have to disclose it to any potential buyer.
x320 Seat
The seat was also a disaster. Luckily, a brand new, OEM seat isn’t too cost-prohibitive. I was able to pick one up on eBay for $160. From there, it’s a simple swap to replace it.
I’ll hang on to the old seat, just in case I need one. Even though this seat was in rough condition, it’s still usable. A simple cover would work fine on it, so I might go that route on a less valuable machine in the future.
x320 Mowing Deck
The most expensive part was the new deck that we picked up. It was listed at $500, but I talked the seller down to $400. At that price, it’s grand larceny.
This x320 takes the Edge Xtra line of mower decks in 42″, 48″, or 54″. A brand new 48″ deck costs around $1,800.
So while this one was “used,” it was in excellent condition. In fact, the seller reported that this came with a machine that they used for snow removal. The deck basically sat in storage until they decided to sell it.
So even though I had to drive over 6 hours round-trip to get it, I think that’s well worth saving over a grand. Plus, with the 48″ deck as opposed to the 42″, not only does that increase the resale value, but it also is more appealing to potential buyers.
General Maintenance and Servicing
Since the deck was in great condition, I didn’t have to mess with sharpening and balancing the blades. I did grease the spindles as well as any grease fittings on the machine.
We also did an oil change and replaced the oil filter and fuel filter. The air filter was in excellent condition, so I left that one.
We put in a brand-new battery, and I had to get two batteries for this machine.
The first battery did not have enough CCA, as I forgot that this had an electric PTO – that requires more battery to operate. No worries, I’ll just hang on to the smaller battery for another machine.
Unfortunately, the front tires were not holding air, so we put a couple of tubes in them. Not a big deal, but that does increase our expenses a bit.
Lastly, a good cleaning and detailing with some new decals on the new hood. The end result speaks for itself.
Recap
This is an excellent machine. If I wasn’t so sentimental over our personal mower, I would consider keeping it for ourselves.
The deck has a cleanout port with 4 rotatable anti-scrape wheels, and it can mow in reverse. At just over 500 hours, it has plenty of life left in it for the next owner.
To date, this was the most costly repair that I’ve done, but it also has the potential to be our biggest earner. If you’d like to watch the video, you can find it below:
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