Killed my 5 year old "MTD Yard Machine" the other day and am looking to pull the trigger on a new mower. EVERYONE here in Forks says to go with the 300 series Deere, but the price starts at about $3k for the base 17.5 hp 42" cut. I'm looking for opinions on whether or not the John Deere mowers are worth the money or should I drop down to a Craftsman or something else...

Thanks for any advice...