Good deal? What battery do I need?

$200 for a rider sounds like a pretty good deal!

A popular battery to run in riders that lasts a long time (when properly maintained) are Interstate Batteries. The one that's been in my JD is an Interstate and is still going strong even though it's pushing nearly a decade old now.

Keep in mind when it comes to batteries, you usually get what you pay for.

Yeah, I'd agree, $200 probably isn't too bad a price at all. Are you buying it from it's original owner? Just talk over it's service history with them, look it over good and listen to it as it's running and the deck engaged. Besides that clicking noise, make sure there aren't any weird knocks, rattles, screeches, or squeals.

I've used Interstate batteries in my mower, truck, motorcycles, and have always been pleased with them. That number is simply MTD's part number, and I wasn't able to find out much about the particulars of it. A reputable place like Interstate, or other battery retailers, can get you pointed in the right direction.

Thanks for the advice! Unfortunately, it isn't the original owner... Being a military town, things tend to change hands fairly quickly down here with people moving in and out so often.

I don't know that I'm going to be able to have a new battery when it's dropped off tomorrow, so if I can't, is there a way to test the alternator once it is jump-started? I have a voltmeter, but I'm not sure I'd know how to apply it in this case...

interstate is a good battery although a little more money but worth it, i've also had good luck with batteries from napa auto parts.not sure who makes them for napa but i usually got 4-5 years out of them