Little Garden - Big choices :)

[exigetastic]

First of all just to say hi to everyone here, I've read countless posts and I'm starting to get my head round the basics I think...


I'm in the UK and therefore have a small garden (The joys of living on an overcrowded island I suppose) Total plot size is just short on an acre. Most of which is lawn.

The deck on my rideon mower rusted through recently, so I need to replace it. I inherited the mower with the house but I guess the previous homeowners bought it 20+ years ago.

I have a lot of home and garden improvement type jobs to do, so I thought I'd kill 2 birds with one stone and get a compact tractor to help out with some of the shifting jobs. I also figured it would be a better investment than a "disposable" mower from the local DIY store.

I went for a ride round to local used tractor dealers, and have been offered a good deal on a new Yanmar KE140 Yanmar KE140 . I was almost ready to get my cash out, but I'm having second thoughts.

As the machine I've been offered doesn't have mid pto and I'd have to use a rear finishing mower I'm concerned it's going to be awkward to use, especially as my lawn is probably closer to an orchard than a proper lawn. Added to this I'm also concerned that as it is manual and has a transmission PTO I'm forever going to be start / stopping.

So now I'm thinking a better thing to do would be to buy a basic ZTR for mowing, and a cheap Kubota B6000 or similar for carting stuff around. Specifically I was thinking of a transport box on the rear linkage, and using that as a "poor mans" loader. I understand the PTO is non standard on them, but for shifting stuff / pulling a trailer or similar I don't think this will be a problem. It does make them nice and cheap though !!

One option a dealer has suggested to me is a JD455, but they seem rarer than hens teeth this side of the pond, and one's with FELs are even rarer


Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.


Si

 

[stimpee]

Do you have a budget, and a list of "capabilities" that you would like to end up with?

 

[mark4Jesus]

What other manufacturers do you have to choose from? Are you wanting used or new. I had a Kubota B2150 that had a mid PTO, and have noticed on the internet that they seem to be quite a few in the UK. It was 24 HP and 18 HP at the PTO. Very good tractor.
Off subject, I was stationed at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk in '82-84. Anywhere close to you?

 

[Gittyup]

Also look for a JD 425, 445, 345, 318, 317, or a new X series. Simplicity, Gravely, Cub Cadet, Kubotas, Massey Furgeson GC2300, Mahindra, Toro Wheel Horse, or a little Ford or NH diesel.

For your uses, many colors will work. I would suggest staying with an HST model, with a good turning radius, and a mid mount mower. Also, the size of the mower decks on the above mentioned machines (and most with loader capability) might be too big for your open areas. Most will be 48" or larger, probably larger.

You also should consider the articulated machines like Ventrac or Power Trac with a small mower deck. I'd probably look at several dealers to find out what is readily available in your area. Could probably do this survey through the internet.

 

[exigetastic]

Do you have a budget, and a list of "capabilities" that you would like to end up with?

I don't have a budget as such... but I don't like spending money I feel am committed to spend $7000 to replace my mower with something equivalent (Eg a JD 304 is around that figure)

As UK prices are higher than stateside it's probably difficult to give a figure. The Yanmar I've seen (complete with finish mower) is $13,000. Which is a lot to spend on a lawn mower, but a bargain against a MF GC2300 which is $20k+

The ZTR I've seen is the MF 2200
Which is $5k

I've seen a used Kubota 6100 for $3k.


In terms of tasks some of the immediate jobs I have to do. Shift 3 tons of gravel and sand from one end of the garden to the other, level out two 20x20 ft areas one for grassing, one for slabbing. Shift logs. Transport rubble from rebuilding a 20'x60' summer house.

Currently I tow stuff around on a home made trailer (an old transaxle from a rider type mower with a wooden bed) using the mower, but it is a bit slow, and I do get stuck on gradients.

Si

 

[exigetastic]

What other manufacturers do you have to choose from? Are you wanting used or new. I had a Kubota B2150 that had a mid PTO, and have noticed on the internet that they seem to be quite a few in the UK. It was 24 HP and 18 HP at the PTO. Very good tractor.
Off subject, I was stationed at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk in '82-84. Anywhere close to you?

Mildenhall is near where I used to live.... but now I live in Robin Hood country (Nottingham).


Si