Buying Advice Am I nuts? Thinking of leaving ZTR for SCUT?

[MGH PA]

Hi everyone. I joined a few years back in hopes of finding whether I would be best suited to owning a ZTR or a SCUT. Many of you said I should go SCUT, but I found a good price on a ZTR, and bit the bullet. I own a little over 2 acres in a rural setting (have plenty of fruit trees and just started a garden this year), and have used my dad's JD 990 quite a bit since buying the place 4 years ago (the FEL alone was worth it's wait in gold). I hope to own my own land (more than 2 acres) some day, but for now, I like my setting. Anyways, the ZTR cuts my lawn quickly, and relatively well. It's a rough ride (I'm only 28, so I can handle it), but it's always blowing debris all over me. It's also not good for much else other than for mowing. I was starting to look at an ATV with a plow to help with the driveway in the winter, and I got to thinking that a tractor would help (it's not a huge driveway, but enough where even a FEL would be sufficient).

Anyways, I have a big Kubota dealer not far from me, and I'm considering going to look at a BX series now that they have 0% for 60 months.

Am I nuts?

I'm giving up mowing speed/convenience (mowing around the apply trees will be harder with a SCUT) for monthly payments and possibly more options on the table for around the house? My dad lives in tractor driving distance (they own 90 acres), so I DO have access to his, but it's a pain to borrow on spur of the moment, especially if he has it set up for mowing or plowing, FEL on or off, etc, and it's not what I need it setup for.

Should I do it? Or keep my money and wait?

 

[jimrs]

I would keep the z-turn and just use your fathers tractor when needed. Or you could keep the z-turn and buy the tractor with a fel and box blade. I think you will be better off mowing with the z-turn. I have one acre and have both and use them both. If I had 3 acres or more then I would still own the z-turn for mowing.

 

[MGH PA]

Here's a look at my property:

And the work my dad's 990 has made possible:

Food plots:

 

[newbury]

Your 28.
Use a wheelbarrow and shovel until you need a B or bigger. The BX's came out before ZTR's. If your going to get more land you'd quickly need a B or bigger.

Says the man with a B7610 on a quarter acre lot and an M4700 on a half acre lot

 

[GManBart]

Any way you could keep the ZT, and manage a new SCUT? Some brands are offering up to 84 months 0% right now, which could keep the payment under $200/mo.

 

[MGH PA]

I could keep it, but I don't see why I would need to keep it, but two tools are better than one. I suppose if I HAVE to look for justification, maybe I don't really need one.

Newbury, I've run countless wheelbarrow loads of everything you can imagine in the four years I've owned this home. I built the last section of retaining wall this summer and shoveled and wheel barrowed 10 tons of crushed gravel. I may be 28, but it still wasn't fun in July

Here's a timelapse I did building the wall:

 

[jeff9366]

You DESERVE a tractor-loader of SOME size........

 

[rjwerth]

Keep the ZTR and buy a larger tractor than the BX. Think of it this way, your ZTRs trade in value will probably just cover the cost of the mower deck of a new tractor anyhow.

 

[Grandad4]

Nice looking place, MGH. The ZTR will surely be quicker mowing your place than a BX (or equivalent), but it wouldn't kill you to mow it with a little tractor. Many folks mow lots more than that with those little SCUTs, including me. So the question is whether having the tractor would let you keep after your place better. Just my experience... the BX I have is one really handy thing to have around. We have larger equipment that does the really heavy work, but for a "finished" property like yours, the little guy gets into places and does the work where a bigger machine is overkill. For you it's probably not a necessity, but it would be very useful.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I doubt the BX or even the B series will be any smoother than the ZTR if that is what you are looking for. Looks like you have much if not most of the work done where you would need a tractor. I would keep the ZTR for mowing especially if it is in good condition, get a B series in 23-26 HP range if I needed a tractor. As RJWERTH said, you wont get trade in value to even cover the mowing deck for the tractor, so may as well keep your mower and just look at the tractor with some implements for breaking ground for food plots.