Buying Advice Hidden costs of Kubota BX 25D

[KTucke]

I live in CT about 30 miles outside of New York City but was born in VA so I'm a hick at heart. I am a Financial Advisor and sit in an office all day so when home I'm outside doing stuff in the yard. I have a crazy long and steep driveway which I plowed with a quad. The first year I lived there I plowed just to the end of the driveway and ran out of driveway pretty quick. Since then I have plowed the snow 15 feet into the yard. In March I still ran out of driveway! I looked around online a bit and read that a Kubota with a big blower would work pretty good. Called my local dealer who I guess could see I was just kind of browsing and wouldn't give me the time of day. (Went to see them after I got it and they were the nicest people. Felt bad.) Called a couple of more places and talked to a dam good salesman and it was in my driveway two days later. Got talked into the backhoe thank god. Got the fronted mounted snowblower and the mower.

My first project was to dig out underneath the deck. It is a second story deck but has a slope so I could only store stuff under a portion of it. As I mentioned before I live on a pretty steep hill. Started this about five minutes after the delivery guy left. Told my family it would take me twenty minutes. It took me two days! At times I wanted to go get a shovel.

1st hidden cost: The frost line was crazy so I had to chip at the dirt. Didn't really know what I was doing so smacked the **** out of the support poles about 40 times. Gotta replace them. I have no idea how much.

2nd hidden cost: I guess I jerked the backhoe too much because one of the lines started leaking like crazy. Went to local dealer told me it was under warranty but I had to bring it there or else he was going to charge me $300 to come get it. My trailer wasn't big enough so tried to borrow one but they were all buried in snow. Went to local trailer guy who said all the landscapers were making money clearing snow so they were buying all the trailers and I couldn't get one for three weeks. Had to drive three hours away to get one. $3000 Awesome trailer though TWF 16 X 8. Meanwhile the place that sold me the tractor came out and fixed it at my house but still had to buy the trailer.

3rd hidden cost: I have an acre and a half a good portion in lawn. When I removed the dirt from under the deck I would dump it at the very edge of my yard. Got the tractor, 4Runner, and the trailer all stuck in the yard numerous times. I destroyed the yard. Rented york rake and roller $150. Decided since I had the york rake I should make some 途oads in the woods. Broke it $90 to fix. 10 bales of hay I have no idea how much, $300 in grass seed and as a last ditch effort $150 in starter fertilizer. I have a vegetable garden and like to think I have a green thumb but grass is dam hard to grow! Lawn sprayer guy $500 a year. I'm done with this fertilizer crap.

4th hidden cost: That BXpanded backhoe cart. $211 delivered. He won't budge on price. I love it though.

5th hidden cost: Front mounted hitch receiver. To get the trailer when I have the hoe on. I think about $90 delivered.

6th hidden: Rear mounted hitch receiver. To move the trailer when I have the blower on. Didn't buy it yet as it didn't snow after I got the machine. Freaking figures! It's the reason I got it.

Anyway for people looking at getting one. Choose your first project wisely.

 

[Cherokee140]

1st hidden cost = you are inexperienced at operating the machine and damage your house. We have all been there and most of us have done it. Only difference we do not call it a hidden cost, cost of ownership or any such thing. YOU are responsible and due to your lack of experience you caused damage. This is not a hidden cost.

2nd hidden cost = again inexperience and you damage the machine comment about a local dealer charging you a house call to come to your location to repair your damage. Be thankful it was covered. Kubota is really pretty good about covering stupid. I don't think your car would be covered if you drove over a nail and flattened a tire, or any other user induced damage to the machine.

3rd hidden cost = you tear up your yard and somehow this is a hidden cost of tractor ownership. Not sure why your car and trailer was in the yard. Then you tear up your rake and again that is a hidden cost.

4th = Bxexpanded cart....how is that a hidden cost.....can you not use your machine without this cart.

5-6 = hitches to move your trailer....again hidden costs.

I really don't think that you really think these are hidden costs, but extra toys you wanted and did not budget for. Also seems that you had a pretty good learning curve as to what it is to own a tractor...just think if you bought a larger one instead of hitting the posts you would have ripped them right off your house. Hope that was not back fill. And I can only imagine the cost to replace the support poles.

I don't want to come down hard on you, but the term hidden cost rubbed me the wrong way. Not everyone can do everything. Reminds me of that line from the remake of gone in 60 sec.

Good luck with your machine...

 

[k0ua]

I think the original poster's story was mostly tongue in cheek don't you think? A cautionary tale if you will for new tractor owners..

 

[YardBikeBob]

My interpretation was humor and I got a giggle!

Bob

 

[k0ua]

My interpretation was humor and I got a giggle!

Bob

Same here

 

[KTucke]

It was humor. My wife was complaining about how much the machine cost us. I told her it was only $23,000 for the machine and she said "but what about all the other extra stuff?" So I started adding it up and just thought it would be funny to post. Take it how ever you want though.

 

[GManBart]

It was humor. My wife was complaining about how much the machine cost us. I told her it was only $23,000 for the machine and she said "but what about all the other extra stuff?" So I started adding it up and just thought it would be funny to post. Take it how ever you want though.

First off, welcome to TBN. I think most of us realized your post was humorous. Still, this is the internet, and all you need to do to start a debate is to post something :laughing:

 

[CobyRupert]

But look at all the money you saved doing it yourself!!
That's sort of like the old joke on saving money by heating with firewood (the prices are a bit dated):

First year costs:

2 stoves and installation $1385.
Removal of hot water baseboard and boiler $238.
Search for reputable wood dealer N/A $76.
Chain saw $210.
Ax, wedges, maul, cant hook, etc. $119.
Old truck (junk after 1st load) $595.
Newer truck $8645.
Tire chains $88.
Replace truck's rear window (twice) $310.
Fine for cutting wrong trees $500.
5-acre woodlot $4995.
Splitting machine $950.
14 cases of beer $126.
6 fifths ginger brandy $38.
Fine for littering $250.
Towing charge (brook to road) $50.
Gas, oil, files, Band-aids $97.
Doctor's fee (sawdust in eye) $45.
Medical cost for broken toe (dropped log) $128.
Safety shoes $35.
Attempt to fix burned hole in carpet $76.
New living room carpet $699.
Paint living room $110.
Taxes on woodlot $44.
Woodlot boundary dispute settlement $465.
Roof repair after chimney fire $840.
Fine for assaulting fireman $50.
Extension ladder $55.
Chimney brush $22.
Medical fee for broken leg (fell off roof) $478.
Chimney cleaning service $90.
Replace coffee table (chopped up and burned while too drunk to bring firewood up from cellar) $79.
Divorce settlement $14,500.
EXPENSES $36,388

 

[chvfrk98]

I thought it was funny.

 

[Guesseral]

Man I would really like to know where you bought that beer, $129.00/14= $9.00 a case not to be forgotten $38.00 for 6 fifths of ginger brandy! Man I could be really happy with those prices.:thumbsup: