Cub Cadet 5264, 6284 or John Deere 2305

[RBP]

My husband and I have narrowed our search to a Cub Cadet 5264 subcompact tractor with a 26 HP Daihatsu diesel engine, front loader and a 60" mowing deck or a John Deere 2305 subcompact tractor with a 24 HP engine, front loader and 62" mowing deck. We are also considering the Cub Cadet 6284 compact tractor with a 28 HP Caterpillar engine, a front loader and 60" mowing deck. Cruise control and a ballast box are also figured in the price of each unit. The CC 5264 is $13500, the JD 2305 is $14200 and the CC 6284 is $15600. We have a little over 30 acres of mostly pasture land in western Minnesota. The tractor will be used for lawn mowing, maintaining a 600 ft driveway, snow removal (we will get a snowblower and cab before next winter) bush hogging of about 3 acres and light loader work. I would appreciate any pros or cons for each tractor such as the ease of the adding and removal of the loader and snow blower. Also, what do you think about the prices that we have received? Thanks!

 

[JDCOMPACTMAN]

I Think The Best Thing Is To Actually Test Drive Them Both
And See What Brand Seems To Feel The Most Comfortable To You.Also.Dealer Support Will make Your Life Alot Easier If You
Happen To Have Mechanical Troubles.
Have The Salesman Take The Loaders Off And On,Show You How The Mower Decks Attach/Detatch,Does
The Bucket have A Quick Tatch Feature,Ect.Just Some Little
Things To Point Out.

Myself,I Would Go Green /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[kljunior]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I Think The Best Thing Is To Actually Test Drive Them Both
And See What Brand Seems To Feel The Most Comfortable To You.Also.Dealer Support Will make Your Life Alot Easier If You
Happen To Have Mechanical Troubles.
Have The Salesman Take The Loaders Off And On,Show You How The Mower Decks Attach/Detatch,Does
The Bucket have A Quick Tatch Feature,Ect.Just Some Little
Things To Point Out.

Myself,I Would Go Green /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )</font>

Great points! I think if you do what jdcompact man says, you will choose the 2305. What I have seen of the cub cadet stuff has not impressed me one bit. Also, consider a blade for the 2305 instead of a blower. Check out the 54" with quick hitch, it works awesome, you won't need a cab, and you just can't stop that little tractor with a 54 blade. It will be faster than blowing under most circumstances and the blade attaches and un-attaches real easy. Also, make sure to go with the 200cx loader, it goes on and off like a slipper. You won't mind throwing it on for a half hour to push some banks back, although that blade will usually do it fine. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[RBP]

Thanks for the replies! We have definitely eliminated the 5264 and are down to the JD 2305 and CC 6284. The 6284 is quite a bit bigger weighing almost 2000 pounds. I really prefer the smaller 2305, but my husband prefers the larger 6284. I will be using the tractor as much if not more than my husband for mowing grass and snow blowing. Hopefully, we will make a decision and purchase within the next week. Are there any after market cabs available at a reasonable price, and how difficult would they be to install?