New Member with a new cub cadet gt3200

[fonz3482]

Hello everyone,
I was just looking for some help with a few questions. I have a down payment on a new Cub Cadet gt 3200 with a 54" deck. I should be finalizing the deal shortly. From my mechanical background and views it looks like the 3200 should be a strong, dependable machine. Its features for its price range are unbeatable from what ive looked at. the closet j.d. is a x700, and all other machines in its price range cant compare to it. I got the machine and plastic 10 cubic ft dump trailer for $7,000 with tax. All family and nieghbors are j.d. fans and are saying i made a mistake. I want to prove them wrong. Any feedback on my decision on this machine would be appreciated. thanx.

 

[Bob_Bainbridge]

My first Cub was a 1978 1450 and lasted 26 years but it was made by International Harvester and not MTD who makes the current ones. It cost $2300, which was quite a few bucks in those days. My current Cub is a 2004 3235 with 54 inch deck and so far looks comparable in durability to my first one. It was $7k with triple bagger and currently has 280 hours with zero problems other than a headlight lens that I broke by mowing into heavy brush & trees and ran over with the mower, a missing front deck roller that came off and never was found, and one rear roller that broke and had to be replaced. It is certainly smoother than the old single cylinder 1450, doesn't have the troublesome rubber engine mounts. I no longer need a steering wheel spinner knob with the power steering as I can spin the wheel around with the palm of my hand. Both tractors had shaft drive but the new one also has shaft drive to the deck, eliminating the long belt that had to be replaced every few years. The dual PTO belts (the only belts) still look like new. I clean the 54 inch deck underneath annually, compared to monthly with the old 44A deck. I expect this tractor to last as long as the old one or close to it. I expect the heavy 54 inch deck to outlast the old 44A which rusted out once and its replacement was just starting to rust again when I traded it in. I estimate that the Cub was $500- $1000 cheaper than the comparable John Deere. My next door neighbor is on his second JD since I got this one but I don't really know the reason.

Bob B.

 

[fonz3482]

Thanks Bob for your reply, and other members keep more advice and info coming. I havent been able to find much owner info on the gt 3000 series. just a few posts here and there if i googled it. That was why im kinda second guessing my decision. I think the machine will be more than i expected, cant wait to get it home in a few days.

 

[Cub32]

Fonz: I purchased a New GT3200 in the spring of 2005 after researching Kubota, JD and Cub Cadet. I spent 6 full months checking tractors and 3 Cub dealers before I purchased the tractor. The 3200 was the best value for the money to me. I purchased the Snow Blower ( with front hitch), 50" mower and a 3PH. I have used the tractor for plowing my garden, blading both dirt and snow each year as well as mowing and yard work. I have had absolutely NO PROBLEMS whatsoever with the tractor or dealer, very powerful, the hydraulics are great as well as is the power steering.

I think you will enjoy the tractor, good luck.

 

[Baucom]

You won't find a ton of people with the high end GTs like the CC GT3200. The reason isn't because they're not great mowers, but because most people either: a) want to mow their grass as cheap as possible and stick to <$3000 mowers (more like <$2000), or b) they want/need a multipurpose grass cutting machine that can help with gardening/landscaping and a high end GT approaches SCUT prices so they figure if they're spending that much they may as well get a diesel, 4wd, SCUT.

Congratulations, enjoy your new mower, and post pics when you get it!

Thanks Bob for your reply, and other members keep more advice and info coming. I havent been able to find much owner info on the gt 3000 series. just a few posts here and there if i googled it. That was why im kinda second guessing my decision. I think the machine will be more than i expected, cant wait to get it home in a few days.

 

[scoutcub]

Fonz;

I've had Cubs for 15 years now and have had great luck with all of them. I buy and sell Cubs as a hobby, and have owned/operated several 3200's. While I believe the 1782 was the best garden tractor Cub ever produced, (actually a Super Garden Tractor, stopped production in 97) the 3200 is currently their top of the line machine. I like the fact it has the bigger tires, the diff rear lock, and the second hydraulic valve already installed. I've put a few of those (valves) in other 3000 machines, a time-consuming job. I currently own 2 3200's, one I'm prepping to give to my dad. I'm going to add the hydraulic angle kit with the front blade, so he can have some fun in the snow.
The blower on this tractor is an animal, essentally the same blower used on the former super garden tractors, but with the addition of the PTO, it's even better.
7K was for tractor, cart and mower? That's actually a good price, the tractor alone retails for 6000+.
The Kohler command engines are excellent engines that are supposedly rated for 2000 hours with proper care.
Sooo...you're buying a top notch GT that you can do quite a lot with that should last you many years. Enjoy it and post some pics!

 

[fonz3482]

Hello and thanx for positive responses. Yes scoutcub im paying $7000 for the tractor, 54" mower, and 10 cu. plastic dump cart with sales tax included. I shopped around for a while and wieghed my options between many brands and found the gt3200 to be my best bang for my buck. I also shopped back and forth between 2 local dealers thats how i got the price down and the dump cart thrown in the deal. Hey the dealers are out there to make money, im out to save it! I havent took delievery of it yet but when i do i will post pics. Do you have any posted? i was trying to find pics of 3000 series cubs but havent come across any.I cant wait to cut my grass! Ive been mowing 2 acres by hand and with an old used up bolens 1050.

 

[LBrown59]

Hello everyone,
I was just looking for some help with a few questions. I have a down payment on a new Cub Cadet gt 3200 with a 54" deck. I should be finalizing the deal shortly. From my mechanical background and views it looks like the 3200 should be a strong, dependable machine. Its features for its price range are unbeatable from what ive looked at. the closet j.d. is a x700, and all other machines in its price range cant compare to it. I got the machine and plastic 10 cubic ft dump trailer for $7,000 with tax.
All family and nieghbors are j.d. fans and are saying i made a mistake. I want to prove them wrong. Any feedback on my decision on this machine would be appreciated. thanx.

You have to get into the X700s to get a comparable JD.
Get some prices and see how that compares to the CC .

You won't find a ton of people with the high end GTs like the CC GT3200.
The reason isn't because they're not great mowers.
most people either they want/need a multipurpose grass cutting machine that can help with gardening/landscaping and a high end GT approaches SCUT prices.
they figure if they're spending that much money they may as well get a diesel, 4wd, SCUT.
Congratulations, enjoy your new mower, and post pics when you get it!

I must say I agree with them.

Hello and thanx for positive responses.
1*Yes scoutcub im paying $7000 for the tractor, 54" mower, and 10 cu. plastic dump cart with sales tax included. I shopped around for a while and wieghed my options between many brands and found the gt3200 to be my best bang for my buck. I also shopped back and forth between 2 local dealers thats how i got the price down and the dump cart thrown in the deal. Hey the dealers are out there to make money, im out to save it! I havent took delievery of it yet but when i do i will post pics. Do you have any posted? i was trying to find pics of 3000 series cubs but havent come across any.I cant wait to cut my grass! I've been mowing 2 acres by hand and with an old used up bolens 1050.

$7000 is a good price but to much more than that is a waste that could have been better spent on a S compact.

 

[fonz3482]

I agree LBrown59. Trust me i had my heart set on a j.d. 3205 w/62c mower and loader, or the kubota bx series with 60" mower and bucket when i purchased my house. But than the house and its surronding property stole my tractor savings away all in 1 week when a wicked storm torn down 2 of my trees. Then 3 days latter my septic tank top decided to cave in leaving a 4' round hole in my yard. A few weeks and roughly 5 grand latter all is fixed. Than bad things happen in three's of course, I was mowing with my bolens tractor that i inherited from my grandfather that passed recently. Im planning on restoring the tractor in his memory soon and the mower deck self destructed on me! So the tractor fund is gone and i have to make due with what i can afford right now cuz i have nothing but a push mower. I figured buy a good garden tractor and someday i will convince my dad to let me borrow his j.d. 855 with frt loader, 60" deck, and cab to keep at my house. He barely uses it but isnt ready to part with it just yet. So thats my story, I REALLY wanted the compact, but its not in the budget!

 

[LBrown59]

What model and year is your Bolens?
I have 2 850s a 1966 and a 1967

I agree LBrown59. Trust me i had my heart set on a j.d. 3205 w/62c mower and loader, or the kubota bx series with 60" mower and bucket when i purchased my house. But than the house and its surronding property stole my tractor savings away all in 1 week when a wicked storm torn down 2 of my trees. Then 3 days latter my septic tank top decided to cave in leaving a 4' round hole in my yard. A few weeks and roughly 5 grand latter all is fixed. Than bad things happen in three's of course,
I was mowing with my bolens tractor
that i inherited from my grandfather that passed recently. Im planning on restoring the tractor in his memory soon and the mower deck self destructed on me! So the tractor fund is gone and i have to make due with what i can afford right now cuz i have nothing but a push mower. I figured buy a good garden tractor and someday i will convince my dad to let me borrow his j.d. 855 with frt loader, 60" deck, and cab to keep at my house. He barely uses it but isnt ready to part with it just yet. So thats my story, I REALLY wanted the compact, but its not in the budget!

My problem is I wanted a BX1500 but I tried to get by on the cheep and bought a CC GT2554 .Nice tractor but it wasn't the BX1500 I wanted .
Wasn't satisified so I bought the BX1500 that I shoulda got in the first place.
Let me assure buying only ones of these tractors would have been thousands less than the cost of the 2 of them.
Sometimes on the cheap is anything but cheap.