Olympus
Platinum Member
Hopefully this is the correct section. Forgive me if it's not, as I'm not completely familiar with the classifications. Let me start out by saying we just bought a house with 6 acres (3.5 lawn and 2.5 woods). I would like a small tractor to use for mowing so that I have the option of larger attachments in the future as money becomes available. I'm thinking a 48" brush hog to keep the woods clear and a 42" or 48" rototiller for a nice size garden. Mowing will be the number one priority though. I found two tractors for sale that I like equally as much. Both have their pros and cons, but hopefully by explaining my intended uses I can get some expert opinion on which direction I should consider more. Both tractors are absolutely primo in terms of condition. Almost look brand spanking new and neither have been restored.
1986 JD 650 with MFWD, 60" factory belly mower, turf tires in good shape, 1200 hours, always garage kept, serviced at JD dealership, battery tender hookup, and ROPS for $5500. The only negative disclosed is that the ignition key occasionally won't turn the motor over. Owner says that you have to turn the key a couple times to get it to turn over when this happens. Motor starts without any problems, sounds like a short in the ignition to me. Not sure how serious that is.
1989 JD 750 with MFWD, 48" finish mower that needs a new belt, ag tires in good shape, only 350 hours, always garage kept, ROPS for $7500. Nothing negative about the tractor at all, finish mower is in so-so shape, but it's mounted to the 3pt rather than a belly like I'm used to.
So which is the better buy? And would one be better suited for my intended uses than the other? The kicker is that I only have $7000 (might be able to borrow an additional $500 if the 750 seller is firm on the price, but this would not be preferable) to spend and that's completely wiping me out for money, so whatever I end up with needs to be able to function as a primary mower right off the bat. Like I said, I like both tractors equally, and they both have their pros and cons. I like the lower hours of the 750 and the bigger motor, but I'm concerned the finish mower may not be as good for mowing my yard and the price wipes me out if something needs replacing on the finish mower. I like the 650 because it has a factory JD belly mower that is much wider than the mower on the 750 and price is MUCH more affordable right now, but I'm concerned the 650 may have too many hours and might not be big enough for my needs.
1986 JD 650 with MFWD, 60" factory belly mower, turf tires in good shape, 1200 hours, always garage kept, serviced at JD dealership, battery tender hookup, and ROPS for $5500. The only negative disclosed is that the ignition key occasionally won't turn the motor over. Owner says that you have to turn the key a couple times to get it to turn over when this happens. Motor starts without any problems, sounds like a short in the ignition to me. Not sure how serious that is.
1989 JD 750 with MFWD, 48" finish mower that needs a new belt, ag tires in good shape, only 350 hours, always garage kept, ROPS for $7500. Nothing negative about the tractor at all, finish mower is in so-so shape, but it's mounted to the 3pt rather than a belly like I'm used to.
So which is the better buy? And would one be better suited for my intended uses than the other? The kicker is that I only have $7000 (might be able to borrow an additional $500 if the 750 seller is firm on the price, but this would not be preferable) to spend and that's completely wiping me out for money, so whatever I end up with needs to be able to function as a primary mower right off the bat. Like I said, I like both tractors equally, and they both have their pros and cons. I like the lower hours of the 750 and the bigger motor, but I'm concerned the finish mower may not be as good for mowing my yard and the price wipes me out if something needs replacing on the finish mower. I like the 650 because it has a factory JD belly mower that is much wider than the mower on the 750 and price is MUCH more affordable right now, but I'm concerned the 650 may have too many hours and might not be big enough for my needs.