ritmatt
Member
Hi there,
I am moving my family to a house on a 1.5 acre lot soon, and I'm in the market for a small tractor or mower for the first time. The new lawn is mostly weeds right now, but there are lots of small trees and shrubs planted around the perimeter of the property. Over the next several years, I hope to get the place looking like a park! I've settled on the John Deere brand, but I really don't know what kind of tractor I should get.
First and foremost, I think I need a really good mower. One with a diesel engine would be ideal. I wanted a zero turn to cut around trees and lots of curved beds, but I also want a wagon for hauling firewood and shrubs around the yard, but it doesn't seem like most zero turns have factory hitches. I don't like the idea of hiring somebody to weld an aftermarket hitch to my shiny, expensive zero turn, either.
Then I found the X749. Diesel, 4WD and 4 wheel steering. And it comes with a hitch, so I can pull a wagon. It even looks like I could get a loader, a spreader, and a sprayer. Those things would all be handy to have as I create my "park".
I went to my local JD dealer and told them I wanted to look at the X700s. The salesman didn't seem to think the X700 was available with a diesel engine. Besides, he said, if I was going to spend that kind of money, I'd be a lot better off with a 1023 or 1026R. Hydraulic implements instead of electric solenoid. Better resale value. Heavier duty attachments.
I'm thinking, "Wow, if I had the 1026R and a bunch of attachments, I could dig trenches for my sprinkler system, clear out a parking pad and a garden area, move big rocks around for building steps and walkways, dig up and replant shrubs - anything I want! But I might be spending $15-20K instead of $5-10K. Plus I'd need to build a bigger shed to keep the 102x dry."
So at this point, I really don't know what I want. I've heard the zero turns have the fastest cutting tip speeds and therefore have the best cut for lawns. And maybe there's a way to get a factory hitch - I'm not sure. Or maybe I ought to get an X500 or X700 series tractor, knowing that I could always rent something bigger if I were working on a project. Or, maybe the 1026R is the dream, do-it-all machine. But is it really a very good mower? That's what I was looking for when I started. Whatever I do, if I get it right the first time, I shouldn't have to worry about resale value. I'll take good care of it and will drive it as long as it will go.
What to do, Internet? What to do?
Thanks for any suggestions.
Matt
I am moving my family to a house on a 1.5 acre lot soon, and I'm in the market for a small tractor or mower for the first time. The new lawn is mostly weeds right now, but there are lots of small trees and shrubs planted around the perimeter of the property. Over the next several years, I hope to get the place looking like a park! I've settled on the John Deere brand, but I really don't know what kind of tractor I should get.
First and foremost, I think I need a really good mower. One with a diesel engine would be ideal. I wanted a zero turn to cut around trees and lots of curved beds, but I also want a wagon for hauling firewood and shrubs around the yard, but it doesn't seem like most zero turns have factory hitches. I don't like the idea of hiring somebody to weld an aftermarket hitch to my shiny, expensive zero turn, either.
Then I found the X749. Diesel, 4WD and 4 wheel steering. And it comes with a hitch, so I can pull a wagon. It even looks like I could get a loader, a spreader, and a sprayer. Those things would all be handy to have as I create my "park".
I went to my local JD dealer and told them I wanted to look at the X700s. The salesman didn't seem to think the X700 was available with a diesel engine. Besides, he said, if I was going to spend that kind of money, I'd be a lot better off with a 1023 or 1026R. Hydraulic implements instead of electric solenoid. Better resale value. Heavier duty attachments.
I'm thinking, "Wow, if I had the 1026R and a bunch of attachments, I could dig trenches for my sprinkler system, clear out a parking pad and a garden area, move big rocks around for building steps and walkways, dig up and replant shrubs - anything I want! But I might be spending $15-20K instead of $5-10K. Plus I'd need to build a bigger shed to keep the 102x dry."
So at this point, I really don't know what I want. I've heard the zero turns have the fastest cutting tip speeds and therefore have the best cut for lawns. And maybe there's a way to get a factory hitch - I'm not sure. Or maybe I ought to get an X500 or X700 series tractor, knowing that I could always rent something bigger if I were working on a project. Or, maybe the 1026R is the dream, do-it-all machine. But is it really a very good mower? That's what I was looking for when I started. Whatever I do, if I get it right the first time, I shouldn't have to worry about resale value. I'll take good care of it and will drive it as long as it will go.
What to do, Internet? What to do?
Thanks for any suggestions.
Matt