We have a winner!!

[deputyrpa]

This is an excrutiating decision!! Today I wrote an impact analysis and issued a public notice suppporting the permit issuance of a major expansion of a 307 acre hard rock quarry in the middle of a major city, but I can't decide between a DK45S of DK45SE HST!!! I suppose the difference is the amount of information at hand, and every day I read more and more of the posts on this site. I can't say enough to thank you all for "letting it all hang out" on this site!!

I told Rick Wallace I was going to put the order in today, but work became absolutely crazy. Earlier, I was hot for the HST, but I still felt uneasy. I took a deep breath when I got home, and went fishing at my pond with the dogs. Then, the answer became clear. It boiled down to the ability to handle ground engagement tasks, and the geared DK45S clearly wins. That's going to be where I need to get the most out of a tractor that might be on the small side for serious farming, but what's all that I can afford. After reading a lot of posts and articles about hydros earlier, it appears even the most advanced systems have power-to-the-ground limitations compared to geared tractors. Also, I will be able to perform lighter duty moving tasks as lower rpms, as needed, than I would be able to do with a hydro. Not to mention, gears last forever.

The following are all additional advantages, albeit some subtle, that pointed me to the DK45S. The 45S is less expensive (Ding-Ding!), has more PTO HP, it weighs a bit more, lifts a bit more on both ends, it can go Cat. 2, holds more diesel, and has slightly larger tires.

Also, I'll lose the loader speed of the 45SE/401 with it's increased hydraulic output, but then I gain a wee bit of structural strength and will enjoy the self-leveling of the 451. I was surprised - but after putting numbers down, I use my loader no more than 20% of operating time since I've had it (it goes for a lot of rides). I used my Jinma for the first 5 years without one. I suppose the BH90X will be a bit slower too - but with that much power, I don't really care! Kinda' like watching a Six Million Dollar Man action scene.....na-na-na-na-na-naaaa...

If I have misunderstood specs eggregiously, please let me know. Specs and all of you folks are all I have to work with. Some specs are not exactly.... uh....self-evident, but I'm sure I have it figured out. Phew!!

I'm sure this thread will give Rick some relief....I've been on him like a hobo on a ham sandwich lately!! I admire his patience!!

[wallace]

Pleaseeeeeee... everyone agree that he is making the right decision!
My wife is starting to get jelious she said I am spending more time with Mark than her

Mark is that your final answer?

[deputyrpa]

I think so.....

[mark.r]

Coming from a DK45SE owner, it sounds like you made a good choice. It should do the job for you. So when are you making that visit to Rick's?

[IXLR8]

Originally Posted by wallace

Pleaseeeeeee... everyone agree that he is making the right decision!
My wife is starting to get jelious she said I am spending more time with Mark than her

Mark is that your final answer?

He is making the right decision... it is his final answer...
Unless he shows up Saturday and test drives them both... then all bets are off.

[deputyrpa]

Thanks....it's the "Daily Affirmation" that I needed.

I suspect y'all are gonna get some big ole steaks from Rick this weekend for this......

[WSJ]

Originally Posted by wallace

Pleaseeeeeee... everyone agree that he is making the right decision!
My wife is starting to get jelious she said I am spending more time with Mark than her

Mark is that your final answer?

Gee, Rick, I'm almost sorry I put him onto you. Before he started picking your brain he was only calling me once a day. Since you started over-stimulating him with choices and prices he's been calling at all hours. I think maybe it's an incurable case of 'spec-itis. For goodness sake please sell him a tractor and feed him a hotdog so I can have some peace.

BTW I feel your pain. I've been through this with Marc on the Jinma, a number of rifles and shotguns, a couple vehicles, and if I'm not mistaken, even a coffee maker. No such thing as an impulse buy for Marc! -WSJ

[IslandTractor]

Originally Posted by WSJ

No such thing as an impulse buy for Marc! -WSJ

Sounds like my wife. I have just put patches of the seventh shade of "barn red" on the barn so she can decide which one is absolutely completely without any question at all for all eternity and no second guessing allowed perfect color.

I bought my DK40se sight unseen based on a conversation with Rick and of course experience with my CK20. No second thoughts and I love the tractor.

And, as for Marc, he may have second thoughts but the lovely thing is that either of those tractors will do a great job so there is no wrong answer.

[JoelD]

BUY THE TRACTOR. YOU CAN'T GO WRONG, RICK WON'T LET YOU GO WRONG. I'VE NEVER BROKEN A GEARBOX YET. ONLY REGRET WOULD BE NOT PURCHASING A TRACTOR. QUICK, BUY IT, BEFORE PRICES GO UP. OHHHH-NO, IS THAT SOME GUY I SEE IN THE LOT LOOKING AT YOUR NEW TRACTOR, O-NO, IS SEE HIM SITTING ON THE TRACTOR, HE'S SMILING, THE WALLET IS COMING OUT, NOW RICK IS SMILING, NOW AMY IS REALLY SMILING. HURRY UP WHILE YOU STILL HAVE TIME........

[deputyrpa]

Funny crowd, funny crowd....the only impulse buy I made was my wife! Ooohhhh.....

The guy Joel saw smiling on the tractor was me during my first out-of-body experience.... I MADE THE DEAL WITH RICK TODAY! No second thoughts, all dreamy tractor visions. I have to be confident in my well-researched decisions...I never want to see those creepy guys in white coats ever again. Man....the back of that dark van smelled like someone's foot....

Oh...and by the way WSJ (the "W" stands for Wise-***), that was the coffee grinder. A 1 HP titanium-burred Italian beauty.....except....well....it's too big to fit in the kitchen. My wife wouldn't let me design the kitchen around the coffee stuff. BUT it works great and doesn't permanently damage the cork floor.

A pig, a polar bear and Madonna walk into a bar....bartender says "Hey - is this some sort of joke?"

Double cheeseburger with bacon Rick!