Buying Advice Kubota BX vs. MF2400 vs. Simplicity Legacy XL

[cpb]

I would like to get some feedback from everyone out there with experience with subcompact tractors. My "poor man" version of a JD lawn tractor (Scotts made by JD) conked out on me after the second big snowstorm of the season. After nine years of hard mowing and snow blowing, the motor finally quit, despite regular maintenance. I just worked it too hard, but it lasted longer than any of my neighbors mowers.

I had thought about upgrading to a subcompact, since my yard is so steep it puts a lot of strain on a lawn tractor. I started looking at a MF2400, with a 60" MMM and a 50" snow blower. I don't have a need for a FEL. My local dealer quoted me $17,914 (w/tax), which seemed steep.

That dealer also had a 2009 Simplicity Legacy XL 4WD with a 27 HP LC Kawasaki motor. It looks more like a garden tractor on steroids than a subcompact, but it is solidly built. I was impressed with it, but once you add the 60" MMM and a 47" snowblower, the cost w/ tax is $15,263.

That was still cheaper by about $1,500 than the JD 2305 with comparable equipment.

On a whim, I checked with the local kubota dealer. They quoted a BX1860 with a 54" MMM and 51" snowblower for $13,750 w/tax and a BX2360 with a 60" MMM and 51" snowblower for $15,529 w/ tax.

My thought is that the BX2360 is a better choice of over all of the other choices for the money. It seems like a great deal, especially with 0% financing for 60 months!

I am wondering if I could get by with the BX1860. That would save me approximately $1,500, but I'm nervous about not having enough HP for the tractor. 18 HP seems low.

I welcome any thoughts on the Kubota pricing and the BX1860 vs. the BX2360.

Thanks...

[timswi]

I'd go with either of the kubota's.

I would think that either one would work well for you. ~18HP diesel is more than it sounds. The 2360 gives you ~6 or so more HP. If you're going through 3 ft snow with the blower, I'd step up to the bigger one. The last thing you want is to be disapointed when you spend this kind of money.

Both are outstanding machines either way that you go.

[gc2310]

I'd suggest either the Massey or kubota. But also make sure you compare apples to apples. I'm thinking that theres a fair difference between your models.

[TripleR]

I would go with the kubota; as good as the JD, I have one, and cheaper. I have had two BXs and they are great lawn mowers and will do lots more.

[JOHNTHOMAS]

kubota, of course. I don't think I'd give any advise between the 2 Kubotas without knowing, at least, where you live snow wise. Also how much property your maintaining and if you absolutely will never do anything with it other than mow and blow snow. When I bought my first tractor I felt I was wasting money on the FEL and now after 6 years the MMM is the primary function of my tractor and the FEL is a close second. If you ever have any need for the FEL, now is the time to add it while getting the 0% financing. The BX1860 with FEL isn't or shouldn't be to far from the Price of the BX2360 without FEL. Contact Barlows concerning price because your prices look a bit high to me.

[LBrown59]

1*I would like to get some feedback from everyone out there with experience with subcompact tractors
I had thought about upgrading to a subcompact, since my yard is so steep it puts a lot of strain on a lawn tractor.
2*I started looking at a MF2400, with a 60" MMM and a 50" snow blower. I don't have a need for a FEL. My local dealer quoted me $17,914 (w/tax), which seemed steep.
3**That dealer also had a 2009 Simplicity Legacy XL 4WD with a 27 HP LC Kawasaki motor.
4*It looks more like a garden tractor on steroids than a subcompact, but it is solidly built. I was impressed with it, but once you add the 60" MMM and a 47" snowblower, the cost w/ tax is $15,263.
5*That was still cheaper by about $1,500 than the JD 2305 with comparable equipment.
6*On a whim, I checked with the local kubota dealer. They quoted a BX1860 with a 54" MMM and 51" snowblower for $13,750 w/tax and a BX2360 with a 60" MMM and 51" snowblower for $15,529 w/ tax.
7*My thought is that the BX2360 is a better choice over all of the other choices for the money. It seems like a great deal, especially with 0% financing for 60 months!
8* I am wondering if I could get by with the BX1860. That would save me approximately $1,500, but I'm nervous about not having enough HP for the tractor.
9*18 HP seems low.
10* I welcome any thoughts on the Kubota pricing and the BX1860 vs. the BX2360.Thanks...

1* Here you go.
2* Sub compact.
3*Garden Tractor
4*That's because that's what it really is.
5*Sub compact
6* Sub compacts
7*That depends.
8*Again it depends on what you want a tractor to do.
9*It's way more than you think it is. It's amazing what my BX1500 with just 15 HP will do.
10*I bought a new BX23 [yesterdays version of the BX2360 with a BH on it.] in 2004.
I have done all kinds of projects with it and liked it so well that I bought 2 BX1500 [tractors yesterdays version of the BX1860].
Within two weeks of using them I realized I could have done every thing I'd done with the BX23 except for the BH work; with the BX1500 with only 15 horse power.

[dodge man]

Trust me, you have a need for a FEL. I said the same thing when I bought my BX, and in 3 weeks I ordered the FEL. Now that I have it, I wouldn't be without it.

Don't worry about the horsepower. Either machine will work great, you just have to decide how much money you want to spend. If you can afford it, more power is always better.

[bx24d]

We could go on and on for days and get further and further from helping you decide.....or....we could ask to hear what your tractor tasks are.

[cpb]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I will use the tractor mainly for cutting 2.5 acres of grass, tilling the garden, and snowblowing.

I live in Maryland and usually the snow isn't too bad. This year, we got over 80" inches of snow. I have about 1000 feet of paved driveway to clear, so a snowblower is definitely on my list. I'm not going to use a walk behind snowblower.

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I will use the tractor mainly for cutting 2.5 acres of grass, tilling the garden, and snowblowing.

I live in Maryland and usually the snow isn't too bad. This year, we got over 80" inches of snow. I have about 1000 feet of paved driveway to clear, so a snowblower is definitely on my list. I'm not going to use a walk behind snowblower.

Now that you've told your uses, the BX1860 will do all of your jobs. If you have a bit of the Tim the Toolman personality of "MORE POWER" then go for the BX2360 but you do realize there is a bigger one above that one and a bigger one above that one and on and on. The BX1860 will do all of your jobs just as well as the BX2360, but ......"more power".