Rick Jay
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2000
- Messages
- 762
- Tractor
- Kubota B2910, also Honda HT3813 with mower and front blade.
Hi all!
First of all, thanks again to all of you for your informative posts. I have learned untold volumes of information by scanning the posts on this board over the past month or so.
Here is my dilemma: I am agonizing over the decision between a Kubota B7500 or B2910. (Those of you that prefer green or blue, I apologize, but it's the orange tractors that really start my heart racing.) The selected tractor will be equipped with a loader w/toothbar, backhoe, R4's, foldable ROPS (it has to fit in the garage per the wife) and possibly a posthole digger. It will not be used to cut the lawn. My faithful 14 year old (still looks and runs like new) Honda HT3813 will have that task. I expect this to be the last tractor I purchase.
Let me give you some background on my yard: We live in an average residential area in Western Massachusetts on approximately 3/4 acre with a 150' driveway. (O.K., when you guys with the 3+ acres and 2 mile driveways are done laughing, I'd appreciate it if you would keep reading. I know my property is small, but I will be able to turn the tractor around without trespassing on any neighbors yard. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif)
The tractor would be used mostly for various excavation projects around the house, landscaping, planting/transplanting shrubs, installing a fence (probably around 400+' of fence when we're all done), and for clearing heavy snow. Our soil is hardpan and using a shovel to dig anywhere is a tortuous task. Usually a pick-ax is necessary.
With the number of excavation/renovation projects planned in the next couple of years I can justify at least 1/4 of the cost of these units on expenses we would have to pay someone else to do the work. I can justify another 1/4 or so on it's usefulness for things I haven't even thought of yet, but I'm sure will come up. The remaining 1/2 is the trouble. I just want a new toy. I love mechanical devices and think this would be quite a learning experience. (I have always done ALL of my vehicle maintenance and actually enjoy doing this type of work.) My car is in good shape and will easily get me through the next five years, so I have no difficulty in making/justifying loan payments. (I have already been approved by Kubota Credit for an amount sufficient to buy either tractor, and money really isn't too much of an issue. Well, not to me anyway, my wife would think otherwise.)
Here is the root of my dilemma. When you get right down to it, the B2910 is just a much better deal/value than the B7500. Larger loader with greater capacity, larger backhoe, almost 50% more power, plus the other little interesting conveniences. I have always bought "top of the line" in all my purchases and have never been sorry for that. However, I know the B7500 is more than enough tractor for the uses I have planned for it. I am a little concerned that the extra size of the B2910 might "scare the neighbors" everytime I take it out of the garage. On the other hand, I can very easily adopt a "screw the neighbors" attitude and go with the B2910.
I'm open to any suggestions (if you know a good shrink, I might be able to use one). What do you all think? Am I crazy? Or am I just afflicted with much the same illness many of you have also demonstrated on this board?
Should I go with the B7500 or the B2910? Is it possible that "smaller is better" for my purposes? I should add that my local dealer has been very helpful and has not pushed me one way or the other.
Thanks again for your input. This board provides a wonderful service.
~Rick
First of all, thanks again to all of you for your informative posts. I have learned untold volumes of information by scanning the posts on this board over the past month or so.
Here is my dilemma: I am agonizing over the decision between a Kubota B7500 or B2910. (Those of you that prefer green or blue, I apologize, but it's the orange tractors that really start my heart racing.) The selected tractor will be equipped with a loader w/toothbar, backhoe, R4's, foldable ROPS (it has to fit in the garage per the wife) and possibly a posthole digger. It will not be used to cut the lawn. My faithful 14 year old (still looks and runs like new) Honda HT3813 will have that task. I expect this to be the last tractor I purchase.
Let me give you some background on my yard: We live in an average residential area in Western Massachusetts on approximately 3/4 acre with a 150' driveway. (O.K., when you guys with the 3+ acres and 2 mile driveways are done laughing, I'd appreciate it if you would keep reading. I know my property is small, but I will be able to turn the tractor around without trespassing on any neighbors yard. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif)
The tractor would be used mostly for various excavation projects around the house, landscaping, planting/transplanting shrubs, installing a fence (probably around 400+' of fence when we're all done), and for clearing heavy snow. Our soil is hardpan and using a shovel to dig anywhere is a tortuous task. Usually a pick-ax is necessary.
With the number of excavation/renovation projects planned in the next couple of years I can justify at least 1/4 of the cost of these units on expenses we would have to pay someone else to do the work. I can justify another 1/4 or so on it's usefulness for things I haven't even thought of yet, but I'm sure will come up. The remaining 1/2 is the trouble. I just want a new toy. I love mechanical devices and think this would be quite a learning experience. (I have always done ALL of my vehicle maintenance and actually enjoy doing this type of work.) My car is in good shape and will easily get me through the next five years, so I have no difficulty in making/justifying loan payments. (I have already been approved by Kubota Credit for an amount sufficient to buy either tractor, and money really isn't too much of an issue. Well, not to me anyway, my wife would think otherwise.)
Here is the root of my dilemma. When you get right down to it, the B2910 is just a much better deal/value than the B7500. Larger loader with greater capacity, larger backhoe, almost 50% more power, plus the other little interesting conveniences. I have always bought "top of the line" in all my purchases and have never been sorry for that. However, I know the B7500 is more than enough tractor for the uses I have planned for it. I am a little concerned that the extra size of the B2910 might "scare the neighbors" everytime I take it out of the garage. On the other hand, I can very easily adopt a "screw the neighbors" attitude and go with the B2910.
I'm open to any suggestions (if you know a good shrink, I might be able to use one). What do you all think? Am I crazy? Or am I just afflicted with much the same illness many of you have also demonstrated on this board?
Should I go with the B7500 or the B2910? Is it possible that "smaller is better" for my purposes? I should add that my local dealer has been very helpful and has not pushed me one way or the other.
Thanks again for your input. This board provides a wonderful service.
~Rick