Diesel vs. Gas - X700 Series Tractor's Mathematical Comparison

[zzvyb6]

I don't need a tax number to buy off-road diesel. I go to the off-road pump, fill a couple of 5 gal fuel containers, pay the man, and leave. Besides the cost, the risk of a fire from gas stored or shelved is higher. I'm not afraid of filling up my diesel tanks when I run low during mowing. With gas, I am. Plus, I have not seen that many 72" decks available for gasoline powered mowers. 50 and 60's, yes. With my 72" deck, it's one pass along the driveway on each side and a down and back on the roadsides. My gas mower needed more passes --> more time = more gas = more money.

 

[murphy1244]

Yeah, that is what I am getting rid of and replacing it with the X728. My mother along with other family members do not feel safe running the Scag Tiger Cat I have.

Why is that? They are closer to the ground and much more stable. If I Didn't need to move snow I would have a zero turn.

 

[eagle107]

I don't need a tax number to buy off-road diesel. I go to the off-road pump, fill a couple of 5 gal fuel containers, pay the man, and leave. Besides the cost, the risk of a fire from gas stored or shelved is higher. I'm not afraid of filling up my diesel tanks when I run low during mowing. With gas, I am. Plus, I have not seen that many 72" decks available for gasoline powered mowers. 50 and 60's, yes. With my 72" deck, it's one pass along the driveway on each side and a down and back on the roadsides. My gas mower needed more passes --> more time = more gas = more money.

I can too for the same price as on-road diesel. The only way I can get off-road diesel cheaper is to have a NY tax number registered with the gas station selling the off-road diesel. Also, the closest station that sells off-road diesel is 20 miles away when the station that sells on-road is less than a mile away.

 

[eagle107]

Why is that? They are closer to the ground and much more stable. If I Didn't need to move snow I would have a zero turn.

It seems not everyone can run equipment the same. Some people are very nervous running some types of equipment. At the moment, my family believes it will be safer and easier to use a lawn tractor. Seeing that I am 400 miles away and they are keeping up the property, I will get them what they need.

 

[eagle107]

eagle 107,
I do the vast majority of my work with the x749, 4520 and 110tlb, all diesel and one fuel setup. I have one 2 1/2 gallon gas can with 2 cycle mix for the string trimmers, saws and blowers. Whether you go gas or diesel is a personal preference imo, the diesel has more power than I need for mowing but comes in handy for the ground engagement tasks I do.

I recommend you go with which ever one you prefer the most, that is as good a reason as any.

Steve,

The difference here is that you use your X749 for your work and generating money from it. It totally makes sense why you have your X749.

I went with the diesel for the fuel economy. I was constantly stopping to re-fuel my garden tractor and i planned on keeping my tractor for many years and figured the diesel would go double or more hours before requiring an overhaul. The torque, rattle and diesel oder are added bonuses.

Guys,

I really like diesel engines and never had a Yanmar engine before (always had Shibaura diesels) and I am interested to see how this "mini-max" diesel engine runs. I have till February 23th to decide which tractor to go with. I think I will finance it this time for 12 months at 0%, so it will cost $79.13 more for the diesel a month. I guess you only live once, but I will still be $900 to $1000 in the hole after 10 to 15 years, ugh!

 

[Gittyup]

Yeah, if you are buying diesel thinking you save money, you would be wrong in most situations. However, the diesel does deliver more torque, you don't have fuel ethanol issues, and you will get more hours out of the engine. Gassers can last a very long time, though. I'm at 1100 hours and 19 years, hoping to get another 1100 hours on my 425. I do change oil every 25 hours and keep the air filter clean. Still runs like new and plenty of power for my needs.

 

[murphy1244]

It seems not everyone can run equipment the same. Some people are very nervous running some types of equipment. At the moment, my family believes it will be safer and easier to use a lawn tractor. Seeing that I am 400 miles away and they are keeping up the property, I will get them what they need.

Then you got to go with the flow.

 

[aczlan]

Plus, I have not seen that many 72" decks available for gasoline powered mowers. 50 and 60's, yes. With my 72" deck, it's one pass along the driveway on each side and a down and back on the roadsides. My gas mower needed more passes --> more time = more gas = more money.

Exmark, Deere and Scag all make 72" gas mowers.
Exmark Lazer Z S-Series ECV749 EFI KOHLER WITH 72" ULTRACUT SERIES 4 DECK (LZS749EKC724)
Deere Z950A
Scag Cheeta

Having run a pair of otherwise identical Exmark mowers with 72" and 60" decks side by side in a commercial setting, I found that in many cases the 60" will leave a nicer cut with less scalping than the 72" but the 72" will get more ground covered in less time.

Aaron Z

 

[Deere Dude]

It seems not everyone can run equipment the same. Some people are very nervous running some types of equipment. At the moment, my family believes it will be safer and easier to use a lawn tractor. Seeing that I am 400 miles away and they are keeping up the property, I will get them what they need.

There isn't a much easier thing to run that a X7XX garden tractor. If around ponds or anything dangerous and I would stick with a garden tractor for them also because the controls are more touchy on a front mount. Everybody can run those easily.

 

[eagle107]

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Yeah, if you are buying diesel thinking you save money, you would be wrong in most situations. However, the diesel does deliver more torque, you don't have fuel ethanol issues, and you will get more hours out of the engine. Gassers can last a very long time, though. I'm at 1100 hours and 19 years, hoping to get another 1100 hours on my 425. I do change oil every 25 hours and keep the air filter clean. Still runs like new and plenty of power for my needs.

Yeah, my uncle has used a JD 445 for the last 12 year with no issues and only has 592 hour on it. The Kawasaki FD620D EFI engine in the 445 has been a very good and does not seem to burn much gas. My uncle thinks I am crazy to get a diesel for such a small tractor especially when it will only be used 50 hours a year. I tend to agree since the extra $1000 for the X748 could run the X728 for 5.5 years. As he says, we have the diesel engines in the in our JD 3520 and JD 4520 CUTs and we just do not need diesel engines in tractors this size for what we are going to be doing with them. When you think about it, he is right and that newer Kawasaki FD750D EFI engine will easily run 12+ years as long as it is maintained properly.

Exmark, Deere and Scag all make 72" gas mowers.
Exmark Lazer Z S-Series ECV749 EFI KOHLER WITH 72" ULTRACUT SERIES 4 DECK (LZS749EKC724)
Deere Z950A
Scag Cheeta

Having run a pair of otherwise identical Exmark mowers with 72" and 60" decks side by side in a commercial setting, I found that in many cases the 60" will leave a nicer cut with less scalping than the 72" but the 72" will get more ground covered in less time.

Aaron Z

Aaron Z,

I agree that the 60" deck is the way to go. The Scag has a 52" deck and it has a great cut, but it is a little small. I think the 60" 7-Iron deck is the sweet spot for what I need and to provide a good cut. All the bigger stuff I can handle with the 84" Woods deck.

I did see that Hustler now has a Super Z running a 104" deck on it (Super 104 they call it) using a Kawasaki FX1000 gas EFI engine. I wonder how that quality of that cut would be? It does look pretty neat though. Hustler Turf Products - Industrial Mowers - Super 104 *NEW*