This is a great post.
So here is my current situation. My 1989 John Deere 655 decided to have a full on meltdown last January and burned itself and a 20x25 building down. This was my glorified tool shed and I lost my new JD mower and all my yard tools ladders ect. Long and short of it is I cranked the living crap out of it and she still didn't start after 10 minutes. 20 minutes later the building was on fire. I already miss my little green tractor.
I'm out and about shopping now. I have my choices narrowed down to the JD 1025r and the MF 1720. I don't have a need for a mower or anything. I am looking for just a bucket and hoe. I will do some tilling in the spring and fall. Only have 2 acres but I am a hobby landscaper and yard worker. It will all get used!
I recently found out about the Massey. Stopped at my local Massey dealer and gave one a look over and a short test drive. Things I liked, were the small dealer feel. Its in the heart of grape country and grape and fruit farms. The dealer has been there as long as I can remember and I am 42. When I asked for a write up slip on the costs the salesman emailed me a scan of a sales slip with handwritten figures. No 5 page write up like JD. Straight numbers and to the point. $16917 out the door with 4.99% interest rate.
PROS: metal hood, I keep reading the hoe has more power and reach, floating hoe bucket.
CONS: seat is was uncomfortable and steering wheel felt like it was a long reach. I had to hunch over. Position of the joystick was not as nice as a new JD and my 20 year old Deere for that matter. Front bucket seemed small. Defiantly smaller than my old tractor.
Then I went and looked at a new 1025r. Walking into a JD dealer is like walking into a new car dealer. Spit shined and polished glairing green everywhere. I already looked these over a year prior and knew all the answers from before. The out the door price on the unit was $21,580. When I first seen it I was like dang that looks bigger than the Massey. As soon as I sat in the seat I was like WOW! Such a better feel. The joystick was familiar and better than my old Deere.
PROS: Seat was much more comfortable, Ergonomics all around, Grill guard was much bigger than Massey,
CONS: $4663 more. Plastic plastic and more plastic.
Now I am up in the air. I was hooked on the Massey and kinda had sworn off Deere for the GREEN = GREEN. But after sitting on one and driving it I was blown away. Would I pay $4000+ more for a better seat and steering wheel? No not really. Would I pay that for the flash and show that JD probably has figured into every sale? No I wouldn't.
Am I going to regret the Massey in the long run? 10+ years?
