Looking to purchase my first SCUT need advice

[newbury]

Kubota, all the way. Can't ignore the re sale price when you are ready to move on.

It's very easy to ignore resale price if when you "move on" (get a bigger tractor) you keep the original Kubota because it will still be in good running condition.

 

[tman1020]

I would strongly consider a compact instead is a sub compact with that size of property. You will be surprised at how many things you will use your tractor for other than mowing.

 

[sdef]

I would strongly consider a compact instead is a sub compact with that size of property. You will be surprised at how many things you will use your tractor for other than mowing.

Absolutely. I think a zero turn mower for the grass and a CUT with FEL for everything else. My CUT is used for so many things around the house from a primary tool for processing firewood I cut on my property and need the full 2750# lift capacity of, to maintaining the driveway and any general heavy lifting. No clue what I did without it previously and nothing smaller would have done the jobs it was tasked with.

On the other hand, I would ALSO like to have a SCUT for the small jobs in confined areas my current CUT would not work well with. But, I only had the money for one fully equipped tractor with a bunch of high quality implements and a CUT was the obvious choice for my needs.

Many on TBN will echo the comment that in general it is far easier to get a tractor too small for the long-term tasks at hand than it is to get one too large to be useful.

 

[jeff9366]

It is far easier to get a tractor too small for the long-term tasks at hand than it is to get one too large to be useful.

Yes, often stated but particularly clearly in this instance.

 

[TigerDMD]

I'm certainly not opposed to a larger CUT, but I worry that the size will be prohibitive to what my primary function will be: maintaining the lawn (good grass near the house). And I really would prefer to only have 1 machine for now. I'm just not familiar enough with LS or mahindra. I did find some dealers close enough that I'll reach out to this week to inquire about the respective SCUT models they sell.

 

[KYDan]

I am a diehard Kubota fan and have had several over the years, their resale value is really excellent. If you are operating on a budget and can really only afford one machine at present the BX is an excellent choice although it is small for the acreage that you have. Bearing that in mind if you decide you need a larger tractor later on as well as a zero turn or another dedicated mower you can sell or trade the BX for a larger machine and/or a dedicated mower. Good luck and enjoy the search, sit on different machines and ask for a demonstration. It doesn't hurt to shop different brands. Talk to people in your area about the dealers. Service after the sale is critical unless you are a dedicated do it yourselfer and have the time and tools to repair machinery. Determine how long the dealer(s) have been in business. Be an informed consumer.

 

[davesl708]

As others have mentioned. There are several good choices. As to 5-10yrs down the road you can only guess. Get on several tractors. Fit and feel will be very important as you will be spending a lot of time in the seat. Having a tractor that is comfortable and the controls where you can get to them easily makes the seat time more enjoyable. Operating a tractor should not be work.

Good luck.
I still love my BX.

 

[sdef]

As others have mentioned. There are several good choices. As to 5-10yrs down the road you can only guess. Get on several tractors. Fit and feel will be very important as you will be spending a lot of time in the seat. Having a tractor that is comfortable and the controls where you can get to them easily makes the seat time more enjoyable. Operating a tractor should not be work.

Good luck.
I still love my BX.

+1. The Mahindra in my tractor size fit me perfectly but was out of my price range, as was Kubota and Deere. I was then torn between a comparable LS and Kioti. The dealers were four hours apart and I test drove and investigated over several months. It was a very hard decision for me but finally went with the Kioti as the operator's station just felt more logical to how I do things- just fit me better. Not to mention the extreme convenience of the 3PH operation by a separate control at the rear, accessible from the ground when hooking up attachments.

My dealer is three + hours away, but that is not a concern for me as I purchased a quality piece of equipment and perform my own maintenance work anyway. There is a different Kioti dealer 1/2 this distance from me, but I prefer mine.

I had an initial service call with the dealer over the phone troubleshooting to narrow my issue down to a hydraulic quick disconnect (QD) fitting that apparently was not seated completely. My excellent dealer was to the point of sending a truck down to pickup my tractor at his expense, and then we found the errant QD fitting that was causing erratic grapple operation. Since then. all has been very smooth and reliable and my tractor has been used to its maximum capabilities every time it has been running.

 

[Olympus]

LS is a very established and reputable tractor. They have been making the Boomer series tractor for New Holland for many years. New Holland wouldn't have used LS tractors if they were not high quality. With LS, you will get more machine and more capabilities for your your dollar when compared with other brands.

Kioti was my second choice when I was looking to buy.

 

[Creamer]

My first question is WHY a SCUT? My 1710 came with the house and it is great. The only thing I would change about it would that it have a little more power. I have 18 acres, 12 of which are under water, but I would not want anything smaller - possibly a few more horses but the size and weight is perfect. You will be sorry you didn't. The SCUTS are for the 1-5 acre parcels - you are way past that.

Also - get a ZTR. Driving over the grass with any tractor tire prior to cutting it will not leave a nice smooth cut and once you get some trees in you will really appreciate the maneuverability of a ZTR.

You have received a lot of brand advice - most of it good. There are a lot of reliable brands out there - you won't be working it hard so none of them should be a problem. It is always better to have a few more horses than you think you will need.