X729 or X749

[jkadylak]

I am currenlty looking at purchasing a X729 or a X749. I will primarily be using this garden tractor for mowing and blowing snow, so I don't see any need to go with a 2305. I have appoximately 5 acres of land and will be mowing about 1 acre of it. There are a lot of trees, hills and obstacles so I know I want the AWS. Also, the driveway is a little over 500 feet long with a lot of bends & turns and a steep hill. Could anyone tell me if the diesel is worth the extra money? I am mostly concerned about blowing snow. I live in Niorthern Michigan and we get a lot of snow. Does the torque offered by the diesel engine make a big difference? Also, does the diesel have a much better resale value when compared to the gas engine. The gas engine is rated at a higher horsepower (27 hp for the gas vs 24 hp for the diesel) and the gas engine is $1000 less than the diesel engine. Any input or experience with these would be greatly appreciated.

 

[beenthere]

:welcome:
Go for the diesel, as they are much better on fuel intake and they are 3 cyl so quieter. Last longer than the gas too.
And as you mentioned, the resale value is higher for the above reasons.
I have both the gas fuel injected and the diesel (mine in the older 445 and the 455), but the diesel is the better of the two, hands down.

And a big plus for the AWS too. I wouldn't be without the AWS as they handle sidehills so much better and get around very near as easy as the ZTR's.
They are well built and last a long time too.

 

[jenkinsph]

I suspect it is a personal call, both machines will work for you. I prefer the diesel engines and have had good luck with the Yanmar diesel in my 110tlb so I chose the x749. Been very satisfied with it too. Since I haven't spent equal time operating an x729 it would be hard to comment on the differences.

I will say I have been amazed how well the x749 has performed, I have a 3PH and rear 540 pto and several attachments. It does a better job with 4 to 6' implements than I would have thought. Mowing on hillsides seems very stabile and on flat areas you can mow pretty fast.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[rubadub]

I have a x728 and blow snow and run a 647 tiller, and can attest to the power, it has way more power then you need with the Kawasaki Twin.

If you understand diesels and understand where to get your fuel and what additive or additives you might need, the Yanmar diesel imported from Japan is a really good motor.

I have never had a diesel so all I know is what I have read on the different tractor forums.

You will pay more per gallon for diesel fuel but the diesel uses less fuel per hour then the gasoline motor.

I only put 9 hours a year on my x728 because I don't cut the grass with it, and storing diesel fuel or leaving it in the tractor would have been something I would have to learn what works.

I use Stabil in all my lawn and garden tractors and whatever and I have never had to change plugs or work on carbs ever in the last 25 years or more.

I love this x728, its just a lot more tractor then what I thought it would be.

One thing I believe I would do if I was thinking about a diesel, is start one up when its cold out and see how long it takes to warm up, the reason I'm mentioning this is most of them are in a cold building in the winter, especially Traverse City, I used to live in Copemish.


So if you have an attached garage and it has to set for a minute or two it could smoke things up a little, anyway the Kawasaki with the electronic fuel injection, it starts instantly and you could ease it out of the garage pretty quickly where sometimes a diesel will shake a little then you have to clean it out a little, but I would bet not all of them are slow warmer uppers, but to repeat I have never had the orange can.

Hope this gives you a little more insight.

Rob

 

[rubadub]

Heres a video when I tilled the back yard with the x728, as you can see it doesn't lurch at all or even grunt in virgin sod, the Kawasaki Twin just pulls hard with no effort.

Heres the video [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr4SF8tEb4c[/ame]

Rob

 

[rubadub]

I guess I could mention this also, I have a heater in the cab, its like a car heater.

It can be below zero with a good wind and snowing sideways and I can run the heater on low with just a shirt on and the inside the cab stays nice and toasty and the windows don't fog up.

I'm not sure what the diesel does as for what temperature it runs at or how well it circulates the water through the heater core, but I believe the diesel takes a little longer to warm up.

I have lots of tilling and snowblowing videos on my website below with the x728, we flat out love this tractor.

Also lots of still pictures.

Rob

 

[rubadub]

Did I mention the Kawasaki Twin will throw the snow a good 50' and it doesn't even grunt.

Rob

 

[rubadub]

Last thing here.

This is my 68 year old wife blowing snow with the x728, she loves it, and you will never need chains on ice or snow they just go.

Rob

 

[jkadylak]

Thanks for the input. I am planning on getting a mid level cab with a heater too. I was looking at the glass windshield cab with soft side doors. I spoke with a dealer today and they said that if I choose the gas engine and add the heater, I should then upgrade the alternator for another $350.00 since only the diesel comes with this HD alternator. Did you need to do this? If this is needed, it might steer me towards the diesel since the cost to upgrade is actually only $650.00 when I consider having to upgrade the alternator on the gas model.

 

[TimS]

I have a 455, which is a less fancy version of the 749 (diesel).

Benefits of the diesel:

- much better fuel economy (about half the GPH of the gas version)
- longer life - should go about 3000 hours vs. 1000 or so for the Kawi
- no worries about ethanol and stale gas

Drawbacks:

- noisier
- smells like a diesel (d'oh)
- more expensive initially

What's basically the same:

- power
- cold weather starting
- amount of maintenance required

Personally, I like my diesel, which I got from my Dad. I put about 40 hours a year on it, and it seems to go forever on a tank of fuel. Would I pay an extra $1000 for it? Not sure.

Tim

 

[jkadylak]

I have a 455, which is a less fancy version of the 749 (diesel).

Benefits of the diesel:

- much better fuel economy (about half the GPH of the gas version)
- longer life - should go about 3000 hours vs. 1000 or so for the Kawi
- no worries about ethanol and stale gas

Drawbacks:

- noisier
- smells like a diesel (d'oh)
- more expensive initially

What's basically the same:

- power
- cold weather starting
- amount of maintenance required

Personally, I like my diesel, which I got from my Dad. I put about 40 hours a year on it, and it seems to go forever on a tank of fuel. Would I pay an extra $1000 for it? Not sure.

Tim

Thanks for the input. Did I mention I have trouble making a decision? :confused2: The smell of the diesel is a bit of a concern too. I will be keeping it an attached garage and don't want the odor making its way into the house. Aside from this, the odor doesn't bother me.

 

[rsewill]

Once you go Diesel you'll never go back. I park mine (Deere 4100) in an attached garage and when I snow blow I plug in the block heater as well as the hydro heater for an hour or two. I start and let the engine warm up a minute no matter whether it is -40 or +40 and then let it roar. Because I have the garage door open wide it airs out right away. And it is easy on fuel. Our last snow was 6" of heavy wet stuff. I did 20 driveways (each only 40 - 50 feet long) in eight hours on about six gallons of fuel.

 

[TimS]

Thanks for the input. Did I mention I have trouble making a decision? :confused2: The smell of the diesel is a bit of a concern too. I will be keeping it an attached garage and don't want the odor making its way into the house. Aside from this, the odor doesn't bother me.

I love the smell of Diesel in the morning... but my wife feels differently. On the other hand, she's none too fond of the smell of gas either!

If you're down to a $650 net difference, I'd be inclined to go for the 749.

Tim

 

[beenthere]

Both my diesels (4300 and 455) spend the winters in the shed with no heat and no block heater. Both start at anytime when needed to plow or blow snow. They preheat and smoke very little. Start them up and go, never have spent any time sitting to "warm up". That gets done in the first few hundred feet of the drive.
Yanmars are good engines, for sure.

 

[rubadub]

Thanks for the input. I am planning on getting a mid level cab with a heater too. I was looking at the glass windshield cab with soft side doors. I spoke with a dealer today and they said that if I choose the gas engine and add the heater, I should then upgrade the alternator for another $350.00 since only the diesel comes with this HD alternator. Did you need to do this? If this is needed, it might steer me towards the diesel since the cost to upgrade is actually only $650.00 when I consider having to upgrade the alternator on the gas model.

You don't need the upgrade with the gas engine and heater.

I don't cut the grass with it just blow snow and till.

Heres what I bought right off my original purchase order.

John Deere X728 tractor

John Deere 47 2-stage snowblower

John deere 647 3-pt hitch tiller

John Deere hard side cab

6-R66949 weights

BM20714 click - go bracket

BM20779 weight bracket

BM22286 3-pt hitch

BM21914 540 pto

BM21480 heater

BM20930 fuse panel

BM20914 wiper

Thats everything, but I haven't added anything to the tractor like extra lights and what not, I had a salesman that had been selling John Deeres for 35 years and he ordered what I needed and it turned out perfect.

If your going to get out on the road at the end of your driveway I would get a pretty strong strobe light for sure otherwise you might get hit.

I won't take mine into the street when the city salts and sands it, just to the edge and I do the edge of the street and mailbox with a walk behind Toro.

Ask your salesman if you need the alternator upgrade for an additional strobe light. You sure don't need it for the setup I have.

Rob

 

[rubadub]

Once you go Diesel you'll never go back. I park mine (Deere 4100) in an attached garage and when I snow blow I plug in the block heater as well as the hydro heater for an hour or two. I start and let the engine warm up a minute no matter whether it is -40 or +40 and then let it roar. Because I have the garage door open wide it airs out right away. And it is easy on fuel. Our last snow was 6" of heavy wet stuff. I did 20 driveways (each only 40 - 50 feet long) in eight hours on about six gallons of fuel.

What is a hydro heater and what runs it?

Rob

 

[rubadub]

As I mentioned earlier if you understand diesels and the glow plugs and things like that then a diesel might be the one you want, but keep in mind after the warranty is out and when it needs repair it will be more costly to get it worked on, plus finding a good diesel mechanic thats willing to work on one, that might be a learning experience.

I would inquire at the dealership where your thinking about buying it if they have a diesel mechanic that can get it done, like how long has he been there and what are the chances of one being there when it does need work.

Diesels are good, but do your homework before you buy anything.

Rob

 

[rubadub]

I guess I could throw this in.

I bought a new 2005 Hyundai Accent and after about four years I took it to the dealer because it has a type of torque converter that makes the auto transmission shift into like another gear around 45 miles per hour.

Its only about 250 rpm, not much, but after driving one for 4 years you can hear the difference in the engine.

So I drop it off at the dealer, and he is a very large Hyundai dealer they take it for a ride and say its okay, so I talk to the service manager and he says thats the way they are, and him and I go back and forth on this.

What is actually happening here is they don't have a good enough mechanic at the dealership that can repair the transmission and do it in the time Hyundai allows, so the dealership won't make any money on it and probably will get in a little over there heads on the actual repair and cost more to fix it then Hyundai allows.

Now maybe the following week they will hire a mechanic that can get it done, but thats the way things work, so if your diesel needs repaired, maybe they can and maybe they can't.

I hope I explained this okay.

Rob

 

[jkadylak]

I guess I could throw this in.

I bought a new 2005 Hyundai Accent and after about four years I took it to the dealer because it has a type of torque converter that makes the auto transmission shift into like another gear around 45 miles per hour.

Its only about 250 rpm, not much, but after driving one for 4 years you can hear the difference in the engine.

So I drop it off at the dealer, and he is a very large Hyundai dealer they take it for a ride and say its okay, so I talk to the service manager and he says thats the way they are, and him and I go back and forth on this.

What is actually happening here is they don't have a good enough mechanic at the dealership that can repair the transmission and do it in the time Hyundai allows, so the dealership won't make any money on it and probably will get in a little over there heads on the actual repair and cost more to fix it then Hyundai allows.

Now maybe the following week they will hire a mechanic that can get it done, but thats the way things work, so if your diesel needs repaired, maybe they can and maybe they can't.

I hope I explained this okay.

Rob

I completely understand. I guess I am torn because a diesel lasts so much longer than the gas engine. Of course, for the price difference, I could probably replace the gas engine and still have less into it than I would a diesel engine. Thanks for all of your input. You have been very helpful!

 

[rubadub]

I completely understand. I guess I am torn because a diesel lasts so much longer than the gas engine. Of course, for the price difference, I could probably replace the gas engine and still have less into it than I would a diesel engine. Thanks for all of your input. You have been very helpful!

A diesel will last longer, but not much longer

Rob