Am I crazy??

[retiredmgn]

In my younger years, an old guy once said to me, "If you think of it, do it". He was just trying to get the point across, 'what you're thinking now you'll be thinking later'.
Get the machine you want now. It's not fruit, not going to go bad. You can always sell it if you need to. What you'll have is satisfaction every time you complete a task that came to mind. Sounds like you already have a few lined up.
And of course the 'honey-do' list. A few objections up front perhaps but you will win her over when she says, "Wouldn't it be nice if", and you're back a few hours later with a, "How's that"?

 

[Volfandt]

Try as one may, one cannot predict the future. Go w/your "want to" and buy a machine capable to do all the tasks you've spelled out.
Don't let $$$'s override need.

re. cost justification. It's hard to cost justify a big ticket item but, ROI is a different story all together

The cost justification of going w/a diesel powered SCUT over a gas powered LT/GT is near nil. The diesel will be more powerful @ lower rpm while being more fuel efficient and durable but, w/diesel fuel costing so much more than gas the efficency seems to cancel out.
But throw in ROI and it's an entirely different story. The diesel will require less maintenance, last longer and hold it's value better hense, it's the better ROI.

Similar implements will run about the same for a gas powered LT/GT as the diesel powered SCUT but the SCUT will have a larger selection and be used on larger tractors, ROI is better for the SCUT.

Lets break the implements down further. The SCUT add's the additional benefit of an FEL and perhaps even a BH (backhoe). You say you need additional manpower inorder to handle the larger pieces of wood you process. How do you compensate these helpers?
A SCUT w/an FEL and chain hooks will do away w/the need of having to depend upon additional manpower. You are now doing these tasks at your convenience. How benefitial is that?
You can add bolt on bucket forks and lift longer logs and deposit them where needed (not to mention other larger objects that needs moved such as large sofa's, washers/dryers, frig's etc).
Add a backhoe w/a thumb and you can then lift and precisely place large heavy objects where you need them. All the while your back remains pain & trouble free. How benefitial is that?
How fast do you want to mow the grass?
The BX1860 will handle upto a 54" MMM.
The larger BX2360 (or BX25 w/FEL & BH) will handle the 60" MMM. Larger MMM = faster mowing times.
You can get an FEL w/the BX1860 but not an OEM BH.
You cannot get an OEM BH w/the BX2360 either.
So if I may, I suugest that your looking at ROI and not cost justification. So which BX is best for you?
BX1860 w/FEL & 48" or 54" MMM, front blade or blower. Will do what you want plus do your heavy lifting.
BX2360 w/FEL & 54" or 60" MMM, front blade or blower. Will do what you want alittle bit faster.
BX25 w/FEL, BH, 54" 0r 60" MMM, front blade or blower. Same benefits as the BX2360 PLUS the ability to dig and cherrypick heavy objects.
Simple ain't it
Enjoy
Dave

 

[sw18x]

Thanks for all the replies. I just read the thread to my wife - I think she's finally breaking down, she asked me to go over our budget again and lay out some numbers for her.

Unfortunately, used isn't an option for us. We have a little money set aside but we want to keep that for emergencies. So while I've seen some used BX's under 10K, the financing is a real selling point for me. Does anyone have expereince with how their financing process works? I hope it's not like getting a mortgage, my memory of all those hoops is a little too fresh.

Also, can someone explain the Kubota insurance deal for financing? I saw it mentioned on a couple threads. I guess I just thought my homeowner's insurance would automatically cover anything on the property.

What about 18 versus 23? Leaning towards the bigger motor, guessing it will hold resale value pretty well.

Snow removal - very debatable topic, as I've seen from threads on this forum. I'd like to keep the FEL on at all costs because we've been told our driveway tends to drift real bad. Plus, adding the cost of a front blower when my wife is this close to nodding her head might be a bad strategy. Maybe I'll try it with a cheap backblade for one year, am I right in thinking that a blower for the rear pto should be relatively easy to pick up if it turns out I need one?

Thanks again and feel free to continue sharing opinions!

 

[architect]

Kubota financing, fill out form you can print out from their web site, dealer submits, my approval took minutes, I have financed two other tractors.
Kubota insurance, $1 / $1000 borrowed, full coverage, $250 deductable, prrotects their value of ammount owed, roll it over and your covered, falls off trailer, your covered, improperly attach pto shaft and destroy things , covered.

 

[Carl Bert]

Thanks for all the replies. I just read the thread to my wife - I think she's finally breaking down, she asked me to go over our budget again and lay out some numbers for her.

Unfortunately, used isn't an option for us. We have a little money set aside but we want to keep that for emergencies. So while I've seen some used BX's under 10K, the financing is a real selling point for me. Does anyone have expereince with how their financing process works? I hope it's not like getting a mortgage, my memory of all those hoops is a little too fresh.

Also, can someone explain the Kubota insurance deal for financing? I saw it mentioned on a couple threads. I guess I just thought my homeowner's insurance would automatically cover anything on the property.

What about 18 versus 23? Leaning towards the bigger motor, guessing it will hold resale value pretty well.

Snow removal - very debatable topic, as I've seen from threads on this forum. I'd like to keep the FEL on at all costs because we've been told our driveway tends to drift real bad. Plus, adding the cost of a front blower when my wife is this close to nodding her head might be a bad strategy. Maybe I'll try it with a cheap backblade for one year, am I right in thinking that a blower for the rear pto should be relatively easy to pick up if it turns out I need one?

Thanks again and feel free to continue sharing opinions!

Ok the Kubota insurance is not a must have if you finance, as some people think. I partially financed my B26 and took the insurance, and it cost me $25 a month for full coverage, on or off my property. You can drop it at any time. It IS a must have, if you cannot provide proof that your homeowners insurance covers the tractor. I do a lot of transporting so it was well worth the money to me.

Good luck and don't forget the pictures.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

As far a s financing it is the easiest financing I have ever done, all 13 times. I go into Steve Barlows office, tell him which tractor and how to dress it, he tells me the monthly payment, hits a few keys on his computer and the little printer beside me spits out the forms. I hand them to him, he highlights where he wants me to sign which I do while giving him a voided check on the account I want the payments to come out of and he delivers the tractor in a day or two.
The 18 will do about as much as the 23 if the dollar difference is a stumbling block.
Check Barlows for best price.

 

[crazyal]

Yes, you are crazy. Pure and simple. If you think asking us here if buying a Kubota is a wise idea and expect anything but a "that's a good idea" would make you crazy. But then you may have known this and since you showed it to your wife you may even knew we would support you on buying a Kubota. So yes, you are crazy, crazy like a Fox.

P.S. Don't like your wife read this post. :laughing:

 

[santa2u]

Short answer; Go for it! I guarantee, you'll find many more uses for the machine than you ever dreamed possible.

Also, one mistake many folks (including me) make is buying a small machine, then finding that you need a bigger one. I bought a B7510, and a few months ago, I traded it in for an L3400. What a difference a few horsepower makes.

Heck, you can always do what I did and start hiring out for acreage mowing and light dirt work. That way, the tractor pays for itself. I occasionally place an ad in the local paper and usually get a few jobs, and from those often a repeat customer. I did two of my repeat jobs in about three hours this morning and made $140, and I'll do it again every two or three weeks for the rest of the summer.

 

[Stargazer]

Hi: My $.02 for $800 I would get the blower now. Even with gravel think you could keep couple inches off drive and remove 85% or more. Bet if down road you do want a blower they will be like hens teeth and ++++$$$$. Moving drifts with FEL can be a pain. If bucks are that tight maybe make a wood blade to attach to FEL for light snow/remainder snow. Or a used rear blade for couple $100. Heck if you were close would trade you $$ for blower.

Pat R

 

[sw18x]

Thanks guys...just when the yes's had it, my best buddy stopped over last night and told me I didn't need it. In the meantime I bought a sears pushmower and over the course of three days mowed almost the whole lawn. It was a strategic move on my part limping around the yard (stepped on a nail last Saturday) in plain view of the wife but it didn't get me as much sympathy as I hoped. Still going back and forth, it sure is a BEAUTIFUL piece of equipment but will I get the work out of it? Wish I had 2 more acres to fully justify it, but now I'm between a rock and a hard place - how could I ever step on a little Sears or Husquavarna again after being this close to the real thing??

By the way, we have a stone driveway (much more dirt than stone right now), very uneven at the end with some big potholes. Dumb question but what would I need to fix that? It's hard as a rock down there and the FEL isn't really a digging tool, right? Because I'm thinking I'd need to break it all up somehow before regrading it. For re-grading I'd get a backblade (?) Or could I accomplish most of that work with the bucket? (Just trying to add to the list of possible jobs for the big orange machine here).

Maybe I'll go test drive one today at the local dealer - THAT should seal the deal!