Am I nuts?

[Anonymous Poster]

I can get a B7800 (riged ROPS, no mid pto), 5' RFM and 402 loader for $16,290 or a B7500, 5' RFM and 302 loader for $14185.

I only have 4 acres, 3 to cut about 1 that needs to be filled/leveled for drainage and erosion and about 12 yards of mulch to move per year for landscaping around the house.

I want the 7800. Am I crazy to get that big of a tractor for what I want to do?? (The $2000 difference is not a factor) or would the 7500 be better for me?

 

[GregJ]

I don't think you're nuts at all, if the 2k isn't an issue. I have a B7500 and love it. It definitely would do all that you listed very nicely. However, the B7800 is a really nice machine and it's not that much bigger. It would be nice to have a little extra power from time to time. I'd go for it.

Greg

 

[manganos]

I'm on my 3rd tractor in 2 years. Don't make the same mistakes I did. If you are considering a bigger tractor now you will really want one later. Get the 7800 /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

The day my wife forced /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif me to buy a tractor ( A sad tale chronicled elsewhere on TBN /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif), I had three machine to show her;
<ul type="square">[*]The BX-22- ( a BX-2200 stood in, the dealer having no BX-22s on the lot that day ) This was the machine she was familiar with and probably expected me to get.
[*]The B7500- Which I had pretty much made made my mind up to get ( with permission /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif)
[*]The TC21- Some nice points to that <font color="blue">blue</font> iron, and I always like to keep to competing otions in mind to the end
[/list]While we were there we looked at a B7800- more that a little bit larger, and to my mind as good a deal as there is going for a tractor, but decided that it was just too big to justify, particularly considering our current 1/3 acre residential lot!

It was while we were looking at the B7800 that my wife said "I can see us getting a bigger tractor when we get some land. We'd keep the smaller one too, of course" ( or words to that effect /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif)

Frankly, our lot doesn't justify a tractor period. (A statement I will deny making, of course) But the few hours I've put on it, doing the smallish tasks available have convinced me, with absolutely no reservations whatsoever, that we made the right decision going with the bigger (B7500 vs BX-22) tractor. Scaling up to your situation, there are probably few tasks on 4 acres that the B7500 is not more than a match for. The B7800 on the other hand would do many things faster and more easily, and you would be less likely to be testing its limits. From what I have seen here, I would suggest that while there are people that wish they had bought smaller, that situation is a rare exception.

Good luck!

(And nobody said being nuts is a bad thing...)

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I went through the same experience. Total time about 3 years. This year, since I am getting tired of all the manual labor, I said the heck with it I'm buying. Went to the dealer and looked at the BX22, since a friend just bought one. As I talked to the dealer about all the models one I realized the BX22 would not suit all my purposes. One of the biggest problems was ground clearance. The BX22 was only in the 6" range and being a newbee to a tractor I new I would get stuck when I went in the woods trying to pull a log out as one of the tires found an unseen hole. After some talking to the wife we decided on the 7800. Over 14" of clearance, cheaper then the 2910, more Hp than the BX so I could get a brush-hog someday and not that much more money. Looking at resale values, I figured I couldn't make a mistake any way I went. Still waiting on delivery, but that's my experience to date.

Good Luck,

Frank /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[r0GuE]

Dude, I have a BX2200 with a loader and I have less than an acre /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif!!!!


Enjoy your new 7800 with confidence that you bought the right tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[jhburke]

I have a B7500 HST W/fel, Back blade, Box blade, 5' rfm, 3 point carry all, a front hyd angling front blade. I just paid 700.00 to have front and rear remote hyd outlets put on it. The kicker is that I have a 100 x 138 lot with a house and to outbuildings on it. I am 66 and I need a reason to get off my you know what. I help who I what on my time. Oh, I also have 2 448 case tractors with various attachments. So size of property is not an equation. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[riptides]

No your not nuts.

I was torn between the B7500 and the 2710/2910/7800.

In the end when my wife saw the size difference it was agreeded the bigger tractor would suit us.

I ended up with the B7800 and it is the right fit for me.

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[hayden]

Go for the 7800. I had a B2400 and traded up to a B2910 and the difference was significant. By two are for all intents and purposes the same as the 7500 and 7800.

Definitely get the bigger machine

 

[kofronj]

bobobro,

In looking at your original post and what you want to do, the BX2200 would very nicely handle your needs.

Having said that, buy whatever the heck you want... For mowing, any of these tractors will do a good job (the BX2200 with MMM might be a bit better). If I remember the pictures of your property, a RFM should be fine---not too many trees. And any of them will serve nicely as a hydraulic wheelbarrow for the mulch.

But in terms of economic sense, it really doesn't add up for you to get the bigger tractor, with the same mower. If you have future needs that will lead you to needing more muscle---then go for it. Otherwise, $2K would get you a nice rototiller and box blade.