BEST tractor/snowblower combo for $5-6k?

LBrown59 · Sep 1, 2005

( Hi. I have about 2 acres of lawn to mow and about a 200' driveway to snowblow. IF economics do not allow me to get the BX 1500 I really want then I need to spend probably $5-6000 for a lawn or garder tractor and a snowblower. It needs to be able to do the job for 5 years or so??? I have a pretty good slope of a hill to mow and the driveway has quite an incline too. Resale is important because I will probably get a sub-cut tractor in a few years instead. What I would like is the cheapest 4 wheel drive out there, but that is too much $, unless I haven't found it yet. A diff lock would be good, but only a few garden tractors have that, as far as I can tell. Soooo, I call upon all of your wisdom to help me make the right choice!

So far (in rough numbers)

JD G110 with snowblower $5k
Craftsman GT 5000 with snowblower $4k

Haven't looked at Yardman and the other MTD's. Not real excited about those other than maybe a Cub.

Thank you! Don't pay attention to my signature...times change! )

Have you checked out THE POWER TRAC
They have one that list for $5500 for the tractor.

aesanders · Sep 1, 2005

( ( My suggestion in that price range:
1. Buy a Simplicity Conquest or the more expensive Prestige --
===============
)

I just got the following price off the Simplicity web site.
$7000 Simplicity Prestige Garden tractor
Included 54" Mower.
--------------------------------
Total $7000

Just recently I got these prices on the Kubota BX 1500.
Dealer A
$ 6200 Kubota BX 1500.SUB - COMPACT
No mower
--------------------
Total $6200

Dealer B
$7300 Kubota BX 1500. SUB - COMPACT
Included 54" Mower.
------------------------------
Total $7300

Why pay for a sub compact and only get a garden tractor ???

)

LBrown59

You are comparing your best dealer price with a suggested retail price of another company. What is the list of the Kubota? 9k..

Anyway, there is a gray area between a subcompact and a high end Lawn Tractor. I seriously doubt that the Kubota is built any tougher than the Simplicity. It migt be a little better for pulling, but the Simplicity will be a better lawn cutter. Both would do well snow blowing.

KentT · Sep 1, 2005

( ( My suggestion in that price range:
1. Buy a Simplicity Conquest or the more expensive Prestige --
===============
)

I just got the following price off the Simplicity web site.
$7000 Simplicity Prestige Garden tractor
Included 54" Mower.
--------------------------------
Total $7000

Just recently I got these prices on the Kubota BX 1500.
Dealer A
$ 6200 Kubota BX 1500.SUB - COMPACT
No mower
--------------------
Total $6200

Dealer B
$7300 Kubota BX 1500. SUB - COMPACT
Included 54" Mower.
------------------------------
Total $7300

Why pay for a sub compact and only get a garden tractor ???

)

I'd ask that about the Kubota BX -- IMO, it's just an overgrown garden tractor -- look at it's channel frame and exposed "soft undersides" as an example...

1. Don't confuse dealer prices with MSRP...

2. Not everyone wants/needs a compact tractor

3. Not everyone wants/needs a diesel engine

4. Not everyone wants/needs a Kubota

LBrown59 · Sep 1, 2005

(
2. Not everyone wants/needs a compact tractor

3. Not everyone wants/needs a diesel engine

4. Not everyone wants/needs a Kubota )
==============
Right on all 3 of these.But it don't hurt to have the info on all the options in order to make a better choice do it?

Hay I'm not the only one to mention the BX 1500 in this thread.

I might add that I also inquired if he had checked out the
Power Trac.

tobypineo · Sep 2, 2005

Thanks for the help guys. Still in the market and will probably do something by the end of Sept. I did check out the Power Trac...interesting unit. I like the concept. However, by the time I put a mowing deck and snowblower on it I might as well get the BX 1500. Especially from a resale standpoint. I might do that anyway. Or the JD 445/455 idea. That would be a decent set-up and still be worth something in a couple of years. Might do the same with a 318, those don't seem to drop much in value either. Thanks.

Spiffy · Sep 2, 2005

Your mention of slopes really caught my eye. I didn't want to bring it up if you were still looking at garden tractor type options, but since you looked at PTs and liked the concept, I think the PT idea may have real merits for your situation.

Please note: my experience with the PT's is limited to a single visit to Tazewell's testing grounds [I highly recommmend the trip! Fun!], but it sure put in perspective some bragging rights the PT guys here claim.

You are right, by the time you put a mower and a blower on a 425, you'd about double your $5,500 budget and probably be in the range of something like the BX. If you think you'll like the tractor style better (either garden or BX) you have to follow your instinct there. Else, you could start with just the mower and a snow bucket, stay under 10K and have much more all around capability than a garden tractor; especially when you add tools later! Then so many different tasks will arise; you'll never need to ponder resale! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

edit: I should have said 422 for the prices to come out

LBrown59 · Sep 2, 2005

1*IF economics do not allow me to get the BX 1500 I really want
then I need to spend probably $5-6000 for a lawn or garden tractor and a snowblower.
It needs to be able to do the job for 5 years or so.
I will probably get a sub-cut tractor in a few years instead.
tobypineo
2*Trying to figure out if I should buy a BX 1500 or 2230...help.


 ==============
1* 5 or 6 thousand would go a long ways toward the price of the sub-cut tractor.
If you buy something now and trade up in 5 years you loose 2 ways.
One you loose on depreciation. Two the sub-cut tractor will cost a lot more five years from now.

The lawn and garden set up may cost you nearly as much as going with the sub-cut tractor.
As for me if I couldn't get the L&G set up for at least 3 or 4K less than the sub-cut tractor set up
I'd forget about the L&G deal.
If you can swing it at all go the one shot way. If not there's always the 2 step method.
2*I'm interested in the BX1500 with a rear tiller and a front blade. I all ready have a BX23 so I don't need something like the BX2230 or BX23.

In your case I would go with the BX2230 or BX23 if my piggy bank would allow me.
If piggy said no I'd settle for the BX1500.

LBrown59 · Sep 2, 2005

Not everyone wants/needs a compact tractor

>AH: But a sub compact is what tobypineo really wants,
He said so in his first post.
I'm just trying to help him get it.

LBrown59 · Sep 4, 2005

LBrown59
1*You are comparing your best dealer price with a suggested retail price of another company.


*********
1*Right you are. I hadn't realized that so to rectify that matter I went to my local Kubota and Simplicity dealers and got tractor prices from both of them.

Thanks for calling it to my attention.

The Simplicity Prestige came in at $6195.
The kubota BX 1500 was $6200.

Features that were included at no extra cost on the $6200 BX 1500 but were either additional cost extras or not even available on the $6195 prestige.

Diesel engine BX1500 no charge. Prestige not available
Rear PTO bx1500 no charge. Prestige not available
3 point hitch bx1500 no charge. Prestige not available
Four wheel drive bx1500 no charge. Prestige not available
ROPS no charge. Prestige not available

KentT · Sep 4, 2005

Comparing a Prestige to a BX 1500 is like comparing a Kubota GR2000 to a BX. Totally different classes of machines, intended for different needs....

BTW -- I'm glad you like your Kubota, but you remind me of the old saying:

"When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail..."