Bx1500 or hold out for a bigger unit?

[Sparkynutz]

There was 3 tractors for sale at dealers pretty much on the way to look at the bx1500 but the bx2200 posted a few pages back has sold so it's down to 2.
There's a bx2350D with 1600 hours and a bx1860 with 1100 hours. Both have FEL and mower deck.
I'm planning on leaving pretty early and stop at those on the way. They are both asking over $8k but if I show up with $6k and tell them I'm on way to look at a couple others and ready to buy maybe, just maybe they'd come that low. If not, at least I went for a scenic drive. Either way, hopefully I come back with a new to me toy.

Posts like this totally contradict those saying a bigger unit would be faster or better suited. Maybe he's wrong but a maybe he's right and I save a few bucks.

One of the first things i discovered right after i bought my 2 bx1500s is i could have done everying i did with my bx23 with them except for the bh jobs.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I live on a hillside with some semi level ground. I've owned all of the BXs over the years, even the BX1500. The BX1500 with a MMM was the most stable going across the steep part in front of my home in the BX series but I didn't have a FEL on it. I did have a BX2200 with MMM and FEL and used it for a year tackeling jobs way to big for it but it had heart and would try. Ground clearance being to low on my gullies finally caused me to trade it for a B7800 FEL with rear finish mower. Traded the B7800 after 3 heavy work years to a L3240 FEL and BX1500 MMM for mowing. Best mower in the BX series, bought my SIL one about 3 years ago for mowing. Get my drift? For mowing the BX1500 is grand. The FEL additional weight with such a light weight sub compact utility tractor will be moving into a different world. It will handle a tiller but don't know about snowblowers in Ky.
BP and I have been up and down the BX and B ladder so we do have some experience of actual hands on experience vs doing written research studies and forming opinions from other peoples studies. The bigger BXs aren't actually a lot heavier but some what heavier and in the tractor world weight starts being king or a good thing. I believe I'd hold out for a good used BX22??/BX23?? at about the same or a bit more money if it were me buying for what you say you need/want.
Your right in realizing you'll be able to get most of your money back on a Kubota cared for and not tremendous amount of hours and looks good and maintenance record will bring a premium price.
Not saying the BX1500 won't do the jobs you mentioned but it will be slow and you can get a bit bigger tractor for close to that money that will be a bit more capable and stable and probably easier/quicker to sale if you decide you need more. Check with Barlows, they may have a good one in stock and a delivery scheduled in your area to save shipping and their prices are right.

There was 3 tractors for sale at dealers pretty much on the way to look at the bx1500 but the bx2200 posted a few pages back has sold so it's down to 2.
There's a bx2350D with 1600 hours and a bx1860 with 1100 hours. Both have FEL and mower deck.
I'm planning on leaving pretty early and stop at those on the way. They are both asking over $8k but if I show up with $6k and tell them I'm on way to look at a couple others and ready to buy maybe, just maybe they'd come that low. If not, at least I went for a scenic drive. Either way, hopefully I come back with a new to me toy.

Posts like this totally contradict those saying a bigger unit would be faster or better suited. Maybe he's wrong but a maybe he's right and I save a few bucks.

I was wondering what ever happened to LBrown59. He was here saying his BX1500s would do everything just as good as all other tractors and I'm pretty sure I owned a BX1500 during those posts. I was thinking about him and his BX1500s and couldn't remember his name. Was that a current post? I know he got a lot of ridicule at some of his claims.
You and I aren't as far apart as you believe in our thinking. I buy low and sale/trade fair to high. I allow the use of a machine will carry a job/monthly/annual cost just like the over 180 cars/trucks I've owned. You seem to have missed one thought about me and my trades. I've made several changes in property ownership over the past 15 years I've owned Kubotas, my first one ever 15 years ago to be my once in a lifetime high priced mower with an expensive wheelbarrow on the front. I learned enough to buy diesel and buy 4wd and shopped long and hard and landed at the Kubota dealer at $3000 under a JD. Compared brands for a few years when I'd add or decrease property holdings and I also changed ideas of what I wanted to do with the properties and also the tax deductability of a piece of equipment had a positive return for my trades. I made money some times with sales/trades based on my financial circumstances maybe being different than yours. I also used the cash I had to make more money while enjoying the 0% interest at Kubota. I've went from 3 acres up to 33 acres and sold some commercial rental acres and just sold another acre yesterday. I'm 70 years old and I've shopped around and researched and held a few different jobs making decent to above income at times. I recently sold about 5 acres with 20 housing rental units and 12 storage units while buying an additional 25 adjoining acres plaus 6 subdivision building lots which I didn't want but had to buy to get the 25 acres I did want.
Maybe you spoke with speculations about my actions based on your life and experiences and maybe you've missed the mark with no idea of my life vs yours.
I've told you to buy the machine and try it if it's what you want and have the money. What more do you want? You want me to say it's the smartest idea of a tractor purchase I've eever seen on TBN but that's not going to happen. It's as smart as lots of ideas and plans others have posted but your not the smartest guy on TBN or the dumbest. Your just a man wanting a tractor and has a few dollars saved. Your idea and life plan of saving till you can pay cash seems to be working for you and my brother who lives next door but I think differently than you two in lots of ways and I feel good with my way.
If you get $2000 off $8000 or 25% off a used tractor in decent shape from a dealer your a real negotiator or not.:laughing:

 

[Sparkynutz]

Different strokes for different folks. Im not sure what happened to him. Im new and it was an oldish post. I found waaaay more posts about bx1500 on a different tractor forum that Im not a member of... yet. I was originally looking at old bolens, simplicity, etc after I missed out dragging my feet looking at a Troy bilt gtx 20 that sold for $3k locally. It more than likely would have done the job I have too but probably by a larger margin slower than the bx1500 vs a bx2370. Resale and availability is why I'm spending more than my initially intended $3-$5k and looking more at kubotas.

I'm half your age and have no clue what I want to do with the other half. I have accomplished almost every single one of my lifelong goals as a kid. My point is I don't know what I'm looking for, responses included. Maybe just a little distraction learning a little here and there on this forum while I wait for spring to come so I can get back outside working on my projects and finishing the rest of the goals I do know. My past years focused heavily on Material THINGS while I deep down know that I need to start focusing more on family and being thankful for what I have, relax and enjoy what I have accomplished instead of overlooking it wanting more and more like a greedy power hungry politician. Either way we probably both agree that life seems to go by way faster than we plan and sometimes need to take a step back and try our best to make the most of it before it's too late.

 

[robertm]

Wow. Just wow. I can't imagine what it'd be like to achieve all my lifelong goals as a kid. Sparky, you my friend, are amazing.

 

[js5020]

Different strokes for different folks. Im not sure what happened to him. Im new and it was an oldish post. I found waaaay more posts about bx1500 on a different tractor forum that Im not a member of... yet. I was originally looking at old bolens, simplicity, etc after I missed out dragging my feet looking at a Troy bilt gtx 20 that sold for $3k locally. It more than likely would have done the job I have too but probably by a larger margin slower than the bx1500 vs a bx2370. Resale and availability is why I'm spending more than my initially intended $3-$5k and looking more at kubotas.

I would buy what I'm comfortable with, be it a BX 1500 or whatever. Folks use to, and still use plain old garden tractors with loaders and various other attachments to get their projects accomplished before these compact tractors became available and a BX would definetly be a step up from an old garden tractor with the 4wd, hyd lift, power steer, diff lock etc. Just have realistic expectations and life will be fine. Yep some types of work will be slow with a small machine but again as long as your content life is fine. Back in the day folks didn't have all this fancy stuff of today and got er done, might have taken awhile but it got done. Sure bigger and newer may be nice, but.......

 

[bspeedy]

You buy that thing yet....

What'cha waiting for?

 

[Sparkynutz]

Saturday morning because I'm at work during week. 8 hours of driving ahead of me.

 

[bspeedy]

OK - good luck on the trip.

 

[Sparkynutz]

Thanks!
It's too bad this is so far away. Sure is a steal of a deal
28 Kubota BX185D Tractor w/ Front End Loader - farm & garden - by owner - sale
Unless someone closer want to pick it up and deliver it for me but I doubt it will even be available tomorrow at that price.

 

[Sparkynutz]

Well. The search continues.

The bx1500 operated but did so like it was on its last leg. I tried to pick up some snow with it and started spinning tires a couple inches into the pile. Definitely needed a ballast but mower deck should have helped some atleast. The owner who knew how to operate it and well, something I'm just learning had no problem loading heaping buckets and dumping them but he was ramming it home full speed unto the pile to do so.

It was waaaay rustier than pics let on and probably sat outside every single minute of its life from the looks of it.
Every hose except the one that was replaced was badly dry rotted and cracked. The front steering boots had a sliver of rubber remaining on them and knuckle was rusty like it had been that way who knows how long. The seat was severely tipped forward with big springs under back side. I've seen some other tractors like that but it was very uncomfortable and added to the cramped feeling like I had to hold onto something to prevent myself from falling out of the seat. The plastic cover over the dash and hour meter was brand new but the hour meter was faded and cracked like the rest of the plastic parts. Slightly fishy when it looked like it should be 2k hour plus from shape it was in.

I couldn't bring myself to even make an offer on it. To me, 4k probably would have been the very highest I'd go and that was pushing it. I highly doubt I would have recouped most of my money had I bought it for anything even close to that if I decided to upgrade later. The engine oil was also like chocolate syrup. Owner said all diesels are like that and don't stay clean long. He had told me prior there was 22 hours on the oil since he changed it. The hydraulic oil on the other hand was clean and looked brand new but he said he'd never touched it. It might have made an ok beater learning tractor but I wouldn't take any pride in owning it knowing it was most likely going to turn into a money pit and still leave me dissapointed in the end.

I stopped at a dealer today too and played with a bx1870 and also getting a quote on it. $8,800 for bare tractor or $10,800 with FEL for a brand new 2 hour tractor sitting inside showroom not outside like a lot of places. That was no hagling and bet they'd give a better deal somewhere shopping around.

On the long drive home I got to thinking. Maybe I could still build a box blade to grade my yard and just pull it from the trailer hitch of my John deer zero turn or if that doesn't have enough power behind my can am renegade 800. Pretty sure that would have enough power in 4 low to pull my truck. I can load my mini dump trailer with the skid loader in my driveway and pull and dump where needed with the atv then smooth out later with skid loader or box blade or hand rakes.
I'd like to buy a tractor sooner or later but definitely better off figuring out alternative ways to finish my lawn grading project than spending money on something I'd regret.