CUT life span when compared to a graden tractor?

[GregJ]

Ok... Here's your trump card..... RESALE VALUE !.... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif If she's a bean counter, she will understand the concept of depreciation. Go through the want ads and point out all the 6 year old lawn mowers for $200 ($2,500 new) and the 20 year old tractors for $5,000 ($6,000 new).

I think ya got her on that one! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I'd still play the " future potential " and " keeping our options open " perspective. Just for good measure, ya might want to throw in the " Ya know, I'm not gettin' any younger " scheme too.

Greg

 

[Trev]

I guess I'd second what a lot of folks here are saying.

We initially bought a small JD "garden tractor", and I got the front blade for pushing snow.

Then we realized all of the other jobs this could potentially do for us.. tilling, etc., and we realized the limitations of the machine in terms of even pushing snow.. no rear diff lock, no FWD, no ability to angle the blade without getting off and doing it manually, and so on. Traded up to a 4300, and the dealer gave me a trade-in price on the little guy of exactly what we'd paid for it brand new.

Think carefully of not just what you plan to do now, but also of what you might want to do.

On the other hand, if your dealer is like mine, you could get the little guy, and then trade up without a loss if you decide you want more. Ask them about this before you purchase.. just as a suggestion..

Best,
Bob

 

[JDgreen227]

You are 100% right with your post, I have an '89 model JD 318 with a 50 inch deck and front blade I have used to tend my 11 acres since new. Had I thought it would pile up 100 operating hours a year, I would have spent another $3000 for a CUT and come out ahead. What my 318 has to struggle to perform is a snap for my 4210. I mowed about 80-90 hours a year with the old JD and it burns a gallon of gas per hour.
My new JD mows twice as fast on half the fuel cost.
A well engineered and cared for garden tractor will last 20 years or more but I am sure the hard hours I put on mine has taken a toll.

The resale value of a CUT versus a garden tractor makes the additional expense you pay up front well worth it. However, for anyone who has a small area of land to care for, you will never get the full value of the bigger machine. Estimate the hours you will use a tractor a year, and be generous with the estimate. If you only do mowing up to 65-70 hours a year, stick with the garden tractor. Anything over that, or if you need to move a lot of dirt and/or snow in addition to mowing, go for the large model. I WISH I HAD. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[jpr62902]

Chucko,

Here's a little more food for thought. Those Crapsman, er, uh, Craftsman garden "tractors" will only last 8 -10 years under light use, i.e. mowing only. Does your yard have a fence or other items you could run into while mowing? If so, the Sears won't hold up very well. I speak from experience. After my second Craftsman couldn't cut the mustard, I upgraded to a Honda v-twin. The improvement was noticeable, but then enter the BX22 -- no comparison. That Kubota is 20x the "tractor" that the Sears units were and 15x the Honda. So, if your mowing is anything other than light duty, you'll probably end up wearin' the Sears out much sooner than 10 years -- say 6 years. That's $8,000.00 for 12 years of service vs. $8,000.0 for 20 -30 years of service that you'll get out of the Kubota. AND, the Kubota will be a lot more durable, versatile, and you'll definately have the nicest tractor on the block. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Oh, yeah. By the way, my BX22 with 60"MMM is not even close to being too big for my 1 acre.

 

[chucko]

OK let me add this into the mix?
how are the Kubota "Garden Tractors" ? I forget the model numbers but the ones I looked at did not look like much more than a sears or MTD.... but then a BX was sitting beside it so I did not look too hard. I knew what "I" wanted

 

[GregJ]

Chucko,
Recently I looked at the Kubota riding mowers for a neighbor and personally I think JD has a better product. Feature for feature I think they have a little more to offer. I have had 2 JD's. The first one I sold after 13 years of reliable service just to upgrade to a mulching deck and a few nicer features. The guy that bought it from me is loving it. So it's 16 years old and still going strong. My new one has been extremely reliable and very comfortable to operate. John Deere is starting to sell some "consumer" models at the big box stores. I think I'd be a little wary of these "price point" models. Once again, I think you get what you pay for. My LX277 was around $4200, but for my use, it was worth the extra money.

Kubota's real strength is with CUT's. They are leaders in that market. John Deere has been making high quality riding mowers for years, so they just might have the edge there.

Greg

 

[fishman]

Chucko,

I have a Kubota T1670, which is their 42" deck model with a 15 hp Kohler single. Paid $3200 including tax. I really like it so far with 6 months and 30 hours on it. It fits perfectly into my smallish lawn.

I compared it to similarly and lower priced JD models at Home Depot and Cub Cadet models at my local power equipment retailer. There was no comparison between it and the 2k models from JD and CC. As far the more expensive models, I thought it was much superior to the high-end JD products at HD, although I have to acknowledge that JD makes some very good mowers, albeit pricey. I did not go to the JD dealer to see those. The CC in the same price range were pretty good. They were shaft drive, but that could be big $ if they fail, and a belt provides a buffer between rocks and stumps and the engine. Also, the paint was not very good, as the ones I saw already had several nicks with rust, and even some dents in the light guage metal.

The Kubota has a far superior paint job, the frame is extremely sturdy, and the deck is the equal of any CC. Also, the steering column is fully supported with a welded cage, not just a plastic housing. In addition, it has a rear suspension that really helps smooth out the bumps. Works very well.

I had it to myself for a few months until my wife tried it out. She loved it and now competes for my tractor time /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

In my opinion, if I had a one acre lawn to keep up, I'd certainly look at a BX1500 if funds weren't too tight. I doubt that you'd be happy with a mower the size of the T1670, and larger ones quickly exceed 5k. If I'm not mistaken the BX1500 goes for less than 8k with the mid-mount mower.

Heck, I gave the BX2200 some consideration as a lawn mower before my wife hit me up side the head and set me straight. Boy did I need that. If only Henro's wife would have done the same. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Rimmer]

"My wife like to count beans so I have to sale her that the life cost is about the same ...."

Never gonna do it on cost alone. The lawn you have there is a perfect candidate for a 3 HP push mower from K-Mapart, and I really believe that will be the lowest cost option even if you have to replace it every three to five years. Or, for a one acre lawn a small JD "lawn tractor" should last you almost forever. (MyJD 108 is 25 years old.) They don't have to be that expensive -- for example, my local Home Depot sells reconditioned JDs with "new" warranties for several hundred under new cost.

Gotta stess the functionality of the BX1500, and to do that you gotta have the FEL. Without the hydraulics, the BX1500 is just a big, expensive lawn mower -- put the hydraulics to use and you have a serious SubCUT.

Seriously, trying to sell the BX1500 only on the basis of longevity doesn't seem to be the right way to go. For one thing, if you say it will last 30 years, she can say "prove it," and if you talk resale value, she can say "if you like it so much, why are you going to sell it?". Would you justify buying a hammer with a fiberglass handle simply because the wooden one might rot away? My fiberglass hammer is almost 30 years old, but the wooden one I inherited from my father is a few decades older than that, and still works fine!

/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[chucko]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The lawn you have there is a perfect candidate for a 3 HP push mower from K-Mapart, )</font>


hahaha....yea right like I am going to push a mower in the Fl sun in sand......

She is starting to come around a little. I wish the dealer here would get some in so she could test mow with one in their field

 

[Junkman]

Have you considered a goat... low maintenance and the wife will be pleased that she can get milk from it also. Fertilizes as it cuts grass. Doesn't mind the sun and has a small fuel tank. To me, it sounds like the perfect lawn mower for 1 acre and the kids will love it also. Meets the wifes expectation of cost and has good resale value also. No difficult service problems and you don't have to be concerned with whether to use dino or synthetic oil. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif