eagle107
Gold Member
Hi Guys,
I have a JD 4520 and Scag TigerCat to maintain the family farm. I live about 400 miles away but I try to get up there every one to two months to do as many chores as I can. Of course the 4520 takes care of the bigger stuff while the Scag is used to maintain the lawn around the house and a number of wooded trails. The problem is since my dad passed away, my mother and other family members do not feel safe using the Scag, plus it does tend to get stuck mowing the lawn and the trails especially during early spring and late fall.
The terrain that is mowed with the Scag is around five to seven acres, is bumpy/rough at times and has some slight elevations but is mostly flat. The Scag is the first mower I that had zero breakdown/part problems mowing this terrain when all other homeowner/heavy-duty homeowner mowers have had problems after the first year. Also, depending on how wet the year is, we normally only put 50 hours on the Scag a year.
Right now the Scag has a 25hp Kohler command gas engine with a 52" Velocity Plus mowing deck. I need a mowing deck that is comparable to Scag´s Velocity Plus deck and it seems the 7-Iron deck will fit that requirement.
Seeing that Deere has a $1000.00 rebate on the X700 2012 models now, I am looking to trade the Scag in for a X700. I have narrowed the models down to the X728 and X740 with the 60" 7-Iron deck. The X728 has the continuous four-wheel drive and a pretty powerful Kawasaki EFI gas engine while the X740 has two-wheel drive with the Yanmar diesel engine and is $500.00 less than the X728. Please be aware that this tractor will only be used for mowing and nothing else. The 4520 does all the snowblowing, heavy finishing mowing, brush hogging, loader work and etc. on the farm.
So here is the dilemma. I am trying to figure out if I should get the X728 with four-wheel drive which could give added traction in the wet and soupy areas of the lawn and trails or would the two-wheel drive on X740 be sufficient while getting the diesel engine as a perk? Also, the diesel engine will last longer (20+ years), but the gas engine should last a long time too (14+ years). Furthermore, I realize the diesel engine will be a little better on fuel, but the EFI gas engine should be very good on fuel too, especially when cutting normal grass and not under constant load. Oh, by the way, I figured the X748 will do everything, but I cannot see spending another $1,100.00 for it.
Sorry for rambling a bit... At the moment, my gut is telling me to go with the X728. So, what do you guys think? Is my gut right? Which one should I choose? Thanks for all the help in advance!
I have a JD 4520 and Scag TigerCat to maintain the family farm. I live about 400 miles away but I try to get up there every one to two months to do as many chores as I can. Of course the 4520 takes care of the bigger stuff while the Scag is used to maintain the lawn around the house and a number of wooded trails. The problem is since my dad passed away, my mother and other family members do not feel safe using the Scag, plus it does tend to get stuck mowing the lawn and the trails especially during early spring and late fall.
The terrain that is mowed with the Scag is around five to seven acres, is bumpy/rough at times and has some slight elevations but is mostly flat. The Scag is the first mower I that had zero breakdown/part problems mowing this terrain when all other homeowner/heavy-duty homeowner mowers have had problems after the first year. Also, depending on how wet the year is, we normally only put 50 hours on the Scag a year.
Right now the Scag has a 25hp Kohler command gas engine with a 52" Velocity Plus mowing deck. I need a mowing deck that is comparable to Scag´s Velocity Plus deck and it seems the 7-Iron deck will fit that requirement.
Seeing that Deere has a $1000.00 rebate on the X700 2012 models now, I am looking to trade the Scag in for a X700. I have narrowed the models down to the X728 and X740 with the 60" 7-Iron deck. The X728 has the continuous four-wheel drive and a pretty powerful Kawasaki EFI gas engine while the X740 has two-wheel drive with the Yanmar diesel engine and is $500.00 less than the X728. Please be aware that this tractor will only be used for mowing and nothing else. The 4520 does all the snowblowing, heavy finishing mowing, brush hogging, loader work and etc. on the farm.
So here is the dilemma. I am trying to figure out if I should get the X728 with four-wheel drive which could give added traction in the wet and soupy areas of the lawn and trails or would the two-wheel drive on X740 be sufficient while getting the diesel engine as a perk? Also, the diesel engine will last longer (20+ years), but the gas engine should last a long time too (14+ years). Furthermore, I realize the diesel engine will be a little better on fuel, but the EFI gas engine should be very good on fuel too, especially when cutting normal grass and not under constant load. Oh, by the way, I figured the X748 will do everything, but I cannot see spending another $1,100.00 for it.
Sorry for rambling a bit... At the moment, my gut is telling me to go with the X728. So, what do you guys think? Is my gut right? Which one should I choose? Thanks for all the help in advance!