First post... new GT. JD425, 445 or Kubota.

[art]

I always like the smallest tractor and the largest deck, it does away with the need of a push mower! Find your smallest area to pass and get a deck that will just pass!

When the wheels are near the same width as the deck you can't trim with the deck.
When it sticks out far enough you could easily trim over a garden or border. The wider deck you can stick it under many trees and shrubs with a small skirt of bark chips or stones and still not be near the limbs of the tree.


To really get you to the loader with usefulness I'd suggest you look at the sub-compacts for the best value and flexability. Could be fun doing yard work if you enjoy it!

The thoughts of lots of tree's might also say that a zero turn might be the best for mowing and allowing some time for fishing or golf! You could pay some one to put in the lawn!

Or buy both!

 

[JurassicJet]

LBrown59

Here is what I found to compare with that you found.
2003 BX 1500
380 hours.
nice condition
diesel engine
4 wheel drive
power steering
3 point hitch
rear pto
48" MMM
$5250.

Uhmmm.... were did you find this?

art I always like the smallest tractor and the largest deck, it does away with the need of a push mower! Find your smallest area to pass and get a deck that will just pass!

When the wheels are near the same width as the deck you can't trim with the deck.
When it sticks out far enough you could easily trim over a garden or border. The wider deck you can stick it under many trees and shrubs with a small skirt of bark chips or stones and still not be near the limbs of the tree.


To really get you to the loader with usefulness I'd suggest you look at the sub-compacts for the best value and flexability. Could be fun doing yard work if you enjoy it!

The thoughts of lots of tree's might also say that a zero turn might be the best for mowing and allowing some time for fishing or golf! You could pay some one to put in the lawn!

Zero turns are out for me. My brother has one (diesel Kubota) for his huge lawn and I love running it but not really practical for my application.
Since this is a new house I am planning on doing the landscaping with the capabilities of the garden tractor in mind.
I know that bigger is better and you can never have too much power or capabilities but at some point I have to draw the line. That is why the JD445 appeals to me so much. Rather capable machine but still within my budget.

The real problem here is my budget keeps getting whacked. This new house for the wifey has grown to 4500 square feet and she keeps adding expensive stuff inside of it. Oh well....it will be nice to have a really nice home too.
I started off looking at a $7500 kubota, then went down to thinking maybe I should get a $1000 piece of junk to now I am back up to $4800.
Ahhh..... the dilemma.

 

[LBrown59]

Uhmmm.... were did you find this? .

I stumbled onto it while surfing the net last fall and bought it in NOV.
The $5250 was reasonable enough it allowed me to get a new front blade and new 48'' tiller for it for $2600 more for a total of $7850 invested in it.
I also bought a new BX1500 with a 48" MMM for $7750.
Here in the past few months I've seen 3 or 4 really nice BX1500 and 1800 tractors at good prices for sale.

Deals are out there but you have to keep your eyes pealed.

 

[Crash101]

Hello everyone:

I am building a new house up here in Northwest Wisconsin which means my 1.5 acre lot (not all of it lawn though) will need mowing, my 140 foot driveway will need to be plowed or blown and other assorted tasks will need to be done.

JurassicJet
Looks like you've done your homework. You mentioned some very fine garden tractors, but the problem remains. No matter which you choose, it will be a lawn mower that is at best capable of doing some very light duty chores. As mentioned previously, a BX Kubota will outperform those lawn mowers by a great deal. You can dig, turn, and scoop some real dirt with one. They will move snow from that 140 foot Wisconsin driveway (put a front blade on a garden tractor and watch those rear tires spin) and mow till the cows come home.
Those little subs are not cheap, but they last and hold value like none of those "garden tractors" will. Kubota pretty much owns the market with the BX series, but there are others from j Deere, Massey etc. The difference in price between the garden tractors and the miniture real tractors is not so much, but the difference in capability is huge.
I know what I'd do.

 

[LBrown59]

JurassicJet
Looks like you've done your homework. You mentioned some very fine garden tractors, but the problem remains. No matter which you choose, it will be a lawn mower that is at best capable of doing some very light duty chores. As mentioned previously, a BX Kubota will outperform those lawn mowers by a great deal. You can dig, turn, and scoop some real dirt with one. They will move snow from that 140 foot Wisconsin driveway (put a front blade on a garden tractor and watch those rear tires spin) and mow till the cows come home.
Those little subs are not cheap, but they last and hold value like none of those "garden tractors" will. Kubota pretty much owns the market with the BX series, but there are others from j Deere, Massey etc. The difference in price between the garden tractors and the miniture real tractors is not so much, but the difference in capability is huge.
I know what I'd do.

I did it.
I bought a used Sub Compact because everybody wanted more for a used garden tractor than i paid for it.
I purchased a new Sub Compact because it was priced less than new garden tractors.

There's just no comparison between Garden tractors and sub compacts.

 

[Gittyup]

JurassicJet
They will move snow from that 140 foot Wisconsin driveway (put a front blade on a garden tractor and watch those rear tires spin) and mow till the cows come home.

Just not true about the GT's mentioned. I have a 425 AWS, and it's a plowing monster. I have pushed snow as deep as 2 feet with it. You will need chains, though. It is great on hills for mowing, especially if you have to turn while going up hill. Search here for 425, you should find some testimonials about them.

To the OP, the AWS' cannot be fitted with a front end loader other than one of those jiffy buckets. The 445 sounds like the best buy.

I have a 54" deck. It's good. I was steered away from the 60" by the dealer. He said, it didn't leave as good a cut with the 20 HP motor. My machine is 14 years old, almost 800 hours. The only repair was a bad ignition module ($75). Starts very easy, first time every time.

However, a GT is not the same as a BX or similar subcut. If not in a hurry, beat the bushes and you just might find a subcut for similar money. For me, a roll bar is a problem with my ornamental trees and shrubs. For this reason, I prefer the GT for mowing, and a real tractor(not a subcut) for earth moving.

 

[LBrown59]

No matter how wide the deck you still can't trim out over ditches and banks.
My idea is to mount a push mower on a carrier attached to the 3 point hitch.
This way I can get about 4 feet out over banks and ditches from either side of the tractor or even straight out from the back ?
== L B ==

When the wheels are near the same width as the deck you can't trim with the deck.
When it sticks out far enough you could easily trim over a garden or border. The wider deck you can stick it under many trees and shrubs with a small skirt of bark chips or stones and still not be near the limbs of the tree.

 

[Gittyup]

Here is my 425 and hydraulic dump garden trailer. I added rear remotes to control the dump.