Garden/Compact Tractor Recommendations Please

[DaveRR]

I'm about to close on a new house and I'm looking for some tractor recommendations. I'm finding my choices overwhelming, and I need to narrow my search quickly.

I will be mowing about 1.5-1.75 acres, with one decent slope on the back side (I can't tell for sure whether it can be mowed side-to-side, or only up-and-down). I will also be snow blowing a 60-foot long double-driveway. The property is in a lake-effect belt, so I'll be using the snow blower a lot.

I have a $7k budget, and I am willing to consider both used and new. Any advice on where to start or on specific models would be greatly appreciated.

 

[gladehound]

Given that you will be mowing a "decent slope" and you want to blow snow, you may want to look into a Ventrac but there aren't too many of these around. A high horsepower sub-compact tractor like a Kubota BX may work as well. You also may be able to go with a commercial front mount zero turn mower. Some of these have snow blower attachments available. For the tasks you mention, you don't necessarily "need" a "tractor" and might not be best served by one. I suspect there are a bunch of other things you want to do with it that you didn't mention.

I have always kept my "tractor" and "mower" as separate machines - since I wanted a tractor to be heavy for ground engagement and light construction/forestry type activities and a mower to be lighter for less ground compaction.

 

[jeff9366]

Given that you will be mowing a "decent slope" and you want to blow snow, you may want to look into a Ventrac.

For front mount implements, ie: front snowblower and front mower, there are three brands of rear engine, equal size wheel tractors: Steiner, Ventrac and Power Trac. These brands are considerably more stable on hills than large rear wheel tractors. Ventrac plant is in Ohio. Power Trac plant is in Virginia.

There are dedicated forums here for Ventrac/Steiner and for Power Trac. Hit the FORUMS button in this page header, then cursor down to the Ventrac and Power Trac forums.

Here is a link to MOSS ROAD'S web page. After careful research he selected a Power Trac PT425 for needs identical to yours: PT425 Home Page

PT425 is $11,000 new.

 

[DHD]

I'm about to close on a new house and I'm looking for some tractor recommendations. I'm finding my choices overwhelming, and I need to narrow my search quickly.

I will be mowing about 1.5-1.75 acres, with one decent slope on the back side (I can't tell for sure whether it can be mowed side-to-side, or only up-and-down). I will also be snow blowing a 60-foot long double-driveway. The property is in a lake-effect belt, so I'll be using the snow blower a lot.

I have a $7k budget, and I am willing to consider both used and new. Any advice on where to start or on specific models would be greatly appreciated.

Does the one decent size slope that you refer to, look anything like the hill in the photo on post #74 of the following link ?

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/general-lawn-garden/250220-husqvarna-r322t-awd-mower-any-8.html

 

[murphy1244]

A Ventrac will be in the 20k range.

 

[DaveRR]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. Wow, no, my slope is nothing like that one!

I looked a little bit into the Kubota BX series, and I think that's a lot more tractor than I need. That isn't to say it wouldn't be nice to have one, but I wasn't able to find one with a blower and a mower in my price range. The Power Tracs look nice too, will have to look more into those...might be tricky to get one though, since they don't have dealers.

 

[jeff9366]

...might be tricky to get one though, since they don't have dealers.

Nah, EASY.

Call Power Trac with your credit card number and tractor will arrive in three days.

 

[coobie]

I would look for new John deere X500 series or a used JD X700 series tractor.Hepled my neighbor friend purchase a new 2015 JD X530 series this past winter $6,000 out the door.

 

[Scooby074]

Another recommendation for a Deere X5xx series. I had a X540 and it was a great, old school garden tractor that had rear diff lock so it handled slopes very well. I didnt have a blower, but the videos Ive seen show it works quite well.

 

[jeff9366]

A Ventrac will be in the 20k range.

I can't believe it is mid-JUNE and you still have snow.