GR2120 vs BX?

[Newhampster]

I’m looking at the various tractor dealers near me. There is a JD dealer just a couple miles away, but the list prices on a 1025r? Holy cow! You can get that thing over $30k in a heartbeat.

Unfortunately, the Kubota and Kioti dealers are 30 minutes away. There is a Bobcat dealer close by, which is similar (identical?) to a Kioti subcompact.

 

[IH3444]

I went to the local JD dealer for some quotes. First off the salesperson acted like I was bothering him, and second there was no wiggle room or discounts. I went in to price out an X750 with 60HC deck, and it was more than the Kioti CS2520 with 60 deck I bought. That JD dealer is now out of business, most likely due to their business practices and lack of good salespersons.
My Kioti dealer is 45-50 minutes away. Not happy about that, the Kubota dealer is about 10 minutes away. If Kubota would redesign their treadle pedal to a more friendly twin pedal arrangement, I would most likely own a Kubota, even though the quote was $3K above what the Kioti cost me.
I have several friends with hydrostatic Kubota tractors, and they say they aren't fond of the treadle pedal either. Going forward is fine, but when backing up, especially when blowing snow with a rear blower it gets cramping for them with twisting their body for rear viewing and having their heel in the reverse part of the pedal to back up.
You should maybe drive the 30 minutes to each of the dealers and test drive both.
There is no frame comparison to a lawn tractor frame, and a BX, CS, or 1025r compact tractor frame. All are designed for heavy usage and less likely to twist during regular operations. Over decades they with not fatigue with thousands of hours of use.
Some JD model 1025r have some front-end issues with the steering. You should research that.
My personal opinion is that Kubota is a better built tractor that the Kioti. But I bought a Kioti. I'll see how it goes. So far mostly happy with it.
The hydrostatic filter placement under the floor deck is a beast to get to and replace. Kioti used to have a bolted in removable frame strengthen plate on the lower frame rails. On my model that bolt on option is gone, the plate is now welded in place. Most likely as a cost cutting design maneuver. While it does make the frame stiffer by welding, it makes getting to the hydrostatic filter a real bear. If you do buy a Kioti, I'll instruct you as to removing the floor pan, and slipping a oil filter band wrench into a very limited space and loosening up the filter. I did not have to remove the mowing deck either.
TYM and other brands are available, you can get a TYM and have decades of good operational service. All brands sometime have lemons.
You should do a lot of homework before you buy. Test drive all of them.

 

[mike69440]

BX is a nice tractor if it was 70% of its cost. Seems like right size for what you want to do, but I would shop or look used.

 

[dodge man]

I’m lucky I bought my John Deere before Covid. I was calling about a used one and he offered to shoot me a price on a new one. There was significant discounts at that time and they had a salesman who specialized in homeowner sized tractors and riding mowers. The Kubota dealer never returned my call. 15 years ago it was the opposite JD acted like they didn’t want my business and Kubota did.

 

[LPowell1]

Do you have a Massey Ferguson dealer nearby? I've had my 25hp TLB (GC1720) since 2018, 480 hours, and very happy. FEL, 60" mid mount mower, backhoe( for wife projects), rear tiller, other small implements. I would probably not get backhoe again, but it has been a lot better than a mattock and shovel.

 

[Aussie Cargo]

I bought a GR 2120 new, needed 4WD, good mower when going, at 750 hrs the trans failed, $2,500 to repair, have since discovered that its not a question of if it fails, but when. Supposedly the newer ones have a modification, however a well serviced, cared for machine should not have a major failure at 750 hrs.

 

[streetisneat]

We recently moved to a new home in southern NH. We have a 2 acre lot with no landscaping at the moment. So I will need something to mow the lawn, help out as we garden, and remove snow from a 75’ long driveway. By the time I add a mower deck and a plow blade, both of these machines seem very pricey. The BX can do more, but at a higher cost, larger size (will need a bigger shed), and a larger turning radius.

What do you recommend?

Personally I would buy the BX without the MMM. Bit a zero turn mower for less money than the MMM. Less Hrs on tractor too. My dealer recommended that 12yrs ago.
Just replaced a Cub Cadet zero turn that I bought with my BX. No regrets !!!!

We recently moved to a new home in southern NH. We have a 2 acre lot with no landscaping at the moment. So I will need something to mow the lawn, help out as we garden, and remove snow from a 75’ long driveway. By the time I add a mower deck and a plow blade, both of these machines seem very pricey. The BX can do more, but at a higher cost, larger size (will need a bigger shed), and a larger turning radius.

What do you recommend?

B

We recently moved to a new home in southern NH. We have a 2 acre lot with no landscaping at the moment. So I will need something to mow the lawn, help out as we garden, and remove snow from a 75’ long driveway. By the time I add a mower deck and a plow blade, both of these machines seem very pricey. The BX can do more, but at a higher cost, larger size (will need a bigger shed), and a larger turning radius.

What do you recommend?

 

[John Atkisson]

I’m in southern NH as well, and I own a BX with about 1000 hours on it. Veterans usually say to always get the bigger machine if you’re at a choice point. They’re right. You will find yourself wishing you had got the bigger machine. And remember, these things hold their value well- the 16k I paid for it new in 2015 seems like short money now, considering how much work I’ve done with it and the resale value being so high.

 

[dodge man]

I’d like to know where people are buying zero turns for the price of a mid mount. Mid mounts aren’t cheap but your talking less then $3k. Yeah you can get a zero turn for that but not a very good one.

 

[flyingace43]

I’m looking at the various tractor dealers near me. There is a JD dealer just a couple miles away, but the list prices on a 1025r? Holy cow! You can get that thing over $30k in a heartbeat.

Unfortunately, the Kubota and Kioti dealers are 30 minutes away. There is a Bobcat dealer close by, which is similar (identical?) to a Kioti subcompact.

Yanmar SA325 at the local dealer $16900