Help me decide: CUT vs Sub-CUT w/BH

jayhaitch · Oct 18, 2005

Arrggh! I hate being pushed into a decision but 0% financing is too sweet to leave. I've narrowed down my tractor purchase decision to either MF GC2310 w/54" mulching MMM & 48" tiller for Can$25,850, or a JD4110 w/410 loader, 54" MMM and 48" JD 647 tiller for $23,899. I have to decide by next week! Both are new.

What am I doing? 2.2 acres of farmland into lawn. Lots of soil remediation (rock hard clay "gumbo"), ~400' total gravel driveway, plant trees/shrub, clear back part of land of prairie grasses/anthills, push snow. Possession on house is June 1, 06 but these zero percent deals make me want to bite now. I'm a city boy hugely excited about my dream country home, so I'm new to tractors. I've learned a ton on this & other websites, so now I need more experienced opinions.

Pros & cons: 4110 is a CUT, love the ergonomics, great deal since new model is out. But a JD BH is Can$8000! Unless Woods is far cheaper, I'll probably have to forget about a BH if I buy the 4110. GC2310: a sub-CUT, but has BH. Mulching deck sounds great (I'm sold on mulching). Size is probably more realistic for 2.2 acres, and would scare my wife less when she has to mow (I hope not too often /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif). Ergonomics not as great: don't like the rocker pedal as much, and the higher FEL lever could get tiring it seems. But a BH would be great for ditches to put retaining wall around drive, dig out trees, plant new ones, will probably need to cut a swail in back, etc. Add 14% sales taxes to both numbers, and they're getting up there. My gut leads me to the 4110, but will I always regret not getting a BH unless I can buy one for far less than $8K?

Opinions please!

Jimbrown · Oct 18, 2005

I have a BX22 I went thru the same problem deciding between the BX and a larger B model without the back hoe. I am glad I got the BX with the Hoe I use it al lthe time. If you are going to be planting tress shrubs ect it is a back saver. I also dig post holes with it and have dug lots of water lines also.

demote · Oct 18, 2005

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. I can't speak specifically between the two machines but as many will tell you here, find out which dealer gives the best support. I will also say that I would love to have a BH and I'm debating its justification. By that I mean am I trying to justify its cost and use vs. how much fun I think it would be! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

LBrown59 · Oct 20, 2005

I was going to get a B 2410
Some of the reasons I chose the BX23 over the B2410.
1*The backhoe on the BX23 Verses no BH for the B 2410.
2*Stability
3*Better able to get into and operate in close quarters.
4*$15500 for the BX23 with a BH - VS $18500 for the B2410 without a BH.To me this was like paying me $3000 to take the BX23 and throwing in a free BH for good measure.

No way would would I trade the BX23 for a B2410 and no BH. Even if it was an even trade.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

 I've used the BH to: 
1* put in 130 feet of 6'' drain pipe
2* Install 112 feet of 15'' drive way culvert
3* Removed my neighbors Old dog kennel and pulled out and dug up the post for the pen there.
4* Dug out several stumps and small trees for myself and my neighbors.
5* Installed forty feet of 6 inch pipe in 2 places in a drainage ditch to make a place to drive over the ditches.
6* Used it to redo my underground phone line.
7* Doug post holes to build a deck.
8* moved dirt that I couldn't get to or reach with the FEL.
9* Broke up packed dirt in large mounds of dirt making it much quicker and easier to scoop it up with the FEL.
10*Give me time I'll think of something.
11* Dig out and repair my water line. See I said just give me time.

LBrown59 · Oct 20, 2005

( I've used the BH to: 
1* put in 130 feet of 6'' drain pipe
2* Install 112 feet of 15'' drive way culvert
3* Removed my neighbors Old dog kennel and pulled out and dug up the post for the pen there.
4* Dug out several stumps and small trees for myself and my neighbors.
5* Installed forty feet of 6 inch pipe in 2 places in a drainage ditch to make a place to drive over the ditches.
6* Used it to redo my underground phone line.
7* Doug post holes to build a deck.
8* moved dirt that I couldn't get to or reach with the FEL.
9* Broke up packed dirt in large mounds of dirt making it much quicker and easier to scoop it up with the FEL.
10*Give me time I'll think of something.
11* Dig out and repair my water line. See I said just give me time. )

Had I went with the B2410 without the BH instead of the BX 23 none of the above would be done today.

jayhaitch · Oct 22, 2005

Thank you Jimbrown and LBrown59. That's exactly the type of information I'm looking for. Here's an update.

I wracked by brain weighing the choices in tractors and prices. I went back out to our lot, 4 wheeled in the mud all around, and carefully thought about what I want to do and how fast. I went back to the Massey/Kubota dealer, and played with a BX23 and GC2310. Loved'em both! I also took a 7510 gear for a spin, quite fun. I then went back and looked at the 4110 again.

I love the size of the small framed CUT. The 4110 was far and away nicer in fit and finish, appearance, and ergonomics than any of the other machines. I called Woods: yes, the BH6000 fits on the 4110. Another dealer quoted $6000 plus installation for it. This still brings the 4110 package up to Can$30K, plus 14% sales taxes. Too much.

After playing with the BH and considering my needs, I've decided on absolutely getting something with a BH. The salesman is putting together fresh quotes and will have them for me on Monday, both BX23 and GC2310. He's gently pushing the Kubota, though he admits they've only ever got a few of the GC series, so some of it is familiarity. I'm not sure on the commission structure /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif It seems the GC2310 is ~ $1K cheaper, and I don't find the Kubota 1K nicer. But we'll see what the numbers show. I'll keep you posted.

One more thing: why are the prices I'm seeing way higher than strictly the dollar difference between US and Can $? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

DannyD · Oct 22, 2005

I have the bx23, and also would not trade for something without a backhoe. I have under an acre, but have put in a couple of ponds, see projects, and dug up plenty of stumps that were in the way. Have not dug the drain lines for my downspouts yet, but that is coming soon. here is one photo, others are in pond remake (?) in the projects section.

LBrown59 · Oct 22, 2005

1*It seems the GC2310 is ~ $1K cheaper,
2*and I don't find the Kubota 1K nicer
3*why are the prices I'm seeing way higher than strictly the dollar difference between US and Can $?
********* 
~~ ~~~~ ~~~~~~

1*This may be a dealer thing. I've seen it go both ways. Sometimes the BX23 is cheeper other times it's the GC 2310.
You might offer the dealer the GC2310 price for the BX23 and see what he does with it.
The worst he can do is say no but on the other hand he might say yes. He could also offer a compromise on the 1000 difference.
Have you went to 2 or 3 other dealers and gotten prices on both the BX23 and the GC2310?
2* Don't know if you've noticed this or not but there are a lot more BX 23 owners here than there are GC2310 owners.
Popularity may mean higher resale value but even if it doesn't it could make selling quicker and easier.
3*Again this could be a dealer thing but can't say for sure.

jayhaitch · Oct 23, 2005

Yes I did get a quote from a 50 mile away Massey dealer for $28.9K for the GC2310! Good points about the dealer though. I specifically asked about the dealership, and it's been around for a long time, sells big ag equipment, 2 salesmen just for that, and 1 salesman just for compacts and L&G stuff. They sell to the local city government (185 mowers, tractors, etc this past year according to my salesman). They have there own service dept, and sell several brands of implements. I'm looking forward to Monday's quote.

jayhaitch · Oct 27, 2005

A follow up: I BOUGHT A TRACTOR!!!!!!!!! Yee-hah! Christmas comes 2 months early!!

I bought the Massey GC2310 TLB, 54" MMM mulching deck, 48" tiller, R4's, for Can$26,185. They will store it in their warehouse until next June when we take possession of the new house, no extra charge. Only thing is, I need to insure it through my house insurance, no big deal. I guess this shows where my priorities lie: buy the tractor first, then the house /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I got the zero percent financing for 36 months with zero down, though I couldn't get the factory rebate of Can$935. Cash price would have been $25,250. So for $935 plus our 14% sales taxes, over 36 months I'm paying an "interest" charge of $29.61 a month, pretty good IMO, considering the cash flow needs of the new house /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

The GC2310 was around $1000 cheaper than the BX23, and I like red better than orange! Either would have been great, but I didn't see $1000 more in the BX than the GC. The GC comes stock with R4's in any case, whereas the BX came with R3's.

I just wish I could play, uh work with it now. I feel like a kid at Christmas /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Thank you everyone for your help and information. I can't believe how much I've learned from this website and Muhammed's book. Thanks again!