John Deere x720 for 5.5 acres

[jenkinsph]

nrbocke,
First of all I don't consider moving from an x748 to a 1000 series is a move up, more like moving across. Both have their own advantages and choosing which one to buy should be based on your needs. From what you have posted so far you need something to mow with and deal with snow, either a blade or blower. You also have steep hills and/or slopes with about 5.5 acres to maintain. That said an x748 sounds like a good fit imo. I would add that we are all guessing here without knowing how steep your slopes really are, if their not too steep then other models might work just as well.

Most of the guys here would be doing their own landscape work and in light of that could make good use of a small tractor with various implements to accomplish their goals. Half the fun is working their equipment and doing the work with their own hands. Since you plan to hire the landscape work out it doesn't appear that you need the extra features and upgrades in a larger tractor. Being a landscaper myself I am not here to talk you out of that as your local landscaper needs to feed his family.

Where you live and what type of climate you have is unknown to us and should be a major factor in choosing the right kind of mower to use. Your grandfather you mentioned is pushing for the ztr and that is a possibility if the conditions are right and so far he has a better idea of the conditions than I do.

In summary we would need more details to narrow down what would work best in your case, a few pictures and an approximate location would help us help you.

 

[nrbocke]

Thanks Steve. I originally was thinking 4wd but found this used x720 and kind of talked myself (the dealer helped) out of it. The only problem I see is if you get into the x728/48 you might as well go up to the 1000 series (again with the help of the dealer). Is there a benefit with staying in the x series and not going up to the 1000 or even the 2000 series if the money is similar?

Along those lines...talking to the guys at work they think the x720 I'm looking at is a total rip off!!! It wasn't a minute latter and they had tractor house up showing me diesel compact tractors for the same price or less. From what they are telling me I can get any of these as long as they have turf tires. Another guy just got a brand new Exmark 60'' deck 27hp motor for $6700. I guess this is like a $9000 mower but one of the other guys at work is a Exmark dealer. So half the guys are like buy a used compact tractor and the other half (and my grandpa!) are saying buy a big ZTR. So I'm more lost than I was when I started. I was hoping this deal on the x720 was so good it would make the decision easy

I will get back with some pictures. Location wise I am in south central Nebraska. My property is very sandy. They will be amending black dirt around the house before hydro-seeding. The biggest issue I have is with the areas where the native grass was disturbed. The little Craftsman I had would just spin out when I tried to go up the hill and I felt like I was taking my life into my own hands going with it! The other day I was mowing the hill behind my house with a push mower. At one point I was reaching, the hill got a little steeper, and the deck end up straight up and down. So in my opinion it is steep.

Your are correct other than mowing the only other thing I need it is to move snow. Anything else would just be nice to have and I may never even buy the attachments. Last year it only snowed twice but we can also get large amounts of snow. I get large drift in front of my garage with about any amount of snow more than a dusting. On one hand I have to get my driveway open because missing work isn't an option, but on the other it doesn't do a lot of good to open the drive way if the county doesn't have the 1 1/2 miles of gravel to the highway open. So snow removal may be a pipe dream with option in my price range.

 

[jenkinsph]

The x748 with 26 12 12 hdap tires should work well in sandy soil, same tires that I have on the x749 and our locale has sandy soil too. These same tires worked well last year pushing 12 to 15 inches of snow with a rearblade and no chains on some small driveway jobs.

Living in a ski town in the mountains I will chain up all four corners on one truck prior to a heavy snowfall forecast, that usually gets me out. Sometimes good judgement means stay home and wait for conditions and roads to improve. That has its own problems when you are one of the people who is clearing snow for a living so I try to get the equipment where I need it before the snow event and then get myself and helpers where we need to go as early as possible.

 

[nrbocke]

The x748 with 26 12 12 hdap tires should work well in sandy soil, same tires that I have on the x749 and our locale has sandy soil too. These same tires worked well last year pushing 12 to 15 inches of snow with a rearblade and no chains on some small driveway jobs.

Living in a ski town in the mountains I will chain up all four corners on one truck prior to a heavy snowfall forecast, that usually gets me out. Sometimes good judgement means stay home and wait for conditions and roads to improve. That has its own problems when you are one of the people who is clearing snow for a living so I try to get the equipment where I need it before the snow event and then get myself and helpers where we need to go as early as possible.

Looks like I should probably save up for a year and keep my eye out for a x748/49. I appreciate the incite.

 

[jenkinsph]

Looks like I should probably save up for a year and keep my eye out for a x748/49. I appreciate the incite.

I would hope you meant "insight" and take my comments as a suggestion. Not trying to incite anyone into a purchase.:laughing:

 

[jenkinsph]

Nice Now if you would start working on:
There, their, they're
Your & you're
To, too, two
Hydrolic
And maybe a few others.

YOU TALKING TO ME?:laughing:

 

[jenkinsph]

I have been interested in malapropisms for many years, my brother in law referred to an accelerator as an exhilarator:laughing: well sort of I guess.