Buying Advice Looking at the MF GC1720

[AxleHub]

Thanks for everyone's advice, I just noticed the MF GC1720TLB at the dealer has a DL95 loader and a CB65 backhoe, but the brochure he gave me shows a DL100 loader and a CB05 backhoe. Why is that?

The brochure is dated . . the dl95 and cb65 1st came out to replace the dl100 and cb05 in later 2014. Nothing wrong with the prior attachments . . but several things right about the newer ones. If you read on tractorbynet in numerous threads it talks about the differences and improvements provided by the new supplier. One noticeable difference is the fel lifting capacity is considerably more if you get the "true" dl95 loader numbers instead of the older numbers with the new model description.

 

[AxleHub]

Catman8, you wrote:

"I was not comparing the Cat to the MF GC1720, I was trying to decide if I should go with a garden tractor vs a compact tractor, "

I sense from that statement that you haven't test driven the gc product . . Because a garden tractor does not do what a sub compact GC product does . . and none operate or feel like a GC1715 or GC1720.

 

[Catman8]

Catman8, you wrote:

"I was not comparing the Cat to the MF GC1720, I was trying to decide if I should go with a garden tractor vs a compact tractor, "

I sense from that statement that you haven't test driven the gc product . . Because a garden tractor does not do what a sub compact GC product does . . and none operate or feel like a GC1715 or GC1720.

My experience is with large tractors and I'm familiar with their power, I have not had a chance to ever use a GC tractor in real life experience, I did drive it around the dealer lot but that is not going to show me the capability of the machine. if I could rent one for a day and be able to use it that would be great, but I doubt the rental companies have a MF GC1700 series to rent. i know its impossible for someone to explain the power or capabilities of a machine in a chat forum, but I do appriciate all the advice and the forum is very helpful.

 

[AxleHub]

My experience is with large tractors and I'm familiar with their power, I have not had a chance to ever use a GC tractor in real life experience, I did drive it around the dealer lot but that is not going to show me the capability of the machine. if I could rent one for a day and be able to use it that would be great, but I doubt the rental companies have a MF GC1700 series to rent. i know its impossible for someone to explain the power or capabilities of a machine in a chat forum, but I do appriciate all the advice and the forum is very helpful.

So have you asked your dealer if they offer a unit they can drop off at your location to test for a day ? I had 2 offer that to me.

 

[Fiziksgeek]

I would head over to youtube and see what folks are doing with their SCUT sized tractors. Looks for videos of the Massey GC line, but also the equivalents from John Deere, Kubota, etc. They all have similar capabilities. For example, you'll probably find a video of a Kubota BX25 trenching, simply because there are more of them out there, but the Massey should be able to do the same thing. This will give you a good idea about the capabilities of this sized machine.

 

[Catman8]

AxleHub, no the salesman did not offer a demo, but I'll ask him. Thanks for the idea.

Fiziksgeek, I'll check out you tube. Thanks for the idea.

 

[Catman8]

I recently came across a website tractor house.com and there is a dealer Bruno's tractors out of Cabot, Arkansas, he's advertising a MF GC1720LTB FOR 17,200. Free shipping and no tax. Does anyone have experience with This dealer or have opinions on this price.

 

[Catman8]

Ok, I contacted the dealer in my area and he said sure we can bring the tractor out to your property for a demo So next week I will see what a garden tractor can do, or shall we say, can't do.

 

[2ndhalf]

If you have dirt work, projects or a larger property to maintain and you have the money for a Subcompact they are night and day better than a GT. GTs are pretty limited as you know. If your calling the GC a garden tractor I think your about to get surprised... GC is far superior and more useful in almost every way.

I can't think of very many reasons for owning a GT any longer with all the nice ZTRs out there. To me the decision would be ZTR or SubCompact. I pushed Snow/gravel with my commercial ZTR for several years.

 

[AxleHub]

I personally like product that is designed and built by a single manufacturer (engine and tractor).

I came to thst thinking because each of the examples I'll mention have certain characteristics that others don't:

Kubota, Yanmar, Iseki (Massey). They built their long term reputations on engines (multiple decades for thers) and then a decade or more building tractors as well as engines.

In Massey's case (iseki) the only things they don't do themselves is the fel, backhoe, and mmm choices.

All three have forward engine cooling in their scuts which others don't offer. Yanmar weakened some of their choices with their latest scut choice (221) but strengthened with the 3xx and 4xx choices.

Kubota makes great machines but they've been steadfast in certain things that I think need updating.

Meanwhile I felt Massey really stepped to the plate and corrected or improved greatly. A new suppluer for the backhoe and fel really increased their lifting capacity over their good prior supplier. They kept their frame size but their fel capacity went up up up in weight handling. Better pump flows at lower rpms remind you of the yanmar supplier method on the sc2400 series - so the GC1700s can have great power without high rpms. But we all gave different perspectives and needs.

I wanted nimble but strong with considerable operator comfort . . I found that last late spring with Massey (while I was definitely looking for BX Kubotas).

Catman8, don't take an onsite demo for granted. Preplan a series of things to do on the demo and don't try to spend a lot of time on any one thing. Pre-stage things if you can . . . don't "justwing it". This is your chance but a salesman isn't going to want to be there 2 or 3 hours either.

Jmho