Need guidance in selecting Mower vs Yard Tractor

[dnmccoy]

Thank you, I do have a nice Stihl weed eater I think at a minimum id like the front end loader and mid mount mower. Can you add a backhoe down the line?

 

[WVH1977]

You would need to ask the dealer you go with about the backhoe or someone on here with more knowledge on aftermarket backhoe's. I do know if I bought a backhoe for my tractor I would have it mounted with a sub-frame underneath the tractor.

 

[dnmccoy]

The MF dealer told me it couldn't be added later. May look at the GC1710 or GC1720

 

[dodge man]

I know they can be added to a kubota BX bit it's expensive, I think 10K or more. Woods makes it.

 

[piercedtiger]

You can buy the Massey BH from a dealer I think. At least the agco site lists it, though it's $8k and I have no idea if that includes everything, or if you need to add in other parts (like hydraulic connections or frame brackets). I would think it would be worth getting it with the tractor if you have any plans of using one more than a couple times.

 

[dnmccoy]

The dealer I spoke to said it cant be added, apparently there is some frame reinforcement done when it comes like that from the factory?

 

[airbiscuit]

A little while a go you were thinking about buying a garden tractor. What do you plan to use a backhoe for? You can rent a mini excavator a lot of times for the price of a backhoe. Unless you have a substantial and ongoing need for a backhoe, I wouldn't worry about it just yet.

 

[dnmccoy]

I haven't settled on anything yet. I just noticed some of the Massey and kubota have them, and I checked out the prices since you can't add them. I haven't even decided new vs used, just trying to take in everything I can to make the best long term decision

With most of the new ones having 60-84 months financing, I'd like to make sure to get something that will work and do what we need for years to come

 

[paulfun9]

In most cases its best to purchase the Back Hoe with the machine. Most cash incentives and better, financing terms will make it the best price unless you get lucky and find someone selling the correct model later on which rarely happens.
For many the cost of a backhoe doesn't add up but for lots of us the rental of a hoe or mini excavator along with the time frame involved makes not only a pain in the butt but actually more costly. Adding the local rental yards cost up and the amount of days I have used my Backhoe I would have spent far more by now on rentals compared to my actual cost when buying. This dosnt even take into consideration the time and gass that would have been wasted going in to pick up and return the rental There is also a lot to be said for being able to just go do what you want to/ need to when the time arises and not have to wait till the rental is available or build up enough jobs to make a rental feasible.

 

[piercedtiger]

Around here in NY a mini ex rents for $325 a day or $1300 a week. I have a buddy who's not equipment operator borrow a JD 1025 from a friend to dig out a 40 yd pistol pit. He had to learn how to use it while doing the actual job, in between working nights, mandatory over time, weather, and other projects around the house. He had the tractor for 5 months, doing a little bit each weekend it didn't rain, and occasionally during the week before work. It would have cost around $10,600 renting each weekend, plus transport time and fuel picking up and returning every week, and potentially taken longer due to that. Weekly would have cost $26,000, assuming he could keep it on site each week. So if you have a project like this lined up, paying for the BH would save money even if you never used it again.