Newbie

Sumosized · Apr 18, 2007

Hello everyone! Wanted to drop in and introduce myself.

I live in SW Pennsylvania. I sell mining products to the coal industry; however, I used to sell John Deere tractors at one of the local dealerships. My wife and I just bought a new home with 2.6 acres of cardiovascular hill. It's a great house and a nice area, but I just couldn't do it with my JD 20" push mower. So I sold my motorcycle to buy my first tractor.

After talking to the manager of the JD dealership I worked at 6 years ago I realized I needed to expand my options beyond green and yellow. I looked around and found a nice used Cub Cadet 3240 with 481 hours on it. I knew the mechanic who serviced it when it came in and he gave me the reassurance that it was in good condition. $2900 later, the tractor is in my garage (with new ag tires loadd with tractor fill)

I have to admit I was a little concerned about buying anything but a JD, until I realized I fell for the propaganda they pitched me when I worked for them. I'm very excited with my new Cub!!!

dweitzel · Apr 18, 2007

Congrats on the purchase! Post some pictures and let us know what attachments you have/plan to purchase.

Many never get past the orange or green. I am completely happy with my purchase. Just used the Cub to put in a driveway last week. Dug about 6-8" of topsoil out and filled back in with road base and graded the whole thing out nice and neat.

Welcome to the site. A wealth of information to have from many people on the site. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Enjoy!

jay25rs · Apr 18, 2007

Congrats on the Cub! I wish I could have come across a find like that! Great deal, lots of luck to you.

-Jason

Sumosized · Apr 18, 2007

Thanks for the replies! I thought it was a dcent deal, but am always uncertain when I spend anything over $100.

I'm not sure what attachments I'm going to end up with. I do need something to push snow with. I'm going to need some type of a pull behind cart too. Since this is a garden tractor from 2001 (I think) I haven't been able to find much in the way of available items for it.

Would be nice to have a small front loader to help me with the french drain I want to put in, but I'm not sure I'd use it for anything else.

OhioGuy · Apr 18, 2007

Sumo,

Is that an acceptable abbreviation?

Welcome aboard! I've been a happy Cub owner for 20 years, well, most of it was happy. I work my equipment hard, but do take good care on the maintenance side. It's well built stuff!

Somebody here can answer just about any question you'd think to ask.

Good Luck and Happy Mowing.

Your model has the locking differential, right?
That will help on those hills.

Curt

Sumosized · Apr 18, 2007

Ohioguy,

Sumo is fine. When your 6' and 345#s Sumo is fitting. Long story how I got the name....

Yes, it does have locking dif. I really wanted a tractor with locking differential from experience with the old JD 425,445,455 tractors. This CC has it, and is built just as well.

It really amazed me at how uneasy I was about this purchase. Coming from the sales side of JD to the purchasing side is a HUGE difference. When it's someone elses money, you can jusify their prices. When it's your own--a little different.

I remember an older farmer that used to come in to buy filters for an old JD 50 he still used on his dairy farm. He stopped and looked at one of the 455 diesel tractors on our show room. Came back and tested it, looked it over long and hard. Said he would think aout it. A few weeks later he came in and said he bought a Cub. I was stunned, most farmers around here are pretty partial to a particular brand of machine. When I asked him why not the Deere, he said "I figured it would cost me a lot more milk to get that Deere when the Cub looks like it's built just as well or better." I laughed and let it go. Now I know how he fills--that's a lot of miner bits to sell to make up the difference.

LBrown59 · Apr 20, 2007

Sumosized said:
I live in SW Pennsylvania. I sell mining products to the coal industry;

Since you're in the coal industry have you ever heard of Patten Brothers or Patten Mmanufacturing in Marietta Ohio?

Sumosized · Apr 20, 2007

LBrown59 said:
Since you're in the coal industry have you ever heard of Patten Brothers or Patten Mmanufacturing in Marietta Ohio?

No. What do they manufacture?

LBrown59 · Apr 21, 2007

Sumosized said:
No. What do they manufacture?

At one time and for many decades they were one of the biggest if not the biggest suppliers of mine bolts to the mining industry.
The Bolts are used for shoring up the walls and ceilings in mine shafts and tunnels.
I was born and raised in a little 4 block neighborhood out side the city limits and this plant building is 2 blocks away from my old home place in that neighborhood.
Back in the mid fifties my cousin his dad and I built what was probably the first motorized go cart.
The rear axle for that go cart came from the mine bolt stock at that plant.