I meant to post this to the 'buying' thread - not the owning thread - sorry...
It seems that many - if not most - of us didn't keep the first tractor for very long. I keep coming across threads and look at people's signatures - so many speak of trading in or selling their tractor for something bigger.
"Upgrading" seems to be the common experience. I only mention this since I did a lot of research before buying my BX1500 and cannot afford the luxury of trading in each year for something bigger. I learned a very costly lesson by buying a new 2005 JD garden tractor and getting only one season of use before trading it - I now have a 3-pt hitch, diesel engine, FEL and 4WD - for not a lot more than it would have been if I had just bought the Kubota from the start.
But, it seems as a bit of warning to perspective BX buyers that - although it may be Kubota's biggest (but not physically largest) seller - a lot of people seem to complain about it's lack of ground clearance and upgrade to a "B."
I wonder if the same is true when talking about the "L" and "M" series.
/ Poll: How many traded before finding the "right" tractor?
I guess I am a slow learner as it took me three tries befoe finally getting the right machine for me. I started with a 12hp Gravely then migrated to an 18hp Snapper before getting my Kubota F2400 (24hp).
/ Poll: How many traded before finding the "right" tractor?
I was looking for a riding garden tractor when I discovered the BX 1800. Fell in love at first sight. Yes it was a bit bigger than was looking for but since I have 30 acres of land (most of it I'm happily leaving to nature) I have found plenty of use for it. I've owned it for 4 years and put over 800 hours on with virtually no repairs just regualr mantainance. Do I wish I had a bigger one. Nope! Love the little tractor and as of this time I can't imagine ever getting rid of it.
/ Poll: How many traded before finding the "right" tractor?
I bought my bx thinking the little 2 acres i live on would be to just right for this thing, the problem is once i bought it i started doing work for other people and now i could really use a bigger tlb but by the same respect i only need 53" to get through to a back yard. That has only come into play once but it did, so what do I do? I am buying a zd300 series in a month to mow with but I also want to buy a b3030 just for the increse in power and bucket size. Ground clearance isnt a big issue with me but digging depth and breakout force is. The bx is a great machine and I would recomend it to any homeowner who like to dig holes and fill them up. I didnt get the mower with mine because of ground clearance issues since I knew i would be using it to move earth not mow it. I also now that mowing is pretty hard on tractors here in oklahoma when its 104 so i didnt want to rack up a bunch of hours on the thing mowing.
dazed and confused
/ Poll: How many traded before finding the "right" tractor?
My former BX23 was my first tractor with hydraulic implements. First I thought it was the one for me and as I learned to operate the backhoe and the loader I began to look at the B-series (I mean just look). The second summer was coming for my BX and I was looking for a mid-mount mower. I liked the power steering on my BX and my garden tractor (the one used to mow) didn't have one. I asked the question to myself at that exact moment: I want a power steering to mow so what am I going to do? install a mower on my BX now and keep it a long time or change the tractor now and buy a MMM for that tractor (with more loader and backhoe capabilities). I chose to change my BX after only one year... I lost a lot of money (4000$) but now I'm pretty sure I have the right size for me.
So why I didn't buy the right tractor right from the start? Because it was impossible to know what feelings (or needs) I could have after 100 hours gaining experience (starting from scratch) on the BX. How I was supposed to know that a loader with 460lbs lift capacity wouldn't be enough? How I was supposed to know that a backhoe with 140º boom swing wouldn't be enough? I guess it took me 100 hours to know the answer to that and many other details just like these .
Don't get me wrong though, I liked my BX. I learned so much with it. It was a strange feeling when I saw her leaving on my dealer's trailer. A strange sensation because I had the feeling that I had lose something but on the other hand, that same trailer had dropped 15 minutes earlier a brand new B3030 on my driveway. I took a picture of that. I'm happy with my B3030 open cab (a bit less when the wind blows and the temperature drops to -5ºF).
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/ Poll: How many traded before finding the "right" tractor?
I did a huge ammount of research before buying my L3830 GST and loader, and it is great for what I need, however I will likley go after a B or BX without loader in a year or two simply to get into smaller areas for tilling and discing places that are unaproachable with the larger tractor, and I might even get an M cab with a snowthrower if/when I move to snow country in a few years or a used 5030 cab but keep in mind that this is for buisness (yeah, right!) so other people pay for my stuff
/ Poll: How many traded before finding the "right" tractor?
Getting the tractor right the first time would of been great.
First tractor was a New Holland 1320. Was too heavy for mowing and it tore up my lawn very bad. I had many problems with the 1320 and traded it in for a BX2200.
Found out very quickly that the BX2200 did not have the ground clearance and kept getting it stuck. I also had many other problems with the BX2200 so I sold it.
Purchased a B7500 new. Never got it stuck yet. The only real problem I had with the B7500 was the Kubota Super UDT Hydro fluid does not hold up to heat very well.(Just a note: Regular UDT holds up better in hot weather than Super UDT) So I replaced it with Chevron Synthetic All Weather THF Hydro fluid and had no problems from there after. Very Happy with this tractor. The B7500 is a good compromise for me and I will keep this one.
Too bad it took me three tries.
/ Poll: How many traded before finding the "right" tractor?
No research, no leg work, no yearning to "upgrade", no prob with Super UDT in 115° heat, no worries mates.
I don't consider "upgrading" to be xmas ... ADDING a machine IS xmas, and I'm always looking for an addition for grins and giggles, not to replace my workhorse though.
Maybe it's a Kalifornia thing. I can work a full 12 months of the year and chose a property, after much research, leg work and figgering that I could handle with a minimum of financial and mechanical input. ... THAT's finding the "right" PROPERTY
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