Hey, thank you all for the thoughtful public and private replies.
I took another "tractor day' off from work to talk to my dealer--prepared to bathe. I'll report below, but first a few comments on your comments.
The stump-pulling complaint was more illustrative of my general displeasure with the BX hydraulics than a complaint about stump perfomance per se. I fully realize that loaders are not stump pullers. But I was referring to mere 1.5 inchers. The more generic dissatisfaction with the BX arises from those very areas where the designers were forced to compromise. First, the 3ph geometry, which is small in all dimensions, necessitating small and light implements that are a struggle to attach. Second, the ground clearance is very low, like a garden tractor. Third, the hydraulic system is significantly weaker than all other compacts, degrading loader and 3ph lift capacity. Before I purchased the tractor I assumed these compromises would not be important to me. I was wrong. Aside from mowing, I now know that I want--how to say this-- a real tractor.
I do understand that I could pay someone else to do the bigger jobs. But what i didnt say is, that's what I have been doing for 9 years, and the avoidance of same was financial justification for the tractor. For my one acre lot that is now a lawn, I paid $12K for bulldozers, graders, rock rakes, and lawn installation. For my two acres along the creek, I paid about $2K for someone to brush hog phragmites, bramblethorns and cut a hundred willow trees (all three of which being on my top 10 list of God's cruel horticultural jokes), which are the stumps I now face. And, I had been paying to have my lawn mowed for 9 years. This year, I have been trying to maintain these 4 acres with my walk-behind DR brush cutter/46" mower deck--and badly losing the battle while breaking the dang machine every single weekend. Hence I dont want to pay others any more.
Well, back to the dealer. There was no bath! Thank goodness for the hot BX market. The dealer offered to take back the machine for a charge of $300 for the 24 meter hours. What a deal; i couldnt have rented anything for that price! I'm feeling better already.
So I spent the rest of the day tooling around on 7500's, 2410's, 2710's and 2910's at my dealer's two sites and at Tracorman's. I can buy any of the above for the same 12% of list as I paid for the BX. I dont want the 7500, so this means I can have the 2410 for an upgrade price of $4883; a 2710, for $6045; or a 2910, for $6995. Guess what I'm leaning towards.
Wrong. I'm leaning towards the 2410. The financial me believes this is model is probably the worst value in the B line, because it is a lot more than a 7500 but not much less than a 2710. And then, if you want a 2710, why not another $950 for a 2910. But this incremental logic would inexorably take us all up to the Guiness Machine. The ratchet must stop somewhere, and I just like the size and features of the 2410, even though it may not be the best value for the dollar. It cures all the ills, for me, of the BX; and the 27/29 frame size just looks and feels to big to me. Plus those 4 cylinder engines feel and sound rougher and vibrate more than the smaller 3 cylinders. Importantly, I must remember that I appreciate greatly the BX's mowing maneuverablily around my 20-30 lawn trees, and I also face a soft soil (ie, tractor weight) issue for my 2 creek acres.
On the other hand, my dealer has no 2410 loaders or mowers in stock but does have 27's and 29's. AAAAGGHH, here I go again..........
But at least I feel better, knowing I have options. After all, what is life about if not health and options.
Glenn
