I'm posting this message to try to bump this thread out of the invisible TBN universe of lost knowledge. I am doing so because I always find myself recounting my initial purchase decision to newcomers asking the "what size tractor" question, because I have gotten a lot of emails over the years about people enjoying this thread, and because the words of newbie glenn sound fresher to me than the words of veteran member glenn.
Post-Purchase Depression and Upgraditis
- Thread starter glennmac
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rosey
Silver Member
Say what????? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
5030
Epic Contributor
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2003
- Messages
- 26,993
- Location
- SE Michigan in the middle of nowhere
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- Kubota M9000 HDCC3 M9000 HDC
Glenn:
It's wore out already.....I don't mean you, I mean the tractor /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
It's wore out already.....I don't mean you, I mean the tractor /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
To complete my purchase story on the subject of "what size tractor to buy", I am adding a post I made yesterday in another thread:
<font color="blue">When I was researching and shopping, I was focused on mowing my two acres of lawn and brush clearing another acre on this side of the overgrown creek. And after I cleared that acre of the brush, rocks, stumps, etc., I planned on eventually mowing all three acres with a finish mower. Those other 8 acres on the other side of the creek were an inaccessable swamp and jungle--so forget that. It all seemed clear and logical to me, and therefore, applying the Occam's Razor parsimonious purchasing principle, I bought a BX.
Now I have 8 acres to mow. I have sweeping vistas I didn't have before, a sparkling and burbling creek opened up to deer and herons and ducks, and channels draining the swamp. I have improved the beauty and value of my property immensely--just me, all alone, with my tractor.
But not my BX. I realized after two weeks that the BX could meet the limited 3 acre objectives I had set for it. But I also then had glimpsed "the power" of the tractor. And that that power could terraform the swamp-jungle. But that the BX was too small.
I traded up to a 2910, built a bridge with the help of the tractor, and began clearing the other side of the creek. Beat the tar out of the tractor. Thousand dollars worth of damage and repairs eventually. Rode over dozens of huge 20 stemmed bushes, the tractor's nose pointed 30 degrees up in the air to get the Woods 60" medium duty cutter over the stems--and it cut them. Maybe took many passes and lug-outs but it cut them. Took me maybe 50 hours to clear an acre. I really needed a bigger, heavier tractor. Carted stuff away, but it took a long time with the small and weak FEL.
Now that it's cleared, it's got to be maintained or else it will re-junglefy. So I need bigger mowers. I need a 72" brush mower and an 84" finish mower. But the 2910 is too small for them.
And I want a backhoe--to dig channels, and dirt, and to sculpt a sitting and view spot high on a hill overlooking the open acres. The very best current backhoe for the 2910 (7800) is a Bradco 3375 frame mount hoe. But the frame mountings will interfere with my MMM. So I have to sell the 72" MMM, which is big money losing proposition, and then buy a RMM.
The answer is: I now inevitably need a Grand L to maintain and extend the work for which I should have had a Grand L in the first place.
Gee, how come I didn't foresee all this three years ago when I so scientifically specified the 3 acre jobs for my tractor. Because I couldn't. Tractors are magical ... like a cornucopia. Whenever you do one thing with them, that opens up the opportunity to do two new things you never thought of. Etcetera. Exponentially. As long as you have the land. And the will.</font>
And the imagination.
Indeed, I have ordered a Grand L 3430 with a few cute doodads and original customizations that I will be writing about in detail (and posting my first pictures ever) in a few weeks.
That's my story of "what size tractor to buy".
So far.
<font color="blue">When I was researching and shopping, I was focused on mowing my two acres of lawn and brush clearing another acre on this side of the overgrown creek. And after I cleared that acre of the brush, rocks, stumps, etc., I planned on eventually mowing all three acres with a finish mower. Those other 8 acres on the other side of the creek were an inaccessable swamp and jungle--so forget that. It all seemed clear and logical to me, and therefore, applying the Occam's Razor parsimonious purchasing principle, I bought a BX.
Now I have 8 acres to mow. I have sweeping vistas I didn't have before, a sparkling and burbling creek opened up to deer and herons and ducks, and channels draining the swamp. I have improved the beauty and value of my property immensely--just me, all alone, with my tractor.
But not my BX. I realized after two weeks that the BX could meet the limited 3 acre objectives I had set for it. But I also then had glimpsed "the power" of the tractor. And that that power could terraform the swamp-jungle. But that the BX was too small.
I traded up to a 2910, built a bridge with the help of the tractor, and began clearing the other side of the creek. Beat the tar out of the tractor. Thousand dollars worth of damage and repairs eventually. Rode over dozens of huge 20 stemmed bushes, the tractor's nose pointed 30 degrees up in the air to get the Woods 60" medium duty cutter over the stems--and it cut them. Maybe took many passes and lug-outs but it cut them. Took me maybe 50 hours to clear an acre. I really needed a bigger, heavier tractor. Carted stuff away, but it took a long time with the small and weak FEL.
Now that it's cleared, it's got to be maintained or else it will re-junglefy. So I need bigger mowers. I need a 72" brush mower and an 84" finish mower. But the 2910 is too small for them.
And I want a backhoe--to dig channels, and dirt, and to sculpt a sitting and view spot high on a hill overlooking the open acres. The very best current backhoe for the 2910 (7800) is a Bradco 3375 frame mount hoe. But the frame mountings will interfere with my MMM. So I have to sell the 72" MMM, which is big money losing proposition, and then buy a RMM.
The answer is: I now inevitably need a Grand L to maintain and extend the work for which I should have had a Grand L in the first place.
Gee, how come I didn't foresee all this three years ago when I so scientifically specified the 3 acre jobs for my tractor. Because I couldn't. Tractors are magical ... like a cornucopia. Whenever you do one thing with them, that opens up the opportunity to do two new things you never thought of. Etcetera. Exponentially. As long as you have the land. And the will.</font>
And the imagination.
Indeed, I have ordered a Grand L 3430 with a few cute doodads and original customizations that I will be writing about in detail (and posting my first pictures ever) in a few weeks.
That's my story of "what size tractor to buy".
So far.
Henro
Elite Member
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2003
- Messages
- 4,982
- Location
- Few miles north of Pgh, PA
- Tractor
- Kubota B2910, BX2200, KX41-2V mini EX
<font color="blue"> Indeed, I have ordered a Grand L 3430 with a few cute doodads and original customizations that I will be writing about in detail (and posting my first pictures ever) in a few weeks.
</font>
Glen,
Stop for a moment, take a deep breath, and try to think clearly about this.
It is obvious that you will need a minimum of a L3830.
Now at first I was going to say this with a bunch of /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif faces...but now that I think about it, it really is the truth.
If for no other reason, because you are moving up from a B2910. The B2910 has a pretty good hp/weight ratio. The 3410 probably doubles the weight of the tractor but only jumps the hp by a little over 10%.
You may find youself wondering why you have to up those hills so slow, compared to how your B2910 performed. I know at least one person who moved from a B2910 to a L3010 last year found this to be true. I can't remember who that was but do remember his post here.
Are you going to keep the B2910 as a little brother for the new Grand L?
</font>
Glen,
Stop for a moment, take a deep breath, and try to think clearly about this.
It is obvious that you will need a minimum of a L3830.
Now at first I was going to say this with a bunch of /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif faces...but now that I think about it, it really is the truth.
If for no other reason, because you are moving up from a B2910. The B2910 has a pretty good hp/weight ratio. The 3410 probably doubles the weight of the tractor but only jumps the hp by a little over 10%.
You may find youself wondering why you have to up those hills so slow, compared to how your B2910 performed. I know at least one person who moved from a B2910 to a L3010 last year found this to be true. I can't remember who that was but do remember his post here.
Are you going to keep the B2910 as a little brother for the new Grand L?
Kelvin
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2000
- Messages
- 798
- Location
- East Tennessee
- Tractor
- B2910 & BX23 (previously B2150 & B7100D)
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Indeed, I have ordered a Grand L 3430 with a few cute doodads and original customizations... )</font>
I'm curious as to the "doodads" that you are getting.
Before finding a good deal on B2910 I briefly looked at the Grand L 3x30 series.
Had I purchased a new Kubota I would probably have ended up with a 3430 since, as I understand the rules...
(1) the 3430 is the largest Kubota that you can get with the mid-mower (and I like mid-mowers)
(2) The 3430 is only Kubota that has both CAB and MID-MOWER options.
I doubt that I would get the CAB, but it is sure nice to look at. Right now I am still transporting the Kubotas back and forth to the property so the lighter B series is the best fit for me. But once I build I may be in the market for a larger tractor. I'm curious how you will like your 3430 compared to the B2910.
I'm curious as to the "doodads" that you are getting.
Before finding a good deal on B2910 I briefly looked at the Grand L 3x30 series.
Had I purchased a new Kubota I would probably have ended up with a 3430 since, as I understand the rules...
(1) the 3430 is the largest Kubota that you can get with the mid-mower (and I like mid-mowers)
(2) The 3430 is only Kubota that has both CAB and MID-MOWER options.
I doubt that I would get the CAB, but it is sure nice to look at. Right now I am still transporting the Kubotas back and forth to the property so the lighter B series is the best fit for me. But once I build I may be in the market for a larger tractor. I'm curious how you will like your 3430 compared to the B2910.
TresCrows
Elite Member
Glen, I think you are a tractorholic or something. I know it will irratate all the 2910 owners but I never could see the reason for those units. I think it should jump from 7500/2410 to Grande L. I too feel the need sometimes for a Grande L size unit and fully realize also that anything my 2410 cannot do a 2910 would be very, very marginal at BEST. Sooooo, if I could talk the boss into it I would go get a Grande L also, trade the 2410 and keep my BX. The good news is though that factually my 2410 has done everything I needed it to do.
Yeah, I remember your first post asking about tractors and your very specific laundry lists of tasks, my how things have changed.
Hey, about those canoes etc, here in Kansaw there is not much water but now down South THERE is plenty of water and the southwest actually has some nice boating areas also. I had a boat, a fairly big unit, when we were in Houston, I took it offshore to the rigs and rock banks for diving. I also had and still have a 14 foot inflatable with a 35 horse engine (yes--35--not 3.5) which I used mostly for diving launching off the beach. Too get to my question and you can answer it private--what do you think of those sit on top Kayaks from like Cobara and Ocean Kayak, just for paddling and playing and of course diving? Do you know anything about them?
You tractorholic you /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. J
Yeah, I remember your first post asking about tractors and your very specific laundry lists of tasks, my how things have changed.
Hey, about those canoes etc, here in Kansaw there is not much water but now down South THERE is plenty of water and the southwest actually has some nice boating areas also. I had a boat, a fairly big unit, when we were in Houston, I took it offshore to the rigs and rock banks for diving. I also had and still have a 14 foot inflatable with a 35 horse engine (yes--35--not 3.5) which I used mostly for diving launching off the beach. Too get to my question and you can answer it private--what do you think of those sit on top Kayaks from like Cobara and Ocean Kayak, just for paddling and playing and of course diving? Do you know anything about them?
You tractorholic you /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. J
Henro
Elite Member
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2003
- Messages
- 4,982
- Location
- Few miles north of Pgh, PA
- Tractor
- Kubota B2910, BX2200, KX41-2V mini EX
<font color="blue"> Glen, I think you are a tractorholic or something. I know it will irratate all the 2910 owners but I never could see the reason for those units. I think it should jump from 7500/2410 to Grande L. </font>
Gee TresCrows...Why do I think it should jump from the Bx to the B2910??? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Then on to the L3830... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
Gee TresCrows...Why do I think it should jump from the Bx to the B2910??? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Then on to the L3830... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
ronjhall
Super Star Member
<font color="blue"> I never could see the reason for those units. </font>
It may have some thing to do with Tim the Tool Man. More Horsepower /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
It may have some thing to do with Tim the Tool Man. More Horsepower /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
5030
Epic Contributor
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2003
- Messages
- 26,993
- Location
- SE Michigan in the middle of nowhere
- Tractor
- Kubota M9000 HDCC3 M9000 HDC
Glen:
Me thinks too, that you should go for the 5030. I'll tell you what, I'll sell you mine, 'cause I want and need a M9000. Too bad I'll have to give up my HST though. I though 52 ponies was enough, but it's never enough. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Besides, I want to listen to that turbocharger whine. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Me thinks too, that you should go for the 5030. I'll tell you what, I'll sell you mine, 'cause I want and need a M9000. Too bad I'll have to give up my HST though. I though 52 ponies was enough, but it's never enough. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Besides, I want to listen to that turbocharger whine. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif