Price Check on mmm...............Ouch!

[teeravis1]

I stopped at the dealer where I bough my B3030 w/ a friend of mine last week because he was interested in a tractor and wanted to take a look. (I directed him right to Kubota, and probably helped the salesman more than I should have ) A few days later he is now the proud owner of a BX 24 with loader, backhoe, and snowblower. Anyway, while we were there I asked what the mmm for my B3030 would cost, because my plan was to buy the mmm this spring. They quoted me a price of about $3300. I really wanted the mmm, but now I am thinking to my self that for $2000 - $2500 I can get a heck of a nice good size riding mower. Then I wouldn't have to worry about putting the mower deck on and off when using the tractor in the woods. But it also means the B3030 will sit more instead of getting used more. Not sure what to do on this one, does anyone have any opinions or thoughts on the matter that I may have overlooked? Thanks Guys - Trav

 

[Mowbizz]

I stopped at the dealer where I bough my B3030 w/ a friend of mine last week because he was interested in a tractor and wanted to take a look. (I directed him right to Kubota, and probably helped the salesman more than I should have ) A few days later he is now the proud owner of a BX 24 with loader, backhoe, and snowblower. Anyway, while we were there I asked what the mmm for my B3030 would cost, because my plan was to buy the mmm this spring. They quoted me a price of about $3300. I really wanted the mmm, but now I am thinking to my self that for $2000 - $2500 I can get a heck of a nice good size riding mower. Then I wouldn't have to worry about putting the mower deck on and off when using the tractor in the woods. But it also means the B3030 will sit more instead of getting used more. Not sure what to do on this one, does anyone have any opinions or thoughts on the matter that I may have overlooked? Thanks Guys - Trav

I think buying a lawn tractor is a better idea for the reasons you stated...

 

[statueman]

TEERAVIS1


I HAVE A 3030 MMM AND LOVE IT. I PAID $2,500. LAST
SPRING. I TOO HAD TO DECIDE SHOULD I BUY ANOTHER MOWER OR BITE THE
BULLET AND USE THE TRACTOR. I'M GLAD I DID WHAT I DID. THIS 60"
MOWER IS SO SMOOTH AND JUST SINGS RIGHT THROUGH THE GRASS. IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT GO FOR IT. YOU BOUGHT THE TRACTOR TO USE WITH IMPLEMENTS, THIS IS A GOT TO HAVE. WHAT USE TO TAKE ME 2.5 HOURS TO MOW WITH A CRAFTSMAN 42" NOW TAKES ME ALL OF 45 MIN.

 

[amigauser]

I had the same choice and decided on the garden tractor for the reasons you mentioned. That way I am not running up hours on my B3030 and I have the use of both. For example having the garden tractor pull a trailer that I load with the B3030. You can never have to many tractors .

There are a lot of quality used garden tractors in the 2-3k range.

I would look at the Ingersoll/Case tractors, JD or older Wheelhorse or Cubs. Some of them have 50 or 60 inch decks to. Check out the Lawn and Garden forum here on TBN - http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/lawn-garden/

If you have a lot of smooth finished lawn to cut and don't care about the tractor ability you can get a used commercial ZTR or a new homeowner version for around $3k to.

 

[megaboz]

If you'll be putting the mower off and on alot, then, buy another smaller tractor, especially if the smaller tractor will get around better to cut the grass.

Or get a Finish mower for the back.

Personally, taking the mower on and off, although is not hard, it is more of a hassle than what it might be worth.

 

[sixdogs]

This a tough question. If you didn't have to take the mower off the first the best choice would be the Kubota mower. It is what you want and it will work better than a Sears or whatever. Most important, it is what you want. Life is too short to not have what you want and to spend hours fixing what you do not want.

Find out the best internet price and negotioate the best deal you can with the local guy. Don't beat him to death but don't be a patsy. You did send others to him and he knows that. The price today is what it is and what it once was doesn't matter. Just know what they sell for in the internet.

I'm not sure how much you have to go into the woods so that not is not answered but I have a B7800 with mmm and I can say I only remove my mower once a year to clean under it. I don't like it but it's not all that hard.
I have one of those super-duty farm jacks (the American one not the import) and I lift the front of the tractor with it. Then I slide the mower out. This takes all of a couple minutes.
My vote is for the MMM.

 

[ihookem]

The reason a mmm cost so much is because it is a real good mower. I will bet you can cut 1000 acres with that 3030 / mmm and the mmm will still be in reparable shape. My 7510/ 60" mmm has cut an awfull lot of grass in the two years cause I cut my own ( 2 ac. @ 12-15 times a year= 25 ac.) I cut high grass at our church land and weeds too ( about 22 ac. three times a year) = 66 ac. So I cut about 200 ac. of grass and weeds in two years. It still seems new. Now, take a gas lawn mower and find out how many hrs. of grass cutting it takes before it's got problems. My dad has a little JD from a JD dealer for 3k. 100 hrs later, and carb and engine problems. Noone seems to know how to keep it running. So he goes out and buys a 4k JD lawn mower from the JD dealer, not Home Depot. So far its got 150 hrs? and no problems but with 7k he could have gotten a little diesel Kubota 1500 and been all the better. Look into the avr. life of a gas lawn more and it ain't pretty. Later, ihookem.

 

[Lockport]

TEERAVIS1


... WHAT USE TO TAKE ME 2.5 HOURS TO MOW WITH A CRAFTSMAN 42" NOW TAKES ME ALL OF 45 MIN.

I hear that! 45 mins with a 60", 2.5 with a 44" Kubota T1770, and finally, what was once 5 hours+ with a 28", granny handlebarred Snapper Rear Engine Rider (came with the house)! Evere see that Corvette commercial where the guy is oggling and drooling over his neighbors new 'Vette as he rides right thorugh his wifes flower bed? Thats the Sanpper I had!

 

[number two]

What about that rear finish mower? I priced a Woods 72" rear finish mower in Alpena,MI two weeks ago at $1950. And you could mow in comfort in your cab. I wouldn't worry about putting too many hours on your tractor. Besides,summer isn't long enough in the UP anyhow.

 

[teeravis1]

What about that rear finish mower? I priced a Woods 72" rear finish mower in Alpena,MI two weeks ago at $1950. And you could mow in comfort in your cab. I wouldn't worry about putting too many hours on your tractor. Besides,summer isn't long enough in the UP anyhow.

I haven't really entertained the thought of the rear finish mower. How do they compare on the cutting to the belly mower? Is there any significant pros or cons to the rear mower? Your right about summer, half of the year up here is winter.

Thanks for all the input so far everyone.

 

[sixdogs]

I have a rear discharge Woods 8400 and love it more than the belley MMM. Trouble is, the rear mower is hard to navigate and a lot of damage gets done to the wife's flaura and fauna.
The rear mower is 7 Ft wide and leaves a beautiful lawn. But, I can only do the straight portions because of the obstacles. The MMM is a B7800 with 6ft mower and is great around obstacles but takes longer for the big portions because I can't go as fast. The RD8400 is on an L4300. I mow 2 1/2 acres.
What I have decided to do is teach the wife how to use the B7800 and to mow around everything and then I will use the RD8400 for the balance,
That's my plan for right now but is subject to revision based on her attitude towards my ideas.
If i had a three acre field with no trees I would choose the RD and if I had a bunch of trees and obstacles I like the MMM with a hydro.

 

[smfcpacfp]

What dealer were you talking to (where in the UP)?

 

[teeravis1]

What dealer were you talking to (where in the UP)?

I talked to D&B Equipment down in Lena WI. Thats where I bought my tractor. I looked at the dealer in Marquette when I first did my tractor shopping, but haven't talked to them about the mmm. Marquette dealer is about 1.5 hrs from me and Lena is about 1.75 hrs from me. So they're about the same distance.

 

[Tom_H]

The 60" MMM on my BX2200 cuts about three times faster than my old MTD garden tractor with 54" deck could cut, and that thing did start to have problems in less than 100 hours. The MTD would stall if the grass was too tall. Sixdogs has some good points about a RFM. That is easier to get on and off than an MMM, though having the MMM on a dolly and pavement makes it much easier.

BTW sixdogs, sorry to hear that all of your wife's plants and animals got cut up by the RFM. (Flora is Latin for plants-actually the Roman goddess of flowers, while fauna is Latin for animals.) As the British would say, "That must have been a bloody mess."

 

[dillo99]

I faced that same question and chose to purchase a zero turn radius mower - same cutting width...much more maneuverable.

 

[sixdogs]

The 60" MMM on my BX2200 cuts about three times faster than my old MTD garden tractor with 54" deck could cut, and that thing did start to have problems in less than 100 hours. The MTD would stall if the grass was too tall. Sixdogs has some good points about a RFM. That is easier to get on and off than an MMM, though having the MMM on a dolly and pavement makes it much easier.

BTW sixdogs, sorry to hear that all of your wife's plants and animals got cut up by the RFM. (Flora is Latin for plants-actually the Roman goddess of flowers, while fauna is Latin for animals.) As the British would say, "That must have been a bloody mess."

OK Tom H--cancel on the fauna and double on the flora.
I mowed more stuff than most people put in. Not all was an accident which led to, as the Brits would say, a bloody confrontation with the lady of the house.

 

[orangebluegreen]

They quoted me a price of about $3300.

You didn't say if that was 60" or 72" but that seems a bit high considering suggested retail for 2007.
http://www.dot.state.mn.us/equipment/contracts/tr_cpt_utl_08/kubota_3.pdf


A few other considerations. I had the biggest craftsman (at the time) 18HP Kohler 42" as my main mower for about 15+ years, still have it as backup. Went through 1 deck (kinda thin compared to the Kubota) two sets of blades per year, a set of 2 to 3 belts per year, spindles that cannot be greased and started dying every couple of years at $65-70 each (later bought Stens with replaceable bearings). So after the first couple years of little wear I started spending about $110 a year on blades, $40-60 on belts, and perhaps $70 avg a year on spindles. After a while you start looking at $200-250 a year on belts blades and spindles. I also have had the rear main cook and fail about 4 times, lots of my labor to fix. The Kohler obviously needed an oil cooler in my application and Craftsman didn't add one. Of course when I called Kohler they had never heard of that problem (yeah right) but my local shop saw it all the time....funny how most machines today have coolers. It's sitting the past year in need of seals, haven't had time to get to it. Maybe I should press Kohler to send me a cooler considering my hassle over the years.

The Kubota deck heading into its third season, original belt, original blades. The blades could make a third season but the "lift" is pretty well worn off. I may or may not replace them, suppose just to go faster I will replace them within a month but I could easily use them a third season.

 

[Tom_H]

Not all was an accident which led to, as the Brits would say, a bloody confrontation with the lady of the house.

Ouch, If I were you, mine would have me sleeping in the same little house as those six dogs!!

 

[teeravis1]

Has anyone bought the 60" mmm for the B3030 lately? Could you let me know what the dealer charged you? - Thanks

 

[cschlaps]

Here's a different question - does the snow melt long enough that you even need to mow grass?