SCUT for a 3/4 acre lot , am I nuts??

[Happy Gilmore]

It's not much different then having a car that will do 200MPH when your only going to drive it at the speed limit in the states.

I was thinking the exact same thing.

 

[AxleHub]

Overkill or not? I feel like I'd get plenty of use out of it?

Thoughts about having a tractor for such a small lot?

You're getting lots of input . . . so I'll maybe try to come from a different perspective.

3/4 acre is a size . . not a measurement of need or use. Getting a scut, regardless of brand, is an economic decision first. Can you afford such an item? Now in the group of responders you'll get many who have owned many tractors. Those opinions may conflict with someone who never owned one . . because they can't imagine not having one. The same is true because of cost. You can buy a used rider for $1000 or less . . but not a scut. The opinions of those with more money is vastly different than someone who has little money.

So lets look from your perspective of use (not desire). Ask yourself:

A. Does my yard need or require 4wd? If it doesn't then also consider lawn mowers with a rear pto.

B. Do you plan to do front end loader activities often or will it be just once a year. Once a year might mean renting a Dingo unit instead.

C. Do you have a big driveway and sidewalks?

D. Can you afford a scut . . either new or used? I don't mean 60 payments or cash . . I mean do you have excess cash flow or are you borrowed up to your socks?

I waited 8 years and will soon be getting my first unit. I have a relatively flat 3/4 acre house and yard combo and a lawn mower and cart are plenty for it (including tree lines etc). And I have a 1.25 acre yard with home I've been building that for 8 years justified scut need in hills, huge quantities of dirt and rock moving, huge landscsaping needs and tons of snowblowing square footage . . . but I still didn't plan to buy until money was easier.

Now some will tell you I could have gotten all that benefit in the last 7 years that I had to do with a couole of riders and some rental. True enough . . but money wasn't plentiful until I could sell some things first.

Soon I'll buy a first scut . . brand new. I still have a ton of needs . . but I won't be looking over my shoulder because of the money. 8 years I looked and dreamed because if I had bought then . . I wouldn't have slept so good. Now when I take delivery on my choice of product . . . I'll sleep pleasant dreams.

My point is . . you need to do what allows you to sleep at night and what your needs balance with your desires.

One last thing . . as I understand it . . according to the code of conduct . . if you aren't capable of taking good pictures of a scut soon after delivery . . then you're as yet not ready to own a scut

P.S. I have two cameras ready.

 

[deanwerden]

I have an acre

 

[Yamaha2112]

It's all about the $. If you like it, and can afford it, you should absolutely get one. I see tractors as kind of like GPS. Once you get one, you're like, how did I EVER get along without one?

As for my money situation, I would buy this if I were a multimillionaire even though I can't really justify absolutely needing one. Why? Just because it's AWESOME!

 

[Sprinklerman]

Its easy to justify , when the neighbors see you take the trash cans to the curb in the bucket . Priceless

I bring my Bx24 home , I have about the same size lot , one neighbor asked me why I bought such an expensive tractor for a small yard .. My reply " Because I can ! "

 

[IslandTractor]

You're getting lots of input . . . so I'll maybe try to come from a different perspective. 3/4 acre is a size . . not a measurement of need or use. Getting a scut, regardless of brand, is an economic decision first. Can you afford such an item? Now in the group of responders you'll get many who have owned many tractors. Those opinions may conflict with someone who never owned one . . because they can't imagine not having one. The same is true because of cost. You can buy a used rider for $1000 or less . . but not a scut. The opinions of those with more money is vastly different than someone who has little money. So lets look from your perspective of use (not desire). Ask yourself: A. Does my yard need or require 4wd? If it doesn't then also consider lawn mowers with a rear pto. B. Do you plan to do front end loader activities often or will it be just once a year. Once a year might mean renting a Dingo unit instead. C. Do you have a big driveway and sidewalks? D. Can you afford a scut . . either new or used? I don't mean 60 payments or cash . . I mean do you have excess cash flow or are you borrowed up to your socks? I waited 8 years and will soon be getting my first unit. I have a relatively flat 3/4 acre house and yard combo and a lawn mower and cart are plenty for it (including tree lines etc). And I have a 1.25 acre yard with home I've been building that for 8 years justified scut need in hills, huge quantities of dirt and rock moving, huge landscsaping needs and tons of snowblowing square footage . . . but I still didn't plan to buy until money was easier. Now some will tell you I could have gotten all that benefit in the last 7 years that I had to do with a couole of riders and some rental. True enough . . but money wasn't plentiful until I could sell some things first. Soon I'll buy a first scut . . brand new. I still have a ton of needs . . but I won't be looking over my shoulder because of the money. 8 years I looked and dreamed because if I had bought then . . I wouldn't have slept so good. Now when I take delivery on my choice of product . . . I'll sleep pleasant dreams. My point is . . you need to do what allows you to sleep at night and what your needs balance with your desires. One last thing . . as I understand it . . according to the code of conduct . . if you aren't capable of taking good pictures of a scut soon after delivery . . then you're as yet not ready to own a scut P.S. I have two cameras ready.

Very good points. One thing you left out is the option of buying a used SCUT to do needed tasks and, if after the tasks are done, reconsider and possibly sell it. If you buy used you won't lose much if anything on depreciation. Used BX23/24 models sell today for almost exactly what they sold for used ten years ago. Don't be afraid of 1000 or even 1500 hrs on a well maintained SCUT. It still has plenty of life (and, at an average of less than 100 hrs/year, there are plenty of those barely used tractors out there.

 

[greg_g]

Overkill or not? I feel like I'd get plenty of use out of it?

Thoughts about having a tractor for such a small lot?

the bigger the mowing machine, the more is left to do by hand (push mower/string trimmer). For the money you'll pay for a SCUT, you can buy a premium riding mower with all wheel drive/all wheel steer riding/diff lock/and more. On 3/4 ac, I'd say smaller is better.

//Greg//

 

[AxleHub]

the bigger the mowing machine, the more is left to do by hand (push mower/string trimmer). For the money you'll pay for a SCUT, you can buy a premium riding mower with all wheel drive/all wheel steer riding/diff lock/and more. On 3/4 ac, I'd say smaller is better.

//Greg//

Greg, My experince is that a new buyer might not always differentiate well between some options. Let me give an example. A friend of mine in MN built a new house with some steeper hill areas in the total lot size including house of a little light on 1 acre. He bought a jd x700 series mower used ( lightly). He has a snow blade on front in winter and a 60 deck in summer. NO VALVES so no fel or rear pto or snowblower. Its nice for grass cutting but as you said a big lawnmower and big deck in a relatively busy yard. Problem is . . for 25% more than he paid he would have had a new scut with deck and loader and a diesel instead of gas engine. His unit is nice but having a New machine and hydraulic pump/valve, fel, rear pto and diesel engine would have made much greater choice in his case for use and resale . . . Or a new good qaulity normal rider /garden tractor at a 50% lower price than his used price was.

 

[Sprinklerman]

Ye who dies with the most toys wins .

 

[dave1949]

Storage is another consideration. To keep equipment in good shape it needs to be stored inside. A SCUT with a loader and other implements you might collect will take some space. I would leave my vehicle sit outside if that is what it takes to get the tractor inside.

For a 3/4 acre lot if owning a SCUT means I'm scraping windows and brushing off snow all winter that would not be a good trade-off for me.

 

[DJF228h]

Heck no. I love my tools and my toys. You're only making a mistake if it's money you need for other purposes. With a lot of only 3/4 of an acre you can get by with a lawn tractor and save a bunch of cash. But if you need to move snow in the winter or do any number of other heavy chores that a SCUT will reduce your labor with, go for it. Actually, I made a mistake the other way. I've got 40 acres and bought a B2200 Kubota with a 5' front loader and a blade. It was a wonderful little tractor and it did save a lot of back breaking labor but it wasn't up to the demands of the place. I eventually went with a 45 HP Kioti and love it. The newer one actually doesn't use that much more fuel than the smaller one. The little Kubota was used when I bought it for 8k and gave me 5 years of faithful reliable service until I sold it for 6k. Keep in mind you can buy a very good quality used lawn tractor for well under 3k. The Kioti DK45SE cost me 26k and has been in the shop for the same 10 minute quicky repair now 3 times in 2 years. A lousy little relay in the starter circuit keeps dying. You'd think Kioti would fix this with something that would last. Other than this, it's been a good tractor and up to all my demands.

 

[Small Tractor Guy]

I have a BX2200 for 1.1 acres and use it all the time. My wife thought I was crazy (Now she understands) and my Neighbors are jealous. I have a 54"MMM, Grass Catcher, Johnny Bucket Johnny Buckets For John Deere Sears Craftsman Cub Cadet Case Simplicity and Many More Low Lifting FEL), Power angle plow, rear 3pt pallet mover, front dethatcher, rear blade. I wish I could put a backhoe on it.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

I'd probably have gone with a garden tractor rather than a scut. If ou have a big job or two on 3/4ths of an acre, it's probably more cost effective to rent the bigger equipment for just those jobs.

 

[dragoneggs]

I'd probably have gone with a garden tractor rather than a scut. If ou have a big job or two on 3/4ths of an acre, it's probably more cost effective to rent the bigger equipment for just those jobs.

The problem here is that the OP has yet to describe anything about his intentions. Pretty hard to advise when no details on the property, jobs, etc. are known. His brief responses to date lead me to believe he isn't serious. I could be wrong... maybe he is nuts?

 

[check]

The problem here is that the OP has yet to describe anything about his intentions. Pretty hard to advise when no details on the property, jobs, etc. are known. His brief responses to date lead me to believe he isn't serious. I could be wrong... maybe he is nuts?

Problem is, your intended uses change as a function of what you have. I did all sorts of things on my three-quarter acre lot with my BX 25 that I never would have thought of before I got the little beast! And then there is the urge to buy more property once you have a tractor…

 

[dragoneggs]

Problem is, your intended uses change as a function of what you have. I did all sorts of things on my three-quarter acre lot with my BX 25 that I never would have thought of before I got the little beast! And then there is the urge to buy more property once you have a tractor…

So true!

 

[Mace Canute]

A few years ago at work one fine winter day I remember seeing an old fart come out of his garage on a new looking Kubota SCUT to blow snow off his driveway and front sidewalk and this was in the city with a 100' by 55' lot! :laughing: I figured he likely was an old retired farmer who still had the urge to drive a tractor and had more money than he could spend.

 

[IslandTractor]

A few years ago at work one fine winter day I remember seeing an old fart come out of his garage on a new looking Kubota SCUT to blow snow off his driveway and front sidewalk and this was in the city with a 100' by 55' lot! :laughing: I figured he likely was an old retired farmer who still had the urge to drive a tractor and had more money than he could spend.

More likely a frustrated accountant who had limited ability to live out his farm fantasy.:laughing:

 

[jb92563]

My Yard is 0.8 acre and on a beach an so it was the perfect excuse to buy a tractor. (Granted I only paid $1400 + $260 for the 4' box scraper and $80 in Hydraulic fluid and hoses.

If you get one you will find ways of using it.

I recently tore summac trees out of the ground with it to show my spouse how useful it can be. She was impressed that it saved a lot of time and effort, even though she thinks that my regrading efforts are a friggen mess. Still learning how to move dirt and smooth the resulting unsettled ground to her satisfaction.

 

[Mace Canute]

More likely a frustrated accountant who had limited ability to live out his farm fantasy.:laughing:

Possibly...but he knew what he was doing and he had the weather worn face of an old farmer.