I second MR's comments. The factory service and parts team have been fantastic, and I would not have bought the machine without this forum. The collective wisdom and practical good advice here are amazing, both real time and in the archive.
Because the way machines are hydraulically driven, they don't develop the low range HP that you need to plow or pull stumps. So, slope mowing, rototilling, earth/mulch moving, portable hydraulics are to my mind the strengths of these machines. The ground pressure is very low (great for lawns and wet soils), but it does mean that they can slide a bit on really steep slopes because they don't dig in. I have chains for slope mowing thistles; it was too slimy and slippery to feel safe.
That leads me to what I think is a prime point for these machines. They will get you out on slopes and keep you safe out there in a way that none of their US competitors can do.
I would definitely second these machines as the Swiss army knives of tractors. It is a snap to swap implements. Think of the tractor as a mobile hydraulic source. I know folks who use them to hedge mow, drive posts, platform for hydraulic limb and chain saws, pond draggers. Browse the forum for a bit, and I think it is hard not to come away amazed at what people do with the machines, green and red alike. After awhile, you forget how cumbersome traditional tractors are.
Manufacturing quality and build quality are third world. There is no other way to describe it. BUT, the darn things are so over-built with steel that mostly there aren't many issues. I spent the first couple of months tightening hydraulic fittings all over, but then things settled in. If you do buy one, keep the load and throttle down for the first ten hours, per the hydraulic motor manufacturers.
I have the following;
Attachment | Comment |
Light material bucket | #1 most used |
Brush cutter | Invaluable for slope mowing |
4N1 Bucket | Great for earth moving |
Trencher | Used to make terraces, as well as lay pipe/conduit |
Rototiller | Makes quick work of bed preparation |
Pallet forks | Portable platforms, loading/unloading, far more useful than I thought |
Post driver | It will change your view of fence building |
Trailer hitch | The obvious, and also used to pull 6x6" fence posts |
Good luck.
All the best,
Peter