Thanks everyone for helping me pick out a tractor

[aardvark]

Actually, the second guessing might be working in my favor. The BX23's were out of stock when I placed the order, and the one they traded for to get me a machine might not arrive until after the first. If that's the case, I'm going to put down a little extra to pay cash for a 6.5' backhoe and LA352 loader, and finance a B7610 for 0% for the three years. The difference of the backhoe and loader vs what I already put out for a down payment is only a few hundred dollars, so I'm not really shelling out much extra up front. I do need to take delivery of a machine before Sept 1st though in order to get the 0%. I really don't want to sign papers on the BX23 until I try the backhoe (basing this on v8dave's recommendation), and my salesman doesn't have a problem with this. My dealer has like six B7610's in stock, but they sold out of BX23's the day I was there getting my first quote. So, one way or another, next week I will own a Kubota.

Oh, and I already have a landscape rake and mesh landscape traler I bought back when I was borrowing a friend's B6000. LOL. I already own attachents, but don't own a tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[bandit67]

A couple of reasons I didn't get the BX23 was that my neighbor has one (so I can borrow his for light backhoe work), but I also found that because of the small backhoe, larger jobs would take a lot longer - jobs that could be done in a day by renting a bigger machine would take 3 days with that little backhoe. The backhoe is actually quite powerful for its size, but the times that it is powerful enough, the tractor can be too light and gets moved around by the hoe too easily. Then there were times when the hoe just bogged down, and I ended up digging a huge perimeter hole just to get a large rock or chunk of concrete out. I felt like I was digging a lot more dirt just to remove well "planted" obstacles.

I guess if you do buy the BX23 and every task takes a couple days longer than it would with a larger rental, then maybe you could justify the purchase because you'd be putting a lot of hours on it trying to get the backhoe work done. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I guess if I didn't have the option of getting my hands on a BX just about whenever I needed, I probably would have very seriously considered getting it.

 

[KiotiJohn]

aardvark, I think you'd be making a pretty good decision to go with the 7610. It's just a lot more for your money, better clearance (that I think you'll be happy about MANY times), stronger BH and on and on.
Either way, I'm sure you'll like the Kubota, but I just think you'd soon be wanting more of just about everything.
I hope the toothbar you have is going to fit into whatever bucket you end up with! John

 

[To20Chris]

"I already own attachents, but don't own a tractor."

More reasons to get the B7610 - you can be sure they will fit the B7610. They may fit the BX23, but you'd want to check.

I took the same path you are - started looking at a BX23, then moved to looking at the B7610. Now, take a look at the L3400! It never ends, does it? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[PhoneGuy]

Congratulations on making a good decision! At least that's my opinion, I believe in the long run you will be glad that you didn't go bigger. Either one of the kubota's sounds like it will fit your needs, and that's the goal, right?

 

[RICHARDG]

I second that,,,great choice,,,,go get em,,,,thingy

 

[v8dave]

Getting close to the 1st of September. What's the dealer say on you getting to test a BX23? No BX23 may mean a real second guess. Although, in this case the 2nd choice ain't all that bad.

 

[aardvark]

The BX23 arrives at the dealer tonight, and I'm test digging with the backhoe. The 7610's are in stock already, so either way, I take delivery of a tractor by Wed. Just in time for cleanup after Hurricane Frances hits us this weekend.

 

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Just in time for cleanup after Hurricane Frances hits us this weekend.)</font>
Hush yo mauf! I just went through a tornado, don't need more! John

 

[aardvark]

Hopefully it will miss everybody. However, I just came in to eat a sandwich while in the process of building plywood hurricane shutters for my house. The previous owner said it had hurricane shutters. I looked them over last weekend, and they aren't worth using. The building of hurricane shutters continues tomorrow.

Also, the BX23 arived at the dealer yesterday night, and I test drove it and test dug with it this morning. I liked it alot, and am taking delivery of it tomorrow or Thurs. There was another guy there saying he wanted to take delivery of his BX23 after the hurricane, and all I could think was, I sure wanted mine before the hurricane, because what if I NEED it afterwards. They got three BX23's in with mine, and all are sold, and all paperwork submitted before tomorrow. They had B series and L series machines lined up out the shop doors getting ready for pickup or delivery. Sounds like a big push of sales before Sept 1st. I'll take a few pics, but I'm sure everyone has seen plenty of BX23 pics already. I might wait until the weekend, maybe I can get some good action shots, depending on weather.