Three Acres compact or sub-compact?

[bellweather]

As long as you are seeking opinions, here's one more...
I don't think the amount of acres is the real determining factor. For me anyway, the key issues were projects and budget. If you plan doing on big projects, you may need a bigger tractor. If your needs are more light duty, well you know the rest. In the end, you will find a way to make do with what you have...even if it's a shovel and a pick-ax, and if you discover that a particular project requires more grunt than you have, then as others already said, you can always call in a pro or rent a machine. Of course the flip side is that you tend to think of projects in terms of your available resources...so if you buy the larger machine, chances are you will find ways to use it.

 

[Dachshund]

Well - let me know, and I'll se what I can do! I live about 30 miles west of Rockport on the Nebraska side of the river.

 

[frank_f15]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I went with the JD4010 because I wanted a fixed ROPS that would fit underneath my garage doors. I KNOW I'd forget to lower a folding ROPS sometime.
)</font>
just curious, but didn't the b7500 have a fixed ROPS?

 

[AntrimMan]

Laffer,
I don't believe any one person can tell you what you need or what to buy. The guidance offered on this forum can be a great help in making a decision that is solely yours to make.
I'm gonna make a guess and say that 1.5 of the 3 acres will be grass, that 12" of snow is a rarity in your neighborhood, by landscaping you mean planting some shrubs and bulbs and spreading mulch and by gardening you mean tilling 5000 sf. Any of the sub-cut's, with appropriate accessories, will make your day and meet your budget. Shop around, the more people you talk with the more you can learn, go to all of the local dealers it's a free education, take notes compare apples with apples, and be comfortable with your decision and the dealer BEFORE you buy. Know who is responsible for transportation if you can't provide it. And for goodness sake negotiate some free hats and t-shirts or the first maintainance.
Trenching for utilities, water and sewer can require a license in some locales and in any event this would be a one time use. I recommend you hire that out. Subcuts are not going to take kindly to that type of punishment, cut's can barely handle that.
Be sure to have a nice warm place for the new addition to the family and don't be afraid to scrape the bucket paint.
Best of luck,
Martin

 

[laffer98]

Ok, after doing the comparison shopping and sitting on the obligatory number of tractors and looking at the costs considerations.... the winner is Kubota's 2230 subcut...

I couldn't turn down the 36 month 0%, zero down payment and the heck of a good, no dickering, deal, that the Kubota dealer was willing to make.

I Got a
BX2230 with Bar tires
FEL
60" mmm

listing for $14,843 for the sum of $12,525.00

I then talked him into an Atlas 48" box blade(add $275.00), and a Woods rear blade (add $355.00), two Kubota dealer ball caps and a diecast tractor for my diecast collection, and free delivery(the rest included free).

 

[laffer98]

Well I havn't even finished the deal yet and here I've changed my mind..... Told the dealer to give me the B7510 instead. Twelve inches of ground clearance and the option to add a backhole with Kubota's blessing at a later date swayed me into the 10% down and the extra appx $1,000 in cost. I hope it's the right decision.

 

[megotatractor]

2210

 

[loaderbob]

I would always go for the bigger frame and more HP within reason and more weight unless you have alot of fancy landscaping to steer around. Two reasons:
1) in the future if you want to take on bigger projects you will have a bigger framefor stability whichs mean more capability and larger attachements.
1.5) Ground clearance if you want to do any clearing.
2) Resale
Just me 2 cents.
Bob