X729 or X749

[jkadylak]

I have a 455, which is a less fancy version of the 749 (diesel).

Benefits of the diesel:

- much better fuel economy (about half the GPH of the gas version)
- longer life - should go about 3000 hours vs. 1000 or so for the Kawi
- no worries about ethanol and stale gas

Drawbacks:

- noisier
- smells like a diesel (d'oh)
- more expensive initially

What's basically the same:

- power
- cold weather starting
- amount of maintenance required

Personally, I like my diesel, which I got from my Dad. I put about 40 hours a year on it, and it seems to go forever on a tank of fuel. Would I pay an extra $1000 for it? Not sure.

Tim

Thanks for the input. Did I mention I have trouble making a decision? :confused2: The smell of the diesel is a bit of a concern too. I will be keeping it an attached garage and don't want the odor making its way into the house. Aside from this, the odor doesn't bother me.

 

[rsewill]

Once you go Diesel you'll never go back. I park mine (Deere 4100) in an attached garage and when I snow blow I plug in the block heater as well as the hydro heater for an hour or two. I start and let the engine warm up a minute no matter whether it is -40 or +40 and then let it roar. Because I have the garage door open wide it airs out right away. And it is easy on fuel. Our last snow was 6" of heavy wet stuff. I did 20 driveways (each only 40 - 50 feet long) in eight hours on about six gallons of fuel.

 

[TimS]

Thanks for the input. Did I mention I have trouble making a decision? :confused2: The smell of the diesel is a bit of a concern too. I will be keeping it an attached garage and don't want the odor making its way into the house. Aside from this, the odor doesn't bother me.

I love the smell of Diesel in the morning... but my wife feels differently. On the other hand, she's none too fond of the smell of gas either!

If you're down to a $650 net difference, I'd be inclined to go for the 749.

Tim

 

[beenthere]

Both my diesels (4300 and 455) spend the winters in the shed with no heat and no block heater. Both start at anytime when needed to plow or blow snow. They preheat and smoke very little. Start them up and go, never have spent any time sitting to "warm up". That gets done in the first few hundred feet of the drive.
Yanmars are good engines, for sure.

 

[rubadub]

Thanks for the input. I am planning on getting a mid level cab with a heater too. I was looking at the glass windshield cab with soft side doors. I spoke with a dealer today and they said that if I choose the gas engine and add the heater, I should then upgrade the alternator for another $350.00 since only the diesel comes with this HD alternator. Did you need to do this? If this is needed, it might steer me towards the diesel since the cost to upgrade is actually only $650.00 when I consider having to upgrade the alternator on the gas model.

You don't need the upgrade with the gas engine and heater.

I don't cut the grass with it just blow snow and till.

Heres what I bought right off my original purchase order.

John Deere X728 tractor

John Deere 47 2-stage snowblower

John deere 647 3-pt hitch tiller

John Deere hard side cab

6-R66949 weights

BM20714 click - go bracket

BM20779 weight bracket

BM22286 3-pt hitch

BM21914 540 pto

BM21480 heater

BM20930 fuse panel

BM20914 wiper

Thats everything, but I haven't added anything to the tractor like extra lights and what not, I had a salesman that had been selling John Deeres for 35 years and he ordered what I needed and it turned out perfect.

If your going to get out on the road at the end of your driveway I would get a pretty strong strobe light for sure otherwise you might get hit.

I won't take mine into the street when the city salts and sands it, just to the edge and I do the edge of the street and mailbox with a walk behind Toro.

Ask your salesman if you need the alternator upgrade for an additional strobe light. You sure don't need it for the setup I have.

Rob

 

[rubadub]

Once you go Diesel you'll never go back. I park mine (Deere 4100) in an attached garage and when I snow blow I plug in the block heater as well as the hydro heater for an hour or two. I start and let the engine warm up a minute no matter whether it is -40 or +40 and then let it roar. Because I have the garage door open wide it airs out right away. And it is easy on fuel. Our last snow was 6" of heavy wet stuff. I did 20 driveways (each only 40 - 50 feet long) in eight hours on about six gallons of fuel.

What is a hydro heater and what runs it?

Rob

 

[rubadub]

As I mentioned earlier if you understand diesels and the glow plugs and things like that then a diesel might be the one you want, but keep in mind after the warranty is out and when it needs repair it will be more costly to get it worked on, plus finding a good diesel mechanic thats willing to work on one, that might be a learning experience.

I would inquire at the dealership where your thinking about buying it if they have a diesel mechanic that can get it done, like how long has he been there and what are the chances of one being there when it does need work.

Diesels are good, but do your homework before you buy anything.

Rob

 

[rubadub]

I guess I could throw this in.

I bought a new 2005 Hyundai Accent and after about four years I took it to the dealer because it has a type of torque converter that makes the auto transmission shift into like another gear around 45 miles per hour.

Its only about 250 rpm, not much, but after driving one for 4 years you can hear the difference in the engine.

So I drop it off at the dealer, and he is a very large Hyundai dealer they take it for a ride and say its okay, so I talk to the service manager and he says thats the way they are, and him and I go back and forth on this.

What is actually happening here is they don't have a good enough mechanic at the dealership that can repair the transmission and do it in the time Hyundai allows, so the dealership won't make any money on it and probably will get in a little over there heads on the actual repair and cost more to fix it then Hyundai allows.

Now maybe the following week they will hire a mechanic that can get it done, but thats the way things work, so if your diesel needs repaired, maybe they can and maybe they can't.

I hope I explained this okay.

Rob

 

[jkadylak]

I guess I could throw this in.

I bought a new 2005 Hyundai Accent and after about four years I took it to the dealer because it has a type of torque converter that makes the auto transmission shift into like another gear around 45 miles per hour.

Its only about 250 rpm, not much, but after driving one for 4 years you can hear the difference in the engine.

So I drop it off at the dealer, and he is a very large Hyundai dealer they take it for a ride and say its okay, so I talk to the service manager and he says thats the way they are, and him and I go back and forth on this.

What is actually happening here is they don't have a good enough mechanic at the dealership that can repair the transmission and do it in the time Hyundai allows, so the dealership won't make any money on it and probably will get in a little over there heads on the actual repair and cost more to fix it then Hyundai allows.

Now maybe the following week they will hire a mechanic that can get it done, but thats the way things work, so if your diesel needs repaired, maybe they can and maybe they can't.

I hope I explained this okay.

Rob

I completely understand. I guess I am torn because a diesel lasts so much longer than the gas engine. Of course, for the price difference, I could probably replace the gas engine and still have less into it than I would a diesel engine. Thanks for all of your input. You have been very helpful!

 

[rubadub]

I completely understand. I guess I am torn because a diesel lasts so much longer than the gas engine. Of course, for the price difference, I could probably replace the gas engine and still have less into it than I would a diesel engine. Thanks for all of your input. You have been very helpful!

A diesel will last longer, but not much longer

Rob