BX1500 Good Value in small package
Model Year: 2004
I have used the loader and box blade on a Kubota BX1500 to landscape a small acreage in the foot hills of the Rockies. Have moved about 800 tons of rock, sand, soil and mulch. At times, it felt like using a teaspoon, but there really wasn't room to use a much larger machine, and I'm retired, so time wasn't that critical an issue. It sips fuel - can work all day on five gallons. Maintenance is easy and repair only needed once on electrical system. The hydrostatic drive is ideal for the back-and-forth involved in moving mounds of stuff. Only two issues on the negative side. Most important is safety when the bucket is loaded. The small front tires make it very unstable, so even being very cautious, I got close to the tipping point more than once. Filling the tires helped with stability as well as with traction. (Dropping the bucket immediately stabilizes it - if you have ground in front of you.) The second negative depends upon your task. A quarter-inching valve would be a great thing to have for scraping roads, tilling, moving snow, etc. It wasn't available on subcompacts when I got mine. It might be now. If you can get it, do it. The BX1500 isn't made any more. The BX1850 has three cylinders rather than two, but otherwise is very similar in capabilities.
Pros: Low cost, ease of use
Cons: Stability