I hate to be the guy that makes an account on a forum just to ask, but I'm agonizing over this decision and I'm looking for input. My Cub Cadet LTX1045 has become more trouble than it's worth (wasn't worth much in the first place) and I've decided I need a begger, more heavily built tractor for my purposes. I cut about 1.5 acres of fairly level yard, and push snow off the driveway in the winter. I may want to put a bigger garden in at some point in the future, and I want to remove a couple of largeish, overgrown flowerbeds full of river rock. Here's my dilemma.
Obviously, the right choice for my property would be a decent sized garden tractor, but I'm having a really hard time finding one in my area and when I do they are priced pretty high for what they are. Buying new, lightly built junk is out of the question. I located a 1984 Kubota B7100 with a 60" belly mower at a locale shop. Price tag is $3540 and the owner says he's not budging. I've done a decent amount of homework and from what I can tell the tractor is worth that, but I'm wondering if it's worth that to me specifically. I'm obviously not going to be using this machine to it's full potential if I were to purchase it, and I'm hung up on the idea that this is going to be way more tractor than I need.
Conversely, the closest thing I can find to what I want (a good sized, well build garden tractor with a snow plow and mower deck) is generally priced in a similar range to this Kubota, which is much more machine for the money IMO. Assuming the Kubota is in good shape (it is, I drove it and cut with it today and it runs and cuts perfectly), is it worth the asking price? Is it too much tractor for my needs? Is there such a thing as a good sized garden tractor out there anymore with a $2500ish price tag?
Obviously, the right choice for my property would be a decent sized garden tractor, but I'm having a really hard time finding one in my area and when I do they are priced pretty high for what they are. Buying new, lightly built junk is out of the question. I located a 1984 Kubota B7100 with a 60" belly mower at a locale shop. Price tag is $3540 and the owner says he's not budging. I've done a decent amount of homework and from what I can tell the tractor is worth that, but I'm wondering if it's worth that to me specifically. I'm obviously not going to be using this machine to it's full potential if I were to purchase it, and I'm hung up on the idea that this is going to be way more tractor than I need.
Conversely, the closest thing I can find to what I want (a good sized, well build garden tractor with a snow plow and mower deck) is generally priced in a similar range to this Kubota, which is much more machine for the money IMO. Assuming the Kubota is in good shape (it is, I drove it and cut with it today and it runs and cuts perfectly), is it worth the asking price? Is it too much tractor for my needs? Is there such a thing as a good sized garden tractor out there anymore with a $2500ish price tag?
