Advice for 1.25 Acre Lot, .75 grass cutting, 125 foot, 20 foot wide driveway snow

Captain Insano · Apr 14, 2019

After owning a Cub Cadet GT1554 and a Deere 2520 at previous homes I am looking to buy a lawn / garden tractor / cut for my new property. For the first time I am at a complete loss on what to buy. I have about a 1.25 acre lot that is 75 to 85% grass with a 125' driveway in PA which means snow removal. I have been cutting the lawn with a push mower because I just seeded it in 2017, the driveway has been cleared with a hand blower. I mess around with firewood, mulch, and numerous other projects on the regular.

I am somewhere between a Deere X310, X530, X540, or X728 or X738 in green. I cannot find anything else other than Green that I would consider in the LT, GT size. The GR Kubotas don't look too bad, and I found a used 2011 GR2110 for $4500 with 500 hours. The tranny issues and plastic fan concern me, but I have no idea what years have these problems. I wish

I have also tire kicked a 2023E and 2025R and some BXs in orange with a belly mower and a FEL. Of course this gets into the 13K range pretty easily...I can rent a skidsteer and mini-excavator locally for a reasonable price so I've dismissed my love to get another SCUT or CUT for now. The only reason I have considered it is when you get into the X700s new I struggle with just not getting a SCUT that is much more capable in exchange for the quality of the grass cut.

Back to the most "sensible" solution! I am worried about blowing snow with a X310 (or any machine without a locking differential), so I started looking at a used X530,X540 which in good shape seem to be going for $3 to $4K with 300 to 500 hours. I have also stumbled across a X728 locally for around $6K that has about 600 hours on it that of course is EFI, liquid cooled, and AWD.

Is it worth spending another $2 to $3K (and then the plow or blower) to move snow with a AWD machine? The X728 is nice but realistically all I would use it for other than cut grass is remove 125' driveway of snow.

Should I just say heck with the snow buy the used X310 for $2500 and get a nice $1K Ariens or Husky new blower for the 3 to 6 times a year we have 3 or 6" or more of snow?

How about the X530 or X540 used for $3 to $4K with a blower?

Why doesn't Deere make a X500 series that is AWD without hydraulics that I can buy for $5K!!!? I think that is what I want but it doesn't exist!

What says ye' all?

bigtiller · Apr 15, 2019

Captain Insano said:
Should I just say heck with the snow buy the used X310 for $2500 and get a nice $1K Ariens or Husky new blower for the 3 to 6 times a year we have 3 or 6" or more of snow?

For your situation, I think I would keep that option near the top of the list. Changing over from mow/snow twice a year for limited use can become a hassle.

Rock Crawler · Apr 15, 2019

Honestly, with such a small 1.25 acre lot that has a house on it (subtracting from the lot) and a 20' x 125' driveway on it, you don't have enough land left to need to invest to heavily at all. Unless you simply are the type of guy who must have THE BEST, THE BIGGEST and THE BADDEST just to say that you have it? I get it... I have a bit of that mental quirk myself.

I would buy a nice affordable sub $3000 new garden tractor, paint color matters not.
Buy a poly cart to pull with it, but also go buy a 5 year old ATV with plow/winch. You can pull the cart with this as well.

With you mowing under an acre, you will not really put hours on that garden tractor. I mow just over 3.5 acres in Beaver County and I average 50 hours a year and I mow 2 times a week in heavy growth season. That affordable tractor will last you decades if you store it inside.

The same with that used/affordable 4x4 ATV. Your not doing a whole ton of firewood work or plowing with it. So it's going to last so long that you'll beg for it to die long before it does... assuming you maintain it.

And to be clear, I am NOT insulting you or your property. But I personally feel that with the small parcel you have, that going "all in" and spending all the money to buy an X500 or higher JD is kind of pointless. Where the value in the high end/priced JD units shows is when you are really putting them to task and stacking hours on them or asking them to do hard work.

If your near Beaver County, I invite you come over and play on my "cheap" garden tractor and go do some hill climbs while mowing. One is a 2011 with just under 700 hours on it and the other is a 2019 with 6 hours on it. Both will live a long, long, stupid long time because maintenance is like a religion to me. I would expect an easy 1500 hours from the machines. I am 10 minutes from Cranberry Twp., come on over if you want to go hands on.

Now... if you see the need for a loader, go get a subcompact with a drive over belly mower, diesel, 4x4, and a front snow blade. You can spend around $16000 for a new one of some various color and mow all summer, use the loader to dig and carry firewood in, make a 3-point carry-all to carry more firewood, plow that driveway or buy a front mount blower.... and impress your friends and neighbors all at the same time! That is a real option to consider if you think it would be what you envision.

bigtiller · Apr 15, 2019

I think a used x500 series is a good choice also. Personally, I wouldn't spend $2500 on a used x310 unless the owner was a friend or relative that I knew and took excellent care of it. Also, it is strictly flat-land mowing. Trailers, plows and pulling bushes out of the flower garden will not be transmission friendly.

Tractorable · Apr 15, 2019

I love my X590. The fuel injection makes it wife friendly because there’s no choke and you just turn the key any weather and it starts right up. Hydraulic deck and power steering is nice too. But my primary reason for it was for the K72 transmisssion with diff lock. It works great for mowing and towing our cart and wagon around.

Rock Crawler · Apr 15, 2019

K7LN said:
Long, long before I ever got a FEL, I bought an 18 cubic foot steel Sears cart.
A fantastic tool for the price, and one of the best moves I've made.

I've got my father's Craftsman cart from the late 70's or early 80's. It's painted Kubota orange now, but it's still in use

Captain Insano · Apr 15, 2019

I looked at a nice used x728 today with around 500 hours for 6K...way too big for what I need.

After hearing the x300 series woes, I'm leaning towards a used x530 or x540 or something I'm a different color for 2500 to 4500. I may take a look at a GR2120 listed for 5k locally.

Any suggestions on other machines to look for in this range? I've heard decent things about Simplicity. Anything else?

Rock Crawler · Apr 16, 2019

Best bang for the buck in your price range, in my opinion, is the Husqvarna that I have. The Husqvarna TS348XD or TS354XD. It's not a $8,000 to $12,000 John Deere, nor is it a $7000 Simplicity. Those are a different class of machine and no one would argue it. But in your price range, you are not going to find a better value for mowing and light towing with a yard cart for firewood. It has a belt drive Tuff Torq K66 that has electronic locking rear differential and a pair of healthy engine choices in the Kohler 7000 series V Twin or the 2018 Kawasaki V Twin. With a set of 50lb wheel weights and a set of chains it can climb, push or pull very well. I was dragging a 450 lb roller on my sloped property that you see in the attached photos above all afternoon Sunday after the morning rains passed us by.

You have choices to make. Good luck.

ddbackhoe · Apr 16, 2019

I’m thinking I would buy a zero turn (Ferris, Hustler, grasshopper) to cut way down on mowing time. They even work pretty good with a snow plow in the 0-6 category.

Might be surprised what else they can do too.

Zero Turn snow plows, blades for zero turn radius mowers by Country Zero Turn Equipment.

nards444 · Apr 16, 2019

Kind of had your same layout and needs and been through a craftsmen lawn tractor with belt driven blower, Husqvarna Z254 zero turn, and as simplicity 32in pro snow blower walk behind. First house had an acre, house I am currently closing on has almost 3. New lot will have 4. I will b upgrading to SCUT/CUT and trying to eliminate machinery. What I can tell you craftsmen is junk, but dont look at craftsmen there are a ton of other brands out there that are the same thing just painted different including JD, you have to go up in series to get a true JD, but you probably know that. As for the Belt driven snow blower. I live in upstate NY not uncommon with lake effect to get 5-6-12 in at at time. This set up worked good with light snow and anything up to 4-5in of non heavy snow. Actually got rid of the riding lawn mower and blower for the simplicity and the Husky 254 zero turn. I have 225ft driveway.

Based off what you got and what you plan on doing this is how I would proceed. Get a zero turn mower for an acre the commericial grade stuff is great but youll never get the cost benefit of high priced machines. My 254 was 2500 bucks and works great on probably 2 acres of actual mowable property, takes me about an hour and 20 mins, my guess an acre could be done in around 30-45mins. With 125ft driveway I would go with a nice 30in walk behind, its not like your out the elements on the tractor you are selecting anyways. Total cost new would run you probably 5k.

I will say this nothing beats the speed and efficiency of mowing a lawn with a zero turn.