Am I nuts for wanting a 1026??

[jcmseven]

To all, I wanted to either have clarifying support or harsh disdain for my recent wanderlust for a 1026R tractor. As many of you know by now, I have had many tractors over the years. I am not a professional farmer/landscaper; just a fellow who enjoys doing projects at my place and mowing and helping out my aging parents on their property, a "duty" which may or may not not have much longevity, depending on how they--and I--do over the coming months/years. About three years ago I bought a 2320. It is the smallest of the tractors I have owned (aside from the X series machines), but I have really been impressed with it. That said, it now occupies a position at my parents' place for storage as I use it there more than at my place. It has about 120 hours on it. It is stored inside and looks and runs the day it did when new. Although I rarely finance purchases, I did take advantage of the John Deere 0% plan on this machine and am due, unless I pay it off early (I might) to send in my last installment next month (hey, it was 0%!). Of all the things this machine does well, one it does not is mowing. It is not the machine, it is the lawns I mow. Essentially, right now I mow regularly during mowing season for my parents and my aunt and uncle. This equates to about around 6 acres (very rough guess) of mowing at least every two weeks and usually more-often. I like mowing, but have limited time. The lawns I mow tend to settle a good bit and even a machine the weight of the 2320 makes fairly deep tracks in the lawns but mows OK aside from this which makes the lawn looked irregularly cut. I do not feel these lawns look nearly as good as when I used my 950 or my older X series due to the size and weight of the tractor (it has loaded rear tires for my loader work). I took a brief look at a 1026R the other day and really liked it. I liked the seat, the operator's layout and the rear fill fuel tank. It seemed, to me, to be a smaller but even more upscale/evolved version of the 2000 series machines. It would certainly do everything I would need, but is as expensive as the 2320. My suspicion is that it would also mow better, but I do not know this for sure. In reality, I should likely be just hiring out this work, but I do very much enjoy doing it and find it relaxing to me as well. In the past, I have had the good fortune to be able to spend some nickel on pieces of equipment I wanted, within reason, and still can likely do so. Like many of us though, my wife and I have many other obligations to our children, home, retirement, etc., and I must admit not being as apt to purchase something just because it would do that one thing I wanted done, or because I just had to have it. There are few, if any, things these days I have to have. So, from the panel and those more familiar with the 1026 than I: is it a viable alternative for one like myself who mostly uses his machine these days for mowing with some other light duty work sprinkled in, or should I just keep the 2320--which has been an excellent machine and try to make it mow a bit better?? I would also offer that I have considered looking again at an X series as I really liked those that I had, but did not want to move away from a machine that could legitimately use a loader.

Thanks, John M

 

[AKfish]

John,

As someone who has read many of your posts over the years and understands a bit of your history... I appreciate your "stress therapy" through mowing and general chore work with your tractors.

In addition, I have a very good friend who is an MD. He too, has an outlook on leisure time that includes tractors and "green" activities.

Far be it for me to suggest that you shouldn't buy a 1026! Especially given that I've never laid eyes on one.

However, I must ask... what happened to the z-track mower? I thought it was at your parent's home and the 2320 was at your place? I'm missing something here - obviously!

AKfish

 

[jcmseven]

I kept it at my parents' house specifically to have ready to use mowing. My father, who is now 81, has moderate dementia and is at the stage where he remains reasonably functional so long as stress or change has not been introduced into the mix. I maintain my folks lawn about 75% of the time, and have offered to have it paid done when I cannot make it due to my work schedule or family obligation. I had my father a little 320 that he could bumble around on if he wanted and he could mow or not (he still likes to get out). Despite both my mother and I asking him to not use the ZTR mower, my mother found him one day mowing in the side yard and he was confused about how to operate the mower (that he was not to use). It seems that trusting my dad to not do what he was asked to not do (for his safety) was not registered and he did it anyway. I then kept the key to the ZTR and had him set up to use the 320 (that I bought specifically for him). He became angry with my mother that he could not use the 950, prompting my mother to call me in an anger state and demand I get the mower "off her property." I know that my mother is also mildly demented, less so than dad, and that the stress of him trying to mount and operate equipment he could not and then get very angry that I had "prevented" him from using that specific machine was more than she could handle at the time. So, I brought my beloved 950 back to my place, where I have no grass, and ultimately sold it to a friend who is a local landscaper who could get some use from it. I lost a little money on the sale, not too bad, but I really miss not having that machine. After this, I mounted a 54d on my 2320 and parked it down there, which meets better with approval as it looks like a "tractor". My dad does not want to use it at all, and he still has the 320 I bought him for his use. I'm trying to keep him active while not placing him in harms way.

John M

 

[TCowner]

John, No you are not not nuts. I am close to a deal to trade my X748 for the 1026R. I should find out this morning but unless there is a surprise I plan on having one soon.

I was quite impressed with this unit when I drove it a month ago.

 

[jenkinsph]

John,
I would be reluctant to keep buying and loosing money on this stuff. With all you have to handle I would wait and stick with what you have. I have followed the other threads in the last year or so too.

 

[jcmseven]

Steve, I agree. When I look back at it though, I have not traded recently and have had the good fortune of finding good homes for my machines with people I mostly know and little to no loss to me. I did take a hit on the ZTR, mainly due to my wanting to turn it around since I had no use for it. I do not know whether I could do the same with the 2320; if not, it certainly would be a non-starter for me. One reason I have trade often is that I have gradually lessened what I do with a tractor. In all honesty, aside from a few small tasks here and there my Gator suffices for the entirety of my work load. I began by having to clear a large chunk of the area around my home, was mowing for a neighbor or two, helping to maintain some pastureland for another neighbor when he was OOT and doing a large chunk of my neighborhood snow removal. My parents also had some acreage much of which they have sold off. For these reasons I have progressively downsized my equipment from the 4520 level to what I have now. When looking at tractors this past time, I looked at a 2305, which would have been fine also, but thought the 2320 was simply much more machine for a little more money so I went that way. Now, the 1026 is so much nicer, it brings about the question again. I am in agreement with you that with JD's aggressive financing, one must be careful not to take too much of a loss. I have traded in few machines v. out right selling them, but I have now just about stocked all my neighbors and friends with my low-hour leftovers so that may not be a good option any longer. My wife keeps me on a strict "machine budget" and I have stayed within that the past four years--something that keeps me married.

John

 

[dusty3030]

Sorry if I have missed it but does the 2320 have turfs? Regardless have you considered unloading the tires and running at lower / min PSI to reduce ground pressure? That and a good ballast to hook onto the 3pt when you need weight may solve your dilema.

If the 2320 will be the primary for mowing optimize it to mow, add weight to use the loader instead of having weight on it all the time.

 

[jcmseven]

Thanks, Dusty. I have the R4 tires. I have a call into my dealer to price out a set of R3's for comparison. That certainly may be something to consider and would probably help.

John

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

Yes,but not for wanting the 1026.:thumbsup:

 

[JB2]

I would keep the 2320 for doing loader work and other jobs, maybe put a rear mount finishing mower on the back. For getting your Dad active, and something comfortable to use for mowing grass, maybe a John Deere X748 with 4X4 and 62" deck would be suited better for helping out with the grass cutting. Seeing as he does not care much for the ZTRs, I think your dad would be comfortable running an X700 series mower to help you out, when your busy.

Just a thought.

JB