Buying Advice Buying a garden tractor

[finn1]

CX Kioti would meet your requirements.

 

[GeneV]

Chim made a good comment about the BH. I have no idea what you would use fit or on a one acre lot. They are expensive and then you need to take them off and store them to use the 3PH. I have seen a number of small units for sale and the BH normally looks like new. Buying used may not be the best option. Those little machines go for stupid prices here in my area...and a lot have the useless BH that makes them expensive. Get a new one without the BH and get the warranty IMHO. Set aside $600 for a contractor to do your BH work.

I keep finding use for my backhoe, mostly within a 1 acre area of my 2.6 acre lot. Digging out and replanting deep-rooted plants, hauling logs with the thumb, turning over our big compost pile...just a bunch of stuff. I was originally looking for a scut with a loader only, am glad I landed one with a backhoe at a good price.

 

[coobie]

Also thinking I would like 4wd and power steering.

Love my 2011 diesel JDX740 tractor.Not 4 wheel drive though.

 

[fried1765]

Love my 2011 diesel JDX740 tractor.Not 4 wheel drive though.

That is a magnificent looking little machine!
Last week I gave my pristine JD LA110 rider to my son, and bought myself a new 48" SCAG (21HP Kawasaki) zero turn.
I am just learning to use it, but think I am already in love!

 

[rademamj1]

To the OP I would recommend any subcompact tractor brand. They are all capable and reliable. Go for tractor that's fits your budget and take advantage of the 0% financing being offered. Used asking prices right now are highest I ever seen.

 

[MiserableOldFart]

I would go with the next step up from the BX series, the Kubota 23 or 2601, something along those lines. Much depends on mowing. The style of lawn and garden tractors nowadays is high, and annoying to anyone who has to cut under an orchard. I have a CUT but wanted something to mow with that would fit under trees. The nice JD models were far too high, and I ended up with Kubota GR2120, which is an okay machine, but still much higher than the old wheelhorse it replaced, and I'm continually banging my head on branches of our semi--dwarf apple trees. The Deeres were much more expensive, though appear to be more heavy duty machines, but far too high for cutting under the trees.
The GR AWD is much more gentle on grass than four wheel drive, because it disengages the front drive when steering sharply. At the same time, it's really easy to get stuck in the mud with it, especially if you start to turn.
Any SCUT will be too high if you have low hanging trees to cut under, however.
One other thing: any underbelly mower over 54" or so will be a very difficult thing to work on. If you go with a SCUT or CUT, I would submit a RFM is a better choice if you want 60" or more.

 

[sleuth]

So I took the winter off from tractor shopping while I moved into my new house.
We have 1 acre on side of a mountain in Northern Alabama. Front yard has a gradual slow but the back yard has some decent slopes, and my new garden area is at the bottom of that slope (it's the only place where I have full sun). I'm currently mowing with a little JD mower and it does the job but it's a task. My soil is red dirt and chert rock, and I have a 5' gate at one end of the backyard and a roughly 7' gate on the other end of the backyard.

I went tractor shopping today for the first time to look at the subcompacts with loader, mmm, and backhoe options. Again, I'm looking for a tractor for gardening, landscaping (digging/cutting paths and walkways), maintaining my driveway, and light construction.

I looked at the
Rural King RK24 - quoted $22.8K
Kubota BX23SLB-R - quoted $25.7K
JD 1025R - quoted $25K
JD 2025R - quoted $30K
LS MT125 - quoted $19.5K
LS MT225S - quoted $24.6K
Massey GC1723EB - quoted $20.4K

All tractors seemed to basically the same package as far as features go. Honestly, the RK24 seemed like the most solid tractor, and felt a little beefier and higher quality materials than all the others with the exception of maybe the JD 2025R. However the JD was about $7K more than the RK24. What I liked about both is that they seemed to have larger tires than all the other subcompacts, and thus more ground clearance.

I was disappointed in the price difference between the JD 1025R and the JD 2025R. The sales guy told me that they are virtually the same tractor - same frame, same engine, same tranny, same backhoe, same loader - yet because they can't get the 1025R with the backhoe preinstalled, they mark up the 2025R up 5 grand and install it at the dealer. Does that sound right? I asked him if he could get the 1025R with everything preinstalled and just upgrade the tires at the dealer for less money. He said he would get back to me Monday.

Would love to hear more opinions on these tractors. I'm planning to visit a Bobcat, Mahindra, TYM, and Kioti dealer over the next 2 weeks.

Side note: The Kubota dealer was also the only dealer in town to deal New Holland/Ford tractors. I was interested in the Workmaster series but the sales guy said they didn't have any on the lot and between me and him he'd never buy one. He says "engine great, transmission great, but always little things bending or breaking to shut you down."

 

[Rdrcr]

^^^^
Impressive list of tractors there. Did any dealer seem better than another? Good dealer support can be hard to find.

Mike

 

[airbiscuit]

Have you checked out Kioti?

 

[airbiscuit]

Here is the Sub Compact Kioti