Bx1500 want a be

ltfella · May 6, 2004

I am looking into the bx 1500 and wondering who owns one and how much they like it. I was looking into the bx2230 but out of my price range. With the 1500 I see theres only 2 cylinders and losing 7 HP. I am mowing 2 acres and use a FEL to remove snow from my driveway. Thanx for any help

DaveInColorado · May 6, 2004

I have about the same situation and own a BX1500 with FEL, tiller, and box blade. If your ground is smooth the BX with a 54" deck with mow the whole thing in a hour or so. It will mow pretty well at 8 mph! If it weren't for my oldest boys (I have 5 kids) just getting into mowing age, I would have gone with a regular Home Depot John Deere and rented a front loader when I needed it. As it is, my oldest boy (15) earned $1000 last summer on a little 13.5hp lawn tractor. If present rates and amount of work stay through the end of summer, he's looking to clear $4000 with the Kubota. My next oldest might earn $1000 with it, which is a boat load of money for a 13 year old. This is the best purchase I've ever made! No problems yet, but it is still early.

PJ_Kravetz · May 6, 2004

I absolutely love my BX1500. Granted I am only mowing .75 acres, but the FEL is the greatest. I have found so many uses for it all ready and I only have 8 hours on the machine. I have quite a bit of landscaping coming up so it will really get it's workout then. I am planning to get a front mounted snow blower this fall, I have heard tha tmoving snow with a FEL is no fun.

I was in teh same boat as you with the BX2230 being out of my price range, but everything I have heard/read led me to believe the 1500 was plenty of tractor.

Good Luck!

P.J.

DaveInColorado · May 6, 2004

The FEL works great for moving snow, though a front blade that shoves snow to the side would work better. I would put a pad or something on the bottom of the FEL to avoid scraping the driveway if doing a whole lot of snow. We have occasional big snow but mostly just very light 3-4" snow.

Poppa · May 6, 2004

( We have occasional big snow but mostly just very light 3-4" snow. )

So, Dave, did you even use the tractor to clear any snow this year? I can't think of a single time it would have been worth it. in fact over the last five years or so I can only think of three or four times where it would have been faster than a shovel. I think you guys get a little more than us though.

Not complaining mind you, well maybe a little about the lack of moisture, just curious /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Mike

rdricks · May 7, 2004

Actually - it seems like you Douglas County folks got more this year. (I'm in Frederick - closer to Fort Collins)

I used the 'Bota to clear during the big dump in spring '03, and I used it once in Feb I believe (we got about 5-6"). Other than that it hasn't been worth using - I'd have to get up early to beat the snow melt!

DaveInColorado · May 7, 2004

( So, Dave, did you even use the tractor to clear any snow this year? I can't think of a single time it would have been worth it. in fact over the last five years or so I can only think of three or four times where it would have been faster than a shovel. I think you guys get a little more than us though.)

I used it a couple of times. I also used it a couple of times on the church sidewalks near us. I used it to clear 5 other neighbors' large driveways sometime around February with a 6" snow just because I had it going and didn't want to stop. I didn't ask anyone - just did it. I was afraid someone was going to call the cops but my desire to play with my tractor was overwhelming! Someone did call our house later in the morning. It turned out she only wanted to know how much to pay me and thanked me profusely (my kids charge $$ - my tractor work is always free). I was chicken and had my wife take the call. For that particular snow, I really could clear a 150' x 10' driveway with 6" of snow in 5 minutes or less.

The FEL works pretty good on large U-shaped driveways. I start on the inside and work the snow to the outside of the curve - always running about 8 mph! It isn't the best thing but is a Whole Lot Faster than shoveling! Our driveway is about 150' long. I don't shovel it. If it is only a little 3" snow I just let God use his best judgement about when it needs to go away.

The tractor mostly sits on the side of the driveway during the winter with FEL attached waiting for some attention.