bx1800 or 2200

[Anonymous Poster]

what a great forum,just found it tonight. i am trying to talk the wife into a new tractor. we have 3 acres of lawn and some woods.i have 2 sears 12hp mowers now w/38"deck,i use one for parts. both i got for free and have been keeping them going since we moved in 4 years ago.
i am looking at the bx1800 and 2200 i have a dealer about 1 mile away. i would like to cut my mowing time down, with the 38" it takes about 3-4 hours.i have many trees to dodge also.i would like to get one with the front end loader.for snow removal and other jobs.a backhoe attachment would be nice but i may not be able to justify the cost.
what do you all recommend for my size property an 1800 or 2200
what size deck?
any other comments?
any tips on talking the wife into spending some big bucks?
thanks
scott

 

[rmc]

Scott
I was in the same boat in December as you are now. The BX2200 or 1800 are great machines but Kubota does not show a backhoe as an option. Kubota is coming out with a machine the same size as the BX2200 that will handle a backhoe this spring a BX22.

I purchased a BX2200 with a FEL and 60 MMM and the way I sold it to the Boss was that I went to SEARS, LOWES, etc and looked at their machines and prices and asked what the interest charge would be and was told around 21 to 23%. Then I went to the Kubota Dealer and at that time I was able to get 3.9% on the BX2200 thus making the monthly payment only about $50 more a month and the Boss told me to get the Kubota. check out the Kubota Credit on the Kubota Web Page for this months rates.

Good Luck in selling the Boss

 

[GFB]

While there may be a need for the additional horses, my experience with the 1800 is that it has plenty of power to do whatever I need to do. Most anything else the 2200 would not be big enough either. The real limitation is the traction. My advice, save the $500 and apply it to an attachment.
Gerry

 

[MossRoad]

I'd go for the larger HP. You'll never regret it /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[rmcess]

Scott,
On the question of 1800 or 2200 I went with the 2200, just a few hundred dollars for MORE POWER, seemed like a bargain for the extra HP. If you could manouver around your trees I like the 60" mower deck for three reasons: heavier steel than 54", self balancing design, mows larger area(cuts down mowing time). Personally I think a backhoe is very hard on a tractor and would prefer to rent one when needed. (opinions vary)
When I started looking for a "mower" I took my wife looking at Walkers, grasshoppers, and John Deere 445/455 mowers.
If I had not purchased the front loader at the same time I would have paid within a few hundred dollars of one of those mowers and all they are good for is mowing. So I sold it by basically showing her how high a good mower is and the added value in what you can do with a BX.
Good Luck, With any combination I think you will be happy, but I would go ahead and get the FEL now if at all possible.
Rich...

 

[rmcess]

Scott,
rmc has a very good point on the interest rate. Kubota has 3.99% APR for 36 months on new equipment until March, 31 02. Here is a link to Kubota Credit Corporation, you can download the credit application there and drop it by your dealer. http://www.kubota.com/finance.cfm
Rich...

 

[Charliebrn]

The few extra ponies may not make a huge difference unless you use some ground engaging implements (tiller, boxblade) and even then, the others are right, traction is usually the culprit, not the engine. However, a couple things to bear in mind. If you ever go to sell it, a 2200 will be worth more than the 1800 for sure, since they are much more prevalent (especially around this area), probably won't cost you a dime if and when you sell it. Second, if you end up getting a blower, aor a tiller, and you engine bogs, you'll always be wondering whether the extra HP would have prevented it. The difference here was $400. I went with the 2200, knowing i'd get that 400 back in the long run.

Whatever you decide, though, you';ll end up witha great machine that 'll do so much more than the GT's. One way I sold the boss was to push the idea of cheap implements for the 3 point hitch. Implements on the GT's (IF they are even available) tend to be much more expensive. If i remember right, a tiller for my Cub was going to be around $3k. I got a bigger, better 3 point one for $1300.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

thanks guys for the reply....i am going to go for a bx2200.....i am going to look for something used for a few months and if not i will purchase new....i will look into kubota financing...thank you all again

 

[r0GuE]

Nobody EVER regretted going first class the first time.
Good choice!

 

[sherbs]

Scott, I purchased a BX1800 last June. Then in Sept the interest rates dropped, so I traded for a 2200 and dropped the payment. Well anyways I had a 54" deck on both and a FEL also a 4ft back blade. The only difference I noticed was the 1800 seemed to create a little less engine noise. I could not notice any HP advantage with the attachments I used.

 

[r0GuE]

Theoretically, the 2200 really shines with the 60" deck. I guess the 1800 would spin it too. The extra Hp might be usefull with the 60" in Heavy grass brush.
Point is, if you have to (want to) trade up later it will cost you (normally),more than buying it the first time.
Honestly, I could probably get by with the 1800 too.
I could probably get by with a craftsman 30" deck lawn-o-matic, ... who wants to go through life getting by.
You can't go wrong either way (1800-2200),
enjoy whichever you get!

 

[msocko3]

I have a BX1800 with the 60" deck and it works like a champ. I've been through field grass up to my waist and it hardly pulled the engine RPM's down. I also have a 50" rear snowblower and have not worked the engine very hard with this either.

 

[r0GuE]

I concede :
Obviously there is nothing “operationally” that an BX1800 cannot do, therefore, the 2200 is completely unnecessary. I have no idea why they even build it other than to pander to people who like to waste money.

That said, the only thing an 1800 cannot do, is become a 2200 later when you wish you’d have bought the larger Hp model. To do that, you will have to trade it in, pay tax again, take a loss on the 1800 and pay a higher interest rate (theoretically, based on today’s market and the probability that rates will only go up from 5 % – 6 %, to a higher percentage).
Sooo…
If you are the kind of person who never changes their mind and second guesses decisions (I always regret when I compromise on a purchase), then you will be happy forever with the 1800.

 

[msocko3]

The only thing that I sometimes regret is when I play with my neighbors B2710, sometimes I wish I would have bought one of those except it would have been big time over kill. When I bought my BX I tossed back and forth between the 1800 and 2200 with my dealer, after looking at the recommended impliments we couldn't find any good reason for me to spend the extra $$ for the 2200 because Kubota recomends the same for both units, instead I spent the money on a mini vacation. Would I do the same in the future..... yep I have to say I would because I've had the chance to work both units and I can't tell the difference except the 2200 make more noise at higher rpm's than the 1800.

 

[r0GuE]

That's probably the only difference there is between the tractors, more noise at higher RPM on the 2200.
My concern wasn't totally based on lack of faith in the 1800s ability, it was that if I had to resell it, I KNOW the demand is for 2200's. My dealer said he has alot of trouble moving 1800s. He has to do bigger discounts and even then its an easy ten 2200s to one 1800.
Does that make the 2200 better, no... But the resale value will be higher.

 

[msocko3]

Your right about the higher resale value, if someone is going to trade it in or sell it a few years down the road then the 2200 is the way to go. I kept my last tractor 13 years so I figured I would keep the BX that long or longer, I'm betting longer unless it starts having mechanical problems that eat me out of house and home. Given Kubota's reputation I figure I'll own it a long time.