Buying Advice Is it worth it!??

[harpoonalt]

I had a BX and just traded up to a B. The BX is a great tractor. Mowing without the loader, it turns on a dime and does just as well as my neighbors Cub Cadet. With power steering and the power up and down on the deck, it's easy to avoid the rocks. You may even be able to dig out a few with the loader.Snow drifts? Heck, That hard packed stuff at the end of your driveway the plow leaves won't even make the tractor work hard.I've moved 5' drifts no problem. Snow blowers are nice but if you're stretching the budget, the loader and back blade will do it all for way less for now. If you do gardening you can use the loader to move mulch, get rid of dead stuff, or just use as a work platform with your tools. You'll most likely end up selling your wheelbarrow in a garage sale.
My wife originally thought the tractor was way too much money, but now that she's seen all that we can do, and the time and money it saves, she's seen the light. It's an investment that really pays off. Looking forward to seeing pics!

 

[jimmyj]

Good advice here from all the lads. A BX would make you a very happy person for a long time. Are there dealers near where you live? Do they have a good reputation?

 

[jake98]

Good advice here from all the lads. A BX would make you a very happy person for a long time.

I have a BX22 for sale in Northern New Jersey. Not sure what to ask for it yet, it belongs to my father. It's in excellent shape, back-hoe, loader, and 3-point finish mower. Feel free to take a look at it if you'd like.

 

[kday64]

Don,

Option 2: Totally out of the question.

I agree but my wife is insisting that she is more then capable to survive a winter without me around. She says, "If it snows and I cant leave the house then I call work and tell I am not coming." I find her responce to be 100% out of the question. I want her to go to work, it is the only thing that will keep her from shopping.

Option 3: You have woods around your property, can you collect the leaves in a bagger and deposit them in the woods? (after trimming the brush line?)

There is a small path in the back of my property that leads into the woods. But the path is not large enough to take a 54" mower through it. I am pretty sure that a chainsaw and FEL would help solve this problem very quickly. But I didn't intend on purchasing a FEL right off the back because I like the idea of the snow thrower.

I guess the bottom line is I can dump the cut up leaves at the entrance to the path and use my jet blower to solve the rest of that problem.

~k_day64

 

[jimmyj]

An FEL is likely the handiest attachment you would ever have. Certainly the mower deck would be used the most hours but to move snow, rocks, lift stuff and so on you could probably get by without the blower. Just a thought. Good luck and let us know what you do! With pictures of course!

 

[picker77]

Don,
A majority if the CT potatoes are low enough that I can mow over them with my little JD push mower. There are 3 potatoes that I have to manuever around. So I guess I am really concerned with the manueverabilty. How tight of a turn can a BX2360 make? While going slow?
~k_day64

First thing I'd do is get a guy with a backhoe in there for a couple of hours and get rid of those three Connecticut State Flowers you have to mow around, and maybe a few of those getting close to that stage.

Then go buy a 16-20 hp subcut with FEL like others have said. Keep in mind that nice condition used subcuts with no warranty are uncomfortably close to the discounted price of new with full warranty and zero-down/zero interest financing. Once you've shopped around enough to know what's what, call these guys in Somerset, KY: Barlow Equipment - Home of the Kubota Tractor Package Builder. They might surprise you with their prices, they have a stellar nationwide reputation, and they will deliver to your doorstep for a very reasonable fee.

 

[mostly_gas]

Kday, there is one thing to bear in mind when you increase the width of your mowing deck by more than 2 times. And that is some of the potatoes that you could mow over with ease will now interfere and the deck will loose in the collision. I would hate to see you spend a chunk of money only to have spend more during the learning curve. Don't ask me how I know :ashamed:

 

[harpoonalt]

Not trying to spend your money but the best advice I can give is above all other things, get the FEL with the tractor. Snowblowers are great, but are one trick ponies. The FEL is capable of lifting heavy stuff, moving snow, digging, and so much more. It's the one thing that makes that tractor so valuable. Otherwise you'd be better off with a garden tractor and snowblower for way less money. As for the leaves. You can make a plywood bucket extender for leaves (leaves are light), rake or blow the leaves into it and go dump. I've seen one and am going to make on for myself since it worked really well. If that's an option you save more money by not getting a bagger. My .02 is to get a tractor, mower, and FEL with back blade. You may never need anything else and that saves you some money. If you want extras later, go for it, but you'll have a better idea of what will work best for you after owning the tractor for awhile.A lot of people who have been just where you are hopefully will now offer advice and save you some money.

 

[D33r3 6r33N]

--harpoonalt, I think you read my mind.

 

[irvingj]

As much as it can be, when it came to a decision I guess I "had it easy." I'd been using, for 18 years, a walk-behind blower for my rather long, uphill driveway, parking/turn-around area, and path around the house.

As my wife is an RN and has to leave the house by 0630, the drive had to be cleared, including the snowplow ridge at the top of the drive. I had to begin by 0430, and it would take me 4-5 hours to finish the whole job.

I decided I'd had enough, and had been thinking of a tractor of some sort for several years.

SCUT with snowblower, no two ways about it. Yes, it was expensive, about the same as a new car. I also opted for the TLB version, with a backhoe.

Do I regret it? Not one bit. Snow clearing now takes about an hour and a half and is immeasurably easier on my small frame! Snow is now further off into the woods or lawn, so I also have no large/high ridges to deal with.

The bonuses: I picked up a used MMM, and that has saved even more time- from 4-5 hrs with a push mower to about an hour now. And it does a better job and uses less fuel! That large rock I always had to mow around? History. Took about 5 minutes with the backhoe, push into FEL, and cart off to the woods. Manhandling logs from downed trees to process into firewood? A thumb on the backhoe allows me to carry logs to the edge of the driveway, then hold them in the air for cutting with a chainsaw. Moving stuff --picnic table, summer rock fire ring, etc--around for changing seasons? FEL with a couple simple slip-on wooden forks, done. Digging out the septic tank cover? Backhoe, and it becomes a 10-minute job. On and on, I'm only beginning to learn the capabilities of this machine. That's my, uh, 15 cents, I guess.

I really love my SCUT!:thumbsup:

 

[Gary Fowler]

If you decide to go the tractor route, GET the FEL. I thought I would never use one since I grew up on a farm and we never had one. My brother in Law talked me into getting my first tractor with FEL. I would never buy anything without one now. They are just too universally useful for loading, moving and lets not forget, they are also useful for getting your tractor out of situations where traction is no longer available, just lower the bucket and use the hydraulics to push your self out. I have saved myself lots of work with the FEL when I went some place I shouldnt have. I wish I could justify the need for a backhoe but I just cant make the figures work on that at least not in my case. Your case may be different.

 

[kday64]

Well all,

The wife has agreed that I can get the tractor because I really want one.

On a bright note I am 100% done dealing with the leaves this year. The wife and I spent nine hours blowing leaves into piles, raking them on to a tarp and then hualing the tarp out into the woods. All in all it was ten, 10x16', tarp loads.

Just to make people laugh a little bit. The wife and I rented a rented a little Toro leaf vac to help fight the yard this year. I knew that it had a little bag but at the very least I thought it would help me get rid of acorns, as advertised. Well the advertisement LIED! With an empty bag, the dang vac was unable to suck acorns off the drive way. What a waste of money! Conviently enough the wife said, "well we know never to do that again."

The Last Hurdle - The Shed
Our current shed is a 10x8' shed with a single 24" door and a 48" wide double door on the 10' side. The tractor I want won't fit through the doors and won't fit length wise, with a FEL/Snow Thrower.

Now I have two reasonable options. Replace the existing shed or build a covered enclosure under the deck.

~Kevin

 

[Don87]

Well all,

The wife has agreed that I can get the tractor because I really want one.

On a bright note I am 100% done dealing with the leaves this year. The wife and I spent nine hours blowing leaves into piles, raking them on to a tarp and then hualing the tarp out into the woods. All in all it was ten, 10x16', tarp loads.

Just to make people laugh a little bit. The wife and I rented a rented a little Toro leaf vac to help fight the yard this year. I knew that it had a little bag but at the very least I thought it would help me get rid of acorns, as advertised. Well the advertisement LIED! With an empty bag, the dang vac was unable to suck acorns off the drive way. What a waste of money! Conviently enough the wife said, "well we know never to do that again."

The Last Hurdle - The Shed
Our current shed is a 10x8' shed with a single 24" door and a 48" wide double door on the 10' side. The tractor I want won't fit through the doors and won't fit length wise, with a FEL/Snow Thrower.

Now I have two reasonable options. Replace the existing shed or build a covered enclosure under the deck. ~Kevin

To save space, I would be inclined to go under the deck.

 

[cfs]

you can't go wrong with a Mf 2400, 2410,2600,or 2610 . we have a 2610 TLB. i think that for your small yard a BH would be nice but hardly justifiable. As others have said once you have the FEL you will wonder how you ever got by without it. To get rid of those rocks rent a BH or minni ex for a day many rental companies have very resonable rates.

 

[jimmyj]

Hooray! Great news. What exactly did you get now?

 

[scoutcub]

Kevin -

I typically tell folks buying a tractor to get a loader, as they are very handy to have around. (as many other posters have suggested)
However, I think with you're financial situation and .75 property, you could probably get away without one.
I thought about you're needs and looked on Ebay....found a couple of machines that might interest you. Since Cubs are my specialty, I only looked at them.
First one is a 2284, it's a super garden tractor, with a mower, blower and trac-vac.
22 HP Gas engine with very low hours, it's NOT 4wd, but with a machine like this on you're flat property it'll power thru 2-3' snow drifts. I had a similar machine, and did go thru 3' drifts with it. I did have the rear Ag tires and some rear weights as well. It's got 4 days left on auction, and is up to $2,000. The trac-vac would make quick work of the leaves, and the machine might fit in your shed.

There's another used Cub, a 7254 that's a 4X4 CUT, with a 25 HP gas motor, loader, mower deck, and the dealer is selling a blower that fits it separately. Probably could get everything for around $8,000 if you talked to him. That blower is a huge 54" monster that will move some snow, ask me how I know!

Anyways, just a few options to think about, I think if you look around enough you can find a great deal on a used machine to save you some $$$.
Good luck in you're search!

 

[Don87]

Kevin -

I typically tell folks buying a tractor to get a loader, as they are very handy to have around. (as many other posters have suggested)
However, I think with you're financial situation and .75 property, you could probably get away without one.
I thought about you're needs and looked on Ebay....found a couple of machines that might interest you. Since Cubs are my specialty, I only looked at them.
First one is a 2284, it's a super garden tractor, with a mower, blower and trac-vac.
22 HP Gas engine with very low hours, it's NOT 4wd, but with a machine like this on you're flat property it'll power thru 2-3' snow drifts. I had a similar machine, and did go thru 3' drifts with it. I did have the rear Ag tires and some rear weights as well. It's got 4 days left on auction, and is up to $2,000. The trac-vac would make quick work of the leaves, and the machine might fit in your shed.

There's another used Cub, a 7254 that's a 4X4 CUT, with a 25 HP gas motor, loader, mower deck, and the dealer is selling a blower that fits it separately. Probably could get everything for around $8,000 if you talked to him. That blower is a huge 54" monster that will move some snow, ask me how I know!

Anyways, just a few options to think about, I think if you look around enough you can find a great deal on a used machine to save you some $$$.
Good luck in you're search!

Hows the parts availability for original Cub Cadet's? I sold my 2160, partially because of the parts issue, but mainly because of the 'belt' issue.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

I would suggest you go try out a BX Kubota or similar tractor. Get the bagger for leaves, but I'd hold off on the snowblower. They are expensive and you may find the loader and a simple back blade are all you need. If you want one later you can add one. Once you have a small tractor you'll never be without one again. Maintain them well and you'll hand them down to your kids. My neighbor has an old kubota with a few thousand hours on it still going strong. It is an investment but few other things you'll buy in life will last as long and do as much. It sounds like your wife will be using it a lot so make sure she gets to demo one and feels comfortable with it. I plowed all this with my BX and never once had a problem. If you have big drifts, just use the loader and pile them up.
And as a bonus, tractors are a lot of fun!

Nice pictures!!! :thumbsup:

 

[scoutcub]

Hows the parts availability for original Cub Cadet's? I sold my 2160, partially because of the parts issue, but mainly because of the 'belt' issue.

Don -

I've never had any problems in 15+ years of owning Cub tractors for getting parts. Just had to order a bunch of front grill parts for my 07 CUT, and was a bit concerned they might be unavailable, (Cub went to CCY in 08) but all parts were available. I owned several 2000 & 3000 series machines, as well as 3 super garden tractors. Really liked the supers...!

 

[kday64]

Hi all,

I have yet to "pull the trigger" on my new tractor yet. Sadly, this weekends shopping agenda has been ruined by my wife having the flu. If the wife feels better tomorrow, we will go walk around the tractor dealership's lot.

As for getting a used SCUT. The wife and I both agree that there is no beating the 0% financing. Please keep in mind that we both bought new car/trucks in 2003 and they are both payed off and have 250K miles between the two. So we are partial to knowing the things we own from craddle to grave.

Right now I am leaning toward a new BX2360 with a 48" MMM. I am guessing the wife will make the decision on wether or not we get the FEL or SnowBlower. I am sure that I would be happy with both!

I have to admit that since I joined this sight just a few weeks ago I have read an insane amount implements and after all that reading I now look at my back yard in a different light.

As for those pesky leaves I am leaning toward a tow behind Cyclone Rake. I am thinking this is a better option than the grass catcher. According to the local Kubota Dealer the Kubota Grass Catcher vaccum is so powerful that it doesnt give the mower any time to chop of the leaves. The Cyclone Rake appears to mulch leaves like something fiece and it colapses into something small.

Right now I thinking I am just going to destroy my small shed and build a much larger shed (12x20') that supports my needs. On Tuesday I am calling the local building inspector to find out if 2x8 framed floor resting on dek-blocks would support the weight of a 1500lb SCUT or if I need to venture towards a cement foundation.

~Kevin