crown & John . . . what can I say, I'm all weepy eyed with the lovely sentiment and support.
From time to time I do feel that I get beaten up. What can I say, I take stands and simply don't like some machines. I've got a Kubota, but I think the Kubota
L2800 is a crummy machine and believe people can often a better machine at a better price by switching brands. I've got a New Holland, but am not a big fan of the TC30, for totally different reasons. I think Kioti makes some great machines, but I believe the CK25 is a dog for reasons I've outlined in detail. Deere makes some amazingly well designed machines but I sort of lump the 790 into the same group as the TC30; not bad, but I'm not a big fan of it. I'm very critical of loader designs for many brands, especially the loaders that stick up well above the hood level of the tractor because they block the view of the work . . . I'm also critical of bucket design, bucket size, and lately have been on a real tirade against the inflated capacity numbers that some manufacturers use when they only post their "pivot point" capacities on their FELs (instead of 500mm forward) or post "ball eye" capacities for their 3pt hitches (instead of 24" behind).
Show me any tractor, even the units on my property, I have picked them apart and criticized the parts that should be improved. I've also complimented just as many tractors, and often criticize and compliment the same machine for different reasons. One thing I know is I am not a blind loyalist to any, so I can pretty much say I can just about offend everyone. I guess I have not offended "Johnday" or "crown" (yet). So (until then) thanks for the kind words.
BUT DARE I POINT OUT, we are WAAAAY off topic here.
I can easliy understand Dargo having 2 "Grasshoppers" for mowing, he also has a 50hp tractor with cab, and something like 160 acres, and dare I say he has a liberal budget when it comes to toy shopping. But in this particular case, we have a guy with 2 + 3 acres, who will be moving to the 3 acre property. There is no real reason to have 2 machines for 3 acres when 1 machine will do the job. First, there will only be 1 engine to maintain, which means maintainence costs will NOT double. Second, a tractor like a Sub-CUT, while it may not be the first choice of all people, is a good choice for his situation, and is typically priced WITH the mower deck included. With the same size mower deck it will out mow a small frame CUT and it will operate every implement he wants to operate . . . on top of that it will fit inside his budget. Now I suppose he could go as large as the
B7610, and I really like that tractor and it would be soft on the lawn and probably would not be too big some of the time and would never be too small either, but it would top out the budget and leave no money left over to pay for the tiller, PHD or snowblower that he'd like to buy especially since he'd have to add costs for a mower deck (MMM or RFM).
Sure, he could buy a $3000 garden tractor to mow the lawn or a $6000 ZTR, but in either case he'd be hard pressed to get tractor/FEL and implements and stay in budget, and not deal with multiple fuel storage, multiple maintainence costs, etc etc
And Don . . . FWIW, today I'm wearing yarn dyed madras (but still full of color) instead of Hawaiian. . . I guess I need to pick up my laundry on my way home tonight!
