Buying Advice Tractor I need vs tractor I want.

[dodge man]

You have done a pretty good job of narrowing down your needs with your last post. It is just me but I would stick with JD or Kubota, but they are the only dealers with a strong presence in my area. I like the JD I just bought because of the auto connect deck. The mid mount mower goes off and on easy. I would shop with your wife and pick out one you both like. Keep in mind dealer support is important.

For reference my JD2025r with 60” mid mount mower, front end loader, and pallet forks was 21k out the door. I can not remember how many months the 0% I’d for, either 48 or 60 months. I would have paid cash except there was a discount for taking the financing. A budget of 20k or a little more should get you in a nice tractor.

Another bonus of staying at 25hp or less is no emissions requirement.

 

[nards444]

After looking at everything I think you are spot on with your needs. I get why some guys say get more I do and it fits sometimes. I only have 4 acres and sure a bigger machine would be nice at times but 98% of the time it would be a complete waste, the other 2% of the times probably cheaper to have it done by somebody else then to maintain a bigger machine and purchase it.

But I would say this, get a tractor get the loader, you will kick your self in the behind later if you dont. Im not a big fan of the resale later argument many have, as theres really nothing empirical about it just guessing. But having the loader a resale time you will definitely get your money back..

Mowing 2-3 acres get a dedicated mower. The switching of implements all the time will be a pain trust me and trust others. The cost of a MMM is about the same as a good used mower or even a bran new box store one. FWIW I have 2300 bucks into a Lowes zero turn that is 7 years old and works great and mowed two acres at the old house in just over an hour. Lastly a tractor like this just isnt efficient at mowing lawns like this.

I would go with the B2650, stays under the threshold for emmisions and for a few more bucks gives you more frame and beef to work with. I ended up with that one after comparing the to others like the 2025r etc. Kioti made a good machine. What sold me on the B2650 was its the only cabbed tractor in that small of tractor and below that the cab was factory and came with both AC and heat. You can go on kubota, but with tractor and loader your looking right around 21-22 for the machine, cab adds 5.

 

[finn1]

Skip the MMM and get a dedicated zero turn for the mowing and a CUT like the Kioti CK 2610 or, preferably, the CK 3510.

For an acre plus the driveway border, a commercial ZTR isn’t required. The homeowner version will last ten or fifteen years with minor maintenance. A good upper end box store rider would do fine, for that matter, but would be slower.

The money saved by ditching the mmm proposal will go a long way towards getting a CUT instead of a less competent subcompact.

 

[nards444]

Skip the MMM and get a dedicated zero turn for the mowing and a CUT like the Kioti CK 2610 or, preferably, the CK 3510.

For an acre plus the driveway border, a commercial ZTR isn’t required. The homeowner version will last ten or fifteen years with minor maintenance. A good upper end box store rider would do fine, for that matter, but would be slower.

The money saved by ditching the mmm proposal will go a long way towards getting a CUT instead of a less competent subcompact.

agreed here. I dont think commercial grade ZTR is really needed until you get beyond 2 acres. Like I said my 2300 one has gone 7 years and mowed great. If I get 10 years out of it Ill be happy.

I will say this about the Kioti, spec wise great machine, I bounced around the CK 2510 and 3510. My one counter here is frame wise your essentially dealing with the same tractor, if you need more HP for implements or want a cab it comes with AC as well. But if your not getting the cab and dont need the extra 10 hp or so, save your money and you wont have to deal with emissions.

I ended up with a B2650 over kioti because of what came on the bota that the Kioti didnt have and the dealer for the Kioti just wasnt responive, which 6 months later they cleared their kioti line up and are now selling Bobcat tractors. maybe a good choice then

 

[JerryK]

Ditto on the zero turn. It would mow circles around the mid mount deck. Plus, a tractor with a mid mount deck is a pain. Always high points underneath, no ability to work dirt with it on. Save the tractor for manly jobs ....

 

[Diggin It]

I'll need to drag the driveway every so often to keep it in good shape.

I'll need to bush hog most of the rest of it a few times a year.

Those are the two things that are leading some of us to suggest more HP. A box blade/grader and rotary cutter are HP hogs and the machine needs weight to be able to have traction to pull them. I don't do either of those things, so I don't need the extra weight and HP.

Those types of tractors don't come with a MMM, which is what my wife wants and needs in order to do the mowing. She's not helpless and afraid of work so the comments about her not doing it and leaving it to me hold no weight, she's not like that at all.

As I've said on other similar threads... a SCUT with an MMM will mow, but it isn't a mower. The ride is a lot rougher than I expected. With my loaded R4s and terrain full of divets, roots, mole runs and other low and high spots, I have to run slow or get bounced out of the seat. I find myself still using the two smaller riders quite a bit.

 

[Diggin It]

Ditto on the zero turn. It would mow circles around the mid mount deck. Plus, a tractor with a mid mount deck is a pain. Always high points underneath, no ability to work dirt with it on. Save the tractor for manly jobs ....

I don't find that to be true. Mine is on most of the time, even when using the BH or loader. And it isn't really that difficult to remove or install when necessary.

 

[hiddentacocatneddih]

I can out mow a similar sized scut with a MMM on a husquvarna cheapo box store special. Plus it floats much better on the wet stuff and isn't as scary on hills. The scut is only better when climbing or descending but for ditches that isn't possible.

With my big tractor mahindra 485di I can now about 5-6 mph on smooth ground with a 7ft mower. Bumps on any tractor can be painful.

 

[GeneV]

Yeh same here, a 60" mmm deck came with my gc1710, I mowed a couple times with it and then went back to my craftsman garden tractor for mowing, even though it's has a smaller deck. The massey gives a great cut, but it's a pain to drop the loader and backhoe, mount the mower, only to have less turn radius, higher center of gravity (I got hilly spots to mow), and a bouncy ride.

 

[Diggin It]

The scut is only better when climbing or descending

And that's one of the main reasons I needed/wanted mine.

 

[desertdog71]

So am I understanding this right?

The majority of folks that have or once had MMM do not like them and do not use them? In hindsight they would by a riding mower instead?

Speed is not that important to me, and with my wife's ear and balance issues a zero turn is out of the picture anyways. She'd be comfortable putting along on a riding mower where all she has to do is glance down a few times while mowing and pretty much just drive it like a car. This quick movements of a zero turn wouldn't work for her.

As for mid deck, I've seen anywhere from $1700-$3500 quoted for them depending on the brand, and you can grab a Cub Cadet at Home Depot for less that any of them. When I say maybe 2 acres of lawn, that may be an overestimation too, I won't know for sure until we get everything built, but it is our desire to have minimal lawn except right around the house and basically the septic field. The rest can be brush hogged a few times a year and remain semi wild. Any saplings that aren't undesirable types will be allowed to grow for the most part. We don't need pasture or anything and we want some trees to grow in. We have some woods already on the land but really its only along the back edge near the water and there's a few scattered trees elsewhere. Most of the land was cleared in 1998, but it hasn't been touched since then.

The need for HP is an interesting point because when I rented a tractor a couple weeks ago, it was a JD 3039R with a 5 foot Razorback Bush Hog. It cut the brush really good but when I would get into groves of saplings it would bog the engine down 500-600 rpm's. I suspect a 25HP would really struggle. These were saplings in the 1 1/2 to 2 inch range and about 10 feet high, so it was significant and there was some volume to them, but this is something I rent a machine for a day and take care of for the most part. I foresee most of my cutter needs just being brush and weeds that pop up. Again this is after the property is established.

I really appreciate all the feedback, it's helping my change my perspective and consider things I wouldn't have thought about otherwise.

 

[4570Man]

I don't find that to be true. Mine is on most of the time, even when using the BH or loader. And it isn't really that difficult to remove or install when necessary.

Your property must be pretty smooth and free of hang ups like a low cut stump. They’re very limiting for off-roading. And if you’re mowing with the loader and backhoe on you’re really getting the worst of both worlds. I’d rather have and do have a dedicated mower anytime. There’s zero hassle of screwing with implements, my tractor isn’t always where I need to mow, and my 72” ZTR will mow circles around a MMM. I’ve done my share of mowing with MMMs and there’s no comparison between the speed and convince of my ZTR.

 

[4570Man]

So am I understanding this right?

The majority of folks that have or once had MMM do not like them and do not use them? In hindsight they would by a riding mower instead?

.

I hate a lawnmower with a steering wheel but if a ZTR is a hard no I’d still take a good dedicated mower over a MMM. Good is the key word. I’d take a mmm over a box store mower. You can buy an older machine like a 455 Deere or equivalent machine pretty cheap and they’ll last a lifetime unlike the cheap mowers with plastic rear ends and soup can decks. I’m not a huge fan of green paint but the 455 is the Cadillac of lawn mowers. Yanmar diesel that sips fuel, hydraulic deck lift, power steering, and a durable rear end. Power steering makes a huge difference in the comfort of use on a riding mower. I don’t know of anything better that can be bought for $3-4K.

 

[Diggin It]

So am I understanding this right?

The majority of folks that have or once had MMM do not like them and do not use them? In hindsight they would by a riding mower instead?

I can only speak for one. I went into it a bit green thinking I'd be able to use it full time and get rid of the old riders. Took me about two mows with it to realize otherwise. They both have their places and aren't really interchangeable. I can take my steeper hills with the SCUT that were eating the transmissions out of the riders, but I don't have the smoother ride or the turning radius of the riders. Also, keep in mind that a SCUT with MMM will run in the 2,000 pound range instead of the 600-750 pound range of a rider which means more ruts if you have softer ground/turf.

 

[Diggin It]

MMM Yay or Nay is becoming like the BH buy/rent debate. There is no right or wrong answer. It's all about individual circumstances and preferences.

 

[4570Man]

MMM Yay or Nay is becoming like the BH buy/rent debate. There is no right or wrong answer. It's all about individual circumstances and preferences.

I’d have to say there’s a huge difference between the 2 topics. 99 percent of the anti backhoe crowd don’t have one. The vast majority of the people that don’t like a mmm have had one or at least used one. And a MMM will get the job done but there’s no denying there’s faster and easier options.

 

[desertdog71]

Backhoes cost $6-10 grand to add on, and seem to me would be used less often than a mower. I'm pretty much in the camp of no backhoe, no auger, no lots of attachments that might get used a couple times and then sit around. Machines need to be used or they go to crap.

 

[chim]

Personal preference is a big factor and we all think everyone else needs to like what we do

Wouldn't be without a loader. First tractor had MMM, next 4 all had RFM's. Tried a couple ZTR's and disliked them. Haven't needed a backhoe for anything except the one day when I buried the pipes off my rain spouts using a subsoiler and shovel. I'm not a backhoe hater, just never needed one.

Here's my favorite mower so far. I can trim whatever this doesn't get with one 5AH battery in the DeWalt string trimmer except for the 4 or 5 times I whack the creek banks each Summer. Don't mind spending under an hour and a half in the A/C away from the bugs, dust and pollen to cut our 3.5 acres.

 

[desertdog71]

I appreciate all the feedback and it's helped me narrow things down. I think a 25HP tractor similar to a B series is probably where I'm going to settle. The mid mower is still up in the air and I'll cross that bridge when the time comes. Most likely will be a cheaper Korean brand though or maybe Massey. That will be a matter of me testing them out, evaluating the dealer and seeing what just feels right. My only experience is the JD 3039R I rented and ran for 7 hours, but at least I have something to go on. It seemed like too much honestly in the long term, it would be nice for the first year though.

 

[dodge man]

I used a cheap box store riding mower on my yard for a couple of years, it fell apart. I then bought a better one, like $3000 worth. I then bought a Kubota BX with a FEL and 60” mid mount. I kept the $3000 mower and thought I would mow most of my yard with it. I did not, the Kubota did as good a job with the mid mount and was more comfortable.

The deck for a mid mount on a tractor is expensive for a reason, they are built heavy, have quality spindles, the mounting system is better, they have hydraulic lift etc. My yard is rough, has some hills and just tears up a cheap rider. If you plan on a nice smooth yard with no hills, a rider will work good and probably last. Like already mentioned, some people love them or hate them.