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 | MC1290
Join Date: Posts: 1 
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2001-02-24 24648
just purchased home.2.5 acres.about.75 acres landscaped with trees and evergreens to mow.the rest is wooded.have 90 ft. double wide driveway to keep clear of snow.want to keep at least 20yds x 300ft of the woods cleared and mowed.back yard and woods are sloped i guess on a 20% grade(not sure on how to figure percentage of grade).have two brush piles in woods of felled trees,etc.that were left over from previous owner who had same amount of woods brushhogged in the past.would like to clean these piles up,cut and haul wood,maybe start a small garden.90% of the time will be mowing.at frist was looking at jd300 series tractor then decided needed more rugged tractor and looked at the 400 series.as i started talking to dealers and reading these forums i am now looking at kubota bx series because 4wd may be better in the hilly rugged terain of the woods.i also looked at the availabiliy of 3pt hitch on the bx.i'm thinking i may be able to save some money on used implements vs. dedicated implements on the jd 400 series.i would like to know if you think the bx is big enough?can't go too big because need mauneverability.will the bx handle tiller? some have suggested a walk behind tiller but i have bad legs and can't see my wife doin'it.also wandering what yor thoughts are new vs. used implements?some of the implements seemed prety steep to me.also i may add kubota has a awsome finance plan at 6.75%.is the bx the tractor for me? is the jd400 series an option considering the avantages of the kubota?or should i be thinking of a bigger tractor even if i have to sell the wife and kids to get the money?also thought may even want loader in the future if the wife and kids sell for a good price.thanks.
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| Bird Senter
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 962 
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2001-02-24 24650
MC1290, for 2.5 acres, I'd say the BX would be a fine machine for you. I'd definitely want 4WD, especially if you're going to get a front end loader (which I certainly think you should; handiest implement there is). And while I suspect the BX would just about be ideal, you might also want to look at a B7500, the New Holland TC18D, and the John Deere 4100 for comparison to see which you like best. And yes, the BX will handle a tiller just fine. Look for one just wide enough to cover your rear tracks. I bought nearly all my implements new, but only because I didn't find used ones in the sizes I wanted. Nothing at all wrong with buying used ones. ....
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| JeffM
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2001-02-24 24655
MC, add my agreement to Bird's comments. I think something the size of a BX1800 or BX2200 would be ideal. By all means also look at and try the small Boomers (TC18 and TC21), the Kubota B7400 and B7500, and the JD 4100. The BX1800 and BX2200 are marketed as sub-compacts, while the other five mentioned above are small compacts in the 16-21 hp range. All these tractors are in a different league than the JD400, in my opinion. They all have their own personalities, strengths, and weaknesses, so it is a good idea to drive them and get to know them before laying down your hard-earned cash. These tractors are not inexpensive from my point of view, but they are well worth it because they will last you a long, long time if you treat them well. Four-wheel drive is important, especially with your slope. And oh yeah, definitely plan on a loader at some point. If your legs trouble you, then you aren't going to be pushing a wheelbarrow up and down your slope. Until you have one, you just can't believe all the things you will use that loader for. ....
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| Dave Wells
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2001-02-25 24677
MC, I have a similar situation to yours, ie. 3.5 acres, half lawn, half wooded, somewhat hilly. I also looked at the 400 series (445) before getting a 4100. The differences between them are: (1) 4WD on the 4100 - although both have a rear differential lock, 4WD is MUCH more useful, especially on hilly terrain; (2) better 3PT & Hydraulics on the 4100 - the 400 series are Category 0, which limits you on the implements you can put on it, and the 400 series doesn't have as much hydraulic power/flow as the 4100; (3) 4100 is diesel, 445 is gas - I initially wanted the gas because the 445's EFI engine is a good one, but I've since found that a diesel tractor can work a lot harder - it stands "lugging" a lot better, and it's certainly fuel-efficient. I also found that when I ended up with everything I wanted, the 4100 was only about 12% more - but keep in mind though that prices change, depending on the season, the dealer, and what the dealer has and wants to move. My partner and I both agree that we would have made a mistake getting the 400 series - the 4WD & better hydraulics are too useful. There are several things we've already done that I couldn't have done with the 445. I guess what it comes down to is that the 400's are lawn and garden tractors - the 4100 is small, but not limited otherwise. And anywhere above, substitute Kubota B series or NH Boomer series for the 4100 - they are all very good machines, certainly able to tackle the projects you'll run into. HTH ....
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| Craig Dashner
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2001-02-26 24685
I have a JD4100 for close to the same situation. Get the JD4100 with loader, or whatever Kubotas equivalent is. I don't think that you will be sorry. I mow about an acre, clear trails on the other 4 acres, plow driveway and 1/2 mile of private road, move dirt for all of my wifes landscaping project, haul firewood, and anything else I can think of doing just to play with it. I bought it, because I believe it will be around for 30 years if not longer. So even though they are pricey, I figure in the long run it is worth it. These tractors outclass the garden tractors. The difference is night and day. A 20hp garden tractor feels like 2hp next to a compact with 20hp. ....
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| Ted Kennedy
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2001-02-26 24707
MC, I venture into this discussion only because of your comment about "bad legs." My wife is handicapped, and I work with some men who have walking disabilities. Based on this experience I heartily recommend a hydrostatic drive machine, with MFWD. No matter which maker you choose, the hydro will take a load off of you by not having to worry about clutching and breaking constantly. A hydro enables people with difficulties to put in a full day's work without paying for it afterwards. By the way, Steve Carver is one of the few dealers that works to accomodate the handicapped operator, and good news, he sells Kubotas, new and used. That he helps people with special needs, is in itself, enough to make me a customer and fan, too bad we are separated by over a thousand miles. If you are close to NC and have special needs, Carver may be right for you. ....
Link: Carver Equipment
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| Dave Wells
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2001-02-26 24718
MC, some further thoughts...My wife has some physical handicaps too (both hip joints and both shoulder joints are prosthetics) and she can and does run our JD4100Hydro. Definitely get the hydrostatic - practically speaking, a geared tractor isn't going to buy you very much. I'm not sure about the other brands, but on the JD you have one pedal for forward and one for reverse - it's about the easiest to use setup I've ever seen. The pedals are spring loaded, so if you let off the forward pedal it returns to the "neutral" position and the tractor stops it's movement, etc. Of course, you still have two active brake pedals, one on each side. Another reason for getting the 4100Hydro is that it has a live PTO - the geared model doesn't. That may not be true for other brands or models though - you'll have to check. We also have the JD 3PT bagger with a Honda 5HP engine (recoil start) that runs the vacumn. That little Honda is the easiest engine I've ever seen to start - even my wife can start it! (I do hope to modify ours someday to run of the PTO.) I hope the extra info helps.
Dave Wells
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 | dsg
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 528 Franklin, Maine 
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2001-02-26 24725
MC, I also am partly disabled, (have problems with my left side) That is one reason why I bought JD over any of the other brands. The Hydro trans is great, pedels on the right side, main brake on the right side, no clutch when engaging/disengaging the pto, just a button one pulls out or pushes in. Kubota is a very good quality tractor, but it just didn't have the ergonomics I needed. I can't comment on the NH, never tried one out. David ....
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| Todd
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2001-02-26 24729
MC,
I like the advice everyone above is giving you. Since "bad legs" isn't specific to a doctor, I'm not going to comment on the ergonomic differences between kubota, deere, and new holland. If you have a significant disability, I'd suggest you sit on the tractors for an hour or so before buying anything. My only concern with the comments above is comprable to what I feel when I see a patient who has no insurance and is on Cozaar and Norvasc for BP. They pay over $100/month because that's what samples were in the office when they got started, or because these are the "best meds". I can often change them to a $12/month but equally effective regimen. In your case, I'd hate to see you sell the wife and kids because we all recommended a kubota 7500 or deere 4100 or the comprable NH, when all you needed was a BX. If you do decide to go for a larger tractor, you might want to look at the used market. I've seen several 4100's in the paper here in VT, for a few thousand less than they were new, with very few hours (<200). The prices surprised me because these things run for a really long time, so they don't generally depreciate that much. Steve Carver also might be a great source for prices on "program tractors", and watch the paper. The downside here is that the financing might not be as low. There is nothing cheap about any of these toys, and any of the models suggested are great tractors. A tiller for the BX will run about the same as a rear tine walk behind, and is a lot easier on your legs. If you can get a one used in good shape, that's even cheaper, and with offset, you don't really need it wider than your tracks. A final advantage to small is that we all wind up shoving or kicking these things to move them an inch or so, to hook them to the tractor. The little ones kick easier! Hope we don't cause you to sell the kids.
Todd ....
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| Dave Wells
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2001-02-26 24740
MC, Todd makes some good points. I'd also suggest that you look at the possibility of renting certain implements, f'r instance you might find that renting a tiller would be much more cost effective, especially if you only till your garden once a spring. It SEEMS that rentals in my area are pretty reasonable, but of course it might be different where you live. Some dealers rent all the implements they carry, some only rent certain ones, and some dealers don't - look around!!! And as Bird pointed out earlier, good used implements are definitely worth considering - they can be found at some good savings, if you're willing to look for them. Dave Wells
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