Or just in love with Kubotas?
I'm a first time home owner, we just bought the house a month ago. We have about 3/4 of an acre to mow, including a few small rolling hills, and a 75 foot two car wide stone driveway. We also have an outdoor woodburner,which throws another card in the mix. I've hooked up with a local tree surgeon and they drop off loads occasionally, including some pretty big chunks that there's no way I can lift onto a log splitter alone. In fact, some chunks even a couple guys couldn't handle. However, they can dump right near the stove and the woodpile, so there's not too much hauling to do, except when the pile gets real big (it is) and then there's logs I'll have to carry 50 feet or so.
Does all this justify a BX1860? I crunched some numbers, and here's what I came up with: I've already ruled out a JD x series because for an x320 with a blower, I'm already approaching 6k for basically a lawn mower and a snow blower. If I'm going to spend that much, I want more capabilities, specifically a FEL to help lift wood. I've already done enough research to know the x300 tranny is a question mark, and for that kind of money, I can only justify it if it's a tractor for the life of the house. I'm not so sure the JD x series or the Kubota T series fits that bill, from what I've read on these forums. So scenario #1, I just go out and get a Sears or Husquavarna 48" or 54" cut for $1700 - 2200, and plan on replacing it at least once over the course of the 15 - 20 years we'll be in this house. Also, budget in $300 a year or so to pay somebody to plow the driveway, that works out to $4500 for snow removal (I realize there's another option - a walk behind snow blower for 1K or so, but call me lazy I'm ruling that out for now). So, 2 tractors and snow removal over the course of 15 years and we're up to around $8500. Scenario #2, a local dealer has a BX1860 with MMM and FEL for 13K/60 months 0%, with a used rear mount blower for $800. $13,800 - $8500 = $5300. So...when I sell the house and downsize 15 or 20 years from now, as long as I can sell the BX1860 for $5K or so, it's the same as buying 2 throw away mowers and paying someone else to remove snow, right? Except, in scenario #2 I don't have to wait for the plow guy to show up, and I leave a few extra disks in my back intact because I have a piece of equipment I can use to lift those chunks of wood onto a splitter for me. I'll be putting low hours on the BX and taking great care of it (we have a 4 car garage for storage so she'd always be inside), and so based on what I'm seeing late model Kubota diesels like the 1550 selling for, I'm confident the tractor will hold good value. Even if I only got $3500 or $4K back in the end on resale, the lost dollars in my mind are more than made up for by the conveniences of the tractor.
But you tell me, because I'd sure like to hear some opinions on this. My wife is far from convinced, and to be honest I'm not sure I'm seeing things straight because you can bet I'd love that nice orange toy to play with, even if the sandbox is on the small side. We don't have a lot of money to throw away, but our budget should be able to absorb the 235/month payment. Am I out to lunch or could this really be the way to go? Thanks for your input.
I'm a first time home owner, we just bought the house a month ago. We have about 3/4 of an acre to mow, including a few small rolling hills, and a 75 foot two car wide stone driveway. We also have an outdoor woodburner,which throws another card in the mix. I've hooked up with a local tree surgeon and they drop off loads occasionally, including some pretty big chunks that there's no way I can lift onto a log splitter alone. In fact, some chunks even a couple guys couldn't handle. However, they can dump right near the stove and the woodpile, so there's not too much hauling to do, except when the pile gets real big (it is) and then there's logs I'll have to carry 50 feet or so.
Does all this justify a BX1860? I crunched some numbers, and here's what I came up with: I've already ruled out a JD x series because for an x320 with a blower, I'm already approaching 6k for basically a lawn mower and a snow blower. If I'm going to spend that much, I want more capabilities, specifically a FEL to help lift wood. I've already done enough research to know the x300 tranny is a question mark, and for that kind of money, I can only justify it if it's a tractor for the life of the house. I'm not so sure the JD x series or the Kubota T series fits that bill, from what I've read on these forums. So scenario #1, I just go out and get a Sears or Husquavarna 48" or 54" cut for $1700 - 2200, and plan on replacing it at least once over the course of the 15 - 20 years we'll be in this house. Also, budget in $300 a year or so to pay somebody to plow the driveway, that works out to $4500 for snow removal (I realize there's another option - a walk behind snow blower for 1K or so, but call me lazy I'm ruling that out for now). So, 2 tractors and snow removal over the course of 15 years and we're up to around $8500. Scenario #2, a local dealer has a BX1860 with MMM and FEL for 13K/60 months 0%, with a used rear mount blower for $800. $13,800 - $8500 = $5300. So...when I sell the house and downsize 15 or 20 years from now, as long as I can sell the BX1860 for $5K or so, it's the same as buying 2 throw away mowers and paying someone else to remove snow, right? Except, in scenario #2 I don't have to wait for the plow guy to show up, and I leave a few extra disks in my back intact because I have a piece of equipment I can use to lift those chunks of wood onto a splitter for me. I'll be putting low hours on the BX and taking great care of it (we have a 4 car garage for storage so she'd always be inside), and so based on what I'm seeing late model Kubota diesels like the 1550 selling for, I'm confident the tractor will hold good value. Even if I only got $3500 or $4K back in the end on resale, the lost dollars in my mind are more than made up for by the conveniences of the tractor.
But you tell me, because I'd sure like to hear some opinions on this. My wife is far from convinced, and to be honest I'm not sure I'm seeing things straight because you can bet I'd love that nice orange toy to play with, even if the sandbox is on the small side. We don't have a lot of money to throw away, but our budget should be able to absorb the 235/month payment. Am I out to lunch or could this really be the way to go? Thanks for your input.
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