Hi
aaarneson
As mentioned in my earlier post I purchased a used (50 hours) MX5400 HSTC. It was basically new. I filled the back tires with Bioballast and have wheel weights on the back rims. I chose this tractor because I needed the loader capacity and I wanted the hydrostatic drive. The loader on the MX matched up to the SSA loader attachments we had in the yard. The turbo makes a difference at our altitude. The cab makes my wife happy and that makes me happy. She has operated this tractor more than I have. I keep this tractor outside but it does fit under the 9' door into the shop.
With the scrub oak, pinyon, and pine where you live you should buy a grill guard. It can help prevent damage in the woods and when moving logs or brush. There are several grill guard designs discussed on this forum. The cab is a personal choice but was a 7 to 10 k cost depending on the model. As mentioned in other posts, I recommend that you fill the back tires with ballast. For road work and digging you will want to add a tooth/wear bar to the loader bucket. It is almost impossible to dig in our soil without the tooth bar. Search the forum for bar choices and recommendations.
