Garden Tractor

[flyboyx]

on the small side, but seems like a good deal. most smaller john deere tractors use yanmar engines.

[M-technik-3]

Yes but now they are using Kawaski engines. I thought this was just for property management Pete.

[Exodus_2pt0]

I have not read through this, so I apologize if it's been covered.

I'm going to have a 2 acre lawn come August. My push mower just isn't going to cut it.

Anyone ever have any luck buying a landscaper's old shit when they upgrade? Thinking about asking around.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

I have not read through this, so I apologize if it's been covered.

I'm going to have a 2 acre lawn come August. My push mower just isn't going to cut it.

Anyone ever have any luck buying a landscaper's old shit when they upgrade? Thinking about asking around.

I'm doing side work for a buddies lawn company his two riding lawn mowers were bought just like that. Just made sure the motor and everything checked out.

[flyboyx]

I have not read through this, so I apologize if it's been covered.

I'm going to have a 2 acre lawn come August. My push mower just isn't going to cut it.

Anyone ever have any luck buying a landscaper's old shit when they upgrade? Thinking about asking around.

here is the deal: you as a home owner will mow your lawn about 20-30 times a year in your area. a landscaper will probably mow 10 lawns in a day X 5 days a week x perhaps 35 weeks per year.

that is about 1700 lawns a year to your use of 30 or so. i know you are getting where i'm going with this. i think it would be better to avoid buying a piece of equipment that has seen that much use because by the time you get your hands on it, it will likely be pretty worn out.

maybe a better solution would be to look for a good used 54+ inch zero turn on craigslist.

[rcsoundn1]

I looked and looked at used ones, for me, it just made sense to buy a new one. the pros sell their used ones for a reason.

[PeteD]

The Long & Short of It

Yes but now they are using Kawaski engines. I thought this was just for property management Pete.

Yes, I want to manage the land – although more efficiently and I want to transform a few aspects of the landscape.

Managing the land more efficiently means, stop pushing the 21’ inch Craftsman mower I pulled out of someone’s trash for 3 hours to cut the grass, stop using a shovel and a pick ax to work the garden bed (though I have convinced myself this work is good for the soul), and stop shoveling my driveway and the nice old lady’s driveway next-door for lord knows how long during the winter, not accounting for the time digging out the mail box and nearest fire hydrant.

In regards to transforming the landscape, one project involves flattening out the hill in the back and eventually moving the garage towards the back in an effort to not be parking on a ledge (I have a steep driveway). I also have been cutting down large pine trees. One tree a summer. I rent the largest chainsaw from Home Depot, drop the tree and then spend hours trimming the limbs and cutting it up. Then I drag all the limbs into the woods by hand and (well, I must give the girlfriend a lot of credit on this one) role the logs and stack them (more good work for the soul).

I would like to think a tractor that can handle cutting grass, loading and hoeing would be a great addition to my time spent working in the yard. I began to focus on the 20-30 horse power size range because I saw a guy down the street completely alter his yard with that size John Deere (with back hoe attachment). So far, he has built very long and tall rock walls, which allowed him to create more flat spaces at different levels, cleared land for a nice barn and then cleared more land for a new house (his burnt down). I was impressed with its capabilities and felt I could justify the cost of buying one and time of using it verses the cost of paying someone else to do it.

Perhaps my tasks would best be split between two vehicles – a garden tractor now and then some sort of back hoe in the future. I bet I could stay within budget if each needed TLC.

– What an epic justification for some toys. :p

*Thank you for that Yanmar find.

[M-technik-3]

Might want to look in farm regions. Worcester and Western Mass plus Central CT

[M-technik-3]

Could always look for a Mahindra used.

[flyboyx]

Yes, I want to manage the land – although more efficiently and I want to transform a few aspects of the landscape.

Managing the land more efficiently means, stop pushing the 21’ inch Craftsman mower I pulled out of someone’s trash for 3 hours to cut the grass, stop using a shovel and a pick ax to work the garden bed (though I have convinced myself this work is good for the soul), and stop shoveling my driveway and the nice old lady’s driveway next-door for lord knows how long during the winter, not accounting for the time digging out the mail box and nearest fire hydrant.

In regards to transforming the landscape, one project involves flattening out the hill in the back and eventually moving the garage towards the back in an effort to not be parking on a ledge (I have a steep driveway). I also have been cutting down large pine trees. One tree a summer. I rent the largest chainsaw from Home Depot, drop the tree and then spend hours trimming the limbs and cutting it up. Then I drag all the limbs into the woods by hand and (well, I must give the girlfriend a lot of credit on this one) role the logs and stack them (more good work for the soul).

I would like to think a tractor that can handle cutting grass, loading and hoeing would be a great addition to my time spent working in the yard. I began to focus on the 20-30 horse power size range because I saw a guy down the street completely alter his yard with that size John Deere (with back hoe attachment). So far, he has built very long and tall rock walls, which allowed him to create more flat spaces at different levels, cleared land for a nice barn and then cleared more land for a new house (his burnt down). I was impressed with its capabilities and felt I could justify the cost of buying one and time of using it verses the cost of paying someone else to do it.

Perhaps my tasks would best be split between two vehicles – a garden tractor now and then some sort of back hoe in the future. I bet I could stay within budget if each needed TLC.

– What an epic justification for some toys. :p

*Thank you for that Yanmar find.

you can probably get by with that yanmar. i would at least go look at it. you can get more attachments later.

my kubota L275 would be perfect for your needs. i have a back hoe attachment that i have not used in a few years, but has paid for itself many times. it sits folded up in the back of my storage unit waiting for me to find another use for it. i think i paid 2.5k for it and put another 400.00 into fixing the dipper cylinder. all my equipment has been long paid for so i have no problem with it sitting unused. i can always sell those items and more than make my money back if i desired.

[M-technik-3]

Yanmar is long gone. There is a cheaper one fs for 5400 obo but has no finish mower

[PeteD]

you can probably get by with that yanmar. i would at least go look at it. you can get more attachments later.

my kubota L275 would be perfect for your needs. i have a back hoe attachment that i have not used in a few years, but has paid for itself many times. it sits folded up in the back of my storage unit waiting for me to find another use for it. i think i paid 2.5k for it and put another 400.00 into fixing the dipper cylinder. all my equipment has been long paid for so i have no problem with it sitting unused. i can always sell those items and more than make my money back if i desired.

I sent a message to the guy in NH with the L2250. I haven't heard back from him yet.

The Yanmar is already gone? Wow! My uncle always told me - you hesitate, you lose.

A couple weeks ago I was preparing to drive to RI to buy a Kubota 2150, with the trailer to drive it home, mower, roto tiller and box scraper. Unfortunately, when I was backing out of a driveway, while looking at another tractor - go figure, the reverse band in my transmission snapped. It took me over a week to get my truck back on the road and I lost the deal in the interim. //cool story bro. haha

[Exodus_2pt0]

So are mowers like everything else? Discounts in the off season?

We close mid August on the house, so I'm thinking just pay someone to mow for the rest of the season and buy in the winter.

Thoughts?

Also general cost for someone to mow? Never paid for this shit before, I'm not looking for a real quote, just an idea so I don't get bent over.

[flyboyx]

2+ acres is a hell of a lot. i have a rental that has about 1/2 acre of land with it. the tenants were too lazy to use the rider i left in the garage for them so they paid a guy about a 100 bucks or so to mow each time.

[M-technik-3]

My lanscaper does serviice on the house Pete knows cost me 50 a time. That's going rate for budget mowing/trimming and we do it ever two weeks. Need to do it more now that grass is coming in strong. I did weed and feed and then limed this year so lawn is very lush after we move out right?

Oh yard size 0.4 acres for old place, new one is 1.5 acres with 50 acres of woods behind the house....ah peace and quiet.