Dilemma.. Decisions.. Decisions.....
 

Today, I located and agreed with the seller on a price for a 1772. While talking with my wife about it, she told me she had saved to get me a new Deere. While talking things over my son interjected we need one of those zero turn LTZs. WOW! what a day, now I need to make a decision. What complicates things is that I was expecting to have the 1772 added to the stable with the 1572 and the 782D and being able to share parts and implements between them all. What do you think?

I just bought this.

What's the question?

On one hand my son says the zero turns do a faster and better job. He's probably right, but I think old school and like a conventional tractor.
So going down the road of a conventional tractor, one one hand is a 1772 is a Cub Cadet I am familiar with from working with them for years. On the other hand, the Deere my wife wanted to get is a totally different animal, and a lot more expensive. Any implements I need will have to be purchased for this tractor. Ideally I would love both, but only have room (and cash) for one of them.

So that is my dilema

Go with the Deere. If you ever had to sell or trade for any reason...they hold resale value real well! You already got a 1572 and the gas equivalent.

I bought a John Deere F252, front mounted mower not really a zero turn, just for mowing. It is small, nimble and cut my mowing times around house and buildings by a third.
When I move the mowing operations to the large obstacle free area I bring out the Cyclops 1862. It's like driving Cadillac compared to the Deere. Foot control on the Deere doesn't bother me around the house, kills my ankle trying to hold it steady in the open.
Just broke a belt on the John Deere, dealer wants $77 for one. Amazon $35 shipped for a Gates belt. Deere is really proud of their parts.

The correct answer is ALWAYS "Cub Cadet".

THAT, was my point.

Besides. If a small tractor is what you are looking for, there are just as good of tractors for WAAAAAYYYY less money than green. Kubota, New Holland (my choice), Cub Cadet, Kyote, Mahindra, Case IH....... Never a good reason to go "green". :bash2:

Frank

Just my 2 cents but I do recall you busting your butt with snow last year. Pic is my BX pushing 24" of snow from last winter.

ZTR's cut grass fast but they suck at doing anything else. Take some time and check out a few tractors with a FEL. I'm happy with my BX but I wouldn't rule out a JD 1026R big thing is a good dealer that will stand behind it.

Since this is turning into a what should I buy thread I'm moving it to the general section.

That's exactly it. If you have lots of mowing to do with lots of obstacles, nothing beats a ZTR, but its a 1 trick pony. Dealer's choice on manufacturer. Seems to be good and bad out there from everyone after you get out of the box stores.

Since you already have good garden tractors I would be leaning toward a ZTR if you have no need for a FEL.

From someone who gets a little older and a little more broken down every day.

My decisions are becoming more and more based on "what is going to make my life easier, me a little more productive, what obstacles are going to be the bigger hurdles for me as time goes on and what to leave behind that will be most beneficial when I'm gone".

What I want and what I need, are often times two very different things.

What kind of cub cadet site is this? I dont think i can hang out with cub guys that would ever buy a green tractor.:bash:

Can you hang out with guys who work on green tractors:biggrin2:

What model Deere are you thinking about?

I was thinking about keeping my cub cadet strictly for garden and snow duties and getting a zero turn for mowing. I visited a couple dealers and got prices, I made my presentation to my wife and she suggested I keep mowing with the 125 and to purchase this instead






.











.











.







http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...A.jpg~original

24' pontoon boat fully rigged for fishing :beerchug:

:IH Trusted Hand::beerchug:

That's what I'm talking about Jeff!:beerchug:
Your wife is a smart cookie!

A hole in the water that takes up money or a ZTR...

Hummmm...

Everyone is going to have a different point of view on your dilemma but ultimately, the decision is yours and the decisions you make today are the choices that you and your family will live with tomorrow (and beyond). It is okay to solicit ideas and advice to weigh in on your decision, so my only advice would be to pray :Pray: about it (that has always made me feel good about the difficult choices that I have made in life).


Cub Cadet 123

Not this guy. the only green tractor I'd buy is an Oliver. As far as the ZTR mower is concerned; to me they are like snow blowers. They are great for one thing but only for one thing. For the rest of the year they are taking up space somewhere unused. At least with a garden tractor I can mow, push snow/dirt/leaves, till, plow, etc etc with it and it doesn't just sit. ZTR mowers are good for landscapers but not for the average homeowner IMO. Listen to the wife and get the party barge.:biggrin2:

My son has a ZTR (a Cub) that his kids use. They go 90 MPH on the darn thing, bounce all over the place, and the cut looks like crap. They don't care, they just wanna get done and to heck w/the trim or how it looks. (I was NEVER like that!! LOL!)

I can cut the same grass w/my 1450 and 50C and it looks like a golf course when I'm done. I find that I actually enjoy mowing slow and it's a challenge to see just how nice A job I can do!

Another thing to consider with a zero turn is what type of lawn you have to mow. Have you ever tried to mow or turn around on a side hill with a zero turn?

You can actually get blades for zero turns!!! How good of a job they do, I am unsure. I was told that since the engine sits on the rear axle that there is no need for wheel weights, but I'm not totally sold on it--especially with the smaller wheels in the front.

This is a GREAT point!!!!!!

This year has been the year of H@#! for me and my fleet of old iron tractors. Were it not for a box store type MTD box store Cub Cadet and a Simplicity sheet metal garden tractor, I'd be up to my ears in grass! It looking like NONE of my IH Cub Cadets are going to be cutting grass this year! My Wife says I should sell EVERYTHING and get a NEW tractor and be done with it. Some days when I'm busting my knuckles on the old iron tractors, the thought crosses my mind. I'm not retired - yet, and so don't have a pile of time to pour into these tractors. I enjoy tinkering, but at the end of the day, they have to be workers and as I mentioned earlier - this year has been a bear for breakdowns.

Zero turns: My Dad bought one of these in his old age and found that after many years of driving with a steering wheel in his hands, two levers wouldn't get it done. He also experienced an uncontrollable slide down a hill with the zero turn. He sold it and bought a nice Simplicity Prestige tractor with foot control and power steering. He is a very happy camper. Also, as someone else mentioned, garden tractor type accessories are not that common for the zero turns. My Brother loves a zero turn - I still like riding around on a tractor. Even though they are workers, it is something I enjoy. Life is good when you are in the seat of a garden tractor.

New tractor: In as much as my Wife has offered me to sell EVERYTHING and buy a new garden tractor - just for kicks, I did some reading and were I to buy something new, it would be the John Deere x530 tractor. You can get them with a 48 or 54 inch deck. Foot controlled hydro. Power steering, hydro lift. Sleeve hitch available. Tufftorq K72 tranny, very good tranny - capable of pulling a moldboard plow, but IMHO on the light side of that - but good to know if one wanted to plow, they could. I probably would limit the moldboarding to existing gardens vs virgin sod. This tractor has a differential lock too. The tranny is serviceable and has a filter. The vertical shaft engine and belt drive makes for an easy belt change and is reliable. BUT one of the best things I like about this tractor, given my aging and aching back, is the deck has anti-scalp wheels on each corner. These can be turned 90 degrees. Sooooo - when one removes the deck, they turn these wheels, lower the deck, unhook it and roll it out from under the tractor. Lastly - love the John Deere or hate them, they have a great resale value.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Bill