Rob Keeble
Member
- Messages
- 12,633
- Location
- GTA Ontario Canada
OK I know this sounds very odd given snow flies around here in few weeks normally.
But I need to be prepared for next year and given the dilemma I find myself in I need time to come to a conclusion of what to buy.
I also got a quote from my current lawn care guy for the new place and $3000 dollar plus tax is a little steep for cutting grass for 8 months.
I cannot do this new lawn with a push mower, will be there all week.
So here is the dilemma.
Been searching and reading left right and center and what I have read has caused more doubt and uncertainty than clarity of what to do.
It would be a great deal easier if I knew what our final home looked like. Then I could size the machine to the future need rather than short term.
Given this desire and the current cost of these machines in Canada right now given our exchange rate, I began leaning to short term fix idea of buying used and low cost. Found a Craftsman Dlt 2000 that looked in good condition for around $1000 dollars. Then did a search and found this model had some tranny issues.
Then I got to thinking buying used of any brand makes this a potential project in the making.
Then looked at John Deere and read the Borg homeowner versions were like soda cans so that put me in the higher end category not stocked at Borg's.
Issue then is where is enough enough and the price goes with it......for what cutting grass.
A 20hp Borg John Deere runs around $3k Cad here. But if its going to be like a soda can and not wear then I struggle with value.
The used John Deere in the non Borg lineup going all the way back to the 400 series are selling here as if they were some scarce oil painting.
We Canadians also seem to think a used item is worth what we paid for it simply because the person buying it is saving the sales tax. Duh. No concept of what a 300 hour wear and tear and no warranty does to a 5 year old lawnmower.
So I thought let me turn to you all and hear what you have to say.
I have even been looking in the US within reasonable range of Toronto (NY State up to say Rochester kind of distance ) given better used sense of reality your US side of the border. But then I thought problem is I have no clue on checking one of these things out. I know bike engines but this hydrostatic transmission. Is foreign to me and from what I have researched supposed to be a sealed unit. This brought me back to new with warranty and buy a brand like Deere but not Borg version.
But then which level to settle on and why.
I ain't a light weight so thinking HP all I can get. Don't need the fancy turning of rear wheels for tight turns that just sounds like more to go wrong.
Going to write Jim cause if I recall he has 325 x version or something like that.
I gotta tell you Deere certainly don't make the choice easy with such a flood of models. Classic marketing to try get one to part with more coin than need be.
Can anyone shed some light on their choices and experience with this kind of mower.
Come to conclusion widest deck possible is best.
I would have liked to have some "insurance" included for future desires. Just like Carol did buying the 400 she rode across US to get. The type of front end mods Carol was doing at least make for more use on next property.
But is it really real to expect these tractors with this type of tranny to handle a bucket attachment and continue working for long???
Next step is baby Deere real tractor loader but the leap in outlay is enormous so big deterrent given I have no idea where we will end up right now.
Any input thoughts experiences would be appreciated.
BTW how long would you expect a ride on to last you?
If u got this far thanks for reading please comment.
Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
But I need to be prepared for next year and given the dilemma I find myself in I need time to come to a conclusion of what to buy.
I also got a quote from my current lawn care guy for the new place and $3000 dollar plus tax is a little steep for cutting grass for 8 months.
I cannot do this new lawn with a push mower, will be there all week.
So here is the dilemma.
Been searching and reading left right and center and what I have read has caused more doubt and uncertainty than clarity of what to do.
It would be a great deal easier if I knew what our final home looked like. Then I could size the machine to the future need rather than short term.
Given this desire and the current cost of these machines in Canada right now given our exchange rate, I began leaning to short term fix idea of buying used and low cost. Found a Craftsman Dlt 2000 that looked in good condition for around $1000 dollars. Then did a search and found this model had some tranny issues.
Then I got to thinking buying used of any brand makes this a potential project in the making.
Then looked at John Deere and read the Borg homeowner versions were like soda cans so that put me in the higher end category not stocked at Borg's.
Issue then is where is enough enough and the price goes with it......for what cutting grass.
A 20hp Borg John Deere runs around $3k Cad here. But if its going to be like a soda can and not wear then I struggle with value.
The used John Deere in the non Borg lineup going all the way back to the 400 series are selling here as if they were some scarce oil painting.
We Canadians also seem to think a used item is worth what we paid for it simply because the person buying it is saving the sales tax. Duh. No concept of what a 300 hour wear and tear and no warranty does to a 5 year old lawnmower.
So I thought let me turn to you all and hear what you have to say.
I have even been looking in the US within reasonable range of Toronto (NY State up to say Rochester kind of distance ) given better used sense of reality your US side of the border. But then I thought problem is I have no clue on checking one of these things out. I know bike engines but this hydrostatic transmission. Is foreign to me and from what I have researched supposed to be a sealed unit. This brought me back to new with warranty and buy a brand like Deere but not Borg version.
But then which level to settle on and why.
I ain't a light weight so thinking HP all I can get. Don't need the fancy turning of rear wheels for tight turns that just sounds like more to go wrong.
Going to write Jim cause if I recall he has 325 x version or something like that.
I gotta tell you Deere certainly don't make the choice easy with such a flood of models. Classic marketing to try get one to part with more coin than need be.
Can anyone shed some light on their choices and experience with this kind of mower.
Come to conclusion widest deck possible is best.
I would have liked to have some "insurance" included for future desires. Just like Carol did buying the 400 she rode across US to get. The type of front end mods Carol was doing at least make for more use on next property.
But is it really real to expect these tractors with this type of tranny to handle a bucket attachment and continue working for long???
Next step is baby Deere real tractor loader but the leap in outlay is enormous so big deterrent given I have no idea where we will end up right now.
Any input thoughts experiences would be appreciated.
BTW how long would you expect a ride on to last you?
If u got this far thanks for reading please comment.
Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk