[ropari]

Sold the Toro tonight. Boy that was hard to do as it was such a nice outfit. However, now I do have some decisions to make and I am going to ask for opinions to help me do it. Sometimes a second opinion brings up thoughts that would otherwise be overlooked...so any opinion will be appreciated.

What I have now...3014 & 446 w/ 2 sleeve hitches, rear blade, 44' front blade, like new Ingersoll RM44 deck, decent Case J46 deck, good J70-78 tiller, good L84 blower, rear hyd' set-up.

I also have options to buy... 1) @ $1295 A nice 3014 (Vanguard) with newer style rear hyd' valve and good RM44 deck. 2) @ $2600 A 3016 (Onan) with new 48" blower, almost new tiller w/ 3 point hitch, 54" blade, good RM44 deck. ( Both around 1991)

What I have...4 acres. 3/4 acre yard to mow, a lot of it on a steep slope. 1.0 acre of woods I do mow, mostly flat. 50' by 150' garden plot. 30 by 80 paved drive, with winter snow.

I have been thinking of going to one outfit, two at the most because of storage limitations. What are my thoughts? Well having (2) 3014's with Vanguards and everything interchangeble would be nice. My total cost in the 3014's would be about the same as in the 3016 outfit. But that 3016 has some almost new attachments w/ a 3 point and that would be nice, even though it is an Onan it is the Performer model. What I have now is nice, but is it overkill since I could put the tiller on the 3014? Or maybe I should just combine attachments and only keep my present 3014? Hmmm, just not an obvious choice to me! Building a barn is not an option or I would already have done it.

I haven't, to this point, found an outfit other than the Case/ Ingersolls that can do what I want, are tough, have hydraulics, and with all of that are still pretty inexpensive...however, I would be open to opinions on other makes...but not JD.

For me this is a lot to think over. I only have the option on the two possible purchases through this weekend...Monday is the deadline. So if you have any constructive thoughts to help me decide, I'd like to know.

Curious what oufit(s) or combination you'd want in your garage?

Thanks

 

[Live Oak]

I read that you posted not John Deere. That having been said; I would still suggest an X series John Deere GT or even a 2210. If green paint is just not appropriate to your menu, I would strongly suggest considering a Kubota BX series along the lines of a 2350 or maybe a smaller size if you deem more appropriate. Both JD and Kubota make VERY good equipment and I am sure you will be VERY satisfied with the machine reguardless of paint color. Before you buy; I recommend that you intensively demo these and any other color tractors you may have an interest in and go with machine that suits your liking and needs best. This is a long term purchase and it is best to carefully research and select the machine that will serve you for many years. Given the option; get the diesel engine.

 

[Ingersoll444]

OK, heres my take on it........


Keep the 3014 you have, Why get another one? You know what you have, and how it works, not much reason to get the "new" 3014.

The 3016... well you DO get the 2ph, and a few more HP, but you already have a blower, and a tiller, and for THAT kind of money, you can get a 3PH setup for the 446. That is if you need one. It is a cat0, and the tiller needs a sleave hitch anyways.

Now with me having almost the same size land[more lawn though] AND having bolth a big and small wheel tractor I will tell you this. There is somethings I can do, and go with the big wheeler, the the small wheeler just can't make it. And in the same way, a lot of times the small wheeler works a lot better for a job. Add that to the fact that you can till, and mow in the same day, with out a lot of headacks.

So I say, you have probably the best combo out there. You got the "new" style small wheel Ingersoll, and for me anyways, the small wheelers are MUCH nicer to mow with. And you have the big wheel work horse. I would set up the 446 to be the HD work tractor. If you want/need one, pick up a 3ph setup for it. Put a selector valve in the system, and you can have the plow blade on the front, and a tiller/rake/etc on the rear and they will work serpret from each other.

Have you done garden work with bolth? I have, and the big wheeler is SO much better.

Now the 3014 I would use for lighter use. Make it the normal mower. Tow a cart etc.

Well this post is getting kinda long, so I will leave you with this..

I have bolth a 224, and a 444. Would I get rid of eather? No way, unless I was replacing them with a diferent one. It is nice to not have to switch attachments back and forth. [ie right now I have a log splitter on the 224. Would be a REAL PITA if I wanted to till with it tomarrow] BUT it is nice that with the Case/Ingersoll line, you COULD switch things aroubd if you needed to. [down time, broken parts, not starting etc] So I would keep what you have, and if you were looking for something new, look for some new attachments that make them more usefull.

 

[bigl22]

what to do

do what ingersoll said -- keep what you have and save the money for a year or two until you have seen how well what you have works out - use the 3014 for lighter duty and save the 446 for the beastie work -- and you already have more room now that you sold the Toro , don't you? -- don't make any sellers remorse decisions here -- wait a year or so -- let it work for you , bot your setup and the money in the bank- bigl22

 

[bontai Joe]

I'm gonna agree with the group. You seem to have the perfect setup right now, but if you are really itching to buy something new, I'd get the new 3016 mostly for the upgrade in attachments.