# In the market for new garden tractor



## LouisVA (Sep 9, 2010)

I am a newbie both to this forum and to tractors. I wear out lawn tractors usually within three years or so and have decided to step up to a new, well-built garden tractor. I am assuming that they are more heavy duty and can hold up longer. I own 16 acres of land in a semi-rural area. I have a 3 acre yard and about 4 acres of pasture land with the rest in forest. Will anyone be so kind as to make recommendations to me? I am looking for something that can handle the pasture area (as well as my lawn) - something that will handle coarse field grass without beating the machine to death. I have a neighbor that will mow the field with a bush hog on his farm tractor and then I hope to be able to go from there.

Thanks for any help in advance.


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## lsmurphy (Sep 12, 2008)

Look to Massey Ferguson or Kubota for a "new" sub compact. You'll be in the $10-12K range. Or look to Cub for a 3000 series with a 60" cut...that will run you about $5,500.

Scott


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## lsmurphy (Sep 12, 2008)

MFGC2610 would be my first choice if I had the money.

Scott


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## LouisVA (Sep 9, 2010)

Thanks Scott but you are out of my price range. For instance, I was looking at the LS Series Husqvarna tractors such as the GTH27V52LS. This one is a garden tractor and can be seen @

GTH27V52LS - Garden tractors

I do not want to pay any more than $5000 for a machine.


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## Mickey (Aug 14, 2010)

I don't have much to offer. Dealing with the pasture on a reg basis seem to be calling for a sub-compact. And I suspect the need for 2 mowers, one being a rotary mower, 3pt mount, to be used on the pasture and MMM for the lawn.

I have a 3xxx series Cub and the opt HD mower. Strong, durable, equipment but I'd not want to use it on the pasture on a reg basis. One problem is lack of height adj for the MMM. Also the tire size doesn't help if the pasture, ground and grass don't lend themselves to a smooth ride.


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

Well, I'm not brand bragging at all.....Just saying, that if you bought a decent older garden tractor, it would hold up to any grass mowing you could throw at it, providing you kept up with it and didn't let it get too insanely tall, and though it would take a bit of time, it could still be done. I have a 316 John Deere series lawn tractor, not even a garden tractor, and if you saw some of the pasture I've mowed with this machine..........It's a 1985, and this thing is built like a tank. Has only, I believe 16 HP with a hydro trans, but it just flat out does the job! Just saying that there are cheaper solutions to buying a new garden , or subcompact tractor. On the flip side, you might need to work on it from time to time, and it would take longer doing the pasture as opposed to a 5 or 6 foot brush hog mower.


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

lsmurphy said:


> MFGC2610 would be my first choice if I had the money.
> 
> Scott


Scott? Is that your machine? That's a heck of a load of rock in the bucket!


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## LouisVA (Sep 9, 2010)

Thanks for your honest assessment! I was dreading but expecting this answer <grin>. You are probably correct that it would beat a garden tractor to death. Just hoping I could get by with less investment and parking a bigger tractor would also be an issue as I do not have any outbuildings that are suitable for its storage.


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## LouisVA (Sep 9, 2010)

Thank you tractor beam. An older model would be nice if I knew it was reliable. I don't have much of an interest in working on them - just working with them. To be direct, I have some medical problems that prohibit me from doing a number of things and working on machinery would be one of those things.


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## Bamataco (Apr 22, 2009)

I would suggest that you move up to a Compact utility tractor,or even a smaller regular tractor like a Ford 2n,8n or 9N or something simular to that. because I think that with the amount of mowing that you need to do that you will woth a garden tractor to death. I know that you don't have storage but you could probably improvise some thing. Or get one of those fabric garages. At least until you could build something better.


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

You mentioned a neighbor who could mow the pasture? That would be the cheapest option I would think. No tractor to buy nor a storage issue. Then you could get a regular riding mower for the regular lawn.


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## LouisVA (Sep 9, 2010)

I don't remember if I thanked you for your input <sorry> but thanks if I didn't <smile>. That is what I will eventually need to do - both the tractor and the shelter. I intend to buy one of those metal carport things - a multi unit would be best as I also have a few old autos that need better storage than I can give them right now but the priorities make it something for the next couple of years down the road.


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## LouisVA (Sep 9, 2010)

It is the cheapest yes but this same neighbor has been doing this for me for several years and I am starting to feel guilty!


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## Bamataco (Apr 22, 2009)

LouisVA said:


> It is the cheapest yes but this same neighbor has been doing this for me for several years and I am starting to feel guilty!


See if there is something that you can do for him in return. Or maybe take him and his family out for dinner.


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## LouisVA (Sep 9, 2010)

Bamataco said:


> See if there is something that you can do for him in return. Or maybe take him and his family out for dinner.


That is an excellent idea - thanks Bamataco - the dinner out esp. I am partially disabled so I cannot imagine what else I could do to help him out. He is a real "do-it-yourselfer" and I do give him work to do for pay when I need things built. He has just finished up an addition (shed-roofed shelter) that is connected to a wood shed where I had planned to park a small tractor.


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