I have joined the dark (green) side: x739

[bmsgaffer 2,065]

Last November, I made a purchase that solved a few problems for me. My beloved 522xi (converted to a 525exi) was starting to really show its age and needed a complete overhaul. All the linkages were loose and worn for steering, motion control and implements, and it was starting to wear ruts into my hill where I would have to turn and spin the tires. I am in a stage of life (3 young kids, and my job is an hour away) where I don't have enough time to do major projects like that (even though I want to!) and I don't have the storage space for a spare (I already have 2 WH's at my dad's house that I intend to keep!). I just needed a reliable worker. 

 

I found a KILLER deal on a tractor and I bit the bullet. Drove from Cincy all the way to East Peoria, IL for it. 

 

 

It came with the 14 bu power flow bagger, 54" plow, and 54" mower deck and only had 180 hours on it. The extra track width alone allows me to side-cut my hill with zero tipping issues (had wheel weights on the WH just to make it manageable). The AWD/AWS makes it very sure footed and no more turf tearing. 

 

The only issues I have are a) complexity, I really like the WH simplicity and it felt like the frame was beefier, b) parts are expensive, but at least they are available and I don't have to hoard an entire spare everything in my garage, c) low range on the WH 522xi was a beast and this thing really needs a low range. 

 

Here it is pulling out the rented aerator that blew a drive belt and took me on a ride down the hill:

 

 

 

 

[WHX?? 53,447]

Gotta  like the rims & tires on it. 

[953 nut 63,254]

3 hours ago, bmsgaffer said:

(3 young kids, and my job is an hour away) where I don't have enough time to do major projects like that (even though I want to!) and I don't have the storage space for a spare (I already have 2 WH's at my dad's house that I intend to keep!)

Nothing to be ashamed of. Got to put the family first and when the time is right you have the start of a good herd stashed away.      With three children you will probably need to buy a couple more.            

[ri702bill 10,727]

Can you sell it locally for more than you paid for it & buy a nice WH instead?? 

[JoeM 9,328]

5 hours ago, bmsgaffer said:

it was starting to wear ruts into my hill where I would have to turn and spin the tires.

same problem when it is not dry. I use a 4x4  kubota on the damp mows. I call it my billy goat machine. 

I looked at those x700 series JD machines and could not find a good used one at a decent price. Those green runners are proud their stuff. Seems to be a lot more kubota machines around me and one popped up as a repo. 

I will say the xi machines are pretty tough. I just wish they had a diff lock.

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,701]

The X700 series from Deere are probably the best GT out there, currently.  No other manufacturer has one in their product line that can match it.  The problem is, the price of a new one is just a bit less than a 1 Series Deere, so it's hard to justify one over a 1023 or 1025 JD.

[bmsgaffer 2,065]

2 hours ago, 953 nut said:

Nothing to be ashamed of. Got to put the family first and when the time is right you have the start of a good herd stashed away.      With three children you will probably need to buy a couple more.            

 

They are already laying claim to them! I will have enough to plow the whole dang neighborhood when it snows. 

 

1 hour ago, ri702bill said:

Can you sell it locally for more than you paid for it & buy a nice WH instead?? 

 

Honestly, I could sell it for more than double what I paid and buy 5 WH's, but the WH just isn't as confident on those side-hills! Also, I don't have to store spare parts, so for now I'm happy to pay the premium to get one off the shelf. We will see if I feel the same in a few years! 

 

22 minutes ago, JoeM said:

same problem when it is not dry. I use a 4x4  kubota on the damp mows. I call it my billy goat machine. 

I looked at those x700 series JD machines and could not find a good used one at a decent price. Those green runners are proud their stuff. Seems to be a lot more kubota machines around me and one popped up as a repo. 

I will say the xi machines are pretty tough. I just wish they had a diff lock.

 

It does feel like a billy goat! Zero concern at any angle on the hill. They are quite proud of their stuff, most of them are way pricey. I did look at Kubota and several others on marketplace as one does, and this one just popped up. An older fella looking to downsize and willing to make a deal for a real person who called him on the phone as he had had so many scam attempts. 

 

The Xi machines are tough. I loaded mine up with weight and it plowed like a freight train. The frame seemed beefier than this one does. I still cant believe WH never had a locking diff. It would have been a game changer. 

[bmsgaffer 2,065]

4 minutes ago, T-Mo said:

The X700 series from Deere are probably the best GT out there, currently.  No other manufacturer has one in their product line that can match it.  The problem is, the price of a new one is just a bit less than a 1 Series Deere, so it's hard to justify one over a 1023 or 1025 JD.

 

I agree. The weight savings and turning radius of the x700 though is what makes them amazing for smaller yards especially.

 

While I understand why Toro/WH called it quits, I could only imagine what their competition would look like at this point. 

[ri702bill 10,727]

1 hour ago, bmsgaffer said:

I still cant believe WH never had a locking diff. It would have been a game changer. 

Excellent point. Under the correct low speed conditions, that would be a huge addition, even if it were manually operated like old school 4wd front locking hubs.

[wh500special 2,359]

That’s a great investment, Brandon.  
 

There’s something to said for just turning the key and for being able to get fresh parts and service.  My dad did something similar years ago when he tired of fighting the antiques (dead batteries, corroded points, dripping carburetors…) and decided to just buy a Kubota. 
 

Deere makes excellent stuff.  We all joke about the upfront cost and the cost of parts, but it’s hard not to appreciate what they pour into the entire ownership experience of their equipment. 
 

I’ve had three times in my career where I’ve had the privilege of having Deere as a customer for something we’ve manufactured and I’ve always been impressed.

 Example:  At a prior employer we made specialty bearings.  Deere saw the benefits of our products for one of their applications and decided to investigate.  They specified our top-end performer even though their use case could have gone with the absolute bottom of the barrel and then tested the thing in the field for years before finally cutting it loose for production.  This sounds like it would be typical, but having dealt with several automotive, heavy truck, construction, and farm equipment makers I can assure you that it’s not.  It’s not that the others don’t put in an effort, it’s that Deere went a lot further. 
 

The engineer I dealt with most frequently there said a huge part of that dealt with warranty.  One warranty claim on our $7 part could wipe out the entire margin on the machine due to the dealer labor costs to make the swap. 

 

another factor is that they sell an incredibly broad line of equipment.  Disappointing a customer on a piece of hay equipment results in lost sales of tractors,combines, riding mowers, etc. 
 

My other dealings with them suggest this is standard business for them. 
 

There’s some real cost behind that green paint. 
 

The x700’s probably represent where everyone else in the GT space would have converged if they all stayed in those markets.  As it is, it is a unique product line without peer.  I don’t need anything that big now, but if that were to change for me in the future I can see going in exactly the same direction. 
 

congrats on that machine

Steve

 

(I do still wonder why Deere doesn’t make pickup trucks…)