[strathglass]

Hi
New here and looking to get John Deere X500 or X700 series for our new place.
We have two acres but only about 0.7 acres to mow, but would like to make a large garden using the current field at the back of the property.

Trying to figure out what to get, and figure out if I can justify a diesel X700 (X750 or X758).

For now, besides the mower deck+mulch kit, I would consider probably just a tiller - like the 42" unit (and front weights) (and so need PTO and 3 pt hitch).
Driveway is a bit over 200', but I don't require any snow attachments since I get it done pretty cheap by a service.

I'd love the diesel, but even if I only get the tractor and mower deck this year and leave other attachments for later...
the x750 would be close to twice the x590 price!!
Now how do you justify that?? (Hint: help me!:laugh

Any help on deciding would be much appreciated!

 

[fdmars]

2 acres, 3 pt hitch, diesel, may as well look at 1 series w/ loader and never look back:bigthumb:
Good luck with your choice

 

[strathglass]

Your right about 1 series but I just did NOT like the hulking size of those things, nor do I like that equally hulking ROPS thing overhead. Maybe I should reconsider given the economics!!

 

[Zebrafive]

Diesels REALLY hold their value!

I wanted to try a diesel when I upgraded from a JD 285. I was only going to buy used and decided I would pay $600 more for diesel over gas.
It did NOT happen :banghead: :flag_of_truce:Sellers wanted $1000 more for tractors with 3 to 4 times the hours, $1500 more with twice the hours, and $2000 more with about the same hours. Even with the reduced fuel use, for me a diesel would never pay for the added cost.

I have 5 acres and estimate I mow 2 to 2 1/2 acres.

I also wanted a diesel truck, but could not justify (for my usage) the added cost. I do mostly short trips, rarely tow any more, so gas was the better choice.

BUT, if you REALLY want a diesel, and have the :gizmo:, you only live once!!!!

 

[Drifterbike]

I agree with the one series. Has far has the ROPS goes if there is no worry of roll over leave them folded down. Mine are always folded. My brother went through this same circumstances he started with a 730 for one year then traded it for a 1025r without loader. He wanted a tiller and he got the 54" mower.

 

[etcallhome]

Your right about 1 series but I just did NOT like the hulking size of those things, nor do I like that equally hulking ROPS thing overhead. Maybe I should reconsider given the economics!!

I have used both a x738 (gas before that x590) 54" deck for mowing and my 1025r w 54" for mowing , tilling 48" ,Frt snowblower, fel, BH, rear blade and frt blade for years . I never give the ROPS a thought, as for hulking size compare the two , very little difference in size ,,very little ..

When you add in your class 0 3pt hitch, compared to class 1 , having low and high range , plus all the attachments that can be bought for the 1025r and guessing at a cheaper price than class 0 attachments, go for the series 1

I've used both units on the same hills , and slopes ,mowing , no issues with either one , but for my money is for the series 1 and never looked back.

 

[Yank]

Price wise, once you get the 7 series and all the extra cost with the 3 point hitch and pto, it makes more economic sense to go with the one series. I have been real curious about this for a while. JD has to be killing their 7 series sales with the one series selling for what it does. I love the X700’s, but why not get so much more work ability for the same money.

 

[BigBlue]

Either a diesel or gas engine will handily do what you need. Benefits of a diesel include better torque, which may be useful if you often mow long, wet grass (I mow 7 acres and can't always get to it before it gets long) or spinning a tiller or snowblower. Another benefit is better fuel consumption. But don't confuse that with being cheaper. For much of the last year diesel around me has been a bit under $3/gal and unleaded around $2.40/gal. On the x7-series the diesels can go 0.8-0.9 gal/hour and the gas engines 1.0-1.2 gal/hour. You do the math. But where the lower consumption helps is with the number of refills. When I mow my yard (4.0-4.5 hours for 7 acres) I can do the whole thing on one tank of diesel instead of filling a 2nd time. I could not do that with gas. Not a major thing but it is meaningful to me.

If you are at all thinking of the 1-series make sure you consider the weight and size. If your soil is soft or often wet you would leave more ruts with the heavier 1-series than an x7 (especially if you got R4 tires). And if you have narrow or low things to fit between that may be impacted. Also note the differences between the all-wheel-drive of the x7 and the mechanical 4WD lock of the 1-series. The 1-series definitely offers some benefits but has some drawbacks for lawn use. Plus, if you configure a 1025R with the same implements as a x758 it will cost a bunch more. I compared apples to apples with them both (including 54" blower, 60" mower deck, and rear bagger collection system) and the 1025R was more than 3 grand higher in 2016.

Rob

 

[ISPTrooper]

If you’re looking at anything beyond mowing, definitely pick up a 1025R. We’ve had a 1/2 acre garden taken care of by both. Once you add the availability of Cat 1 implements, they cost half as much as a garden tractor would. I should have purchased a 1025R first, instead of the X590. But last year we ended up with both.

We have 5 young children, and our large organic garden was taking up too much time, so we ended up trading the 1025R in for a zero turn, but I can’t wait to get another one when the kids get older.

I have several videos of gardening with a garden tractor compared to a sub compact.

https://youtu.be/Wy_eVB2sEes


https://youtu.be/T4tejEtyXw0

 

[ColonyPark]

I've owned both a 1 series and an X728. They are 2 different machines. I found the X728 to be much more maneuverable for mowing and snow duty. If you need to do loader work, the 1 series is the way to go. However, I don't think the OP mentioned that. So, for mowing and tilling, an X7xx or even an X5xx would be fine on a lot your size, after all I am getting by just fine with a 1 series on 7 acres of open ground. The problem for the OP is the cost of adding the rear PTO and the 3PH in comparison to the cost of the 1 series. Does Deere still make the hydraulic rototiller? That would be a way to not need the rear PTO on the X7xx. If I was in the OP's shoes, I would be getting an X7xx. IMHO they are a better mowing machine. As for gas or diesel, only the OP can make that decision. As someone else said, you only live once.

 

[590]

I've owned both a 1 series and an X728. They are 2 different machines. I found the X728 to be much more maneuverable for mowing and snow duty. If you need to do loader work, the 1 series is the way to go. However, I don't think the OP mentioned that. So, for mowing and tilling, an X7xx or even an X5xx would be fine on a lot your size, after all I am getting by just fine with a 1 series on 7 acres of open ground. The problem for the OP is the cost of adding the rear PTO and the 3PH in comparison to the cost of the 1 series. Does Deere still make the hydraulic rototiller? That would be a way to not need the rear PTO on the X7xx. If I was in the OP's shoes, I would be getting an X7xx. IMHO they are a better mowing machine. As for gas or diesel, only the OP can make that decision. As someone else said, you only live once.

My next door neighbor has an X728 with the gas engine. He also has the 42” hydraulic tiller that runs off the mid pto. His only complaint is fuel usage. He mows a little over 2 acres with the 60” deck and he needs almost a tank of gas to complete it. He has the 3pt arms but rarely uses them. No rear pto.

I’ve used his X728 a few times before we bought our 1025r. The X7 series are more tractor than you would think. Width is within a fraction of a 1 series. Pretty sure the X7 and the 1 series use the same size tires and the X7 is not much smaller than the 1 series. An X7 with the Diesel engine is also around 1100 pounds.

If not needing a loader and the hydraulic tiller is still available OP could save some $$$$ with a gas engine. The X590 can also use the hydraulic tiller I believe.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sennister]

It is a tough decision. I would first look at platform. You are talking a X590 (gas) compared to a X750 (diesel) and saying it is double the price. Well yeah, but there are a lot more differences other than just the engine. Hydraulics, Shaft Drive Attachments, 2WD vs 4WD. It should cost double.

Realistically you need to look at what you are doing with the machines. Also look at the real differences. I don't know the current gen X5xx machines as well, but some differences I would look for are hydraulics on attachments and PTO vs possibly belt driven things like mower deck. It is much easier to hook up a PTO shaft to a mower deck (even have drive over deck options with auto connect on X7xx) than mess with a belt if the X5xx is belt driven which I want to say it is. Does the X5xx even have a rear PTO option for the tiller? That might make up your mind. You are going to want to pull your mower deck off to do tilling or garden work to get the ground clearance. While I have a X585, it is before they did the renumbering so an old X585 is much closer to a X7xx in terms of hydraulics, PTO and such.

There are benefits to diesel but there are also cons. If you are buying gas for other machines or tools around the yard do you want to deal with yet another fuel type? Diesel is a great option for cutting grass around a farm where the farmer already has a fuel tank on property for the big machines. If you have nothing else that uses Diesel it is another fuel type you have to mess with. You mentioned not needing to plow or blow snow so that helps with the winter vs summer blend issue if stored. Never really compared the two side by side but I want to say a benefit is the diesel will be a little more efficient. However if only cutting .7 acres and some tiller work in the spring, it may not matter much. You would have to rack up a lot of hours to hit the break even if gas is cheaper than diesel as it is here. As far as running a attachment like a mower or tiller, well the PTO HP is what is going to matter there and I want to say the two are pretty close comparing a X738 (Gas) to X758 (Diesel). The EFI engine is actually higher HP but lower in the Torque. I don't know that you will notice a big difference side by side. Finally a diesel engine traditionally last longer. Do you plan on buying this and running it until you move into a nursing home? Maybe a Diesel is a better option then. That said I am at 1150 hrs on my 2002 X585 with 25HP Kawasaki EFI and it is running strong.

I would also mention to consider a 1 Series. Maybe it is is out of budget but by the time you add a rear PTO and 3 PT lift arms to a X758 you are getting close to the 1 Series numbers. The other thing it gives you is an option for a Front End Loader. My Dad lives in town with a 1 acre lot. Once he got a machine with a FEL he couldn't go back. I borrowed it a few times and got a FEL for my X585. Most people look at them and think they are for digging in the dirt. I collect my leaves and compost them. Use the FEL for turning that to make dirt for use around the yard and in a small garden. That said it is a small part of how I use a FEL. Put hooks on the bucket. Now anytime you need to lift something heavy use the FEL. Spreading mulch around trees or other landscaping is so much easier. No manual effort. Want to change the blades on the mower deck. Drive off of it, pick it up with the bucket now you can clean it off and change the blades up in the air rather than down on the ground. Have a tree down, lift up the tree and cut it up at waist level rather than bent over. If you are gardening if you have flats of plants, just load them in the bucket and drive down to the garden. Use the bucket as a cart, wheel barrow, work bench, lifting mechanism. The are so much more useful than just digging in the dirt. John Deere doesn't offer a FEL as an option anymore on the X Series and you are kind of limited for options in the aftermarket. Yeah the 1 Series is big and has the ROPS. The ROPS does fold down but I would have it up for FEL work if you went that route. I assume it is like my Z950R and just to pins to fold it away. It is over all bigger but also much more capable than an X. Another area is you can have independent (optional) control over the 3pt hitch. Do you have a trailer (in my case trailers) you mow around? You can put a heavy hitch or some other hitch method on the 3pt, back up to a trailer, lift up the 3pt and move the trailer out of the way without getting off the machine and mow where it was parked. On the X7xx the 3pt function is tied to the mower deck lift, it works but there are times it is a pain. Remember where I said you will want to remove the mower deck when tilling? That is because the mower deck will go down when you lower the tiller off the 3pt on a X7xx. Your only option (short of creative modifications) is to raise the deck, set the height of cut as high as it will go, or better yet take it off. I am starting to get the itch to jump from my X585 to a 1025R or 2025R. May even consider a 3025E because I don't have to have the mid/front PTO.

Personally if doing tilling work, I would want 4wd. It will make your life easier. You are asking Diesel or Gas, I would say you are asking X5xx or X7xx. I would go X7xx even if it is gas like a X728 which will do everything you need. If you never have had a FEL you don't know what you are missing so a X728 would be fine or a X758 if you want diesel. Since I have a FEL and if it meant giving that up, I would bite the bullet and go 1 Series just to retain that even though it means I have a new fuel to deal with and I plow snow in the winter so I get to deal with additives and winter/summer blends.

 

[Hummer.2012]

I've never known anyone who, a couple years after buying a tractor, said wow, I bought too much tractor. It's usually the reverse. After you had one, you always find more and more things you want to use it for. I have the X758. Love it. Mowing, tilling, snow blowing, moving trailers around, fertilizing, cultivating, rolling the lawn, plowing the garden and the list goes on.

Sent from my SM-G900R4 using Tapatalk

 

[TJR345]

You don't have much to mow,a x590 and 42" tiller is a combo to consider.The 42 tiller on either a x7xx or one series is too small,you would have to go with the 647 to cover your tracks.I would look for the guy that traded in the x7xx for a one series.:thumbup1gif:

 

[69project]

Hi
New here and looking to get John Deere X500 or X700 series for our new place.
We have two acres but only about 0.7 acres to mow, but would like to make a large garden using the current field at the back of the property.

Trying to figure out what to get, and figure out if I can justify a diesel X700 (X750 or X758).

For now, besides the mower deck+mulch kit, I would consider probably just a tiller - like the 42" unit (and front weights) (and so need PTO and 3 pt hitch).
Driveway is a bit over 200', but I don't require any snow attachments since I get it done pretty cheap by a service.

I'd love the diesel, but even if I only get the tractor and mower deck this year and leave other attachments for later...
the x750 would be close to twice the x590 price!!
Now how do you justify that?? (Hint: help me!:laugh

Any help on deciding would be much appreciated!

Buy a used X595...

 

[Yank]

As far as just a tractor for mowing, I have always thought the X700 series was king. Just my opinion. For mowing, I think it’s much better than a one series. But, the one series is the jack of all trades. You never know what you will get into in the future. With the X700 and everything you need, you are right at 1 series money already. It’s up to you. It’s about what you value. If you just want to mow, get a 700 series. I have a 580 for mowing and 2038 for tractoring. I could get the mmm, but I personally don’t want to mow on a tractor. My 580 is great for mowing and pulling a cart. Would I want to pull a tiller with it? I wouldn’t, I believe you need four wheel drive to do that well. Really give thought to what you want to do on your land. Even what you might do a few years from now. You will never regret going a little big. But you will regret going too small. My 2 pennies.

 

[orono]

I am watching this thread closely. I have a 2017 X738 and love this machine. It has 23 hrs. +/- on it. It mows fantastic, pushes tons of snow, moves my small trailer very easy, I've never hooked up my snowblower so I can't comment on that but, and it's a big but, it doesn't have a loader. And a loader is what I really want and actually could say need. I own acreage and could justify a loader easily and possibly some additional attachments, too.

I have been discussing switching to a 1025r with my dealer. Several people have said it's an upgrade, some say it's a lateral move. I think those opinions could be debated for a long time. I don't think it was a mistake to purchase my X738. It's a great machine. Honestly, if the 45 loader was still an option, I wouldn't be considering this change. I know there are some aftermarket loaders available but I do not think they are for me.

Stay tuned there may be a X738 and attachments coming for sale soon.....or then again, maybe not.

 

[sennister]

I am watching this thread closely. I have a 2017 X738 and love this machine. It has 23 hrs. +/- on it. It mows fantastic, pushes tons of snow, moves my small trailer very easy, I've never hooked up my snowblower so I can't comment on that but, and it's a big but, it doesn't have a loader. And a loader is what I really want and actually could say need. I own acreage and could justify a loader easily and possibly some additional attachments, too.

I have been discussing switching to a 1025r with my dealer. Several people have said it's an upgrade, some say it's a lateral move. I think those opinions could be debated for a long time. I don't think it was a mistake to purchase my X738. It's a great machine. Honestly, if the 45 loader was still an option, I wouldn't be considering this change. I know there are some aftermarket loaders available but I do not think they are for me.

Stay tuned there may be a X738 and attachments coming for sale soon.....or then again, maybe not.

I would call it an upgrade to move up to a 1 Series. Sure there are some things close but the big changes are going to be the joystick control which is nice for a FEL and if a FEL is an option on your machine (see below). It has more lifting capability with the FEL. Plus in comparison to the 45 series on a X7xx/X5xx you have the ability to remove the bucket for other options like a grapple, pallet forks and such. You have an option to have independent control over the mower deck height from the 3pt hitch control. That is a big one for me. I really want to add H3 to my X585 but it will complicate trade value or resale value. Add in the fact that there isn't a huge difference in cost, more so if you are adding 3pt and rear PTO to a X7xx make it a good move. If there was a change between a series that was a minor change it would be from a 1025R to a 2025R. It is little more than tires, slightly higher flow on the hydraulics and a little more lift on the FEL.

Does the 45 series FEL fit the X738? I thought that they changed the frame. I know a couple years back I was at the MN State Fair and was looking at the new X7xx and noticed they didn't have the cutout on the frame anymore. I flagged down one of the sales guys and asked. They claimed it was because if someone bought a X7xx, added a 3pt hitch, rear PTO and FEL it was cheaper to buy the 1 Series which is why the changed the frame making it impossible to mount a 45 Series FEL and they discontinued the option. I also read that there was possibly some change where the weight of the machine or the fact that there was a FEL and a law (maybe OSHA) mandated that the machine would have to have a ROPS. That wasn't possible with major redesigns which is basically either what they already had in the 1 Series or a gas powered 1 Series. I guess that is also plausible because if it was just the sales numbers and costs they could have just made the machine the same which would allow existing inventory or used 45 series FELs to be mounted to a new machine. The frame change made this impossible. If it does fit your frame there was a really nice looking 45 series FEL on Craigslist a while back in Stillwater. Not sure if it ever sold. Look at your frame, just behind the hydraulic hookups you will see about a 2" square hole punched all the way through both sides of the frame. This is where the main mounting bracket for the FEL for either a JD 45 series or the CTC FEL that I have passes through. If you look at this naked picture of my X585 you can see the 2" square tube that has round ends passing all the way through the tractor to get an idea. This is the CTC mount but it is similar to the 45 series.

 

[firemachine69]

I've never known anyone who, a couple years after buying a tractor, said wow, I bought too much tractor. It's usually the reverse. After you had one, you always find more and more things you want to use it for. I have the X758. Love it. Mowing, tilling, snow blowing, moving trailers around, fertilizing, cultivating, rolling the lawn, plowing the garden and the list goes on.

Sent from my SM-G900R4 using Tapatalk

Actually, I may end up being in that odd situation next year. I may downsize to a smaller 1 series for personal use (and go up to a 5 series for my commercial stuff). Weird how that works out.

 

[mjncad]

Since I already have a 2001 4200 CUT; I justified my X754 purchase for less than 2-acres of mowing weeds this way after my Big Box Mart L(emon)-130 pissed me off for the last time.

1. Shaft drive.
2. All wheel steering.
3. Water cooled.
4. Diesel.
5. Better fuel economy.
6. No evil carburetors to deal with.
7. Power steering.
8. Hydraulic deck lift.
9. More comfortable seat.
10. Heavier construction.
11. Ability to add implements if so desired.
12. 60" deck.
13. A rig to last me out till checkout time.
14. Auto connect deck.
15. 0% financing for 60-months.