# Cannot make a UTV decision to save my life..



## Countrycaretakerbd (Aug 22, 2016)

Hey everyone,

Yes, I am new here. I've had my landscape business for 5 years and this is my 3rd year doing snow removal.

two years ago I bought a Kioti DK45SE with meteor blower. My tractor has cab and heat and everything and makes about 45 Horse power and 40 to the PTO.

That being said, I absolutely hate everything about it and want to switch to something else to become more productive.

The reasons for my switching is that I have to load my tractor into a dump trailer and drive it between clusters of clients.. Its also a very large machine and have broken trees at clients and the lights on my tractor..

Most of my clients if not all of them are more than 200 total feet in length whether its two passes at 100-200 feet each or 50 foot driveways but for 6-10 passes.

My options right now are to trade in my tractor as whichever company takes the trade in saves me 4000 dollars for my current lease buyout. 

I was looking at the following:

-Trade tractor in and get 2 bobcat 3650 UTV's with blowers on both and salt spreaders on one or both of them.

-Trade tractor in and get a bobcat toolcat 5600 with blower

-Keep tractor, deal with its issues and risk possibility of lower future value and possibly add one 3650 UTV with blower

-Trade in tractor and get a JCB 190t track loader with blower

My big issues:

Tractor is currently valued at 25,000 and can drop by almost 6k by next year. It is starting to rust and stupid things that shouldnt happen at 500 hours are currently happening such as wiper motors going, glass breaking, battery dying, etc..

As for trading on a bobcat toolcat, it would bring my current monthly lease rate up to around 1400-1500 a month because its around 60,000 but this is a 61HP machine that is meant for commercial use

Trading in on a JCB 190t track loader would bring my payments to 1300 a month because of the total price coming around 51,000 this is 65HP and is rated for commercial use but Im worried about visibility when doing driveways

Trading on two UTV's would probably bring my rates up to 1300 a month as well but I could have two operators to cut down the current time down and would save me putting a spreader for salt on my truck.

I just need some insight on what you guys all have as opinions..


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## Countrycaretakerbd (Aug 22, 2016)

Forgot to add that I could use each machine year round and I need any machine I choose to have a blower as I only offer snowblowing to my clients.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

How much snow do you average?

Have you considered a smaller Deere with an inverted blower...such as a 4 Series?


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## Countrycaretakerbd (Aug 22, 2016)

Mark Oomkes said:


> How much snow do you average?
> 
> Have you considered a smaller Deere with an inverted blower...such as a 4 Series?


Last year there wasn't a ton of snow but we had 1-2 big dumplings of around 30-50cm in one fall. The rest weren't more than 10-20 cm usually around 5 cm per snowfall. I havnt. What is an inverted blower if you don't mind my asking?


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## Countrycaretakerbd (Aug 22, 2016)

The Deere seems awfully similar to my kioti except the deer doesn't have 4x4.. 4x4 is a big thing for me as I have a lot of slopes driveways I do.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

If you have an hour or ten, start here:

http://www.plowsite.com/threads/switching-to-blowing-service.110685/page-103#post-2140696


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Countrycaretakerbd said:


> The Deere seems awfully similar to my kioti except the deer doesn't have 4x4.. 4x4 is a big thing for me as I have a lot of slopes driveways I do.


You're not looking in the right place:

https://www.deere.com/en_US/product...ies/4066r_compact_utility_tractor/4066r.page?


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## Herm Witte (Jan 27, 2009)

Toolcats are awesome but very pricey to maintain. Stuff seems to start around year four or five. Continue to check out the Deere 4000 series line up.


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