The least expensive garden (ground engaging) tractors are the Sears ($2500-$3000) and you get what you pay for. Lots of cost cutting to keep the price down on things that shouldn't be compromised like non-adjustable steering links, entry level grade engines, service that takes a while, and having to order most every part you need.

If you can live with attachments that are limited to a sleeve hitch (no auger) a Sears is the cheapest.

Up from there you have the Cub Cadet, Simplicity, and John Deere garden tractors for a couple grand more.

The minute you want a three point hitch and rear PTO you almost double that price.

$2000 will get you a new lawn tractor but don't overlook a good used garden tractor.

As usual,justalurker sums it up quite well.

IMHO, you're getting ready to drive a thumb tack with a sledge hammer. You have an acre, subtracting out house, garage, garden, driveway, etc. you don't have a lot of land to use a garden tractor on. e.g. A GT will be bigger than most LT's and will probably come with a 50-54" deck so you'll be through cutting grass very quickly. Don't know how big your garden is, but if you're going to hang a plow, tiller, disc on the back will you have room to turn around at the ends? If the garden isn't fenced do you mind the damage you'll do to the lawn with turning? If it is fenced, do you think you'll have enough room to turn in there? Hint: You won't. e.g. a ten inch plow turns ten inches of soil at a pass, so that's a lot of turning around. Remember that you'll have to take the deck off if you're plowing.

IMHO I'd stay with a LT for mowing and perhaps pulling a garden cart around. Get a decent walk behind tiller for the garden, you can get furrowing/hilling attachments for that if you're so inclined. If your garden is on the small side, get a Mantis, they have a very rabid following here and in other forums. I bought one this year to run between rows as a cultivator, it does OK, but I'm not rabid about them.

I haven't priced them recently, but I think your budget is well under even a Sears GT and that's without any attachments other than the deck. It would however get you a LT and tiller.

Further, I haven't started any "range wars" here lately, but, again, IMHO, a decent tiller does a much better job of soil preparation than a plow and disc on a small tractor. 'course, part of the justification with your CFO to get the tractor and attachments is to use in the garden....:-)

Good luck,

Ev

http://www.searchtempest.com/ Learn to use this to search craigslist for garden tractor as gardener will soon quit gardening this year. I search with help search tempest almost every week what I search for colt case ingersoll tractors in 2500 mile area it gone now but I have found everything you talking about for 1503.00 on ebay aution planter plows harrows blade front tractor. One things I got was 646 FL 1350.00 A 4016 case Ingersoll 1990 650.00 tractor 448 1980 case 250.00. Buying used in package is best way I join colt case Ingersoll dot com to help with manuals of all kinds on these tractors all tractor I got needed repairs so if turn wrench that save money buying used. Tiller I have 3 Troybilt new engine on all Harbor Freight new engine good as Honda. The last new engine 6 1/2 hp cost me 74.95 they so cheap I keep new one on hand in closet.

I have a mantis and its just not enough for me. Seems like I wrestled that thing for hours this year and all I got is 4 15 foot rows of potatoes. Till for 10 minutes remove the weeds and grass wrapped around the tines for 5 minutes, repeat. I still have to wrestle some more to put in the onions and tomatoes. Not to mention the plethora of other seeds I would like to plant but don't have the time to make the garden space. Maybe all I need is a decent tiller. Still won't make my post holes, grade around the house or build the water feature and what not. I may have to look into rental and or lots of manual labor. Or make more square foot gardens, that weren't as bountiful as I had hoped but definitely cut down on the maintenance. Now I'm digressing from tractor talk. Ok, how bout a tow behind tiller that I don't have to wrestle with. Do those exist?

On the note of sledge hammer thumbtack. I'm just looking for a good claw hammer maybe a dead blow mallet to pound in that thumbtack. You know a little overkill to make the garden jobs easier. As for mowing the grass fast the idea is to replace most of the grass or well half give not take of it. Further 50 - 54" is not that much of a departure from my LT's 48"

Another thing I thought of I want it to do is scraper blade or box blade or something to do upkeep on the gravel driveway. WE used to get ruts every rain, but the neighbors had culverts put in and made it about a year. Now the ruts are starting to reappear because we have no way to upkeep and re grade the driveway short of hiring someone to come out and do it. Tried manual labor but getting shovels through the packed rock/clay just isn't happening.

I ponder should I just be looking at several "tack hammers" rather than trying to find one do it all machine?

Firestix,

IMHO you're going to spend a lot of $$ for limited use. Maybe consider renting the "tack hammer" once or twice a year.

Do it the easy way, go to Sears.com and price a garden tractor, sleeve hitch, the attachments you want or would like to have and see where you are with respect to budget.

Sure, Craigs list and ebay work fine, provided you're somewhat "handy" and not afraid to do a little fixing. I've got some real deals on ebay.

Good luck,

Ev

If you are like most of us, you have a beer budget. A new machine that is truly capable of doing all the things on your wish list will cost you ten to twenty grand.

Deere only makes one garden tractor series and that's the X-700's. Go to Deere.com and look at the MRSP's for the BASIC models and then add on the cost for a loader, hitch and all the implements you desire.

The top Sears tractor is over seven grand and the costs to fit it out will mount equally as fast.

According to you, the property is ONE ACRE TOTAL in size. Subtract the foot print for the driveways and buildings plus any planted areas and you likely have a half acre of grass to cut.

To use a garden tractor in your garden effectively, you need lots of open area on all four sides of the garden so that the tractor can leave the garden area on each pass and turn around on the lawn for the next pass. Most of the experienced gardeners cross-till the soil and some take it further by finishing on the bias. I think that your needs would be better served in the garden by way of a quality walk-behind, rear-tine tiller from Honda or BCS from the used market.

After all, most people only conduct a full-till once or twice per growing season and then spot-till during the season for weed control and re-seeding of fast growing crops such as radishes, onions, lettuce etc. You already own a Mantis and those are perfect for spot-tilling.

I think that your other needs would be well-served by way of a quality, used garden tractor that is simple for you to maintain. A Case 444 would fit that bill. As good as Deere and Simplicity tractors are, they are also a royal PITA to work on. Do some research by visiting the site below and learning more about what a Case can do for you.

Here is a link that might be useful: link