Go BottomB7800 or L3130
 | egbloch
Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 7 Gig Harbor, WA 
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2004-04-07 82394
I'm headed to the dealer tomorrow to buy the B7800. I'm happy with the price and the dealer, I'm just having second thoughts about getting the B7800 or should I move up to the L3130. I've gone back and forth for awhile now. I've got 5 acers (3 grass 2 woods). Some landscaping to do around the house and about 200 feet of driveway to improve. Once the bigger jobs are done the tractor will be mostly used for mowing and maint. I'm 6'5" and the B7800 seems a little small to sit on but the L3130 seems like too much tractor for the jobs I'll be doing down the road. I'm getting a Mid Mount Mower and FEL for now and my wife and children will be doing work with the tractor as well, that is why I'm leaning towards the B7800. I'd appreciate any feedback before I buy. Thank you!
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| snmhanson
Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 27 White Salmon, WA
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2004-04-07 82402
I don't know how much help I am going to be here but I am in a similar situation and just finishing up the same process you went through. We've got five acres in Washington down by the Gorge, two of which need to have extensive landscaping done (filling, grading, planting, etc...), an 800' drive to maintain and other projects to do. After the tough work is done I too will use the tractor mainly for mowing and snow removal among other miscellaneous jobs that come up. I started off looking at a BX2230 and Deere 2210 and then quickly decided to move up to at least a B7510. My dealer let me demo a 7510 and it probably would have been enough to do the work I needed but I decided to move up again to the 7800 just for a little insurance. I figured I will be able to run bigger and more powerful implements and get things done quicker and maybe even be able to do a few things the 7510 actually couldn't handle.
Anyway, I've posted a few times on this and another board, talked to a local farmer and talked with the dealer as well. Almost everyone recommended going with the 7800 as it should provide plenty of power to get just about anything I need done (within reason of course). They all said the 7510 would probably be enough tractor but I would be a lot happier with the 7800. I don't know if your ground in Gig Harbor is at all like ours down here (quite rocky and compacted), but I can't imagine it being too much tougher to work than what we have. Most people also told me that the 7800 was on the upper edge of what they would use for mowing with unless I wasn't too concerned about the end result and simply wanted the grass cut. For me that ruled out looking at anything bigger such as an L series tractor. More than one person told me to not worry about mowing with the tractor, get the biggest tractor I can afford and then but a rider lawn mower. But no matter how much sense that makes to me, it won't make sense to my wife.
I found the 7510 very comfortable and easy to use and I expect the 7800 to be basically the same. I think that my wife will even enjoy using it once she gets a little seat time. I'm 5'11" so I can't really comment on your height for the 7800 but otherwise for me the 7800 seems like the perfect fit, if not a little large. I'm picking it up tommorow morning so if you don't end up getting yours tommorow and you want me to I will let you know how it turns out for me. I'm sure others could and will give you more practical and hands-on advice but I just wanted to let you know what my experience has been and what people have recommended to me so far. Let me know if you have any questions.
Matt ....
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 | beagle
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1333 Michigan 
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2004-04-07 82404
I went to the dealer to pick up the 2410 I ordered, and my wife talked me up to the 7800. I am happy with her decision, of course. Tractors always get smaller after you have used them for a while and get used to the handling. I have had the 7800 for about 7 months, and it hasn't shrunk considerably yet. I too was concerned about having too much tractor. The 7800 seemed like a good move towards more than I thought I needed, and enough for what I really needed.
The L series tractors are much heavier than the B series. I believe the 3130 will weight about 1100lbs more than the 7800. For mowing, and especially for trailering, this is an important consideration. The 7800 is about 500lbs heavier than my last tractor, and even that seems like a lot when mowing. The toughest part on the lawn is when turning. The heavier the tractor, the more damage that is done to turn the tractor. That extra 500lbs is also very noticable when trailering the machine. The L series would have put me into a completely different type of trailer, and possibly the need for a bigger tow vehicle. ....
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| egbloch
Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 7 Gig Harbor, WA
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2004-04-07 82406
I really appreciate you sharing your experiences with me. I'm feeling better about the 7800 and I agree that the weight difference in the 3130 is significant. The ground in the Gig Harbor area is very sandy with much river rock. It isn't too bad to move around with tractors that I have rented in the past, but that is an L35 machine. I guess if a job comes up that is too big for the B7800 I can always rent for a day. Thanks again and I'll be in touch ....
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| beagle
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1333 Michigan
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2004-04-07 82427
Good Luck and have fun!! ....
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