Quoted:
Hey guys, I'm currently contemplating purchasing a BCS garden tractor and I would like to hear what current or past owners think about these little machines. First and foremost, are they worth the cost? Which model do you have and is it big enough or too big for what you use it for? What all do you use it for and what attachments do you consider necessary? Which attachments should be avoided? Are there better alternatives to BCS?
For a little background, I live on five acres. Currently, I only have a small garden, but I want to expand it. Also, I have a lot of brush and tree trimmings that I would like to chip/shred to add to my compost and to use for mulch, so I would definitely like to get the chipper attachment if I got a BCS. Is this chipper any good, or is it just for really light duty work? I don't expect to chip large trees or anything, but I would like something that could handle frequent use and not wear out quickly.
I presume you've poked around the
Earth Tools site?
Walk-behind tractors (also called walking, 2-wheel or hand tractors) are used worldwide for small-scale farm, horticultural, industrial, landscaping and home use. Unlike the psuedo-professional equipment of the same physical size produced for the U.S. Market such as the DR® and Troy-Bilt®, European two-wheel tractors are built to standards of quality and durability expected of agricultural equipment.....
The "hype" here is pretty accurate. The BCS machines are really tiny two-wheeled farm tractors. They're commercial grade machines that with proper maintenance will outlast their owners.
Are they "worth it"? That's a tough one and I'd have to say "
it depends."
One way to look at it is to compare costs to 4-wheel tractors on a PTO HP basis. Take one of the bigger BCS machines with a 13 HP Honda engine, an 852/853 let's say. That machine will cost you $3600 without electric start or any implement. I'm gonna guess that that 13 HP engine will give you 10 HP at the PTO. Now compare that machine to, say, a
John Deere 3005 which will give you 23.5 HP at the PTO. That machines lists for $11,700 and a dealer will, ata guess, sell it to you for $10,500 out the door.
BCS 852/853
$3600 / 10 PTO HP =
$360 per PTO HP
JD 3005
$10,500 / 23.5 PTO HP =
$447 per PTO HP
Kinda interesting numbers to have in mind when you run into the guys who say "I'd never pay that much for a tiller!"
But is it the right machine for
you?
There are several caveats to consider:
(1) Don't invest in BCS equipment if you're planning on buying a 4-wheel tractor in the next few years.
(2) Don't buy BCS equipment that you'll only run for a few hours a year.
(3) Always compare the cost of the tractor and implement to a standalone machine that serves the same purpose.
If you're willing to build your stable of machines around a BCS tractor, then the purchase makes sense. But it doesn't make sense, IMO, to buy $6,000 worth of equipment to till for 6 hours a year and chip brush for 2 hours a month. In that situation, you're likely better off spending $2,000 for a nice Troy-Bilt tiller and standalone shredder/chipper. YMMV, of course.
As far as buying a BCS tiller then getting a tractor, I am exactly
that guy. I bought a 732 (with a nonstandard 13 HP Honda engine!) then bought a JD utility tractor a couple years later. The JD tractor runs a 5' tiller so that knocked out a lot of the "need" for the BCS. I still use it quite a bit and am not sorry I bought it. It's great for tilling small plots and cultivating. I also found a rotary plow for it on CL for a sweet price and that implement lets me break ground and hill potatoes nicely.
As far as the chipper goes, I can't comment as I haven't used it. I would expect it to be a solid piece of equipment that runs better than a standalone Troy-bilt or similar. (I have a Troy-bilt chipper/shredder and am not a fan. Wanna drive up and buy it?
) If you want another opinion, call
Wes Stauffer and ask him about it. Wes is biased, obviously, but he's an honest guy and will tell you if the implement has shortcomings. He talked me out of buying the log splitter attachment by noting that you get "more splitter for less money" by buying a standalone unit. One thing about Wes though, if you get him started talking about BCS equipment, be prepared to be on the phone a while.
Good luck with things and hope that helped.