If you have to ask yourself then you already know the answer. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

If you budget allows it, by all means do it.

Welcome to the forum. For that size lot, the hill is what, 200 feet and covered in grass. I can't imagine that you really "must have" 4wd, but it could come in handy at times. You may want to consider Kubota as well. A johnny bucket is not yet available for an X500 and 4wd is not an option. You deserve what ever you buy just for cutting that with a push mower.

But I couldn't justify the cost as a need. It would be more in the "I want" cateory for no more area or length you travel. Besides that, 12 degrees is not much slope.

For what it's worth, I mow and haul all over a 3+ acre parcel with a lot of areas just as steep and a couple approaching 25 deg. I do it with 2WD and NO differential lock. Just have to think about how you are approaching the steeper stuff and sometimes not try to go straight up it if you are hauling a trailer. Just mowing, I can climb hills much steeper than your 12 deg.

"snow removal" might be the key words to his need for 4wd.

Actually, the snow removal duty shouldn't be too difficult for me at all. It's basically clearing a flat 60x30 driveway with room on both sides to plow/throw snow onto. Thank goodness here in the Hudson Valley, I don't get the amount of snow as say a Buffalo or Syracuse, NY.
After reflecting on the responses thus far, it sounds like my 12 degree hill could be handled without much of a problem with a 2WD machine, but having that 4WD capability sure would be nice. My main concern was the effect of the hill on the mechanicals of a 2WD machine over the years, even with regular maintenance. I'd hate to spend say 8 or 10k - give or take - on a 2WD and have it in the shop 3-5 years later because the drive system couldn't take going up and down the hill, even if it is a Deere or Simplicity! (Remember, I've never owned a rider before so forgive my ignorance on such matters)
I think I will start off with the "vision" of going 4WD and add Kubota to my list of Deere and Simplicity to check out. Of course, my vision and my wife's vision usually are NOT the same vision, so it'll be good to know that a 2WD can be a viable fallback if I lose my "vision". (You gotta be married to understand all that!)
Anyway, thanks to all for your thoughts - hell, that's why I became a member.

I'm with you on the "wife's vision." They don't understand men's toys...er, tools like I don't understand child birth. I was skeptical of hydrostats because I've never used one until yesterday when I gave my new X500 a workout. I'm no longer skeptical, but anything can break including 4wd. I doubt you would see any longevity just because of 4wd at your price point. Over the life of the tractor up and down that hill is probably not very significant time, just don't tell your wife somebody said so. :)

One issue you'll have with any 2-wheel tractor is the inside rear wheel will constantly tear up the turf when trying to make uphill turns.A Kubota GR series would work really nice on this aspect.Around 6K for the gas model,or 7k for the diesel.

4 wh dr is nice but not a have to in your case. Won't make a bit of difference in how long it lasts. Proper maintance and not over loading the machine all the time are the key to it's life span. I use a FEL, box blade, tiller, turning plow, and even a back-hoe on a two wheel drive large garden tractor. It's a 77 or 78 model with over 2500 hrs, hydro and motor still original.

Don't forget that a 4wd Kubota GR is still just "lawn tractor" rated, so overall longevity on the hill could still be an issue. Make sure you get a garden tractor. A properly weighted 2wd should do fine.

I think the answer is no. 95% of the folks who drive around in 4 wheel drive cars, trucks, etc, don't really "need" it either. A lawn tractor, car, or truck, with chains will go places a 4 wheel drive alone won't. I mow several acres without it and some of it is pretty steep. Have there been times when I have had a wheel spin? Yep. Has it ever prevented me from getting the job done? Nope. The bad thing about FWD is that need it or not you have to haul around all the extra weight, and mechanical extras, all the time.

locknut posted:"One issue you'll have with any 2-wheel tractor is the inside rear wheel will constantly tear up the turf when trying to make uphill turns."

I take exception to the "any" in this statemment. There are plenty of 2-wheel drive tractors that are just fine -- thank you very much -- on turf.

Cheers

JDFANATIC

"My main concern was the effect of the hill on the mechanicals of a 2WD machine over the years, even with regular maintenance. I'd hate to spend say 8 or 10k - give or take - on a 2WD and have it in the shop 3-5 years later because the drive system couldn't take going up and down the hill, even if it is a Deere or Simplicity!"

A "real" tractor is capable of transferring the full power of the engine to the wheels for the life of the engine. It is only when you get into lawn tractors and mowers that you run into tractors that are incapable of this. A $8k-$10k tractor (John Deere, Simplicity or Kubota) should be able to run up and down your hills for 2k hours no problem, if maintained properly.

The models you have mentioned (x500, Legacy, Prestige) all have differential lock. I doubt that you "need" 4WD. BTW, someone already mentioned that JohnnyBucket does not yet support x500. While JohnnyBucket is available for Legacy and Prestige, you may want to check if the 4WD models are also supported.

t

If you get a Deere you have the 30 day promise- get a 2 wheel drive model and try it for 30 days- if you have to upgrade to 4wd you will know pretty quick-

Thank you all again for sharing your experience, knowledge and opinions on this subject with me. I shall be heading out to the various dealerships later this week not only to AIS (put my Ass In the Seat), but also to get a feel for the dealerships as well - a little bit of advice I picked up from this very forum. I'll be interested to see their answer to this 4WD question. My thinking right now is that there is NOT a need for 4WD given my situation, but if there's a good deal with 4WD to be had out there, I certainly would consider it!

You don't " need " four wheel drive in your situation. I would buy a heavy duty machine with a tough hydro and change fluid and filter every five years and be sure to keep it clean to get rid of heat... the heavier the weight of your tractor the better... don't worry about trying to buy horse power... get the biggest two wheel drive with a diff lock that you can afford..

Nope.Want and need are two entirely different things.