Please Advise regarding a tractor

[Mamps]

I am looking to puchase a tractor in the next three months.
My budget is $25,000 exactley (not a dollar more)

Here are my requirements:
I would like 80-110 HP
need 4 wheel
prefer a front loader but not a needed.


Enclosed cab is a luxury that I dont need but would accept.


Could you please give some opinions of Brand and models you would suggest or what you suggest not for me.

I really like Kubota (actually Deere is my favorite however may be out of my league) for the price but have no clue about performance.

Also, how many hours on average is a typical life span of a tractor?
Thanks in advance

[dave1949]

I would start by attending every farm equipment auction you can get to. For the horse power and budget you described, a used Ag tractor is a good bet.

You will be able to see what the equipment goes for and get some idea of the condition and hours vs price maybe.

Wish you luck.
Dave.

[Snead Tractor LLC]

There are several things to consider, what will you be using the tractor for, where are you located as far as climate, and are you looking for new or used.

[Gary Fowler]

I dont know if anyone can agree on typical lifespan of a tractor but for Ag type tractors 10,000 hours is not unusual before having to do any overhauls of engines and some go much more than that. Most farm tractors will run 12+ hours per day during spring and fall tillage times so it wouldnt be unusual to see 1500 hours per year on them as a minimum. A lot depends on service of the machine and the work load. A tractor that has been constantly "rode hard and put up wet" is not going to last long . For example a tractor that is used exclusively for ground engaging task pulling max HP loads and poorly maintained is not going to last as long as the same tractor that has just coasted along baling hay or pulling a rake for instance even if they are both poorly maintained. Take a look at a used tractors overall appearance, dont be fooled by the new paint job, but look at tires for dry rot or cuts, rims especially look for evidence of loose lug bolts , seat worn tattered or new ( a new seat could be evidence of high usage since it was replaced or just poor maintenace and storage, steering wheel for sun weathering or cracks evidence of outside storage and same for phenolic lever knobs etc. Outside storage is not necessarily a deal breaker but it sure does make the tractor look bad. Everything mechanically might still be sound. Check hydraulics for operations with heavy load including remotes. Look at the oil in hydraulic system for evidence of burning or browning smell it to to see if it smells like it has overheated all evidence of hard work and low maintenance. A smart seller will have changed all this to fool you but there are still signs of abuse if you look close. If you arent tractor smart, get a mechanic to check it out for you before buying as that could be the best $100 or so you ever spent. Even with all the checks, you can never be sure that you wont have some minor or major failure but it is all you can do on a used tractor unless you can find one for sale that you are familiar with the owner and its uses.

[Gary Fowler]

No one mentioned it, but have you checked out the prices on Tractorhouse.com
This could give you an idea of ASKING price nation wide. I would think that you should be able to buy any tractor on there for less than advertised price but it provides a good starting point for negotiating any thing you may find.

[Mamps]

Thanks a lot guys.
I am located just outside of sunny Ohio (well maybe 1 day a month it is sunny :-)
I will use the tractor to farm 100 acres of sweet corn, hay, consumable products and prepairing an orchard. Land is currently sod and land is slightly rolling (hence the 4x4)
I would imagine I would not exceed 800 hours per year.
I think for my requests, new is certainly out of the question.

I have searched tractorhouse and there are a few in my price range however I am not familiar with brand quality.

Thanks again for any information

[Mike120]

For what you are looking for, any of the big 3 (JD, MF, Ford/NH) will give you a quality used tractor if you look long and hard. You can also look in Used Tractors and Farm Machinery from Fastline but your best bet is a farm auction or a private sale (you may have to go a State or two away...but they're small States). You can get the Rust Book ( Agriculture Online Home )to see what auction prices are......right now they are way up for good used equipment.

[Snead Tractor LLC]

Why buy used when you can buy new. I'm a Massey Ferguson and Kubota dealer, and your budget is well in reach. For your operation I would suggest a 500 series Massey Ferguson. Either the 573 or the 583 would fit this. This is a great line of tractors. They are simple to operate, and everything is still mechanical on these tractors compared to other brands that have electrical operation. For example the 3pt lift is as simple as pull the lever up to raise and push the lever down to lower

Some of the competitors have electrical components such as the 3pt lift. If that Ohio winter weather gets into some of those electrical components, you can be prepared to take it to the dealer. That can get costly if its out of warranty.


These 573 and 583 tractors have pre heaters /glow plugs for those winter months in Ohio as well. Best of all you will be getting one of the best engines on the market. PERKINS!!!!! I see these tractors running Perkins engines with 7 to 8000 hours on them with no problems. Plus its one of the cheapest engines to rebuild. Also, for you hay operation I would consider a shuttle shift tractor. It makes a hay operation go so much easier.

If you can't find a great deal in Ohio, let me know. If you don't mind dropping 8hp I know I can sell you a brand new 72 engine hp 4x4 tractor with a shuttle shift transmission, dual hydraulic outlets and canopy top for less than you budget. Best of all a FULL WARRANTY.

[coobie]

Originally Posted by Mamps

Thanks a lot guys.
I am located just outside of sunny Ohio (well maybe 1 day a month it is sunny :-)
I will use the tractor to farm 100 acres of sweet corn, hay, consumable products and prepairing an orchard. Land is currently sod and land is slightly rolling (hence the 4x4)
I would imagine I would not exceed 800 hours per year.
I think for my requests, new is certainly out of the question.

I have searched tractorhouse and there are a few in my price range however I am not familiar with brand quality.

Thanks again for any information

You also might want to attend the auction in archbold Ohio at yoder & fry auctions.They are held every other tuesday of the month if I recall correctly.coobie

[Mamps]

Thanks for the response. I am going to head to Archbold for the auction. Looks like a lot of equipment that I need and they certainly have tractors that fit my requirements.