Tractor Sizing What tractor to buy?

[bp fick]

Just my opinion, but Kubota, John deere, etc equals parts availability. Some of the others, like an older Bolens, are getting difficult to locate parts. Keep that in mind. You are going to find a ton of tractors for sale in that $3-4000 range. You have to actually go see them, drive them, talk to the owner and make a decision. No one can say from behind a computer screen if any particular machine is "good" or "bad" other than generalizations based on history, parts availability, or general reputation.

[Diamondpilot]

The plow is nice but that is a lot of money for a lawn mower sized tractor with not so great parts support.

I would really consider a 8N. Tons of them, cheap, and can do a lot of work.

Where are you located? I know where there is a Cub Low Boy and a Jinma 284 with a Loader for the cheap.

Chris

[joeyb]

Just my opinion, but Kubota, John deere, etc equals parts availability. Some of the others, like an older Bolens, are getting difficult to locate parts. Keep that in mind. You are going to find a ton of tractors for sale in that $3-4000 range. You have to actually go see them, drive them, talk to the owner and make a decision. No one can say from behind a computer screen if any particular machine is "good" or "bad" other than generalizations based on history, parts availability, or general reputation.

Yeah, the parts availability scares me on something that's been out of production so long. It was in really great shape and drove perfectly so I thought it might be worth it. My buddy was convinced it was worth no more than approx. $2200 so I passed. Since the mid atlantic was hit so hard with snow it seems anything with a blade was for sale or for sale at an inflated price.

[joeyb]

The plow is nice but that is a lot of money for a lawn mower sized tractor with not so great parts support.

I would really consider a 8N. Tons of them, cheap, and can do a lot of work.

Where are you located? I know where there is a Cub Low Boy and a Jinma 284 with a Loader for the cheap.

Chris

I like the 8n. I'm just concerned about the weight on a lawn with a 3 point mower behind it. The ground is realtively soft here and my pickup has already massacred much of the yard behind the house.

Located in MD.

[mustangsallysdad]

Yeah, I care mostly about how the machine was treated over age and hours.

A knowledgable friend came with me to look at a Bolens, but said it was way overpriced. What do you think of this one?

"Bolens/Iseki G152 water cooled 3 cylinder 15 hp diesel. Transmission has 3 forward/1 reverse with high/low range. Locking differential , cat 1 3 point hitch , 3 speed pto , 4 hydraulic outlets on the front that can easily be rerouted to the back for attachments if needed. Hoses are all in good condition with no leaks. 54" hydraulic lift/angle blade and 50" belly mower both in very good condition and ready to use. Also has wheel weights and working headlights. Tires have good tread with no leaks. Tractor has plenty of power and loads of low rpm torque. Engine starts easily (even in cold temps) runs smooth and performs flawlessly. Overall in excellent condition and has always been reliable. Asking $3150"

That seems to fit right into what you are looking for...they are very good, versatile machines and would be a great fit for your intended use. Any bargaining room on the price would make it an even better fit ($3K).

[mustangsallysdad]

That seems to fit right into what you are looking for...they are very good, versatile machines and would be a great fit for your intended use. Any bargaining room on the price would make it an even better fit ($3K).

P.S. Joey...Bolens parts are not that hard to find...Jack's Small Engines can get pretty much anything you would need for the Bolens...If it is as good as you described, it's definitely worth consideration...just don't expect to find parts readily available locally...have to go the order online and wait route.

[mustangsallysdad]

P.S. Joey...Bolens parts are not that hard to find...Jack's Small Engines can get pretty much anything you would need for the Bolens...If it is as good as you described, it's definitely worth consideration...just don't expect to find parts readily available locally...have to go the order online and wait route.

Try [email]sheafstractor@grics.net. He says he can get any part (including manuals) within a couple of days...I think that particular model has an Iseki (Japenese) engine...they have a pretty good track record. It's the same brand of engine used in the current MF GC series.

[flusher]

Yeah, I care mostly about how the machine was treated over age and hours.

A knowledgable friend came with me to look at a Bolens, but said it was way overpriced. What do you think of this one?

"Bolens/Iseki G152 water cooled 3 cylinder 15 hp diesel. Transmission has 3 forward/1 reverse with high/low range. Locking differential , cat 1 3 point hitch , 3 speed pto , 4 hydraulic outlets on the front that can easily be rerouted to the back for attachments if needed. Hoses are all in good condition with no leaks. 54" hydraulic lift/angle blade and 50" belly mower both in very good condition and ready to use. Also has wheel weights and working headlights. Tires have good tread with no leaks. Tractor has plenty of power and loads of low rpm torque. Engine starts easily (even in cold temps) runs smooth and performs flawlessly. Overall in excellent condition and has always been reliable. Asking $3150"

Neat looking little tractor. Looks similar to my Bolens GT1453 that has a 14 hp Tecumseh gas engine.



I found this one on craigslist for $600 including a 42" mid-mount mower and the 32" wide rototiller. Maybe you could find a similar rototiller to fit that G152.

The asking price is within your budget. You may be able to haggle the price down a little to say $3K.

[Gittyup]

I saw that Bolens too on CL. Seems nice. But, I also thin it's a little high. You can find a JD 400 series similarly equipped for about that kind of money, and I think it would be a better buy. Now if you could get him to say $2500 or so, then it might make some sense.

There are a couple of nice 455's right now on ebay, worth checking out.

At $4K, you will be limited to quality GTs or a much older tractor. However, the GT's won't have the weight nor hydraulics to do any heavy lifting/towing.

Did you see the Kubota with a broken drive shaft for $2700 on CL? Might be a better choice. Just have to understand how much work and money is involved with the broken drive shaft.

Just remember if you want a loader later on, they aren't so easy to find used, and aren't a whole lot cheaper than new when you do. Another word of caution: the JD 400 series with AWS option cannot be fitted with a loader.

[buckeyefarmer]

Welcome to TBN. I bought my 1st tractor at an auction, with spring coming (I hope), you will start to see more auctions around. As someone else recommended, Jacks small engines is good for parts for garden tractors, etc. They are located in MD but I order on the web from them.