3,000 dollars isn't going to buy you a whole lot of tractor if you are looking at a diesel. Maybe I want too much out of a tractor, the small ones are fine if that will suit your needs but to me, I'd much rather have an older heavier machine. Let me explain my thoughts.
I was potty trained on a old Ferguson TO-35, compares to an 8N. It was an older workhorse. Tough as an anvil. Heavy enough to do somewhat heavy work. The TO35 is a 22 HP tractor, has a high/low rear end, 2 stage clutch. So most of my experiences were with that. I later had a buddy that had a 70 HP Belarus that he let me keep for weeks at a time, another HEAVY work horse. My FIL had a TO-35 I used a lot, still a work horse. I wanted to buy a tractor, found a TO-35 that supposedly had a fresh rebuilt engine. Was raining when I went to check it out, bought it. Got it home, oil was coming out of the exhaust in 1 hr, no 2 stage clutch, took it back, refunded my money. In desperation to buy a tractor fast, I bought a YM 2200 for 3K. It is a good tractor for what it is but it will not hold a candle to a TO-35 or an 8N for that matter. It is great with a tiller or for doing anything a tractor is designed to do like cultivating or light work. But I do not like it compared to the old american iron I was used to.
I was pulling out small dead stumps that had rotted for 5 yrs with it, using a 4 tooth sub soiler. Was cruising along, see a stump, would drop the subsoiler and rip it out, raise the subsoiler and look for the next one. Worked great til I grabbed one that was tough. Stopped the Yanmar in its tracks. But the heavy plastic fan didn't stop, wringing off the small water pump shaft and going through the radiator. Cost about 400.00 to repair water pump and radiator. I said then it was a mickey mouse tractor compared to the old Fergusons.
I later got a TO35 and love it, but I kept the Yanmar also, it does have its uses, but not near as versatile as the 35. I call my Ferguson the old red mule.
I was covering a drain field for a neighbor with the Yanmar, the 35 had the starter off. I got stuck 3 times in an hour and was sort of tip toeing around the job trying to not get stuck. I finally told him if he would come help me pull off the old red mule we would get some work done. Starter was not even on it but it started easy and instead of tip toeing, I started going up one side of the pile of dirt, dropping the box blade, coming off the other side loaded and in an hour I was finished covering the drain AND leveling off about 30 yards of dirt. Never got stuck and went straight through the places I was avoiding with the Yanmar. I was riding in a circle never slowing down except to climb on top of the pile.
Using a boom pole the Ferguson is heavier, will pick up or pull a lot more weight than the Yanmar. Will move a heavier load on a trailer also. It's just a heavier tractor and will do heavier work.
I am not brand bashing, Yanmar is a fine tractor and they do build one that will compare to the TO-35 or 8N, but you won't buy it for 3000 dollars.
If you want 1 tractor to do versatile work, get the 8N or something similiar.
Another thought, Harry Ferguson invented the "floating" 3ph. He wasn't building tractors then so he went to Henry Ford and they started building Ford tractors with his 3ph, called "the ferguson system". Some Fords have a badge that says this on the hood. They later got into a dispute and parted company, he then started building Ferguson tractors, later merging with Massey Harris to become the Massey Ferguson tractor. Enough on history. The small cheaper diesel tractors do not have the floating 3ph, my Yanmar doesn't, the Belarus didn't. When using a scrape blade or box blade I can do a lot smoother and professional job with the TO-35 than with the Yanmar due to its floating hitch. I had a tractor salvage dealer to tell me the floating hitch didn't work properly, he was an old Farmall collector, a fan of neither the Fords or Fergusons. I will argue with anybody about whether they work or not, I have both and can tell the difference.
If you got plenty of $$$$, you can find you one of those orange tractors or green tractors that will do you a good job, but in the 3000 dollar range, an old Ford or Ferguson will buy you a lot more tractor. Was at a general mdse auction a month or so back and they sold a 8N Ford for $1200, needed paint, but was a working ready to go tractor. Where were the deals when I needed a tractor.
If you plan on doing bush hog work, from my experience, a 2 stage clutch is a MUST have and the 2 speed rear is nice to have. If you don't have a 2 stage clutch, you can use a clutch override adaptor, but you still have problems scraping gears when shifting. Not sure on this but the cheaper diesels do not have 2 stage clutches. My Yanmar or my buddys 650 JD built by Yanmar doesn't have it.
If you told me I HAD to sell one of my tractors and just keep one, the old mule isn't going anywhere and I'd have a Yanmar for sale.
Now all you guys out there with the small CUTS, don't think I am bashing your tractor, it is what it is, but it's a long shot from being an old Ferguson.
To Each His Own, buy what you can afford, figure out how to get good use out of what you got.
