Need Advice

[Anonymous Poster]

Hello!

I could use some advice on what tractor I should buy. I don't really know anything about them, other than I need one!

Really, I am new to this whole country side of life - I'd never even driven a tractor until I moved here! But, after spending all of last summer renting tractors to move dirt around, and trying to mow 11 acres with a riding lawn mower, I decided its time to get my own.

The land has no steep cliffs, but not entirely flat. Most of it is planted in coastal hay, but since I have horses on it, I am not worried about baling it. I just want to mow it. I'll want to be able to drag my round pen and grade my road base drive. I might put up some cross fences, so I might want an auger, but I am not sure. What are the best options for my money?

I am on a tight budget, and I don't want the salesperson to see a woman walk in and think 'sucker!' And, since I don't know jack about it, I don't want to pay too much for something I don't need.

So...any suggestions/advice?

Thanks!!

 

[Slippy]

Welcome Silversage. My suggestion is that you spend some time looking through the other members posts. There is no way anyone can give you advice until you determine what it is you invision using the tractor for. It might be wise to take some time and read the post to educate yourself and then you can ask more specific, educated questions. There are alot of folks on this board that are willing to help you, but you will need to try to help youself first. At any rate, low budget generally means you will need to stay away from the major brands depending on what size tractor you need. Try looking through the posts on the "Other Brands" section. Good luck.

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

What is your budget? This will help us know what tractor will fill your needs. Is it less then $5 K or less then 30K???

You may want to also consider buying the book listed above in the store section. We can help you here, we just need a little more info on your needs and budget. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Woodbeef]

You said that you rented tractors last summer,so that's a starting point to some extent. What did you like or dislike about them? Were they different brands or sizes? What good reputable dealers are within a 100 mile radius of you? Keep an open mind,and look at all the manufacturers out there.

 

[thcri]

Silversage,

Welcome to TBN. Based on the information you are telling me I would think you would need around a 25 to 30 horsepower tractor. Especially if you will do any loader work. Since you are fairly new to tractors I would also suggest going with Hydro static drive. As far the implements you would need I really don't have any experience with them but as this post goes people will help you there.

And if you ever feel like any of them sales people are taking advantage of you, just tell them you feel that way and walk out. If they treat you that way before the sale they will treat you that way after the sale. Once you start getting pricing then let us know here and we will tell you if your getting a good price.

Good Luck

murph

 

[Soundguy]

Howdy.. welcome to the wonderfull world of tractor buying / owning!

This message is going to be. I hope, a group effort, as later I'm going to throw out a few sugestions, and I hope a few more people will comment on them.

Glad to see you have horses... I love mine.. wouldn't know what to do without them..( or the cow.. pigs.. turkeys.. chickens.. etc.. ).

Okay.. 11 ac site... mowing.. arena area.

Think of buying a tractor as a flowchart/slide rule kind of decesion. Money, size, time and service are the main factors. For instance.. if you have low money, but plenty of time.. that yeilds a smaller tractor.. ( a smaller tractor can do most of the maintenance chores of a larger tractor but takes longer.. i.e. mowing ) if you are handy at repairs.. you can go used...

Your decision is probably going to hinge on or around the 25hp line.. above or below...

Below yeilds the various new and used everything from the real small 17hp on up. These are going to pull a 4' rotary cutter.. some of the larger ones will handle a 5' rotary in thin grass weeds.

Heavy cutting may need a 28-30ish hp machine...

Dragging a flexible harrow will be fine with the small compacts like a NH tc18 or BX 2200 and up..may need a smaller harrow than the big boys.. but you can get it done.

Service is a concern.... if you feel handy at fixin' tractors then used is a very viable option.... if the site of an oil puddle scares you.. new from a dealer with a warranty is something to thing about. And mind you doesn't necescarilly have to be a new one from the big three dealers...

As another option, used is still viable if you buy from a reputable dealer who will provide service on a machine.. or have a neighbor that is handy...

Two scenerios pop up in my head... One is the lower cost way.

I wouldn't have sugested this a year ago, as i hadn't seen one of these tractors, but The 20hp chineese jinma tractors are ... well.. dirt cheap as prices go on new tractors.

A 2wd 20hp jinma, and a 4' rotary cutter and a 4x6 pasture drag will do lots of work.. The machine will have the advantage of being new.. and will presumably have some dealer support and warranty. This is probably the low end of the economic choices...small, 2wd , new, non-name brand.

2wd/ 4wd is a big debate.. many love 4wd.. I use it when plowing or discing.. but not at other times.. course my land is mostly flat.. and florida sees no snow drifts.

On the upper end is a mid size compact in the 25 to 30ish hp range.. brings you to a 5' cutter and bigger drag.. more money.

Your choice. Others will chime in with the pro's and con's of gear vs. hydro trannies.. and 2wd vs 4wd... bottom line you know you need a tractor.. and any tractor is better than no tractor...

Also.. as a side note... get a 3pt boom pole and carry-all forks for your tractor if you don't get a front end loader... makes lifting or carrying heavy loads easier.. much easier..

Good luck, and keep us informed...

Soundguy

 

[Casimir]

Welcome to TBN, SilverSage -

We have a similar situation - horses with (soon-to-be) 6 acres of pasture, riding arena, round pen, and plan to build a barn this summer/fall. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif I strongly recommend you get a tractor with a Front End Loader (FEL). Ours is amazingly handy for hauling hay, grain, fence posts, bedding, manure, and a hundred other things that save your back - much better than a wheelbarrow.

We have a Ford 1520 (4WD, 23-25 hp), that I feel has been perfect for our use. It is small enough to fit through 6' wide gates for cleaning corrals and run-in sheds, but large enough to handle a 5' rotary cutter for mowing pasture.

I'm not sure what part of Texas you are in, but if mud or snow is a possibility, I also strongly recommend 4WD. We purchased a rotary harrow that works really well in the round pen. When it dries out enough to use it again, I plan to get some photos of it in action. I like it better than the drag harrows, personally.

Keep on reading and learning from the posts here on TBN, and pretty soon you may know more than some of the sales people you will be talking to. Above all, find a dealer you like and can trust to give you good service when your tractor needs it. Have fun learning, then have fun using your new tractor. If you get to know some of the sales folks and let them know what you need, they may be able to find you a good condition used tractor - they take them in on trades all the time. If the dealer is good, they will go through the tractor and service it before delivery, to be sure it is in good shape. That's what we did, and have not regretted it.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Well, the budget is more a monthly payment thing. I want to pay $250-300/mo. Kubota has 2.99% financing right now, but John Deere has 0 down, so I could take that money I would save and buy the box blade or mower with cash, maybe even used.

The mud is awful...with the rain and freeze, I def need 4wd!

I don't remember the horsepower of the tractor I rented, but I know it was less than 30, so I am looking in the low 30hp range.

I drove a J.D with hydro and a Century that was shuttle shift. The Century guy says they are the same as the John Deere, just a different color. Is this true?

The J.D guy quoted me $18,199 for a 4310 with FEL and box blade, 4wd, and hydro trans.

I can get a Century with mower, box blade, FEL, 4wd, shuttle shift for $15000. But, I don't really think I will like having to stop and shift all the time. And comparing the stats in the books, its doesn't quite measure up to the J.D, but is there really that much difference between one or two hp or PTO power?

I drove a Massey, Kubota, NewHolland, Kioti...I am not really looking at them any more because of money or feel.

I live very close to Dallas/Fort Worth, so most every dealership is fairly close /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I can get an arena werks rotary harrow for $800. But that is not something I am going to buy asap, so I am trying to focus on how I am going to pull it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

So...any more advice?

 

[rockyridgefarm]

Century may not be a BAD tractor...but

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Century guy says they are the same as the John Deere, just a different color. Is this true? )</font>

Sounds like your Century Guy grossly oversimplified or even told a little stretcher. It ain't so!

I am looking closely at the JD 4310 and I think it is a winner. As for bang for the buck, it is the winner of the green mid chassis units.

If you are looking at the financing route, Deere is probably going to cost pretty similar to the Century, and you are correct about stopping to shift being a hassle, if you don't like it, don't go that way.

 

[Casimir]

SilverSage:
Sounds like you are zeroing in on the tractor you need/want. The most important things are that you like the fit and feel of the tractor and the dealer. As long as the larger tractor does not cause problems maneuvering around your facilities, most folks would say go for the largest horsepower you can afford. Very few of us end up saying we wish we had bought a smaller tractor. (Actually, I need 3 tractors - the one I have, a smaller one for working in the pens, and a larger one to speed up the big jobs /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif - but, since I can only afford one, the one we have seems to be the best compromise for our use.)

As for the rotary harrow, you might want to check out the Spyder Rotary Harrow at WikCo.com (Select Horse/Livestock Equipment Catalog and Harrow/Rotary/Pull Behind and Tractor Mounted).

We got the RC-6 model for $495 delivered. Just took a couple of wrenches to assemble it and I was using it in about 30 minutes. I like the fact that it doesn't stick out so far behind the tractor - especially in a tight area like a round pen.

Good luck with your search.

Cas