Really just looking right now

[Anonymous Poster]

The CFO getting sick of hearing about the tractor I'm going to buy one of these days- her comments are along the line of "Why don't you just buy one?" Feeling a little odd talking her out of it. /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Our situation is this;

We live on an only largish (1/3 acre) residential lot. So no problem justifying a smaller CUT with a FEL, tiller, ... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

But we are fairly actively looking at property with the intention of buying a few undeveloped acres on which to build. So I'm going to need a good size TLB with top'n'tilt, a heavy box blade, posthole digger, tiller, brush hog, ... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

So instead of buying too small and having to renegotiate for a trade up, my plan is to see how big I need and buy right the first time. This of course involves constant research in order to make a truly informed decision when the time comes.

Of course the fact that I'm not actully looking to buy right now doesn't mean that promising leads can be allowed to pass by (I'll post a description of this evening's excursion in the appropriate <font color="orange">brand specific</font> forum.)

So my questions;

Should I give in to the pressure and let her force me into buying? /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Is there value in learning the ropes on a smaller tractor? Has anyone else gone through something similar?

As always, thank you to all -

 

[DavesTractor]

You have a window of opportunity. Don't let it pass!

 

[19th_VA]

The longer you have to look, the better off you are. But don't let a great deal pass you by. Can I get your wife to talk to my wife? I've got my tractor but now I just need some .... implements!

 

[BB_TX]

I would do lots of looking, questioning, test driving, but I would suggest not buying until you find that ideal plot of land. That will likely determine how much tractor and what accessories you will need. You may need no more than 20 hp with MMM. Or you may need 35 hp with HD cutter. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif You have already passed the hard part, getting the CFO to agree. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Now the second hardest part, waiting until you actually need it. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Pacesetter300]

It is common to find a very nice used machine that someone else has taken the depreciation hit on. In your shoes, I would buy a smaller used machine now to use as a test bed. Then you will know in the future from personal experience what you really need. If you end up purchasing more proterty than you anticipated, anything suitable now will probably be too small later. JMHO
Pacesetter

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Is there value in learning the ropes on a smaller tractor? Has anyone else gone through something similar?
)</font>

I did exactly the same. Me and the wife lived in a regular housing neighborhood..1/4 to 1/3rd ac lots, houses everywhere... and there I was with my yanmar 1700 parked behind the house under a tarp!... but we were actively looking to buy land and move. Happened within 8 months or so of buying the tractor. And yes, it eventually turned out to be a bit small. So.... I had to get another one....and another one... and am still looking at another one... ( I think I'm infected with the collecting bug... ).

SouNdguy

 

[Richard]

The longer you have to look, the better off you are

Not being a tractor owner yet myself (I bought a industrial TLB), I sort of have to agree with Jonathan. When I was first looking at tractors, I coudl not decide between say the B2910, or the L3010. Now that time has passed, (and I've done things with Brutus), I'm wondering if the M series might be more appropirate for our needs as far as tractor per se goes.

Richard

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Thank you all for the input-

19th_VA, you bring up a very good point when you mention implements-

Let's say I buy a "starter" tractor tomorrow. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

That would allow me to get a feel for this whole tractor thing, rather than just reading about it and getting drool all over the dealer's units.

Of course even this tractor would have to be useful and let me diligently learn the necessary skills. So right off it has to have a FEL. So even going with a grey or an older used unit, I'm probably looking at $7K-10K minimum. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif I'll have to do a little more convincing that this can be recouped on resale. So the sale of tractor 1 would go directly into the purchase of tractor 2. That should satisfy the CFO. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

But having moved all the dirt on one side of the yard to the other side, and then back again, I'll probably have to show off more of a tractors overwhelming versatility. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif That means implements. Tiller, box blade, posthole digger, ... The problem here is is seems that in many cases implements have to be sized to match the tractor.

So here are my questions; /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

How likely is it that implements purchased for a smaller tractor would have to be replaced for a larger tractor? Which implements are most likely to require replacement, i.e. which implements need to be closely sized to the tractor?

Given that tractors have excellent resale value, do implements tend to keep their value as well? Can the the money spent on a bunch of smaller implements be recouped towards the purchase of larger ones?

 

[Bird]

Good thinking, in my opinion, Peter.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( How likely is it that implements purchased for a smaller tractor would have to be replaced for a larger tractor? )</font>

Very likely. Actually, you can probably keep using the smaller implements, but you might not like it.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Which implements are most likely to require replacement )</font>

When I traded up from a B7100 to a B2710, I traded up to larger sized brush hog and box blade, and really wanted to trade up to a bigger tiller and plows, but just couldn't justify the cost.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( do implements tend to keep their value as well? )</font>

Maybe some other folks have a different opinion, but in my experience . . . NO! If an implement shows the results of very much use, I think you're doing well if you can get half what it cost new.

One other thing you might consider is starting with a cheaper used tractor, but try to get the same size as you expect the newer one in the future to be, and that way you can keep the same implements.

That's my opinion, your mileage may vary. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[chrisjbell]

<font color="blue"> How likely is it that implements purchased for a smaller tractor would have to be replaced for a larger tractor? Which implements are most likely to require replacement, i.e. which implements need to be closely sized to the tractor? </font>

Excellent questions, there. I sure wish I'd known about this forum before I bought my tractor five years ago. Here's my situation...

I'm on 10 acres (just above you in the lower foothills) and have a Kubota B7300. Great tractor - don't know what I'd do without it. But a bigger one would be nice.

So as far as implements go, I could probably use all of them on a larger machine - the question with 3 point implements is the hitch size, which for pretty much any CUT is going to be Category 1 (I think the really small ones may use Cat 0, and the larger ones might handle Cat 2 but the majority will be Cat 1).

So given that, I could probably use all of my current 3 PT attachments. BUT...I have 48" attachments (brush hog, blade, etc.) right now. Get a bigger tractor and I'll want a 60" 'hog - but the 48" would still work. With a wider wheelbase, my 48" blade won't cover the tire tracks, so I'll want a new one of those. But my ripper will work just fine on a larger machine.

My Woods backhoe can probably go on a larger tractor with no problem, though, and since my current machine is probably on the small size for the 'hoe a larger tractor would work a bit better for that implement (which is by far and away my most expensive investment). The FEL wouldn't work for me unless I only stepped up a very small amount in size, which wouldn't make $$$ sense.

<font color="blue"> Given that tractors have excellent resale value, do implements tend to keep their value as well? Can the the money spent on a bunch of smaller implements be recouped towards the purchase of larger ones?
</font>

One note about resale value...I'd be cautious about the "grey market" tractors maintaining their value as well as the more established brands. I could be wrong on this (some folks really like those machines), but sticking to the "big brands" makes a lot of sense to me.

I don't really know much about trading tractors and implements in. I'd also appreciate some information on that subject (Oh, NO! I'm getting New Tractor Fever /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif!). To be honest, though, I think what I'll wind up doing is keeping my B7300 and getting another tractor - I don't think you can have too many /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

Actually, one of the main motivations for that would be to avoid having to change implements as often. That is really not a fun task (you can search for threads with "!@$#!" in the text and get an earfull /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif). On the other hand, they are pricey beasts - but so much fun!

...Chris