Buying Advice It keeps getting bigger and more expensive...help!

[Bluegill2]

6 acre lawn and 6 acres grown up. **** a MX510 is way more tractor than you need! But if that's what you want then it is fine and will work for you. We have 400 acres here, use a L3800DT and love it!

[dstacy]

Dan,
I also live in Houston and have a place up in Centerville. Just trust me. Seriously, take a chance and just trust me. Buy a tractor twice as big as you think you need. It still won't be big enough but it will be close. 1,000 pound lift capacity is nothing.

[Dan62]

Wow. Just back from Denver where I made my first post - sweet weather! All great comments and I have decided to look at serviceability first. There is a New Holland and kubota dealer in Livingston. Nearest JD dealership is 50 miles. I have settled on Kubota. I could probably do 90% of what I need to no with an L3800. Fencing, Gravel Drive Maint., Mowing etc. The weakness is the FEL and I know myself. I would harbor terrible remorse if I bought a tractor that would not lift a pallet of rock or dry pallet of sod which I do from time to time. I like the power and compact size along with the FEL capacity of the MX5100 over the more maneuverable L3800. I also like the fact that it is a tier 3 emissions unit for now. I am usually on a deer lease somewhere and as soon as my son is a little older I will be back on in east Texas or down in South Texas where a tractor is handy. My neighbor collects tractors and my daughter is a tom-boy - Pictured on the old JD. The land last the shoreline for 900 feet is the land I plan to clear and the grass in the last pic is what I may run over from time to time on a few acres. All in on the financing deal with Quick attach FEL, 6ft Hog, Box blade and auger is 32,700 drive out. grand off for cash. I have a dealer in Houston checking for honesty in pricing.

[the old grind]

IMO too, a tractor that's big enough to do the serious work you have in mind would make a mess of that nice lawn, so I'd urge a separate machine to mow with to avoid a regrettable consequence of a rutted lawn or other work left undone. Since your young'uns will likely grow into the tractor all too soon, I'd suggest but wouldn't insist on getting an HST vs gear transmission. You'd appreciate it any time you use the FEL. Does your car have a M/T? Same reasons apply. (good for resale too, if you re-sell or trade up down the road)

Tidying-up that shoreline may demand some serious HP, and I doubt that 40-some would seem too much once you get going. Brand preference is personal, but getting you into the right size would be what we'd do most to guide you. I wouldn't go smaller than the L3800 for any reason, and the MX5100 doesn't seem too big. R-3s would spare the lawn when passing over it, but R-4s are a lot tougher when the going gets rough, due to their more robust carcasses. I just made the switch and have no regrets after logging several hours on 'em. My lawn doesn't seem to mind, either. If you ballast them, be sure you get Rimguard and not the corrosive chloride alternative.

btw: Be sure you compare prices with 0% financing vs cash price or if financed elsewhere. All too often you're just paying extra up front for that 0% deal. My new NH was <$20k, but would have been another $1500 if I'd gone with that. My CU gave me a 3.1% loan on a pledge of shares, and I'll save some of that by paying the balance down if/when i have the extra $$. At 0% there would have been nothing to save once they had my $$.

[Dan62]

Thanks-I have an Xmark zero turn for the yard. The land from the shoreline to the road is what I'm clearing-about 500 ft deep. The cost of 0% money versus cash is a grand. Not bad over 60 moths. That's .61% per year to use their money. No brainer there. I may buy after market attachments and pay cash. Another dealer is competing for the deal in Houston. The dealer I previously spoke to is half way between Houston and Livingston. The Livingston Dealer does not seem to want to deal. It's a smaller dealer but would offer good service. Interesting about the tires. That's a dilemma. One dealer said use water in them because 20 years before rust. I didn't like that. I'm going to ride out and look again today. They both have the machine in stock.

[MtnViewRanch]

Dan, before you make your tractor decision, take a good look at what all you want to get done with it and what attachments-implements you will need to get said work done. Then also think about the time frame. An extreme example is your lawn, you could if you really wanted to and HAD THE TIME mow it with a 22" push mower. But in reality it sure would be nice to mow it with a 72" or 84" mower that you drove. Well, the same principle applies to every task that you want to do.

You have kids, do you spend time with them, or out pushing that lawn mower?

I personally would go with the largest equipment that I could afford and that would work comfortably on your property.

One last word, for what it looks like you need to do, do yourself a favor and DO NOT get anything that will not lift at a minimum or 2000lbs with the loader and something closer to 2500lbs would be that much better.

Good luck.

[Beltman60]

My two cents

Buy the bigger tractor
keep the tires unloaded
buy a big ballast and hang it off the 3pt
get the extra remote before you take possession of the tractor (look into 2)

Now when you are going to use the fel to the max you put the ballast on the back and other times of use your not carrying around the extra weight

and that's only if you can afford it

[Dr_Zinj]

Get the tractor that will do the heaviest work that needs doing, then mow the lawn with a lawn mower.

Bruce

What Bruce says.

[ssls6]

Hi- This is my first post but I have been reading for days. Great education. I have 6 acres on a lake that I do landscaping and upkeep. Covered with St. Augustine and irrigated. I have 6 acres adjacent that I plan to clear over time and develop. I want to buy some acreage in the area. I have 3 kids under 7 and live in Houston and spent 2-3 days per week at the lake. I do not like asking my neighbor to brush hog or lift things all the time with his small farmtrac and want my own tractor. I'm a lawyer(don't hang up)who prefers the country and lake over Houston. I first looked at the L3200 and L3800. Great machines but have concerns. The lift capacity on my neighbor's loader is not enough sometimes and those seem to be comparable - about 1,000 pounds. I am looking at the MX5100. I am close to pulling the trigger when farmtrac neighbor said "that's way to much tractor." I need an auger, brush hog, box blade, loader and would like to grapple when I clear the land next year. The 0 % is attractive. I am ready to buy. The local dealer has both machines. I thought the r3 tires to save the grass and water or rim guard for the loader. I don't know if I should get the third valve now or defer to when I buy a grapple. Any advice or comments would be very appreciated. Thanks!

Your situation is like mine. Bite the bullet and get two tractors. One for the yard and one for the extra land. The MX5100 and a BX or similar.

[vpracer]

I have a little land up outside of Centerville myself and live in Houston. I agree with all the post regarding size, go bigger than you think. I recently sold my little kubota (L3200) and upgraded to a M7040. The smaller tractor would barely lift half a pallet of rock. Now I know the 7040 is way more than you need but I'm happy. I'd get all the 2 rear remotes and the 3rd function done at the dealer before hand. You can find some implements cheaper but my dealer offered a fair price and delivered it all at once. I got a 10' land pride shredder, a post hole digger, an Armstrong ag box blade and I have since added a disk and a harrow to the mix. Oh, I did order a nice grapple on line from wildkat attachments and had it dropped shipped to Houston for less than a grand.

Make sure you call Kenneth at Normangee Tractor and do another price check. They beat every deal I had going.

Good luck