Buying Advice About to buy, advice and sanity check requested (includes prices)

   / About to buy, advice and sanity check requested (includes prices) #1  

dkair

Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
Messages
41
Location
Central, MN
Tractor
Kioti CK35 HST
Hello,

New member here, but have lurked for the last year and really appreciate the expertise on this site. My wife and I have a small but growing farm in Minnesota. We're looking for a tractor to help with:

Mowing brush and 5 acre pasture
Working 2 acre market garden
Grading and maintaining driveway
Carrying soil, rocks and such
Pulling logs from woods
Moving snow
Small food plot planting

We've been getting by with an ATV, garden tractor and various standalone machines. We're about to take back over our 5 acre pasture which is pushing me over the line of where I think we need a compact tractor to help around here. I started by first looking at used compact tractors, but there's just not many out there. I have visited various dealers, including Kubota, JD, Case (Farmall), McCormick and Kioti. At this point I am about ready to pull the trigger on a Kioti. JD, Kubota and Case were about $10,000 more for a similarly equipped machine. McCormick was nice, but the Kioti dealership is much closer, has a great reputation, ergonomics are good for me and a good friend of mine is a mechanic at the dealer.

I am debating the CK30 vs. CK35 with Hydrostatic and Loader. Here's where I am at with pricing:
CK30 $15,900
CK35 $16,900
Free delivery and filter kit for 50 Hr. service

Add block heater and rear remote $300
Brush mower with slip clutch $1950

I am also thinking of asking for a rear work light and bucket hooks (maybe d-rings?) to be added for the price above. How do these prices look? Anything else I should consider? I called the next nearest deal about 160 miles from me and his prices were pretty much the same. I know it is "just" $1K, but I am thinking the CK30 would be enough machine. Am I being shortsighted?

Also, Kioti dealer has a 2010 (I think) new Bobcat 30 HP tractor. Paint is faded in spots and there is some rust on various spots, including loader arms. Dealer says he would have these sanded, primed and painted under warranty and would let this tractor go for $14,900. Considering it has sat for a while, the paint issues and the one year shorter warranty I don't think I'll go this route.

Thanks all for your time,
DK
 
   / About to buy, advice and sanity check requested (includes prices) #2  
1st Welcome to TBN. The Kioti is a good choice and better prices. Did you price a DK 35? Have them throw in the rear light( 48.00) and bucket hooks. Are you thinking of buying a tiller? You would need a rear shredder and a box blade.
 
   / About to buy, advice and sanity check requested (includes prices)
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Thanks for the reply, Murph! I have learned a lot from many of your posts already. I definitely like the prices of the Kioti since the CK35 is at the top end of my cash budget (and my wife's blessing) right now. Good call on the hooks and light, I think I can make this work. We are thinking of buying a tiller, but the dealer rents almost everything he sells so we'd like to try before we buy. Maybe I negotiate a rental credit...

I did not price a DK35. I was originally looking at the DKs but it is more tractor than I need and the size of the CK will fit better for the various work and trails we have for it. Also, I didn't think that Kioti still made a DK35.

Thanks again,
DK
 
   / About to buy, advice and sanity check requested (includes prices) #4  
$1000 for five HP more sounds like a great deal. Are they different size and weight tractors or just different engine adjustments on the same sized block? Look at the capacities of the loader and the 3PH to see if the 35HP machine can lift or handle more weight then the thirty. More horse power makes little difference if the hydraulic pump and relief settings ( and overall weight of the tractor) are the same on both machines.
 
   / About to buy, advice and sanity check requested (includes prices) #5  
:welcome: to TBN!

Take the CK 35, then ask him/her to split the difference at $500 each. Then get a second rear remote and loaded rear tires with the extra cash. Definately get the work lights and bucket hooks.
 
   / About to buy, advice and sanity check requested (includes prices) #6  
Thanks for the reply, Murph! I have learned a lot from many of your posts already. I definitely like the prices of the Kioti since the CK35 is at the top end of my cash budget (and my wife's blessing) right now. Good call on the hooks and light, I think I can make this work. We are thinking of buying a tiller, but the dealer rents almost everything he sells so we'd like to try before we buy. Maybe I negotiate a rental credit...

I did not price a DK35. I was originally looking at the DKs but it is more tractor than I need and the size of the CK will fit better for the various work and trails we have for it. Also, I didn't think that Kioti still made a DK35.

Thanks again,
DK
The DK35 is still listed on their site, but is at the bottom of the list. It's also 20HP more than what you are currently looking at.

If I were in your shoes, and the wife ok'ed the purchase, I would have the CK35 HST in my yard by weeks end, with 2 rear remotes, bucket hooks, rear lights and loaded rear tires.:thumbsup:
 
   / About to buy, advice and sanity check requested (includes prices)
  • Thread Starter
#7  
$1000 for five HP more sounds like a great deal. Are they different size and weight tractors or just different engine adjustments on the same sized block? Look at the capacities of the loader and the 3PH to see if the 35HP machine can lift or handle more weight then the thirty. More horse power makes little difference if the hydraulic pump and relief settings ( and overall weight of the tractor) are the same on both machines.

Different engine adjustments, I believe. Published specs for the loader and 3PH are the same for the CK30 and CK35. I am assuming the big advantage of the extra HP would be the extra 4.5 HP at the PTO.
 
   / About to buy, advice and sanity check requested (includes prices) #8  
Different engine adjustments, I believe. Published specs for the loader and 3PH are the same for the CK30 and CK35. I am assuming the big advantage of the extra HP would be the extra 4.5 HP at the PTO.
That will get you 1 extra foot of brush hog width(@ 5HP per foot), which will cut down on mowing time.
 
   / About to buy, advice and sanity check requested (includes prices) #9  
Different engine adjustments, I believe. Published specs for the loader and 3PH are the same for the CK30 and CK35. I am assuming the big advantage of the extra HP would be the extra 4.5 HP at the PTO.

Are there implements you plan to use in the future that need that HP? As Dkair points out you can run a wider cutter with more HP etc. But with the compact size of your operation will more then you need pay for itself?
(I'm beginning to sound like a wife here! :ashamed:)
 
   / About to buy, advice and sanity check requested (includes prices) #10  
Going with the HST, go with the CK35. You will NEVER want for power. The CK30HST can be marginal at times. Get the 2nd rear remote with the float function, or preferable both with the float function if they will do it. :cool: This is an option for the CK series tractors. You won't be sorry.

Are you able to start getting implements at this time, or are you waiting a bit?
 
 
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