New buyer looking for advice (long)

   / New buyer looking for advice (long) #1  

TRex

New member
Joined
Oct 6, 2003
Messages
4
Location
Loudoun County VA
Tractor
Kubota 3300
Please forgive me for the lenght of this email. I am new to the tractor market. You guys seem to be a font of knowledge and I am quite lost in this maze.

I think I am in the market for a compact tractor to eventually work my entire 28 acre farm. Right now the majority of the land is being worked/maintained by a real farmer in exchange for grazing rights. The land consists of 6 acres of rolling pasture and farm land, 6 acres of woods (very steep) and 16 acres of bottom land with a large creek (25 foot wide 8" deep) cutting across it.

What I need the tractor to do now:
- Maintain a 2/10's of a mile driveway and about the same of farm access. (keep neat and plow snow)
- Move/pull felled trees
- Bush Hog about 3-5 acres
- Maybe some cultivation
- Move dirt and manure and do some landscaping

In the future - 5+ years I would like the option to take over maintenance/use of all of the land.

Here come the questions:
- Should I buy new or used?
- What size - should I buy what I need for today and repurchase when my needs change?
- It seems that after the first year or so tractors do not depreciate like cars - is this true?
- I have looked a Kubota and JD and spoken to a Kioti dealer. Are the Japanese brands that much better then the Korean?
- How important is the hydro transmission? Is the sliding gear transmission in the Kubota a good substitute?
- Am I crazy to think that with proper maintenance I can expect 20 plus years of service out of a new or nearly new tractor.

- Advice on a price: I have two tractors I am looking at right now - can anyone compare or contrast these units and tell me if the price is any good?

Kubota 3300, 1996 approximately 230 hours R4 tires and loader for about $12,800

JD 850, 1993 approximately 860 hours with a 72" bucket and a 6 foot bushhog for $10,200.
 
   / New buyer looking for advice (long) #2  
Trex,

You will get a lot of advice here I bet.

First question that popped into my mind was money.

If you indicate how much you can afford to pay for whatever you buy it may help you get advice that is most specific to your needs...

For example, I might want to suggest you buy a new tractor of a certain size, but if that were out of you price range it would not be helpful to suggest that...
 
   / New buyer looking for advice (long) #3  
Ok, here's my two cents. I do not know much about tractors, but from what I have learned on here I may be able to help. I hope I can. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Anywho, for your size property, would I be correct in suggesting a 35-40 HP machine? Also, since you mentioned pulling felled trees, cultivating, and doing loader work, maybe a tractor with shuttle shift would be the way to go. I have read that hydros arn't the best choice for pulling heavy things or working in the fields plowing for lengths of time. Geared transmissions seem to do better at the heavy stuff. I think it is quite reasonable to expect 20 years of service from a tractor. I know I would/do. I think the Korean are right on par with the Japanese tractors. Have you checked out Kioti? They are very nice Korean machines with a reasonable price! Here is the website: http://www.kiotitractors.com There are also a couple Kioti dealers here on TBN as well. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Again, I hope I was able to be of some help. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
   / New buyer looking for advice (long) #4  
Welcome to TBN! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I'm sure your questions will be answered shortly.

As Henro said, your ballpark budget information might be helpful for the folks with the experience to help you in your decision.
 
   / New buyer looking for advice (long)
  • Thread Starter
#5  
I think that I would top out at 15K but if I were to spend that much I would want something that would cover all the bases for now and in the future.

I did speak with a Kioti dealer and he seemed knowledgeable about his product and very positive about the quality. I would not expect the units to be as reliable as the Japanese models (using cars as a comparison) but it looked like I could buy a new Kioti for the price of a slightly used Kubota. Would you consider the Kioti under those conditions?
 
   / New buyer looking for advice (long) #6  
I think that it is important to get the different opinions that the members of TBM have to offer.

TRACTOR SIZE: I would certainly recommend starting at 30-35 hp (mid-sized compact?) and going up from there as your finances allow. A HEAVIER tractor would perform your defined tasks better than the lighter compact tractors (for Kubota tractors, this means avoid the lighter weight "B" series and look at the heavier 'L" series. I am not familiar enough with the other brands to suggest a particular series...).

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( How important is the hydro transmission? Is the sliding gear transmission in the Kubota a good substitute? )</font> DRIVE TRAIN COMMENTS: I would suggest that you consider a hydrostatic transmission and 4WD for your immediate needs that you have described. This configuration is much safer on hills. Keep in mind that a tractor's brakes are only on the rear two wheels; 4WD permits better pulling traction and better stopping resistance going down hills. I have never used a "shuttle shift" type transmission, but I understand they're in-between a gear drive and a hydrostatic drive transmission.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have looked a Kubota and JD and spoken to a Kioti dealer. Are the Japanese brands that much better then the Korean? )</font> There are a few loyal Kioti supporters on this site. I would not purchase one, however, as there does not seem to be adequate dealer support in my area. It seems like the Kioti dealership changes hands/locations every 3-5 years or so, which to me doesn't give a good feel for dealer support. DEALER SUPPORT: I feel that this is a critical area regardless of which "color" (brand) you decide to purchase. I am a big Kubota fan, but I would avoid purchasing a Kubota if I had to depend on one or two dealers that I've seen.

DEPRECIATION: I can only speak what I've learned shopping for Kubota tractors. For Kubotas purchased in the 1970s and 1980s (looking at the lighter weight "B" series) I heard frequent stories about individuals selling their tractors for nearly the original NEW purchase price; sometimes the used sales price was greater then the NEW purchase price. It seems that in the 1990s and 2000s that Kubota started changing models more often and offering new models more frequently than they did in the 1970s and 1980s. It is my OPINION that it is more difficult to sell a used Kubota now than it used to be (all of the 0% financing on new Kubotas have also hurt the used market and thus prices may be lower). </font><font color="blue" class="small">( It seems that after the first year or so tractors do not depreciate like cars - is this true? )</font> My bottom line OPINION is this: A new compact tractor will depreciate around $2000 as you drive it off the lot; if you keep the tractor in top shape, then its market value will stay $2000-$3000 less than a comparable NEW tractor. The price of the NEW tractor will determine the amount of depreciation or appreciation (if any) of your older tractor.

THE FUTURE: It sounds like your future needs may require a larger tractor. However, the mid-to-large compact tractor purchased now will handle your current needs and give you a great education about tractors in the process. You may find that the first tractor may be sufficient to handle the larger tasks, though a larger tractor will complete the tasks faster. It would not surprise me to find out that in 5-7 years down the road you purchased a larger tractor and KEPT your first tractor, as the compact tractors certainly have the advantage in some of the tasks you describe.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( - Am I crazy to think that with proper maintenance I can expect 20 plus years of service out of a new or nearly new tractor. )</font> Not at all, especially for a diesel tractor. I recently sold a small Kubota B7100 that I believe was a 1978 model, still in excellent shape and running strong with parts still available (though not necessarliy cheap).

Oh well, I'll stop now because this post is already longer than I intended. I'm sure that you'll get some good advice from TBN members, some of which I'm sure will go against my advice!

Kelvin
 
   / New buyer looking for advice (long) #7  
I've got 40 acres somewhat similar to yours. You need more than one machine, frankly. A lot of folks have spent time reading on this board, I will politely insert that I have spent a lot of time 'doing' in addition to reading.

Usually you have three 'zones' of your land which have different requirements:

1) Around the house and barn - you need a light manueverable tractor for mowing, gardening needs, pulling around a cart etc. I would recommend a lawn tractor for this duty. This eliminates the need for an expensive MMM on a larger tractor.

2) In the woods, in the barn - you need (or will feel the need for) a relatively narrow compact tractor with brush hog. Great for reclaiming land, moving very slowly through dense overgrowth. As an example, a kubota B7800 with hydro, 4wd is perfect for this duty. The loader on a machine this size is also perfect for manure and hay handling for a small herd.
3) The fields - here is where size and horsepower win hands down. Even a Kubota Grand L starts to feel small if you are trying to mow 10+ acres, even more so if you want to farm it for hay or any other crop. For this you need a 40+hp utility tractor, 2wd.

So here is what I would suggest (I have 3 tractors) First, if you dont have one already- get a decent lawn tractor for around the house. Trying to mow the 'house lawn' with a large compact is frustrating - and it will leave dents in the lawn if the tractor is big enough to do the other things you need.

Second, buy a used large compact with loader. Hydro is a definate plus, but with budget constraints and all you may be forced into a gear drive. I would suggest staying with the top brands for long term parts avail. You will find that older compacts tend to be small and light, so try not to get older than the late 80s. A perfect tractor to look for (I think) would be a Ford-NewHolland 2120 or 1920 - these are heavy built big compacts that still have great parts support. In the Kubota line an older L3000 or L2350 might be comparable. I dont know what is comparable in older Deere - perhaps the 950 or 955, and 1050 etc. I think the 850 is too small for what you need to accomplish.

Finally, if the day comes that you really want to tackle all the land - buy a used utility tractor like a Massey 135 for about 6 grand. It will require a bit of work now and then, but heck - you will have a backup tractor to tow it in if it breaks.

Have fun, be safe, and take your time shopping. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
   / New buyer looking for advice (long)
  • Thread Starter
#8  
I want to thank everyone for the time put into providing me with this great advice. I can't wait to take the part about the need for three tractors to my wife but I think I was almost there anyway (at least for the first 2 tractors). I guess what I am hearing is to stay away from the sub 25HP category and stick with a brand name with good local service.

Follow-up Questions:
- If you could purchase a new Kioti for about the same as a gently used Kub or JD (with no warranty) would you do it? The Kioti dealer is much smaller but has a long positive local reputation.

Thanks!
 
   / New buyer looking for advice (long) #9  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">(

Follow-up Questions:
- If you could purchase a new Kioti for about the same as a gently used Kub or JD (with no warranty) would you do it? The Kioti dealer is much smaller but has a long positive local reputation.

Thanks! )</font>


Without a doubt, I would!!!

RedDog <font color="orange"> Kioti DK65 </font>
 
   / New buyer looking for advice (long) #10  
<font color="red">"If you could purchase a new Kioti for about the same as a gently used Kub or JD (with no warranty) would you do it?" </font>

In a heartbeat.
 
 
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