Buying Advice New small land owner.. what do I need?
- Thread starter makey98
- Start date
Tractor Seabee
Elite Member
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2011
- Messages
- 3,900
- Tractor
- Kubota BX25
After looking at used tractor for a year (probably 50 tractors) I found: 1. Low hour CUTS and SCUTS in good condition were selling for only 10-15% less than new ones. 2. Used equipment is impossible for the homeowner to finance. 3. Implements were priced same way as tractors, no real savings on used. 4. There are a lot of poorly maintained tractors and implements even among the low hour used ones. 5. Off brand imports with no local dealer support are difficult to impossible to get parts and/or service and tend to break down more (good, I guess, if you like to tinker and time is no issue).
I started looking at new tractors seriously. Found several dealers that did not seem to care about me and my uses wanted to sell what was on their lots the longest, one main shops with huge backlog, small parts department or virtually non-existent, sales people with the used car salesman approach.
As we have many dealers (several of many brands) within 40 miles I explored the internet first and zeroed on 3 brands to consider. All offered $0 down, 0% interest, and 5 year contract. Settled on two things; dealer to buy from and dealer to spend my service and parts dollars at. Bought based on price at the closest Kubota dealer (15 miles away). After the first warranty repair fiasco; that ruined 2 months of precious summer work time screwing with their overloaded and inept service department, put them on my S***t list.
I bought a 2011 BX 25 with brush hog, box blade, rototiller, clamp on pallet forks at $400/month. Wasn't sure I needed the back hoe but was glad afterward I had it, found a lot of things to use it for. I since made and bought more implements. Now have 1500 hours on it and am real pleased. Minimal problems and super operational experience. I do all mechanical work not needing special tools or training myself. Has not been in a dealer shop since new except for a causality in my forest that KTAC paid for. The Workshop manual has been my bible plus my chosen dealer shops service manager/shop foreman (very helpful).
LOL their are a lot of excellent tractors out there. I just did not luck out on the used cherry I was looking far; but am a happy camper.
Ron
I started looking at new tractors seriously. Found several dealers that did not seem to care about me and my uses wanted to sell what was on their lots the longest, one main shops with huge backlog, small parts department or virtually non-existent, sales people with the used car salesman approach.
As we have many dealers (several of many brands) within 40 miles I explored the internet first and zeroed on 3 brands to consider. All offered $0 down, 0% interest, and 5 year contract. Settled on two things; dealer to buy from and dealer to spend my service and parts dollars at. Bought based on price at the closest Kubota dealer (15 miles away). After the first warranty repair fiasco; that ruined 2 months of precious summer work time screwing with their overloaded and inept service department, put them on my S***t list.
I bought a 2011 BX 25 with brush hog, box blade, rototiller, clamp on pallet forks at $400/month. Wasn't sure I needed the back hoe but was glad afterward I had it, found a lot of things to use it for. I since made and bought more implements. Now have 1500 hours on it and am real pleased. Minimal problems and super operational experience. I do all mechanical work not needing special tools or training myself. Has not been in a dealer shop since new except for a causality in my forest that KTAC paid for. The Workshop manual has been my bible plus my chosen dealer shops service manager/shop foreman (very helpful).
LOL their are a lot of excellent tractors out there. I just did not luck out on the used cherry I was looking far; but am a happy camper.
Ron
radioman
Super Member
with a long driveway - you are going to want to be able to angle the plow as needed esp with wet snow.
a tractor with a cab and heater will be just the same as having a truck. but a truck can be expensive to maintain after 5-10 years due to age. a tractor - if you are going to be spending money - pool it into one place and you are done for 10-20 years.
If you have the cash now to buy the things you listed - i would just bank that money for your tractor payments with all the things you need. right now kubota has a 1 percent financing for 5 years . this would be much easier then trying to piece several machines together and maintain them all.
TheMadOne
Platinum Member
Buy once cry once.
Weedeater figure about 200-300 for a good one. I just bought an Echo 225i. It's still shiny, but it won several contests and came very well reviewed. I've put about 3 hours on it and it hasn't complained once.
Chainsaw...you should really have 2(or three). A larger "felling" saw with a 20+inch bar and a smaller "bucking" saw with a 12-16 inch bar. I also like having a good battery saw for cleaning up the occasional limb without it turning into a production. Sthil, Echo, and Husqvarna all make good saws. Avoid names like Homelite, Poulin, Craftsman, etc. Some of them used to be excellent, but have sold out and now mostly sell "consumer" quality junk. The big three also make cheaper stuff, so be sure to read reviews and troll the forums.
MESSMAKER
Veteran Member
Get a good zero turn. I mean a good one for 4-5 acres.Plan on 6-8 thousand dollars.Post above is correct about a weedeater. Echo.Stihl or Husqvarna all make good ones.I think you can get by with one good chainsaw. Just get one that will power a 20" bar. It will probably cost around $450. Same mfg as weedeaters is where I would look first. Get the rough parts taken care of by renting a rough cut mower or someone to do it. Not sure on the snow problem.
coldsteelva
Veteran Member
now mostly sell "consumer" <deleted> junk.
TheMadOne
Platinum Member
I've never seen my father as upset as he was trying to start a Poulin saw. He got so frustrated he threw it. Shot-putted the thing several yards.
He got his old 015 fixed and junked that POS.
void777
Gold Member
Welcome to TBN
dodge man
Super Star Member
I was in the same boat, I own 3 acres and went with a cheap ($1500) riding mower. It lasted 3 years, I kept breaking deck spindles and the steering was shot. I then stepped up to a lower dollar John Deere riding mower. Better, it was holding up better, but still not the right tool for the job. I can't tell you how much gravel and dirt I moved around and dug with a shovel and one of those tow behind wagons. I ended up getting a BX2350 which is considered a SCUT. Its the right tool for me, perfect size and fit. I have a rear blade that works for most snow falls. (My driveway is almost 600 feet long.) I also have an end loader and a 60" mid mount mower. Its the perfect size for most acreage your size, but if your buying new, your looking at 15k or more.