Buying Advice Buy new Branson, LS, or Massey VERSUS used Case55, NH-TN65, or Kubota M5700

[FMFProperties]

Hello ! I'm new here but have been reading the forum for a while in order to get a feel for how to post and reply. There was an old thread many years old that I posted on but thought since it's so old people won;t see my post after almost 15 years since the last post. I'm looking for suggestions regarding the new tractors and the used old faithfuls..

I currently have a Massey 1533 with FEL 4x4 and 476 hours. My property is flat sandy loam soil with Coastal Bermuda for hay plus I have a private grass runway I need to keep mowed. My dad died of cancer a couple of years ago and my mom has beat cancer about 4 times but still ticking away so my girlfriend is worried that the Texas sun is going to give me skin cancer. I know that when I go out there even with a white long sleeve shirt and a big hat I still come in black after a long summer day on the tractor, plus all the flying sand and grass sticks to the sunblock lotion she makes me apply, LOL.

So she has me looking for a cab tractor and I'm down to choosing between the following, all 4x4 with rear remotes :

Case IH Farmall 55 $24,500 661 hours 55hp Serial # 456 QT loader w/QT bucket, Additional front remote hydro for 3rd function

New Holland TN65D $21,990 2944 hours 65hp Serial # 1309788 New Holland Self-Leveling QT loader w/QT bucket

kubota M5700DT $22,990 1136 hours 61hp Serial # 52821 Regular bucket connector (4 bolts )

So I could also consider buying a smaller new one (max budget was $20,000 so I'm stretching already but willing) but new are expensive. Cheapest I found was this but before summer so I might have to update the prices a little:

LS XR4140C $26,258
Branson 4520C $26,300
Massey 1736C $28,500

but then I hear the stories about the new electronics and EPA and you need a computer engineering degree if you want to find why the horn isn't working, etc.....

Please help !

 

[oldnslo]

Can you just put a sun shade on the tractor you have. Unless you get UV blocking windows on the cab you are still going to be getting some sun on your arms. I know this won't stop the dirt but a whole lot less $$$ than a new tractor.

 

[LouNY]

Hello ! I'm new here but have been reading the forum for a while in order to get a feel for how to post and reply. There was an old thread many years old that I posted on but thought since it's so old people won;t see my post after almost 15 years since the last post. I'm looking for suggestions regarding the new tractors and the used old faithfuls..

I currently have a Massey 1533 with FEL 4x4 and 476 hours. My property is flat sandy loam soil with Coastal Bermuda for hay plus I have a private grass runway I need to keep mowed. My dad died of cancer a couple of years ago and my mom has beat cancer about 4 times but still ticking away so my girlfriend is worried that the Texas sun is going to give me skin cancer. I know that when I go out there even with a white long sleeve shirt and a big hat I still come in black after a long summer day on the tractor, plus all the flying sand and grass sticks to the sunblock lotion she makes me apply, LOL.

So she has me looking for a cab tractor and I'm down to choosing between the following, all 4x4 with rear remotes :

Case IH Farmall 55 $24,500 661 hours 55hp Serial # 456 QT loader w/QT bucket, Additional front remote hydro for 3rd function

New Holland TN65D $21,990 2944 hours 65hp Serial # 1309788 New Holland Self-Leveling QT loader w/QT bucket

kubota M5700DT $22,990 1136 hours 61hp Serial # 52821 Regular bucket connector (4 bolts )

So I could also consider buying a smaller new one (max budget was $20,000 so I'm stretching already but willing) but new are expensive. Cheapest I found was this but before summer so I might have to update the prices a little:

LS XR4140C $26,258
Branson 4520C $26,300
Massey 1736C $28,500

but then I hear the stories about the new electronics and EPA and you need a computer engineering degree if you want to find why the horn isn't working, etc.....

Please help !

Of what you have listed my first choice would be the NH TN65D (depending on the condition) then the Branson 4520C

 

[Rock Crawler]

Id say that of the used options, I would go Kubota. Of the new options I would go Massey.

You are in a 33HP unit now, is it under powered?

Other than your mentioned loader work and grass cutting, what else would buying a larger gain you in your activities? I'm a fellow that favors new, but the Kubota used one only has 1136 hours, so it should be good to go for a long long time and they are well regarded as being built like tanks with great long term reliability.

The LS/Branson brands do not scare me personally, but I just have a personal opinion that the MF is a bit higher quality. LS currently makes the LS branded as well as the Case and New Holland compacts. But I still trust MF more. Another personal thing... I personally don't get a good feeling about Branson because the dealer network is so sparse. The product may well be fine, but over here in the east there are very few dealers and not many farmers I know have even heard of them. This is green and orange country... no other colors show up on the radars of any full time farmers that I know.

 

[FMFProperties]

Thanks for the replies. Let me see if I can combine them into one post here.

Can you just put a sun shade on the tractor you have. Unless you get UV blocking windows on the cab you are still going to be getting some sun on your arms. I know this won't stop the dirt but a whole lot less $$$ than a new tractor.

I could put some UV blocking film on the windows and that would help plus the A/C makes 100 degree Texas heat bearable for mowing and disking long stretches at a time. I could also use it now when the cold weather comes around.

You are in a 33HP unit now, is it under powered?

...I just have a personal opinion that the MF is a bit higher quality. ... I personally don't get a good feeling about Branson because the dealer network is so sparse. The product may well be fine, but over here in the east there are very few dealers... .

I've found myself putting in low and 1st gear and 4x4 just to be able to drag 5 tires around and when disking because of the loose sandy loam. Also when mowing it has bogged down a couple of times so more horsepower would be welcomed.

Branson has lots of sales outlets but only 1 servicing dealer that I know of about an hour away.

I really like my Massey but there's only one sales and repair facility in practically all of East Texas and if they closed I'd be out of luck. Repairs take weeks (been there done that). Also the smaller Massey cab is uncomfortable, I'd have to go bigger than the one I was quoted which is already the most expensive of all options.

 

[WVH1977]

I believe the CASE 55 is a Shibaura built tractor. They are nice tractors. My 2005 New Holland is Shibaura built and has been a real good tractor to me. Have you test drove any of these tractors yet? I would definitely test drive all of them and see which one fits the best.

 

[Kentuckyfarmer]

As far as I know the new Branson's aren't computer controlled yet. My 2015 isn't. They do have a dpf on them but if it clogs up jerk it off and put a pipe in the space and continue on.

 

[FMFProperties]

As far as I know the new Branson's aren't computer controlled yet. My 2015 isn't. They do have a dpf on them but if it clogs up jerk it off and put a pipe in the space and continue on.

What's a DPF?


Edit: Disregard, I googled it. Thanks !

 

[FMFProperties]

I believe the CASE 55 is a Shibaura built tractor. They are nice tractors. My 2005 New Holland is Shibaura built and has been a real good tractor to me. Have you test drove any of these tractors yet? I would definitely test drive all of them and see which one fits the best.

I still haven't tested them. That's on the list I'm putting together so when I go over there I don't forget anything.

 

[FMFProperties]

Since dropping $25k for a used tractor that could go south the following week with no warranty is very scary, I've considered going with a new 4x2 and keeping my 4x4 Massey but I don't see any 4x2 new cab tractors. Seems like everything is 4x4 now.

Looks like if I'm going to bite the bullet with a new one I'm going to have to go visit the new equipment dealers and rethink this whole thing so it might come down to LS XR4140C (40hp) VERSUS Branson 4520C (47hp) so they're both a little bigger than my current Massey. The cab Massey is out of the running since the smallest cab Massey is pretty much the size of my current Massey and I felt the cab to be pretty tight (plus only 1 dealer in East Texas).