Looking for Advice

[Kozmo38]

I have been researching compact and sub compact tractors for a couple of weeks. Having never been in the market before, I am not sure which direction to go.

It will be responsible for a 6 acre yard, light some brush hogging(former pasture converting to yard) a 4 acre yard and snow plowing, in SW PA.

I need to stay at 30 hp or lower since my wife and mother in law will also be using it.

I am currently looking at:

TZ24DA
MF1428
CC7284
B7800
TC30

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[To20Chris]

Welcome to TBN! How big a deck and brush hog did you plan to get? Were you looking at a mid mount mower or a rear finish mower?

[Kozmo38]

I already have a 6' hog and am looking at a 5' rear mount finish mower. I am not against buying a new hog though as I know that the 24's will not handle the size of hog that I have.

[Charlie_in_TX]

I will not recomend or knock any of the tractors you are looking at. I will make some recomendations. I always recomend HST for mowing. If the ladies will be using it, don't waste your money on anything else. Get a FEL, you won't regret it. I would also stay under 30hp, I wouldn't be scarred of a 22hp but would probably get a 25er.

As far as tractor to buy, pick the best dealer and by what he sells. The dealer should make you comfy that he knows what he is doing, his shop should be neat and orderly (don't expect spotless they are working on tractors). All the maintainence part (mostly filters) should be stocked. And for me, I like a salesman that uses that brand and can tell you the good without knocking anyone elses offering.

[Gatorboy]

<font color="blue"> I need to stay at 30 hp or lower since my wife and mother in law will also be using it. </font>

Is this some new rule? I have not heard that wives and mother-in-law's can't run anything over 30 HP. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[To20Chris]

I'm thinking you should keep the 6' hog if it is in good shape, and provided you won't have a lot of stuff to go around/between. That's enough land to take up a bunch of time if you will be cutting it on a regular basis, so maybe look for something that will pull it. I'd be looking at the TC30 (that is if for some reason I could not have a Kioti [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img])

[To20Chris]

Wives can drive anything - mother in laws are limited by law to 30hp. And no spinning blades! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[jwstewar]

You have listed the NH TZ24DA and the NH TC30. Any particular reason you missed the Class 1 "D" models? You might want to consider looking at a TC21 or 24DA. A little bit larger then the TZ line. A little smaller then the TC30, but it has the new curved hood and curved loader arms, not to mention the loader will have more capacity then the 7308 on the TC30. But again this is if you are happy with the NH dealer.

[Kozmo38]

There were not any of those at my local dealer. They were really pushing the TZ and the TC30 when we were there. How do they compare price wise?

[jwstewar]

When I priced/purchased mine, the 24 was something around 1000 less then the TC30 - I think. It came out pretty close price wise, but the 24 was the cheaper of the two. I ended up with the 24 based upon size. Primary use was mowing and the 24 fit the bill a little bit better even though the 30 would've run a larger deck.