Newbie Question On buying a tractor

[jackqm]

I have been looking around for a small tractor, I am guessing around 30-40 HP. FEL is a must. backhoe maybe.
We have 38 Acres that we "play' with, nothing major, but would like to harrow it and so on.

I looked at the John Deere, seems kinda pricey. Looked at a kioti and a century. They look nice but dont know anything about them. Then I find the KAMA line and they seem priced right but again know NOTHING about that line at all.

The KAMA would have to be shpped to me as I dont have a dealer any where close to me.
I also spotted a Jinma?

Need some help from users of these tractors, the KAMA price is really appealing but since I have not been able to see one in person I am a little leary of what I maybe buying!
Thanks so much!
Jack

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Jack, do yourself a favor and sit in a lot of seats before you buy. There are some folks who buy long distance, others advocate buying local. I'm one who advocates buying local, and that is doubly true for my advice to anyone who knows relatively little about tractors. The reason I suggest buying local is for the dealer support that you can get, you may end up not needing support, or you may need a lot of it, and that can be true with any brand. Personally I will only buy from a high quality dealer who can support me with parts & service, I want a dealer who will teach me how to use my tractor (by that I mean spend a couple hours at my house going over it on my property), I want a dealer with factory trained or certified repair technicians, I want a dealer with a great reputation for service & support in my community, I want a dealer with a well stocked parts department. Basically, if I break one of my toys (and I will deny that term in front of the lovely Mrs_Bob) then I want a dealer who will come to my property to bail me out of trouble. Every brand has good and every brand has bad dealers.

As for pricing, it is very regional but there are lower priced and higher priced tractors. For the most part they are divided between the two by features, but there are some modestly priced machines that are full featured machines. To some degree you also pay more for established parts networks, etc. That may mean something to you, or it may be nothing. I'm willing to pay for support. But I also press my dealers hard on the price because I won't overpay for anything.

My strongest advice is to try as many tractors as you can try! I said that when I started my reply, I'm saying it again. You won't even begin to have an idea what you like until you do that. Despite the fact that price is an issue, I'd also suggest you take a very strong look at HST (hydrostatic) transmissions as they are much easier to use for new operators. For 38 acres, I'd be looking at a 40-to-45hp tractor.

 

[Egon]

Look at your mechanical skills, equate this to availability of parts and dealer service and go from there.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Soundguy]

Egon and Bob gave you top notch advice. Think about parts and dealer availability. While you may get a parts warranty.. obviously the wrench turning is going to fall on you if you buy long distance.. for instance on the KAMA and jinma. Also.. keep in mind that the asian units are value/economy priced, and that generally reflects differences in materials and workmansip, or 'finish' appearance in comparison to the big '3'. For instance.. looking at a NH TC30 and a jinma 354.. there's a big$$ difference. Look at 'total cost of ownership'. If you want to do the white glove, drive and park it, and check the oil, but not much more.. think long and hard.

I paid more for my NH tractor.. but I can drive across town and pick up many parts same day, and many more next day, not to mention dealer service if I need it. Cost way more than an asain unit.. but I paid for service and piece of mind, and I reasonably believe my dealer is going to be here for years to come.. same with my tractor.

On the flip side.. using a tractor for 'hobby' instead of 'comercial', does change things a bit... You generally don't work them as hard or as long, and if it sets 'down' for a few days while your dealer sends you a hose or an oring/ bearing, etc.. it won't kill ya...

Soundguy

 

[rcrcomputing]

I like my kioti. Course, I've no knowlege of anything else. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I'd go with something bigger than my ck30 if I had that many acres. I'd also consider hst a must. My dealer rocks.

But,,, if I were shopping, I'd look at tractors with a gas nozzle that's more convienant than on top of the tractor. PITA

I'd also look for one with a few more places to strategicaly mount more tools boxes, or pvc pipes etc to carry stuff.

It's funny the things that count after you buy a tractor that you didn't even consider before hand..

Get a top and tilt, backhoe, toothbar, box blade, brush hog, landscape rake with guage wheels, and hooks on the bucket when you buy. Oh yeah, a grade 70 - 5/16" chain to. And plastic wire tie the fel pins if you work in the woods.

Course with all this, a John Deere, or new holland flew right out of my budget. I was simply out of money, but have not regretted my decision to get a kioti. Heck, oil filters from the dealer are only like $6.39. It starts easy every time and runs great. Course, it'd be nice if at least one person I told about it had heard of it.. hehe

 

[jackqm]

Thanks for the adivce on the tractors.
I am not afraid to work on stuff, in fact right out of high school I worked for a local tractor company for a summer turning wrenches... So that part does not scare me at all.

Here is my dellima, I am in a very rural part of Oregon, not much selection of smaller tractors around. There is a dealer that has Kioti, Zetor and Century, but none in stock. The other dealer has John Deere (1 in stock) and the other has massey ferg, (2 tiny tractors). I made a road trip and looked at NH the other day, but the dealer sucked.

Since no matter what I buy besides a JD I am going to have problems getting any kind of real dealer service here.
I am seriously considering one of the asian tractors, the closest dealer to me is like 3 hours away and caries the farm pro line with koyker loaders. The other dealer (about 5 hours away) has the Jimna line with some unknown loader (this would be Keno Tractors). Today I also looked into the Mahindrah (sp) line and they look real nice also, but again the nearest dealer for them is 2 hours away.

Here is what I plan on doing with the tractor, since the 37 acres is mainly pasture that we rent twice a year to a local rancher we do not need to cut it or anything (cows do a real nice job of that). But would like to harrow it after the cows leave and also do some landscpaing around the house some and just odd jobs here and there. I have ran tracotrs quite a bit and have decided I must have the backhoe on it as I tend to use them alot.
So there you have it... For the use the tractor is going to get and the fact I am not afraid to get my hands dirty, the chinese tractors are looking more appealing all the time.

Dont get me wrong, I would LOVE to go buy the John deere I looked at, what a sweet machine, but I just cant justify that kind of money for something I will not use every day, or even at times once a week.

Thanks again, is there any brand of chinese tractor to watch out for or particular model...
ALso excuse any typos, it is late and my eyes are tired so doing this by brail!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[RedRocker]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(
But,,, if I were shopping, I'd look at tractors with a gas nozzle that's more convienant than on top of the tractor. PITA

I can't argue with that, but for 4K I'll deal with it.

I'd also look for one with a few more places to strategicaly mount more tools boxes, or pvc pipes etc to carry stuff.

I built a bigger box to replace the "thing" behind the seat and another for the dash on the FEL crossmember.

Course, it'd be nice if at least one person I told about it had heard of it.. hehe

Hey, I've heard of it. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif


)</font>

 

[rcrcomputing]

Rocker,
</font><font color="blue" class="small">(
I built a bigger box to replace the "thing" behind the seat and another for the dash on the FEL crossmember.

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You have a picture? I'll try to take some of mine too...

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( closest dealer to me is like 3 hours away and caries the farm pro line with koyker loaders. The other dealer (about 5 hours away) has the Jimna line with some unknown loader )</font>

Farm pro is a branded jinma. The 'unknown' fel, may simply be the jinma brand loader.

Any chance you have others to look at.. like eicher, branson, etc.

Test drive a few.. and see where your deal comes on the backhoe.. they are pricey.

Soundguy

 

[jackqm]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(

Farm pro is a branded jinma. The 'unknown' fel, may simply be the jinma brand loader.

Any chance you have others to look at.. like eicher, branson, etc.

Test drive a few.. and see where your deal comes on the backhoe.. they are pricey.

Soundguy )</font>

Learn somthing new everyday, did not know that about the farmpro, that is nice to know!

Here is a link to the jimna with the unknown FEL Keno tractors
The FEL does not look very beefy to me, but maybe adequate for that tractor?

I am going to look at branson soon, there is a dealer a couple hours from me.
Jack