Tractor Sizing Beginner needs some advice on size and implements!

[Nathan_OR]

Hey Nathan,

I have a John Deere 2320 and handle all of the tasks you have been doing or want to do. It's a great size machine for my needs. I have 6 acres of property in Florida. Have stalls to muck out, pastures to knock down, fencing to do and already done, old heavy growth that has been cleared and boxblades and now seeded to grass, driveway to maintain, and much landscaping to be doe around the house. I have box blade, landscape rake, LX 5 rotary mower, post hole digger, arena drag. Also rigged up a hitch to move aound my horse trailer and utility trailer with a ball on the front hitch.

Please check out my pictures as it shows many of these items.

I truely beleive a machine about this size weather it is orange, green, blue or red (or anoter color for that matter) would do you well. I really wanted a samll machine with position control which this Deere has. It has done everything asked of it and more.

You know what I really appreciate this post. I am going to test drive the 2230 with 200cx and see if I don't think I could get by with it. If so, maybe I'll let my wife try 'em both out.

Thanks for the post. Nice place you've got there, I envy you the lake view!

Nathan

[aesanders]

You know what I really appreciate this post. I am going to test drive the 2230 with 200cx and see if I don't think I could get by with it. If so, maybe I'll let my wife try 'em both out.

Thanks for the post. Nice place you've got there, I envy you the lake view!

Nathan

I need to make one correction. I have a 4 foot rotary cutter, not the 5 foot I mentioned. Still works well and a good size for my property.

[Nathan_OR]

Well I took the plunge today and signed off on a JD 3320 with 300cx, boxblade, and MX5 rotary cutter. I'm scheduled to take delivery on Friday.

There were a few things that sold me on the 3320 over the 2320. The first was the bigger cutter, for mowing my pastures I figured the 5' will do it in 4/5ths the time as the 4'. Also the backhoe, which I will get eventually, is much more capable on the 3320. And the weight of the 3320 is significantly higher... over 4500 lbs with loaded tires and ballast box. We have a 20' gooseneck trailer for livestock that I wouldn't want to try to move with the lighter 2320. Honestly the air seat and roomier platform was another biggie... I mentioned before I'm fairly big, but also I have a bad back, and the airseat will save me from feeling beat up after mowing the pastures, I think.

As for the YVM, I wanted JD so that I felt I could sell at any time in the next five or ten years... we have parents getting pretty old and may need to move into town at some point in the future here. So I wanted an easy resale. I think nothing beats JD for resale. I never went to the YVM dealer because I figured the best he could do is make me feel bad about paying too much for the JD brand I was already decided it was going to be NH, kubota, or JD, just for resale if not for better assurance of quality.

For what I paid and all the details, check out the JD pricing forum. Long and short is I got everything delivered and set up for a little better than 10% off MSRP. And I picked my dealer because although he wasn't the cheapest quote, he was the most responsive and I got the best feeling that he would actually work for me after the sale.

The only thing I'm still unsure of is whether I should have emptied the wallet for the backhoe. I could have afforded it but it would have meant cutting back on my retirement savings contributions, and I didn't think that was wise. So I'll see if I can save up over the next few years and buy one outright... if not, I probably couldn't have afforded the payment, right?

Anyway lots of great advice from you guys makes me feel a lot more comfortable on this purchase. I really do thank you all very much.

Nathan

[jbrumberg]

Nathan OR:

Congratulations on your tractor ! Now we can help you spend more of your money on additional attachments Jay

[aesanders]

Sounds great. Never hurts getting a larger tractor .