Newbie... Please help

[Dom1121]

Hey guys I am new to tractorbynet and new to tractors in general. I just purchased 12.5 acres of land out in Danbury, Texas and I am looking to purchase a tractor for general maintanence. I have been looking over this site and others trying to get a general idea of what I need and what I should be looking for but my head is starting to spin. I think I have settled on a Kubota brand tractor and started looking at the L3400DT 4wd. Here is what I was qouted:

L3400DT 4wd with R1 tires - $12,000
LA463FL Loader w/ 60" bucket - $3600
Modern 5ft Galvanized Competitor Rotary Cutter - $1125
Modern 5ft Standard Galvanized Box Blade - $625

Total Package - $17,350

This was quoted at Lansdowne-Moody in Houston; if anyone has ever dealt with them before, what is your opinion on them?

Then, I started talking to other people and was told for that amount of land a 6ft mower would be better and since it is flat land I don't really need a 4wd. I was also told that I should get a bigger tractor to pull that size mower. So that led me to the MX5100F. Here is what I was qouted on it:

MX5100F 2wd w/ F2/R1 tires and a canopy - $13,000
Modern 6ft Galvanized Competitor Rotary Cutter - $1,340
Modern 6ft Box Blade - $1,100

Total Package Price - $15,440

I am completely confused as to what I should get now and could use some input. Also, I have read on here about the non-HST having to make a complete stop before shifting or changing directions and I was wondering how big of an issue this is? I took off the front loader on the MX5100 because I don't think I really need it right now and can go back later to get it if I decide later I do.

I apologize for this being so long-winded and I appreciate all of your input. Thanks in advance....

[Roverlab]

Welcome! I'm working with a smaller piece of equipment (BX2350) and much less land (3 acres of hills rocks trees and some grass.), but I have a FEL. Don't know how I would have done the things I've done around here without it. And, I regret not having included a few other attachments when the interest was 0%. BX2350 with LA FEL and 54" MMM was $13,500
Hope this helps!

[WarrenF]

You know what, people are asking this question all the time. Tell you what you should do. Buy the largest horsepower tractor, that fits your land area, your budget will afford. You will always cuss yourself for not having enough horsepower, but NEVER cuss yourself for having plenty of horsepower.

If that is a good used tractor, then buy the good used tractor. Let someone else take the depreciation, if any, on your purchase. With plenty of horsepower you can get bigger equipment. Buy a six foot mower...if you have enough horsepower and budget works....buy an eight foot mower.

The old saying is this, "the quickest way to ruin a tractor is put a front end loader on it." That is what oldtimers will tell you. As far as four wheel drive, unless you are really working the thing in wet slick soil or need the traction to pull an implement....I think it is just something more to go wrong. I plow snow with my good old used UGLY tractor and it does not have four wheel drive.

I personally don't want to have to fork up the money to have someone repair a Hydrostatic drive transmission. That is why I like the old manual transmission. As far as shifting on the go.......I do!! It just depends on what you are pulling and how familiar you are with shifting transmissions. But I started driving anything and everything when I was 9 years old.....and my Daddy would chew me out for grinding gears.

I think too many people get too caught up in all the bells and whistles on these new tractors....get one that you will not be afraid to get alllllllll dirty....and you won't be upset if you scrape some paint off of it because you are working it.

[RayCo]

The tractor I own (a small BX24) is a totally different breed from what you're after, so I can't really offer much as far as relevant tractor advice. But I can suggest that you work out what you need before deciding on a brand.

Also, as far as getting the most horsepower you can, I don't know if that's necessarily the only thing to look at. I'm not sure if this analogy will translate or not, but I recently got rid of a nice 300HP car and got a lesser HP Chevy Tahoe. While the Tahoe has less power, it has all the functionality I needed: support for a car seat for my daughter, 4WD to climb my mountain posing as a driveway in the winter, the ability to tow my BX, and, of course, great gas mileage.

With what I spent on my BX, I probably could have gotten a much more powerful tractor, but without a loader and backhoe, etc. So, what would I have done with the extra power, but no implements? However, had I not had an immediate need for a backhoe and could have gotten by with a loader and a 3pt implement or two, I would have gotten a larger, more powerful tractor.

[swampvol]

It depends on what you're needing to do on the 12.5 acres.

Is all the 12.5 acres cutting? If so get the utility tractor. If not....I would trade horsepower for a fel and other implements any day.

You take away my fel and backhoe then I would consider my tractor "ruined".

[Dom1121]

Yeah, it is all cutting right now. I haven't decided what exactly I want to do with the property yet.

[rcrcomputing]

You'll get alot of answers to this. But here's some thoughts..

I'd go the bigger one. Don't see a loader in that qoute??

4 wheel drive.. I don't use it alot, but I do use it. There are times when the front tires just get pushed around without it. I'm not worried about getting stuck as I almost always have the backhoe attached and can lift the entire tractor into the air..

front end loader - have to have it! I've not looked, but I'll be the 5100 has about twice the lifting capacity as the smaller tractor. NICE!! NICE!! Wish I had that!!

backhoe - as I've said before, the TBN guys said get it, so I did. And would not have another tractor without a subframe backhoe.

HST - I've never had anything else, so I've no opinion other than it's nice to just step on the forward or reverse pedal to go and since alot of tractoring is small adjustments backward and forward, I'd think it's a "must have" for me...


In short, If I had it over to do again, I'd go bigger. (some guys do not feel this way). I'd also stretch for the backhoe and at least a grapple for my bucket if not a full grapple if I had a Quick Attach.

Another way to look at it is, the tractor is a hammer, now you need several kinds of nails (attachments etc..). Are you happy with a simple hammer or are you the kind of guy that will get the nail gun (bigger - get more done kind of nail gun). I own a cordless nail gun. Love it!

Getting a tractor has prompted me to learn to weld and work with metal and has made projects that would have previously gone undone possible. I do not regret getting a tractor and the people on this site were absolutely irreplaceable in helping me figure out what I needed. They also said, choose the tractor you need and then get the next bigger one.

Attachments to have? Grapple, backhoe, backhoe thumb, brush hog, boxblade, landscape rake, subsoiler, middle buster, Grade 70 5/16 chain, posthole digger.

I think that's about all enough typing for now..

[LD1]

IMO your comparing apples to oranges. Not just the size of the tractor.

Your comparing 4x4 with loader to 2wd with no loader.

The loaders are nice, but if you don't need one and you dont need 4x4, get a quote on the 3400 without those.

I agree with the other posters that if your primary function is cutting, the larger HP is a big plus. However, If you do get a loader, get 4x4. All the lifting capacity in the world wont do any good if you cant keep enough weight over the rear tires to go anywhere. And Kubotas are about the lightest tractors for there size that you can buy. I have a 3400, with a full bucket, loaded tires, and a 5' bush hog on the back it is difficult to back up the sight grade in my driveway in 2wd. Stopping distance is also greatly reduced in 2wd.

IMO if you don't want the loader, get the MX5100. If you would like a loader and 4x4, another option to look at is the 4400. Much more tractor than the 3400 for not much more coin. Not quite as big as the 5100 but it will still pull a 6' cutter. I wished I had know about this site before I bought my 3400, cause I probabally would have gotten the 4400.

[RayCo]

Get a loader. You will not regret it. Not getting one will be a regret. If you have $x to spend, and you spend it all on getting as large of a tractor as you can, with zero implements, remember that WHEN you decide you want a loader, that will be significantly more expensive as well to get one for a very large tractor.

[Leon Wittner]

Do not pass up FEL or 4X4. I think your dealer is quoting high prices and I would buy attachments as you go that meet your needs for the tasks you are going to do.