Kubota BX 2200 costs

[nnu2013]

I am creating a business plan for a university project and was looking into using a Kubota BX 2200 with a loader attachment as part of the plan. It would be used to move mulch and wood chips and load it into pickups and trailers. Would this How much are operating costs on a machine like this? What should I plan to spend on fuel, maintenance, etc for it each year? It seems like it would be a fairly inexpensive machine, but then again I know very little when it comes to machinery. Found one on eBay that sold for $5,200. Does that seem like a reasonable price for a used one?

2002 Kubota BX2200 4x4 Hydro Compact Tractor w Loader | eBay

 

[gwdixon]

The loader on the BX2200 may not be the best for the intended use. It may not reach high enough to load a pickup truck bed or trailer. The bucket might barely make it over the edge of the side but then room is needed for the dump function.

If you can access a BX2200 then first measure the sides of the transport, measure the height to which the bucket will lift, and measure the height of the lip of the bucket at full dump.

My advice it to look for a taller tractor with longer booms on the FEL. Maybe a B or L series.

 

[Iowan]

7K to 10K is more of a range that you would find a good used 400hr to 600hr BX 2200 for locally. If you where lucky and had no repairs, maintenance is very inexpensive $50.00 per 100hrs, fuel depends on how hard its run but I think .8 gall per hr should be close for an average. Repairs are another thing , cut a rear tire - $275.00, repair the power steering $650.00, burn up the hydro $ 4000.00. So you you could buy a 500 hr BX 2200 for 7k run it for ten years putting 100hrs a year on it only spending $370.00 on fuel and maintenance per year or you could have a big money pit.

Hope this helps, Iowan

I also think you need a bigger tractor, Kubota L should work

 

[Ted Summey]

I agree that the BX2200 is awfully small. Loading mulch in a pickup will require multiple scoops and some hand work to distribute the load in the bed of the truck because the loader won't have the reach to dump in the center of the bed. A trailer will have the issue of multiple scoops to load. Most mulch operations I have visited used a utility tractor or Ag tractor to load mulch if they weren't using a rubber tire loader (a much larger machine). A sub compact tractor just isn't big enough to make it efficient. A compact tractor can work if it has the capacity to load quickly.

How many loads of landscape supplies will your business sell per day and per week? That will help you have an idea of the operating time and help determine fuel costs based on an anticipated time to load. I suspect that the advice that is commonly given here regarding tractor size will apply here as well - buy a larger tractor, you won't regret it. I also expect fuel usage will be lower on a larger tractor working moderately than a smaller tractor working heavily and maintenace/repairs will be lower because the machine is not as stressed. A larger L Series or a smaller M series would be better choices if sticking with Kubota.

A dealer can help you with maintenance costs based on the recommended service intervals. In a business setting you should have a reserve for repairs that is equal to say 10 percent of the cost of the machine but that is a WAG.

There may be an advantage in leasing a machine for a business especially one that will not work the machine heavily.

 

[nnu2013]

Thanks for the information about the BX2200 being too small. I'll look into some of those larger tractors, especially the L series. Would you guys say I could plan on getting an L series tractor for 15,000-20,000 used? What would be the approximate cost for leasing the same sized tractor? I am anticipating to sell maybe 15-30 cubic yards of mulch per day. From what I've read a normal pickup can haul about 1.5 cubic yards. So roughly 10-20 pickup loads per day. Guessing that this tractor will be used quite a bit as it will be the only thing we'll have to move materials around quickly.

 

[Ted Summey]

You should be able to find an L for your price range. You will have to discuss a lease with a dealer. I don't even know if Kubota leases machines. If you get 0% financing on a new machine, a lease might not be worth it. But that's the fun of being an entrepreneur, getting to do the research.

Bucket capacity will be important to efficiency.

 

[gwdixon]

Thanks for the information about the BX2200 being too small. I'll look into some of those larger tractors, especially the L series. Would you guys say I could plan on getting an L series tractor for 15,000-20,000 used? What would be the approximate cost for leasing the same sized tractor? I am anticipating to sell maybe 15-30 cubic yards of mulch per day. From what I've read a normal pickup can haul about 1.5 cubic yards. So roughly 10-20 pickup loads per day. Guessing that this tractor will be used quite a bit as it will be the only thing we'll have to move materials around quickly.

Check tractor sales sites (like Machinery Trader and so forth) for the price range. 30+ HP in a L-series should be plenty for your uses.

Be sure to get a HST ("hydrostatic transmission", it works like an automatic transmission). It is easier to manipulate with FEL jobs, less levers and foot manipulations, and will avoid most accidents (like - whoops, my foot slipped off of the clutch). Using a FEL is very hard on a clutch-tractor so HST would be the ideal fit.

 

[nnu2013]

Thanks again guys for the tractor information. It's been very helpful in figuring out what I should plan for.

 

[magicheater]

Another idea: The Kioti CK20S has a loader with a lift of 1000+ lbs. and 88". (scroll down to page 6). It is a smaller tractor but larger than the BX2200 and available in your price range. A smaller tractor is much more nimble as I have found. With the lift capacity that this tractor has you could get a lightweight high volume bucket for your mulch loading needs but still have the other bucket and smaller tractor for economy. This may give you some options in your business plan when comparing a larger tractor (and price).