Advice for websites to assist in selecting first subcompact tractor...size and make

[Mcgriggs]

Can anyone recommend a website that can help me determine best subcompact tractor to purchase for my property situation...fist time purchase.

MCG

[SanDucerro]

As a general rule - you're on it.

Welcome to the forum. We'll need more info to help you select though...

[/pine]

I think you can rule out martha stewart dot com

[Mcgriggs]

Thanks for the response..

Intended uses:

Property size...7 acres total with 2 acres wooded that needs to be thinned.
Front end loader for light earth moving and mulching.
Box grader for leveling areas of property, and gravel driveway smoothing.
Bush hog for mowing overgrown pasture...about 1-2 acres in size.
Tiller for future garden....heavy clay soil.
Not needed for lawn mowing...already have John deere lawn tractor w/ 38" deck.
Tires that can travel on lawn, but also have sufficient traction....R-4?

MCG

[newbury]

Thanks for the response..

Intended uses:

Property size...7 acres total with 2 acres wooded that needs to be thinned.
Front end loader for light earth moving and mulching.
Box grader for leveling areas of property, and gravel driveway smoothing.
Bush hog for mowing overgrown pasture...about 1-2 acres in size.
Tiller for future garden....heavy clay soil.
Not needed for lawn mowing...already have John deere lawn tractor w/ 38" deck.
Tires that can travel on lawn, but also have sufficient traction....R-4?

MCG

First suggestion - about 26HP/22HP PTO

/edit - that was minimum
now to specifics -
Any prior tractor experience?
What are your closest dealers?
Are you good a wrenching?
What's the terrain like? Flat? Hilly? Swampy?
Will you be doing forestry type work other than the 2 acres? (2 acres doesn't quite justify a big chipper in my mind)
Taking care of large livestock?
Need to plow dirt? Snow?
And how big is the wallet for this excellent adventure?

If you can buy used your dollar may go a lot farther, but if you have to haul it to a dealer and pay for repairs the savings goes away quickly.

To me anything under 50HP should have HST and 4WD. If you are only thinning 2 acres a 30HP or less may suffice. If you plan on hauling many logs around look for something that can handle a ton on the 3PT at least.

There are four major brands I'd consider -
John Deere (dear as in expensive)
Kubota
Kioti
Mahindra

[engine29]

You will get all kinds of opinions on here and everyone's favorite brand. So be prepared. Based on what you have said, I would probably bump up a size over the sub-compact. I think you will find a sub too small (tractor size) for what you want. Some of the "bump up" models might be (w/ no specific preference):
The Kubota B series, Kioti CK20, Mahindra Max, deere 2000 series. Your two better priced/valued machines will be the Kioti and Mahindra. These are all 4' machines for a tiller and rotary cutter (bush hog).
Also, buying close to home also should be a factor.

[Mcgriggs]

Excellent advice....thanks.

[rmorey]

to TBN!

What engine29 recommended!

[/pine]

Technical data site:

TractorData.com - information on all makes and models of tractors

[pinetree10]

I agree with newbury. I'd stay at the upper end of the sub-compact family or the lower end of the compacts. Speaking from my relatively short term experience, four wheel drive will get you out of trouble when you need it and with 7 acres to maintain, you don't want to get stranded. I don't have much experience with the smaller sub-compact tractors so I couldn't compare them to what I have now. They certainly look like capable machines but I'd like to hear about their performance in difficult terrain and with heavy lifting jobs. Hopefully you have a bunch of different dealers within a reasonable drive from your house so you can compare all the brands. The fun part is shopping around and seeing what the different manufacturers have to offer. And you'll see it over and over again on the various forums that the dealer makes all the difference. I bought a John deere because I liked it for a variety of reasons, but the JD dealers around here turned me off so badly that I'm buying the chipper at the area Kubota dealer because he treated me like a customer should be treated (and he beat the JD dealer's price by $125).