ovrszd
Epic Contributor
- Joined
- May 27, 2006
- Messages
- 33,499
- Location
- Missouri
- Tractor
- Kubota M9540, Ford 3910FWD, Ford 555A, JD2210
I owned several small sized AG tractors thirty years ago but life changes ended that era. Life changes and financial ability again created the need for a small tractor in 2006. I already had a SCUT, JD455 to do lawn mowing and snow blading duties. I bought a used Kubota B2910 with 60" MMM. I then built several attachments for that tractor and used it beyond it's intended capabilities. It was a great little tractor and could mow the lawn as well as tackle small tractor jobs. I lost it in my shop fire. Here's some pics to get an idea of it's size.
At the time of my fire I was also taking over maintenance duties of the farm my Brother and I own because of his health issues. I was already needing a bigger tractor and a FEL. So when I replaced the B2910 I bought a Kubota L4400 with FEL. I worked the snot out of that tractor and it never complained. Very capable. I always walked away from that tractor amazed at what it could do for it's size. But I also walked away knowing I was shortening the life of it dramatically. Twice I bent the curl cylinders on the FEL. A neighbor asked me one day if I'd ever consider selling it. I priced it. A couple days later he drove in my driveway with a trailer. The L4400 was gone. Here's some more pics to get an idea of it's size.
After selling the L4400 I started looking at the next size bigger which would put me in the Utility tractor range. I studied the specifications on Kubota's website for hours. Then I spent days with the wife driving to different dealers, some as far away as 200 miles looking at various models as well as other manufacturers. I narrowed it down to a JD 50xxM, NH T40xx or Kubota Mxx40. The pricing eliminated JD. Availability eliminated NH. That left me searching for a pre-Tier IV Kubota. I found one within 500 miles of me so I hitched up the trailer and went after it. It's a M9540. I've owned it since last September and have put 350 hours on it. It never disappoints me. My needs have grown as my Brother's health has declined and I find myself doing everything as far as farm maintenance. Here's some pics again for comparison. Look at the last pic of the L4400 with the Grapple bucket on and the pic of the M9540 with the same Grapple on and you get an idea of size. Absolutely no comparison between a L series Kubota and a M series Kubota except the paint.
For me this growth or progression has been driven by changes in what's required of my tractors. But I also think a part of it is driven by trying to buy the bottom end of what I needed rather than buying the top end. When you buy a tractor that JUST BARELY meets your needs you have no room for change or growth. When I bought the L4400 that's what I did. I should have bought the M model then. But I bought the L new, put 600 hours on it and sold it for $3000 less than what I paid. That's $5 per hour depreciation. Not pretty, but not bad either.
Now I'm like TripleR. I'd like to have a smaller, more nimble tractor for light chores. But I won't buy new, looking for a good ole used farm tractor. Going Full Circle and back to my roots on that one.
At the time of my fire I was also taking over maintenance duties of the farm my Brother and I own because of his health issues. I was already needing a bigger tractor and a FEL. So when I replaced the B2910 I bought a Kubota L4400 with FEL. I worked the snot out of that tractor and it never complained. Very capable. I always walked away from that tractor amazed at what it could do for it's size. But I also walked away knowing I was shortening the life of it dramatically. Twice I bent the curl cylinders on the FEL. A neighbor asked me one day if I'd ever consider selling it. I priced it. A couple days later he drove in my driveway with a trailer. The L4400 was gone. Here's some more pics to get an idea of it's size.
After selling the L4400 I started looking at the next size bigger which would put me in the Utility tractor range. I studied the specifications on Kubota's website for hours. Then I spent days with the wife driving to different dealers, some as far away as 200 miles looking at various models as well as other manufacturers. I narrowed it down to a JD 50xxM, NH T40xx or Kubota Mxx40. The pricing eliminated JD. Availability eliminated NH. That left me searching for a pre-Tier IV Kubota. I found one within 500 miles of me so I hitched up the trailer and went after it. It's a M9540. I've owned it since last September and have put 350 hours on it. It never disappoints me. My needs have grown as my Brother's health has declined and I find myself doing everything as far as farm maintenance. Here's some pics again for comparison. Look at the last pic of the L4400 with the Grapple bucket on and the pic of the M9540 with the same Grapple on and you get an idea of size. Absolutely no comparison between a L series Kubota and a M series Kubota except the paint.
For me this growth or progression has been driven by changes in what's required of my tractors. But I also think a part of it is driven by trying to buy the bottom end of what I needed rather than buying the top end. When you buy a tractor that JUST BARELY meets your needs you have no room for change or growth. When I bought the L4400 that's what I did. I should have bought the M model then. But I bought the L new, put 600 hours on it and sold it for $3000 less than what I paid. That's $5 per hour depreciation. Not pretty, but not bad either.
Now I'm like TripleR. I'd like to have a smaller, more nimble tractor for light chores. But I won't buy new, looking for a good ole used farm tractor. Going Full Circle and back to my roots on that one.
