Hook,
I've just read through your Trials and Tribulations on Tractor Buying. I'm not a doctor nor do I play one on TV AND I have not slept in a certain hotel chain. Having said all that I can certainly tell you have been bitten by the TractorItis Bug! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Don't worry TractorItis, its not harmful, its just expensive! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif What makes TractorItis some horrible is that the sickness starts out small. The infected person, says "Dear," or should I say, "Deere, I only need a small tractor. It looks like it will cost around $10,000. I know its alot of money but here is what it will do...."
Then you find TBN. Yes, some might believe we are a bunch of TractorHeads sitting at Orange, Green, Blue HQ, selling tractors. But, alas, this is not so. We are just in later stages of TractorItis. We have had the sickness for longer than you.... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Come and join us! TractorItis is not really that bad. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
As you read and learn more and more about Tractors, aka TractorItis, you will find that what you thought you first needed is not enough. That truely you need a larger more powerful tractor. Of course its tough going back to the Significent Other and explaining how the TractorItis sufferer went from thinking of spending $10K to $20K and finally NEEDING to spend $30+K. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif When you TractorItis has hit The Explaining/Begging Stage you must be careful. This is when the SO can get, shall we say animated, and this is the most dangerous stage of TractorItis starts..... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
You are getting some good advice. I started looking at the JD 900 models, moved into the 4400/4500s, moved a bit more to the 4600/4700 then made a jump to study the 5x05's and 5210s. Eventually I worked my way down to the 4700 type of machines and eventually bought a 4700. No regrats what so ever and I'm continuously amazed at what the machine will do....
I think you are going through the right buying process. I would encourge you to read all of the Tractor Projects and Attachement threads. When I found TBN that was a fairly easy thing to do but not anymore! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif You may also want to try out the jplan site as well. There where topics in those threads, often buried unexpectently in a discussion, things that I had never heard of/considered/thought about. They made a big difference in my buying decisions. Try to explore all of the things you might do with a tractor. For this you really need to hear what other people are doing since there is so much that can be done with this equipment. Other chores may vastly change what you need and change your buying decision. I would also try to read as much as possible about the tractor itself. But that is tough to do since TBN has grown so large.
For instance my list of things that I MIGHT want a tractor to do is/was, run a wood
chipper, a plow, bail hay, run a PTO auger, power a generator, run a sprayer, mount a backhoe, mount a tiller, and of course a FEL and rotary cutter. In the last couple of month I have learned about post hole drivers and hydraulic augers. These have been added to the list..... TractorItis DOES continue after the purchase. Its just another stage of the sickness.... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
I think a hydraulic auger is far better than a PTO driven unit. But the tractor needs the hydraulics to handle the implement. I will eventually get a PTO generator. The generator requirement really pushed me towards a tractor with 40+ PTO HP. A wood
chipper did as well. But the wood
chipper will most likely never be bought. Thankfully, I bought a large enough tractor that will do all I plan to do. The only exception would be pulling a round bailer. I don't think my 4700 can do that but I don't I could justify the price. A square bailer MIGHT be in the future. Maybe.
Also remember that weight helps traction and that you are almost certainly going to have more horsepower than traction....
Make sure you get a large enough tractor for YOU to grow into. The tractor will suprise you in what it can do with the right attachments. Think about what chores you have to do, see if there is an implement that would do the job and is it a good purchasing decision......
Good Luck. And enjoy your TractorItis..... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Dan McCarty