Buying used old vs new

[Yander]

If you can get your hands on a MF 17xxM series. We have a 1750m and love it. No Regens, no DPF.

 

[WM75Guy]

Same with my NH Workmaster 75. Uses DOC/EGR instead of DPF, so no regens.

 

[Jeepflambe]

Unless you intend to replace your snow blower and rotary cutter with lighter, narrower models you will need at least 55-horsepower at the PTO to replicate the performance of your open station MF 255 in a cabbed tractor with air conditioning.

A cab weighs 700 pounds. Cab A/C requires 4-5 horsepower to power in hot weather. You may wish to consider 55 to 60 PTO horsepower.

Are your existing implements Category 1 or Category 2 at the Three Point Hitch?

youre right !!I never thought of that I have cat2 ,Buch hog is 5ft which is ok for a 35 but the blower is 8ft, 2 furrow plow the main thing is the snowblower. either sell it or .like you say. look for a little bigger HP. I just missed a 1085 with FEL cab heat MFWD. Theres a Ford 5610 also but I heard the cyl become porus after a while so Im staying away from fords now.

 

[Jeepflambe]

3000 hours should not be a big deal, what matters is how was it used and serviced!

IE. Has it been it abused & worn out or is it well maintained and not abused?

It was used as a stable tractor by a horse lady, so either its been meticulously maintained or not maintained at all. used for snow clearing around the barns and riding stable , 3000 k hrs since new in 1998.

 

[boomer1025]

It was used as a stable tractor by a horse lady, so either its been meticulously maintained or not maintained at all. used for snow clearing around the barns and riding stable , 3000 k hrs since new in 1998.

Go look at it and look it over good and see how it runs. I wouldn't worry about the 3000 hrs. Looks like a nice taken care tractor from the picture.

 

[jeff9366]

I have cat2. Bush hog is 5ft which is ok for 35-horsepower but the blower is 8ft. The main thing is the snowblower. Either I sell it or look for a little more HP.

How far do you need to throw snow? A 35-horsepower, pre-Tier 4 tractor will have approximately 25-horsepower at the PTO, only 1/2 of the 50-PTO horsepower of your MF255.

A 35-horsepower tractor weighs only 1/2 of the weight of your MF255. Traction on snow will be less.

I think you will be underwhelmed with a 1/2 power, 1/2 weight replacement tractor.

 

[Jeepflambe]

How far do you need to throw snow? A 35-horsepower, pre-Tier 4 tractor will have approximately 24-horsepower at the PTO, only 1/2 of the 50-PTO horsepower of your MF255.

A 35-horsepower tractor weighs only 1/2 of the weight of your MF255. Traction on snow will be less.

I think you will be underwhelmed with a 1/2 power, 1/2 weight replacement tractor.

Yeah you’re probably right and it’s the catching up with all the implements too, they ain’t cheap. Thanks for the logical advice.

 

[Hay Dude]

Im shopping around for a replacement for my good old MF255 (open station). Im getting to be over the hill and Id like some comfort when snowblowing or bush cutting.
anyways to make a long story longer Ive been looking online for a good used tractor, researching different models obsessing like anyone does.
Ive been looking at some smaller 35 HP kubotas but when I research the models everyone is saying 3000 hrs is wayy too much and the tractor is worn out. My old 255 has 7000hrs and still runs strong starts well, shes a gool ole girl but no 4x4,no cab etc etc.
would I be smart and look for an older pre-electronic tractor or are these newer machines with plastic hoods good for more than 3K hours?
If I should go older which years would be good to look at?
thanks everyone
PS I can fix basic stuff myself but i couldnt rebuild an engine etc etc

I would also add that today’s small compacts with 3,000 hours on them could be well worn.
I have not found the smaller compacts are built as tough as most of their larger counterparts.

My cynical side of me is these tractor companies know that 90% of these 50HP and under compacts are used by weekend warriors and hobbyists (nothing wrong with that) and they only get 100 hours a year put on them. A true farm tractor is usually built to last 10,000 hours with average care.

Your Massey was built with simpler/older, longer lasting mentality technology.

 

[ptsg]

I would also add that today’s small compacts with 3,000 hours on them could be well worn.
I have not found the smaller compacts are built as tough as most of their larger counterparts.

My cynical side of me is these tractor companies know that 90% of these 50HP and under compacts are used by weekend warriors and hobbyists (nothing wrong with that) and they only get 100 hours a year put on them. A true farm tractor is usually built to last 10,000 hours with average care.

Your Massey was built with simpler/older, longer lasting mentality technology.

Not sure I'll agree entirely with companies not building tractors to last under 50HP, maybe that's the case in the US but on this side of the pond, you'll find loads of compact tractors with over 3,000 hours still in perfectly good shape. 5k, 6k, 7k hours still going strong. Many of them on had like 1 or 2 clutch changes and regular maintenance. These smaller tractors get used for farming just like the big ones.

Tractors are built the same on the same factory for both markets. They just change some of the options accordingly to the market.

I do agree, however, that in the US, a small compact can be well worn out with very little hours, specially in the front axle. Lots of these weekend warriors and hobbyists just have no care when using the loader and treat their tractors like skidsteers. I swear they go through more front axle parts in less than a 1,000 hours than we go through clutches on a 10,000 hour tractor.

 

[Hay Dude]

Not sure I'll agree entirely with companies not building tractors to last under 50HP, maybe that's the case in the US but on this side of the pond, you'll find loads of compact tractors with over 3,000 hours still in perfectly good shape. 5k, 6k, 7k hours still going strong. Many of them on had like 1 or 2 clutch changes and regular maintenance. These smaller tractors get used for farming just like the big ones.

Tractors are built the same on the same factory for both markets. They just change some of the options accordingly to the market.

I do agree, however, that in the US, a small compact can be well worn out with very little hours, specially in the front axle. Lots of these weekend warriors and hobbyists just have no care when using the loader and treat their tractors like skidsteers. I swear they go through more front axle parts in less than a 1,000 hours than we go through clutches on a 10,000 hour tractor.

But I don’t think they’ll go 10K + like their bigger counterparts. There’s no reason for that. Not for the prices they are charging.

Seemed like to me, 10,000 hours is the expected life before larger systems (engine, trans, Axles) require rebuilding.