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- Joined
- Feb 22, 2006
- Messages
- 6,138
- Tractor
- Kubota, AGCO, New Holland LB
Kendall69 said:First of all they haven't made the perfect tractor for all needs yet, and never will.
Seems like there's a lot of comparing apples to hand grenades here. For the construction guy who needs massive power, massive lifting, great we all know what machines they should own.
For the "others" yes get the smaller MORE USEFUL tractor that can do 75-80% of what you need to do, and either rent or contract out the other. For the average non contractor type, the small utility tractors are perfect, hence the reason most manufacturers are producing them when Kubota was one of the first many. many years ago.
I doesn't make sense to buy a full size tractor just to dig your foundation or septic, then be stuck with the beast for years to come or have to take a beating on selling it, or even the hassle of selling.
For me the Small Kubota with a backhoe was perfect, I dug 600 feet of trench four seperate times, and many other tasks. did I do them as fast as "the big boys" no, but for me it didn't matter, I'm not on a schedule.
Did I need more lifting or power, you bet, when I had to clear 4 acres of trees, so I rented dozer, and did it it in eight hours, for $800.00 - and not even the big loaders could have accomplished that task.
So buy a long range usage tractor, one that will do the "most" and rent for the extra oomph, if you need it.
I used to hate renting, now I’m a huge fan of renting. Also contracting out is my new best friend. To mulch the four acres I was quoted $100.00 per hour for four guys, a chipper, and a dump truck. Even I couldn’t beat that on my own, renting just the equipment.
Oh, and yes mine was out in the 117 degree plus sun, at times 365 days a year, for almost 10 years before I sold it, with no problems, not even a rotten belt or hose.
Something tells me our thread starter is gonna spend a heck of a lot more than $800 in rentals to get his house foundation and septic system and driveway dug if he buys an L-48!
Probably more like $8,000-$18,000.
Lookie here guys: 5 months ago, before I bought my Case, I bid on (2) 1-acre building lots intending to build 2 houses. I got a price from an excavator I play golf with to put in 2 driveways, 2 septic systems, 2 foundations and 2 rainwater retention systems and backfill/grade (2) 1 acre building lots. Total cost $40,000 + !
That's why I bought my Case backhoe! I said "screw this" I'm going out and getting another full size backhoe. I spent just a little over what the excavator would have charged me for 2 houses! Now I can do all the excavation work myself AND keep the machine for many years to come!
My guess is our thread starter will spend $15,000-$20,000 hiring a professional to clear trees, cut a long driveway and dig the foundation & septic system cause even if he spends $30-$40 grand on a L-48, it won't be able to do the big jobs.
So now our guy has spent $30-$40 grand on a small backhoe that will basically be used for backfilling, a few trenches and some other small stuff.
I say buy the big TLB to handle the big expensive stuff and buy a $10,000 used farm tractor for the small stuff, or sell the full size TLB when he's done with it. Chances are it won't depreciate more than a few grand yet it will save him at least $15-$20 grand because it can do the big work an L-48 just can't ever do.