Looking for tractor to purchase

[flusher]

Hey, y'all....

We've got about 100 acres of mostly pines (planted for most part) and wanting to clear some land to make way for orchard and other trees as well as do some food plots. Have some high ground and also some low ground that stay wet when we get some rain.

I would like a front-end loader to help with miscellaneous stuff we will do. Filling in areas with topsoil and whatnot...

Budget is about $10k, but is flexible (to an extent)

Currently, a farmer buddy keeps some of the roads disced/cut, but so far, we only have access to about 15 acres or so. In process of getting some other access roads cut around perimeter and also some going through property to open up our possibilities.

I'd like 4wd and diesel, preferably.

I've had my eye on a Yanmar 3110 such as this one, but I really don't know much about tractors. I know my way around larger diesels (boats) and also own a diesel car so I feel fairly comfortable with minor stuff on engine. Also work for commercial truck dealer and our shop knows its way around hydraulics and engines...

Tractor Yanmar 3110D with Loader

also, what is "ROPS?" and any other suggestions on where to look? Good people to deal with? I'm in Charleston, SC

Thanks!

That Yanmar is a grey market tractor--parts availability can be a problem with these tractors, buy you can find Yanmar parts on the Web pretty easily. Yanmar diesel engines have a good reputation and you're fortunate to have access to shop facilities where you work if you need to tear into the engine/tranny/hydraulics.

Check out that 3110D--look for funny smoke (blue smoke could be valves/ring problem, white may be a coolant leak into the cylinders, black generally means problems with injector pump/injectors), oil/hydraulic leaks, works OK in all gears, pto works OK, 3pt hitch works OK. Get some seat time with the tractor to be sure you're comfortable with the ride and with the controls. I wouldn't worry too much about the hours on the engine. Tractor diesels are good for 5-10 thousand hours if the maintenance is done properly.

You'll be hard pressed to find decent used 30-40hp tractors with an FEL for $10K or less. So if this tractor passes your checklist, I'd jump on it.