Comparison New Kubota 3310 vs Used New Holland tc35a

[mullerjosh]

Hi there,

This will be my first tractor. We just bought a ranch. This will mainly be for horses and general maintainance around the property. It is 80 arces and 60 is leased to a farmer.

The Kubota would be HST will be brand new and cost around 25k with the package(box, trailer, hog)

The New Holland is 2003 about 1000 hours and is 15k with similar package but also includes arena groomer. It is a Manual.

I would rather the HST but I think I can get used to a manual pretty quickly.

Any thoughts. Is the 9-10k for new worth it?

Thanks

 

[sweettractors]

Hi there,

This will be my first tractor. We just bought a ranch. This will mainly be for horses and general maintainance around the property. It is 80 arces and 60 is leased to a farmer.

The Kubota would be HST will be brand new and cost around 25k with the package(box, trailer, hog)

The New Holland is 2003 about 1000 hours and is 15k with similar package but also includes arena groomer. It is a Manual.

I would rather the HST but I think I can get used to a manual pretty quickly.

Any thoughts. Is the 9-10k for new worth it?

Thanks

Just personal preference on the choice and maybe how close a servicing dealer would be to you. If you thought you may ever be faced with taking care of the entire 80 acres, I doubt either would be big enough? Ken Sweet

 

[Industrial Toys]

Everything else being equal, I might choose the less complicated (electronically) one.

 

[s219]

Need to tell us what you plan to do with the tractor. There are applications where HST is better and there are applications where manual transmission is better. That will probably make the decision for you.

 

[Tractorable]

I think you’re shooting too small and you’ll be upgrading in the near future. Save yourself the expense and hassle and do it right the first time.

 

[rScotty]

Nice tractors - both of them. And it's good to see someone considering an good used machine from the pre-electronic era. For me it would all depend on condition. A tractor with 1000 hrs could be literally as good as new or something to run away from. But just looking at the condition and maintenance records will tell you which one it is. How does the owner keep his equipment generally? Clean and shedded or beat up?

In my opinion either one is a good fit for work around the corrals and barn - which is where most of your shores will be done. But you may find that you also need a larger tractor for general work on the rest of the property. Like a lot of small farmers and ranchers we ended up with a smaller reliable "daily chore tractor" and also a larger tractor - which can be an older one - for times when you need to do heavier work.

But I think you are right to start with the daily chore tractor. You will be on and off it all the time so convenience is a big factor. Little things like seating position, view of the bucket, and a canopy make a huge difference.

I agree that HST vs manual doesn't make a big difference. If you have any experience with manual shift it will become second nature very quickly. Plus you don't really shift a tractor like you do a car. It's not uncommon to pick a gear or two and stay with them for hours. Most shifting is done between Forward & Reverse, and that is why the best of the manual shift tractors will also have a direction reversing lever. A manual shift tractor with a clutchless fwd/reverse lever is one of the best and most popular transmissions. Durable & easy to use.

The larger machine will be along in its own good time. It will be heavier & less convenient, but also surprisingly comfortable to operate.
It won't get as much working time....but I bet you will need it eventually. In the rural world it isn't uncommon for people new to the land to end up buying their older large tractor from a neighbor who is upgrading or selling out. Larger tractors last for many decades.
good luck,
rScotty

 

[mikester]

If this is all new to you and you don't know what you want, buy the old one with the groomer attachment you want. Use it for 5 years. If you decide you need more, trade the tractor in for a new one. $15K seem high to me for a 17 year old small machine unless it comes with a bunch of other attachments you can keep if you decide to trade up.

Going with a tractor based on having local dealership is sensible. NH makes nice tractors, my experience was NH parts are more expensive and longer wait times.