Buying Advice Tractor advice for complete idiot?

[sweettractors]

As a dealer, I can tell you for sure, that 0 % for X # of months makes what you are buying cost that much more on the selling price. Just a selling gimmick. Borrow at 8 % at the bank and pay cash for the implement or tractor and you get a lot lower quote on price at the dealer. Ken Sweet

 

[TripleR]

Thanks a million guys- are you always this helpful? The land is just rutty, not really hilly. It was cleared for timber a few years ago. I'm comfortable working on older cars, so if a tractor engine is like that (meaning I don't have to stick a computer on it to figure out what's wrong), I should be OK.

A couple more questions if you have the time:
Some people recommended a regular lawnmower for the yard... Why? Is it because the tractor will tear it up? Or the tractor is too big to get around most people's landscaping, etc.?

Also, it seems like the financing situation is much better on new tractors... Is that right? Can I get financing from a bank on a used tractor?

Are older tractors easier to work on than newer ones?

Should I plan on getting a trailer for getting the tractor serviced?

Thanks again. This is the most helpful forum I've ever been on.

I agree, this is a very helpful and informative forum for novice and experienced user alike.

Most on here could go walk your land then come up with a length assessment of what approaches will work.

There is an almost infinite number of approaches from one tractor to tractor and mower to tractor and pay for some limited projects to keep the size of your tractor down.

Then you must deal with a tractor that will encourage/discourage projects you haven't even thought of because of its capabilities or lack thereof.

I have pretty much done all you describe with a Kubota BX, but I do not consider it optimum, it was just all I could afford at the time. I had been using a 54 Ford NAA and John Deere 425.

Some example for your property would be a Kubota F2680 and L3240 with FEL, cutter etc.

You could also get a B2x20 or B2x30 or B3x30 all of which would work fairly well on your lawn as well as the rest of your property. (I refer to Kubota as I am more familiar, but JD, MF etc should all be considered)

Some people look at their new property and consider the need for something to deal with smoothing out the ruts and smoothing out the terrain when this could be contracted out or a machine rented once; same thing for a back hoe. Many on here can't live without one while I have several hundred acres and don't use the one I have enough to keep it running, so on the occasion every few years I need one I barter for a track hoe and do the same with a skid steer.

As to servicing, it is fairly simple, my wife and I do routine servicing on most of our stuff or I get my son for the heavy lifting etc so to speak.

I trailer a couple, but it is cheaper to have the bigger stuff hauled on the rare occasion it needs to go to the shop. To go a few miles between farms I just drive them.

Good luck in your search.

 

[gauthier]

Happy birthday to you johndeere You got about 3-4 good years left,than its all down hill till you get to about 50,than who cares!

Everybody hypes on these fel's,I don't think they are the end all,be all thing for a tractor,if you really need one,sure,but I wouldn't have a real use for one but maybe once every couple years and the rest of the time it would be sticking out in my way when I mow and till my garden.Coulda got a fel on my ck30,for pretty cheap,but the only way I woulda got one was if it was free,[which by the way turns out they was free for a while later if you financed or something].
You can always add the fel later if you find you really need one.

What you need,is what you need.

And I never had industrial tires before either on a tractor,but will say now that I've been in some mud and 2-3 foot of snow,that I really like them,prefer them for my uses better than ag tires,alot more stable to for mowing on sideling ground,tough to. You need to have them loaded,makes the world of difference.

 

[MMagis]

Everybody hypes on these fel's,I don't think they are the end all,be all thing for a tractor,if you really need one,sure,but I wouldn't have a real use for one but maybe once every couple years and the rest of the time it would be sticking out in my way when I mow and till my garden.

I'm glad someone else agrees. I've lived on this farm my whole life and we've never needed a FEL. Sure, I could find things to do with one, but they're not that important for most people.

 

[dodge man]

I wouldn't overlook the possibility of using your tractor for mowing your yard. Just think of the bigger the tractor, the worse it is as a finish mower, even more so if you have a lot of stuff to mow around.

I can't agree with anyone that says you don't need a FEL for your tractor. Maybe in some situations, that would be the case, but not for me. I live on 3 acres, and have a Kubota BX2350. I bought a FEL a couple of months after I bought the tractor for a specific project. I have about 270 hours on my tractor, and almost half of that is using the FEL. I am still amazed at how handy it is having a FEL and how often I use it. I can take mine off in about 3 minutes, so it doesn't get in the way ever.

Good luck on your up coming purchase and the country life. If you are like most people on this board, your going to love both of them.

 

[gauthier]

Well,it would be handy to have a backhoe and a dozer sitting there waiting for you too,but....Its all about money and what you need,he needs a hog,a blade,a tiller or plow and disks,and a tractor,he don't really need a fel.

 

[brin]

People sure love to spend other peopleç—´ money. What you describe can and has been done countless times with nothing more than a little 8N, brush hog and rear blade, and a lawn mower for the yard. Anything more is just gravy, not needed. That being said, don稚 jump into anything yet. I think a 1-2 acre garden is a lot bigger than youæ±*e thinking. For a garden that big you WOULD want a bigger tractor with a 3 point tiller. But, I really don稚 think you want a garden that big, unless you plan on selling produce. You should be able to get everything you NEED for $5000 or less by shopping used. Farm auctions are a great place for deals, but you really need to know what youæ±*e looking at.

You are exactly right MMagis...Folks sure do get caught up on the name Kubota or Deere..What he needs is what will get the job done and a 8N or 9N would do just fine as well as many other well maintained older tractors. Just a little shopping can save a lot of money.

 

[TripleR]

You are exactly right MMagis...Folks sure do get caught up on the name Kubota or Deere..What he needs is what will get the job done and a 8N or 9N would do just fine as well as many other well maintained older tractors. Just a little shopping can save a lot of money.

Guilty as charged, I farmed with a Ford 9N then 600 Series, still have a NAA and two 600's, but I much prefer my Kubotas, John Deeres with FWD, FEL power steering etc.

Smaller properties can be handled with the older and or smaller tractors, but I need the bigger iron on several hundred acres, really I do

 

[Artesia Aggie]

A couple more questions if you have the time:
Some people recommended a regular lawnmower for the yard... Why? Is it because the tractor will tear it up? Or the tractor is too big to get around most people's landscaping, etc.?

Also, it seems like the financing situation is much better on new tractors... Is that right? Can I get financing from a bank on a used tractor?

Are older tractors easier to work on than newer ones?

Should I plan on getting a trailer for getting the tractor serviced?

Thanks again. This is the most helpful forum I've ever been on.

I just did this a month or so ago and I am a city kid too, so here is what I learned. Depending on the size of the tractor and the area to be mowed a tractor can be too big. It was in my case, but I have an older lawn tractor so no problem.

The type of tire and the weight of the tractor is important if you are driving on the lawn. Ag tires can be hard on the lawn. You can get turf tires which are made for a lawn but don't have as much traction for plowing, tilling or other work. Industrial tires are a good compromise.

FIND A GOOD DEALER!. My dealer will pick up and deliver the tractor for any work they do so I didn't need a trailer More $ for attachments ). I know I probably paid for this service in the price of the tractor at the time I bought it. But their service is excellant and well worth to me.

They also showed me how to use what I bought. When the tractor was delivered we attached, unattached and used every implement including the loader. This was a BIG help. The manual was fine, but it helps me to have some hands on instruction.

Good luck and have FUN shopping.

 

[fshrking]

Thanks again guys- Can someone summarize what features you gain from buying a newer tractor? I read something about positioned hitch placement, rather than just up and down... There must be others?