Buying a tractor - too many choices! Please point me in the right direction

[ovrszd]

Chipper wasn't suggesting gear drive was better than HST, he clearly stated that money could be saved during purchase and put to a different use. I agree with all he said.

 

[GreenheadRecycle]

Noose, I like Kubota as they are the gold standard. They make their own motors (which most don't) and they are closer. Dealer location and reputation are key. As for size, The L3800 would be OK. If you do a lot of brush hogging a 6' would be maxing out the L3800. The L4600 is out of the question. They are made in Indonesia if I remember correctly. Just not for me. If you could find a L4400 your good. I have one of those. These are basic entry level meat and potatoes tractors. As mentioned before a step up to a MX4700 or MX5100 (still a budget tractor) or what ever they are called now, would be great. The 5100 is turbo and would help out a great deal in higher altitudes otherwise the same as the 4700. Having both a L4400 and MX5100 the MX is by far the superior tractor. Heavier, bigger, stronger and just plain runs smoother. If your lucky you could snag a 2014 model before they put the emission stuff on them. Check out the finance deals with 0 down and 0 interest for 5 years. Hydro is the way to go, get the rear tires filled, and buy your implements separate as you need them. I use a King Kutter hog and like it. Get the slip clutch. I didn't and curse it every time I replace a shear bolt... My 2 cents.

 

[GManBart]

Noose, I like Kubota as they are the gold standard. They make their own motors (which most don't) and they are closer. Dealer location and reputation are key. As for size, The L3800 would be OK. If you do a lot of brush hogging a 6' would be maxing out the L3800. The L4600 is out of the question. They are made in Indonesia if I remember correctly. Just not for me. If you could find a L4400 your good. I have one of those. These are basic entry level meat and potatoes tractors. As mentioned before a step up to a MX4700 or MX5100 (still a budget tractor) or what ever they are called now, would be great. The 5100 is turbo and would help out a great deal in higher altitudes otherwise the same as the 4700. Having both a L4400 and MX5100 the MX is by far the superior tractor. Heavier, bigger, stronger and just plain runs smoother. If your lucky you could snag a 2014 model before they put the emission stuff on them. Check out the finance deals with 0 down and 0 interest for 5 years. Hydro is the way to go, get the rear tires filled, and buy your implements separate as you need them. I use a King Kutter hog and like it. Get the slip clutch. I didn't and curse it every time I replace a shear bolt... My 2 cents.

Deere folks will debate the gold standard comment.

By suggesting an MX5100 you're putting him like $10k over his listed budget if he buys new, and still well over budget if he buys used.

 

[TJP89]

If you are looking at the l3800, go up one size to the next l size, I think it's the 4200 or 4400, it shouldn't be that much more, and you will find the extra power useful. I think the basic l series is the best economy tractor out there, almost got one, but kioti offered more features at the same price. Unfortunately kioti no longer offers a low cost tractor in the 40 HP range with HST. If you are interested in gear tractors, the kioti DS series is a solid basic tractor.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

. . . This is still close to striking distance of my original under 20K budget (before tax) and isn't yet out of hand. . . .

Noose, I just noticed the "before tax" comment above. Get yourself a Texas Ag/Timber number at the following link and you won't have to pay sales tax on the tractor:

Get Ready Texas - Agriculture and Timber Producers

Also, in your situation I'd lean towards an HST transmission. But if a gear tranny would do, check out the Kubota L4400 at the following link. It's about a 2.5 - 3 hour drive for you, but you could probably buy it for $16,000 with no sales tax (with the ag/timber number):

North Texas Truck & Equipment

 

[TripleR]

Here is an interesting thread; some have used this approach without really knowing it: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...224-buying-first-test-tractor.html?highlight=

 

[TSO]

The L4600 is out of the question. They are made in Indonesia if I...

this is the first time I've heard someone say a Kubota wasn't made in Japan ... Are you sure on that? Is it made in a Kubota factory in Indonesia? Are there other Kubota tractors that aren't made in Japan?

 

[GreenheadRecycle]

this is the first time I've heard someone say a Kubota wasn't made in Japan ... Are you sure on that? Is it made in a Kubota factory in Indonesia? Are there other Kubota tractors that aren't made in Japan?

I pointed out at the dealer, and they didn't even know it. It's right on the block tag. L4600 is the only one I know of. I think they found an inexpensive workforce and a market for that tractor there. Best I can figure.

 

[TSO]

I pointed out at the dealer, and they didn't even know it. It's right on the block tag. L4600 is the only one I know of. I think they found an inexpensive workforce and a market for that tractor there. Best I can figure.

interesting. I'm wondering if that's just the engine, or the whole unit... ?

 

[GreenheadRecycle]

interesting. I'm wondering if that's just the engine, or the whole unit... ?

My bad. It's Thailand. I believe the whole thing is made there. Just the L4600.

where and who builds the L4600? - OrangeTractorTalks - Everything Kubota

 

[tractorslinger]

Shane here with Mutton Power.
On the John Deere side, the 3E series would suite all your needs. It is a dedicated loader/3pt hitch tractor. Doesn't have all the bells on it, but great tractor for the price.

 

[Jarrod32]

Chipper wasn't suggesting gear drive was better than HST, he clearly stated that money could be saved during purchase and put to a different use. I agree with all he said.

Agreed. I know you said you wanted HST, but money can be saved if you go with gear drive. Depends on your uses. There is a lot of good advice here...plenty for you to think about. And it sounds like you are doing, and have done, your homework.

And while the Deere 3e series is a nice fit for your needs, if you are willing to go to a gear-drive and two-wheel drive (you didn't list a preference for 2WD vs 4WD), the Deere 5D series gives you a lot of bang for the buck. It could be a good fit for you, given your identified uses.

 

[Jarrod32]

I'll say this from practical experience. And I'm not yelling at you, just want you to get the importance of this point..... GET POSITION CONTROL 3PT, DON'T CARE WHAT IT COSTS!!!!!!!!!!!!

And this ^^^^ is truth.

 

[motownbrowne]

Agreed. I know you said you wanted HST, but money can be saved if you go with gear drive. Depends on your uses. There is a lot of good advice here...plenty for you to think about. And it sounds like you are doing, and have done, your homework.

And while the Deere 3e series is a nice fit for your needs, if you are willing to go to a gear-drive and two-wheel drive (you didn't list a preference for 2WD vs 4WD), the Deere 5D series gives you a lot of bang for the buck. It could be a good fit for you, given your identified uses.

While this is true, if I was going to pursue this option, personally I would buy a used tractor. There's lots of nice older International and Deere machines with loaders in the 40-60hp range. You could buy something like that for 5-7k and then buy another smaller 4wd machine with the rest of your budget, or spend half of it on implements and put the rest into the bank.

 

[ovrszd]

While this is true, if I was going to pursue this option, personally I would buy a used tractor. There's lots of nice older International and Deere machines with loaders in the 40-60hp range. You could buy something like that for 5-7k and then buy another smaller 4wd machine with the rest of your budget, or spend half of it on implements and put the rest into the bank.

I see this often on TBN. I think it's usually driven by financing. I just bought a 47HP FWD 30 year old tractor for $8500. It will more than likely outlive my 2012 Kubota that I paid $43K for.

 

[Jarrod32]

While this is true, if I was going to pursue this option, personally I would buy a used tractor. There's lots of nice older International and Deere machines with loaders in the 40-60hp range. You could buy something like that for 5-7k and then buy another smaller 4wd machine with the rest of your budget, or spend half of it on implements and put the rest into the bank.

That is a very good point. And honestly, I would probably go the used route as well. Quite a few Ford tractors out there that fit this bill, as well. Though the point about financing that ovrszd made is well taken...easier and cheaper to finance a new tractor.

 

[TSO]

Well we haven't heard from the OP in awhile...

Any updates Noose?

 

[TJP89]

Well we haven't heard from the OP in awhile...

Any updates Noose?

We may have scared him off with the push for spending more money (bigger tractor).

 

[TJP89]

Well we haven't heard from the OP in awhile...

Any updates Noose?

We may have scared him off with the push for spending more money (bigger tractor).

 

[noose]

We may have scared him off with the push for spending more money (bigger tractor).

Hey Guys! Sorry, I was preparing for a 2 week training session starting tomorrow and with the holidays, all the local tractor shops were on limited hours and finding a place A)open and B)with the one I want to look at in stock has proven difficult. Maybe after the new year sets in, stock will arrive again after "close out frenzy".

I appreciate again all the responses. I've been researching more and realize what I really *want* is about 80HP... I went back out to the property Friday and walked every acre of it as well as the adjacent land I'm looking to buy from the owners (which would take me to about 80 acres total). There's a lot more mesquite than I originally thought and a lot of it is 4-6 inch trunks at this point. I suspect my only option with that is remedy/diesel after cutting them to the ground and then try to dig out the root ball the next year in hopes it's dead. There isn't an FEL tractor (even used) big enough to pull live mesquite that size as I'll need a track hoe for that as even a skid with a grubber isn't going to pop a 6" trunk mesquite. I'll use my tractor for the little hatchlings in/around the area where I will have a house, but I'll have to go plan B on the rest. ****, I hate mesquite and there's a LOT of it.

Several have mentioned the used route. I am thinking this might be a better bet. If I end up getting the adjacent properties, I'm going to be about 80 total and there's no way a little 30 will handle that. There aren't many used 30-35 HST tractors around me used and the few that are available and are in good condition aren't that much cheaper than new. One major repair bill and new LS with a 5-year warranty would be a better buy. Used in BIGGER seems to be a bit more abundant. The 45-50 HP sized tractors seem to be more available but along with a bigger tractor comes bigger repair bills if something breaks.

The short story is I need to go UP in size. The long story is I have to figure out how important to me it is to go big. There's always the option to just go ahead and get smaller (as mentioned in the link posted in this thread) and take good care of it. Maybe then I would just hire out or rent for the really big stuff for a while and see where that takes me. I still haven't decided just yet even though I was ready to pull the trigger on an XR3037HST... Again, thanks for all the input.