Buying Advice Need some last minute advice

[jenkinsph]

The JD E vs. R is the same as standard L vs. Grand L, Economy vs. Rich!!! The tractor is only one piece of the puzzle, you need implements to be able to put the tractor to work. Even used, implements are not cheap. I bought everything used/2nd hand and still dropped $6k.

The list is long but Hydraulic Top-N-Tilt for building roads is great as well as a grapple. Money is tight for me so I went economy tractor but I have lots of tools to allow it to work for me.

Teg brings up a good point about the cost of a tractor and the add on features and implements needed to have a complete set up. Most all of us have budget constraints and have to sort out what is important and what can wait. In my plan I prefer to buy the correct tractor that will fill my long term needs first. I add implements that are appropriate as I can afford them, that is an on going adventure. I hope to choose the tractor and each implement so that I don't have to upgrade later on. It can be a costly process with a lot of money involved while most people have lots of other living costs that have to be met with more priority.

 

[Oldoak]

Teg brings up a good point about the cost of a tractor and the add on features and implements needed to have a complete set up. Most all of us have budget constraints and have to sort out what is important and what can wait. In my plan I prefer to buy the correct tractor that will fill my long term needs first. I add implements that are appropriate as I can afford them, that is an on going adventure. I hope to choose the tractor and each implement so that I don't have to upgrade later on. It can be a costly process with a lot of money involved while most people have lots of other living costs that have to be met with more priority.

I believe you nailed it! That is one great piece of advice. :thumbsup:

 

[IslandTractor]

I believe you nailed it! That is one great piece of advice. :thumbsup:

Careful. It doesn't make much sense to have a powerful luxury cab tractor if you cannot get needed tasks done because you didn't allocate sufficient funds for a mower or grapple etc. A bare bones Kubota L will get just as much real work done as a Grand L of same horsepower. You will soon forget whatever farkles came on the fancy version but you ain't gonna get anything done other than scooping dirt and poop if you don't have decent implements. Many implements can be purchased used but some, like a grapple or hydraulic topping lift and diverter valve are for practical purposes only available new. Given the work you described, I'd keep a mower and grapple with controls as part of the phase one budget.

 

[jeff9366]

The Kubota Grand Ls are about 1,000 pounds heavier than the regular/standard Kubota L series, bare tractor.

I appreciate the numerous farkles which came standard on my Grand L every day that I use it. #1 is the HST/PLUS transmission with Stall Guard.

 

[IslandTractor]

The Kubota Grand Ls are about 1,000 pounds heavier than the regular/standard Kubota L series, bare tractor.

I appreciate the numerous farkles which came standard on my Grand L every day that I use it. #1 is the HST/PLUS transmission with Stall Guard.

Absolutely shocking that Kubota made its name with an obviously outdated and deficient basic HST that still lives in the L series. Hard to imagine getting any work done at all with that old thing. How did anyone get tractor work done without electronic HSTs??

I reiterate that while extra features are nice and eventually become standard on all tractors, one simply shouldn't ignore the more critical implements necessary to get work done. A fancy HST doesn't make up for lacking a grapple or decent mower. If your budget cannot handle fancy tractor plus necessary implements then ditch the Escalade and get the work done with a Suburban.

 

[Oldoak]

Teg brings up a good point about the cost of a tractor and the add on features and implements needed to have a complete set up. Most all of us have budget constraints and have to sort out what is important and what can wait. In my plan I prefer to buy the correct tractor that will fill my long term needs first. I add implements that are appropriate as I can afford them, that is an on going adventure. I hope to choose the tractor and each implement so that I don't have to upgrade later on. It can be a costly process with a lot of money involved while most people have lots of other living costs that have to be met with more priority.

I believe you nailed it! That is one great piece of advice. :thumbsup:

Careful. It doesn't make much sense to have a powerful luxury cab tractor if you cannot get needed tasks done because you didn't allocate sufficient funds for a mower or grapple etc. A bare bones Kubota L will get just as much real work done as a Grand L of same horsepower. You will soon forget whatever farkles came on the fancy version but you ain't gonna get anything done other than scooping dirt and poop if you don't have decent implements. Many implements can be purchased used but some, like a grapple or hydraulic topping lift and diverter valve are for practical purposes only available new. Given the work you described, I'd keep a mower and grapple with controls as part of the phase one budget.

I don't see any mention of a luxury cab in jenkensph's reply that I agreed so heartedly with. I give chitwood more credit than that and having common sense to stay within his own personal budget and only purchase what he can afford.

I believe purchasing the right tractor with the future in mind and not wanting or having to trade up in just a few years is more important than having a barn full of implements to start off with.

If some people can afford more and want all the bells and whistles, so be it. It doesn't necessarily make them as a "rich" person. :confused3:
The Kubota Grand Ls are beautiful tractors.

 

[fried1765]

As others have noted, once you are in the basic ball park regarding horsepower and loader capacity all the brands you looked at make reliable capable machines. Not a lot of practical difference just different pricing and features. I looked at similar tractors a decade ago and went with Kioti based on price and loader capacity. Never regretted it. Figure out your total budget (you will absolutely want a grapple and hydraulic controls including rear remotes for the work you describe as well as a medium duty bush hog or flail mower so budget $4-5K for all that) and then make the best deal you can. Don't shy away from Mahindra or Kioti simply because they have fewer dealers. These CUTs are all very reliable and you won't be back to the dealer much at all. My Kioti is now ten years old and has never been back to the dealer. Still on the original starting battery too!

"My Kioti is now ten years old and has never been back to the dealer".

Yet.....SO MANY here on TBN are consumed by the issue of how close "the dealer" is.
I have bought new cars from hundreds of miles away, that have "never been back to the dealer".
Are tractors different?
I don't think so,...but then,... I have never bought a new tractor.
My OLD tractors have "never been back to the dealer either".

 

[PJSprog]

My Kioti is now ten years old ... Still on the original starting battery too!

That may be worthy of it's own thread, IT. It might be interesting to know how many people get that kind of lifespan from their batteries.

 

[PJSprog]

If some people can afford more and want all the bells and whistles, so be it. It doesn't necessarily make them as a "rich" person. :confused3:

Agreed. We are by no means "rich," but were able to get a lot of tractor, bells, and whistles simply by looking at other colors.

... but yeah, the Grand Ls are very nice.

 

[IslandTractor]

That may be worthy of it's own thread, IT. It might be interesting to know how many people get that kind of lifespan from their batteries.

Yes I do find that remarkable. I even did a thread on it last year sometime. Several people noted that tractor batteries aren't as abused as car batteries and if you keep it on a trickle charger when not in use over the winter that long life isn't that unusual. I've never had a car battery last even five years though.