Buying Advice Buy new Branson, LS, or Massey VERSUS used Case55, NH-TN65, or Kubota M5700

[Tigershark]

I didn't end up buying a Branson I bought a Kioti instead but if I had I would have bought it from Big Reds. They were willing to ship me one to Kentucky and save me 2-3K over what it would have cost me to buy from the local Branson dealership, the local dealership has been around along time and didn't want to budge on the price. I don't know much about the service at Big Reds but the sales people were extremely helpful and attentive over the phone. Just my two cents.

 

[LouNY]

I bought a Branson 8050 because of the price, it has been a decent tractor, the cab is nice sized. There is only a few things
that I really miss and wish it had;
1) some kind of 2 or 3 speed power shift, or full range power shift, I personally am not a hydro fan, especially if it's going to be worked 8-10 hours at a time.
2) an instructors seat, buddy seat, it would require a little wider cab, but anyone looking at enough tractor where it is feasible I would really recommend one.
3) a good toolbox
4) I miss power adjust wheels, wish they were still available.

 

[Kentuckyfarmer]

Hydro's have their place that's for sure. I like them but when bush hogging or mowing hay field like the 20 acre one I have with long runs I'm sure glad it has a cruise. It would be a little better with shuttle shift or something better. As far as the cabs I bet everyone would like a bigger one and I would add quieter too. But I have to say they are better than the ones we had back in the 70's as far as noise. And yes tool box for sure.

 

[bspeedy]

Of course if I didn't have the budget for a new tractor I'd probably be just working a lot harder in the early mornings but like I said earlier, since I can't take it with me I might as well spend it on making those hours siting on the tractor a little more comfortable. I don't drink and I don't smoke so I guess I can say the cab with A/C and heat are an expense I might be able to live without but I have to enjoy life so it might as well be with a new comfortable tractor.

If budget really is open, I would advise you to go with a Kubota. They're the biggest seller in this size range for a reason. They will cost you more up front, but the ownership experience will more than make up for it. Buy once, cry once as they say...

 

[FMFProperties]

Hydro's have their place that's for sure. I like them but when bush hogging or mowing hay field like the 20 acre one I have with long runs I'm sure glad it has a cruise. It would be a little better with shuttle shift or something better.

Ok so that's something else I'm going to have to test when I go over there to Big Red's today. If the HST doesn't have a cruise type setting and I have to keep stepping on the pedal to keep it moving that would be a deal breaker. I use my cruise control constantly in my vehicles and use it on my Massey when disking or mowing also.

If budget really is open, I would advise you to go with a Kubota. They're the biggest seller in this size range for a reason. They will cost you more up front, but the ownership experience will more than make up for it. Buy once, cry once as they say...

Well budget went from $15k to $20k to $25k then now at $30k but that's the hard max and it includes my trade-in so in essence the same as I started because they offered me $12k for my Massey.

Now I am going to drive 2-1/2 hours each way to Big Red's to see the 5220CH, the 4720C and the Massey cab (highest price but in my heart still in the running, lol) and then decide which one to buy.

Then I have to see which aftermarket backhoe attachment since the factory backhoes are about twice the cost, or if I'll just rent a backhoe for a week or 2 to work on my farm. Just saw a few threads on backhoes here but if any of you have experience with one plus if it's on a Branson even better.

 

[ericm979]

The 20 and 25 series have cruise control. It's an electromagnet that sticks the HST in position. Takes about a half second to a second from when you hit the button.

 

[FMFProperties]

Well I'm back from that long trip to Big Red's. Didn't like the Branson HST, the squeal noise was deafening when you pressed the pedals to move plus having to run the motor at 2000rpm all the time is noisy and is going waste a lot of fuel. I usually don't run my tractor like that.

I also drove the Massey 1736C which previously I had found I wasn't comfortable in the small cab but this time it was very comfortable. Don't know if they made it bigger since last year or maybe last year I was expecting something bigger when I started researching. I liked it and it's only $2500 more than the Branson so it's still in the running. I liked the power shifter thing but found myself using the clutch every time anyway, force of habit.

The Branson 4520C I felt was actually smoother than the Massey but the FWD/REV shifter is lower on the column so I had to stretch to shift (now I'm thinking maybe the seat was adjusted too high?). I'm sure it's something I would simply get used to since I've been using mine for so long but I think I'll have to go test it again at a closer dealer before I pull the trigger on a $28k investment. The new versions now have the cheap looking gray interiors compared to last year's black interior. On the plus side the main tires look like they were 6 inches taller or more than last year's model parked beside it. This year they moved the cruise control and PTO buttons off the steering column and it's easier to get into the cab.

Here's the wrinkle. In order to buy from Big Red's I'd have to trailer my tractor over to him (about 4 hour drive one way pulling the trailer). So they offered me $12k for my 1533 but then told me they first have their mechanics go over it then tell me how much they'll give me. Hmm? There a possibility then that they could say they'll only give me $10k (their original offer) hoping that since I've trailered the tractor so far I'd rather go home with the new tractor on my trailer so that would put pressure on me to accept a lower offer. That's too much of a gamble so I'm going to look at closer dealers, specially since they didn't lower the sale price on their tractors. I tried to get the dealer to lower their sales price and lower what they give me for mine in the quote and it would wash out in the end but they wouldn't and that's when the fishy smell was noticed.

So in conclusion up to now the Branson 4520C is currently winning but if I decided to spend the extra money for the 37hp Massey 1736C I might just go with the 55hp Branson 5220C for the same price. I do know for a fact that the Masseys hold up in value over the years, the jury is still out on the Branson but since I'm thinking this will be my last tractor purchase who cares and if I go with the 4520C with the money I'm saving I might just also keep my old Massey that I like so much, lol.

 

[Kentuckyfarmer]

I seen they put the buttons in a better place to get to in the new ones. I moved mine and have a picture posted in another thread some where. I didn't run mine at 2000 rpm's (old school and ran it at idle in winter warming it up and feeding hay to live stock) and the dpf got stopped up. But it being simple just jerked off the soot cooker and replaced exhaust now and never again will that be a problem. Can't really do that with the computer controlled ones. As said mechanical and simple. The hst does wine for sure and with a cab its louder than a shuttle shift. But maybe it's just me but I think it gets better with a few hours in it. I have two hst kubota's and they wine also but neither have cabs so not as noticeable.

What ever you get hope you have good luck and its only your decision. Good to see your doing you homework and really testing the waters before diving in.

 

[ericm979]

With any DPF tractor you need to run it at reasonable rpm (2000+ for Branson) most of the time. I do a lot of PTO work so hopefully that makes up for the times I let it idle while swapping implements or use lower rpms because I'm operating around other people. I like not having to breathe diesel soot so I want to keep the DPF working. It'd be great if one could query the data logger to see the status of the DPF but the one OBDII reader I tried failed to connect. When I get around to it I'll try some others.

I don't notice the HST whine but I had a Kubota previously that was much louder.

 

[FMFProperties]

I seen they put the buttons in a better place to get to in the new ones. I moved mine and have a picture posted in another thread some where. I didn't run mine at 2000 rpm's (old school and ran it at idle in winter warming it up and feeding hay to live stock) and the dpf got stopped up. But it being simple just jerked off the soot cooker and replaced exhaust now and never again will that be a problem. Can't really do that with the computer controlled ones. As said mechanical and simple. The hst does wine for sure and with a cab its louder than a shuttle shift. But maybe it's just me but I think it gets better with a few hours in it. I have two hst kubota's and they wine also but neither have cabs so not as noticeable.

What ever you get hope you have good luck and its only your decision. Good to see your doing you homework and really testing the waters before diving in.

I read a couple of threads here on DPF and that's what I'm going to do as soon as I get it and the Branson is still #1 on the list for precisely that reason. I also am old school and let all motors I have warm up before using, from the car to the truck to the generator to the tractor to the airplane. Also when going from point a to point b on my farm I don't go fast because all the jumping hurts my back plus I'm retired so I value fuel cost over time saved, which I have more of. Thanks to your comments and insights and also to all others who have helped me by sharing their experiences.

It'd be great if one could query the data logger to see the status of the DPF but the one OBDII reader I tried failed to connect. When I get around to it I'll try some others.

You might have better luck with another reader. I have a reader where I can see my Xterra info but it won't read my Toyota.