Buying Advice In the market for a little tractor

[Chucky5150]

Still a little away from being able to buy one. Just in the hands on and checking out dealerships stage right now.Looking for the full workup of loader, mid mount mower, and backhoe. I have clay soil and in the summer time a shovel is useless.

I have about 3.5 acres of grass, decent length gravel driveway. I don't have to worry about snow living in south Louisiana, however, the mosquitoes will take a pint of blood. Currently using a second hand John Deere L110 42" mower. Seems like every month I have to fix something on it. At 600+ hours it runs good, just the mower deck is about to fall apart.

I do like the Kubota BX23s a lot. The wife and I looked at one yesterday and couldn't really find any cons with it.

I wanted to like the Yanmar tractor, but the dealer killed it. Even the Yanmar SA vs. the BX23s wasn't a fair fight as it didn't have tilt steering or cruise control and the fuel opening was up on the hood. That is something my 5'3" wife pointed out.

The Mahindra dealer didn't have any of the emax series in stock.

The Kubota and Yanmar were priced $24,000 and $22,000

The Massey Ferguson MFGC1723EB was also priced at $24,000. We just have not been able to make it up to the dealer yet. I grew up working with a Massey Ferguson 285 and really wanted to check this lil guy out.

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This brings us to the oddball on my list. The LS tractors. The local dealer, more of a used farm equipment dealer, didn't have any in stock and I seem to have been the first one to even ask about one. He did give me a price over the phone of $13,000. I ended up calling the dealer 2 hours away. They had some in stock even said they had two delivered yesterday. He gave me a price of $16,000.

Now that I think about it, I'm not sure if I got the mt122 or the mt125 quoted. How much different does 3hp make? Our grass does get a little tall when the ground is too wet to mow. There are a few more spots that like to collect water.
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My question is: what makes LS tractors $8,000ish cheaper?

Is eveyone else just setting prices high? It doesn't hurt that my wife likes the blue color. I would like the loader control in the fender, but I can get used to it.

 

[LScraig]

Still a little away from being able to buy one. Just in the hands on and checking out dealerships stage right now.Looking for the full workup of loader, mid mount mower, and backhoe. I have clay soil and in the summer time a shovel is useless.

I have about 3.5 acres of grass, decent length gravel driveway. I don't have to worry about snow living in south Louisiana, however, the mosquitoes will take a pint of blood. Currently using a second hand John Deere L110 42" mower. Seems like every month I have to fix something on it. At 600+ hours it runs good, just the mower deck is about to fall apart.

I do like the Kubota BX23s a lot. The wife and I looked at one yesterday and couldn't really find any cons with it.

I wanted to like the Yanmar tractor, but the dealer killed it. Even the Yanmar SA vs. the BX23s wasn't a fair fight as it didn't have tilt steering or cruise control and the fuel opening was up on the hood. That is something my 5'3" wife pointed out.

The Mahindra dealer didn't have any of the emax series in stock.

The Kubota and Yanmar were priced $24,000 and $22,000

The Massey Ferguson MFGC1723EB was also priced at $24,000. We just have not been able to make it up to the dealer yet. I grew up working with a Massey Ferguson 285 and really wanted to check this lil guy out.

​

This brings us to the oddball on my list. The LS tractors. The local dealer, more of a used farm equipment dealer, didn't have any in stock and I seem to have been the first one to even ask about one. He did give me a price over the phone of $13,000. I ended up calling the dealer 2 hours away. They had some in stock even said they had two delivered yesterday. He gave me a price of $16,000.

Now that I think about it, I'm not sure if I got the mt122 or the mt125 quoted. How much different does 3hp make? Our grass does get a little tall when the ground is too wet to mow. There are a few more spots that like to collect water.
​

My question is: what makes LS tractors $8,000ish cheaper?

Is eveyone else just setting prices high? It doesn't hurt that my wife likes the blue color. I would like the loader control in the fender, but I can get used to it.

I had the same questions as you last year before I bought my MT125. What convinced me to buy a LS (besides the great price) was a You Tube series "Tony's Tractor Adventures". Watch it and see for yourself what this machine can do.

 

[jeff9366]

The Kubota and Yanmar were priced $24,000 and $22,000

Quoting a price without specifying options only leads to confusion for your readers. I assume prices include a $4,000 mid-mount-mower. What else?

A subcompact tractor is capable of doing some digging when equipped with a toothbar or a bucket spade. A Backhoe is used more for trenching than other digging tasks.

What digging do you foresee for the $6,500 Backhoe on 3.5 acres?

VIDEOS (2): PIRANHA TOOTHBAR digging - YouTube

compact tractor bucket spade - YouTube

There is nothing wrong with LS and Kioti tractors from Korea, except thin dealer distribution.
KIAs from Korea cost less than equivalent Toyotas from Japan. And.....dealers may be hungrier.



Add your S. Louisianna LOCATION to your T-B-N PROFILE for replies better tailored to your questions, such as price, which is regional. Observe your respondents.

 

[shooterdon]

For most a BH is nice to have but gets little use. A lot of money for something you may not use much.

You will need to move to the XR series LS to get a cab....the cab is a much better investment than the BH.

 

[Chucky5150]

Yes, all of the tractors were quoted with front end loader, mid mount mower, and backhoe. They are all +/- 2 horsepower of each other. The only point I was trying to make that the group of sub compact tractors that are all within a small chunk of change of each other. The $24,048.77 of the bx23s was the out the door cash price.

The backhoe adds $1,500 to the overall price (for the LS branded one, not sure about the others). I just called to double check that.
Drive over mid mount mower has been pretty standard at $2500 (Have not seen what just the mower cost with LS yet.)
As for projects:
-the catch basin for my septic tank will need to be replaced.
-Drainage issues around the property. Digging out/adding a sump and trenching the drain line.
-I plan on adding a mechanical thumb at some point to help with cutting up branches that fall down.
-Picking up and moving railroad ties.
-maybe even digging out some footers for when we add on to the shop.

So with the old saying that you get what you pay for. At 5ish grand less what am I not paying for? Does the orange and red paint just cost that much more?

 

[Diggin It]

Does the orange and red paint just cost that much more?

Basically, yes. The nationwide dealer network so many tout costs money. Green, Orange and Red spend big bucks on that network. LS makes many of the New Holland machines, who mark them up and sell them at their fancy chrome and glass showrooms.

With LS, you get the guts without the fluff. The meat and potatoes without the parsley and expensive restaurant ambience.

You want the 125, not the 122. far more capable.

Also, once you go Backhoe, you'll never go back. Handy piece of hardware.

Not sure where you are with pricing on the 125, but mine was right around $18K including a 48" tiller and middlebuster/subsoiler.

Jeffy wants to know where you are so he can drop by for tea.

 

[5030]

First tractor, buy a used low hour one and let the original owner take the depreciation hit. Most all of the used compact tractors will have low hours and it's pretty hard to destroy a small diesel tractor in a couple hundred hours.

 

[Egon]

Many folks use a backhoe for numerous other tasks than trenching. In actuality trenching may be one of the least uses. Tooth bar’s and spades are not really required for bucket work. The bar may help in some cases. The spade is only good for certain types of soil & specific projects. The hoe can do them better.

 

[sodamo]

If I had to compare use vs cost, my toothbar would come in 2nd to my backhoe. If memory serves I tried the toothbar once and got frustrated. Easier and more productive to dig with my bh then remove the spoils.

 

[atsah]

$24,000 for a BX or Massey 1723? to me that's insane.. How can that be? The 1723e here is 12,000 with a loader, probably another 5 grand for the hoe, plus a deck at 2,500..

If 24K is the case. I'm with 5030, look for something with a couple of hundred hours and save a ton of money.. There isn't a SCUT made worth 24K without a cab on it with heat and AC IMO...


While you're looking at video's check out this guy on youtube.. "Deep South Homestead"..

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Deep South homestead is a blooming A***ole ! He caused most of his issues with the tractors! I now have my second LS, upgraded to the XG3025.... Not one problem or issue. As a matter of fact it has the highest output hydraulic pump in its 25hp class at 12.9 gpm. When I ever need to go bigger, it will be another LS. The little MT125 outperformed my expectations by far. The 3025 is doing the same!

 

[Chucky5150]

I had the same questions as you last year before I bought my MT125. What convinced me to buy a LS (besides the great price) was a You Tube series "Tony's Tractor Adventures". Watch it and see for yourself what this machine can do.

Oh I found his videos. The wife laughed at my as I was watching his videos and didn't even have a tractor yet.

First tractor, buy a used low hour one and let the original owner take the depreciation hit. Most all of the used compact tractors will have low hours and it's pretty hard to destroy a small diesel tractor in a couple hundred hours.

I've had a Kubota search going on craigslist for 1-2 years now. Couple zero turns, an older B series (no FEL, MMM, or BH), and farm equipment in the 40ish HP range show up.


I actually talked with the wife about not getting the backhoe and just renting one when the time comes. I don't currently have a full size truck so I'd have to pay for the delivery plus the rental. It just seems like it's going to be a bigger pain in the butt. All it would take is one time having to dig out a clogged up drain line, we have a nice row or cypress trees, and I'd be grumpy I didn't just get the backhoe. So I don't have some list of projects that I need done, but if it just saves me from having to use a shovel when this soil turns into a clay brick I will be happy with that.

We're not moving again and if anything we'll buy the acre next to us if / when it comes up. So we have no issue spending the money to buy the right tool.

As for something with a cab, there just isn't the need. There are some older oak trees that we wouldn't be able to mow under with the cab.

My real concern now is with the dealer(s). There is one dealer that is less than 20 miles away. He has never even has anyone ask about the MT1 and seem to have been surprised him self with the price on one. Calling it cheaper than some zeroturns. I have no idea if there is much of a service shop there. I could buy it from him and everything goes great. As I understand it the tractor built and shipped out ready to roll. The next closest one is 75 miles away and seems like they are selling MT1s as fast as people walk in. That would make for a pain in the butt if I had to take it back to the shop for any reason. I am skilled enough to do the maintenance on the tractor.

Thank you for input guys!

 

[Diggin It]

My dealer is about 80 miles and not real easy to get to, but not difficult either. If/when I need to go for some reason, there are enough other places close to them that I can make the trip worthwhile. I've gone a couple of times for small things, but I don't have a truck or trailer to haul it if necessary.

I didn't need a vidiot to tell me what to buy.

 

[Chucky5150]

My dealer is about 80 miles and not real easy to get to, but not difficult either. If/when I need to go for some reason, there are enough other places close to them that I can make the trip worthwhile. I've gone a couple of times for small things, but I don't have a truck or trailer to haul it if necessary.

I didn't need a vidiot to tell me what to buy.

True that. I don't need to worry about LS branded parts for the engine. With any luck the other filters and wearable items will be of standard size. We plan on heading down to the LS dealership next week.

 

[dalola]

.. He did give me a price over the phone of $13,000.

If this is for a new TLB & MMM, I don't know what you're waiting for.....

 

[Chucky5150]

If this is for a new TLB & MMM, I don't know what you're waiting for.....

I'm betting he quoted the MT122 as I didn't really have a model picked out at that point.
Currently bankrolling two houses (know anyone who wants to move to the south?). Need to get the old house sold off so I can be back on the correct side of my balance sheet.

 

[Avenger]

LS tractors are great. Like Diggin It said "...you get the guts without the fluff. The meat and potatoes without the parsley and expensive restaurant ambiance."
LS makes tractors for New Holland and a few others.
Kubotas are nice, but expensive for what you get. But with that, you get a great dealer.

As far as a backhoe goes. Once you have one, you will use it. Maybe not all the time, it might not be hooked up 24/7, but when you need to remove that stump, or dig that rock out, or level that bit over there, you will be glad you have one.

Before I got my backhoe, I always said the same thing. "Yeah, need to rent a mini-ex so I can get out there and make that happen." and that only happened once. Now, things are getting done. I recently hooked up to the BH just to place some big rocks around the yard and made them look pretty.
Could have done that with a the FEL, a pry bar and shovel... but I have a backhoe.

My tractor is a bit bigger than the MT125, so I really cannot comment on how well it does. But it is anything like my tractor (bullet proof with tons of extra features other colors make you pay big bucks for), then that is where I would be looking very hard.
I would also probably ditch your local dealer. If he is simply a 'dealer' but does not move LS parts or tractors, then you probably dont want him working on it. I would generate the relationship with a guy down the road, who does move tractors. As always, I could be absolutely wrong about your local dealer...

Where I grew up, we had a guy who was not a dealer, but just a mechanic who owned a shop in a dumpy part of town. Lane was his name. Lane had junk all around his shop. You got dirty just driving past his place. But when you needed some help with a broken tractor, chainsaw, excavator, harrowbed, truck, railroad engine, airplane, space shuttle, this is the guy you would want to call. He could fix just about anything. We would bring something to lane and it was always a "aint no thing."

Your local dealer might be Lane. If so, I would use him.

 

[Chucky5150]

Thank you for the feedback Avenger. We plan on taking a drive down to the dealership on Friday.

 

[Chucky5150]

And just for ***** and giggles, here is the breakdown of the MT125 cost.

Tractor $ 11,124.00
Loader $ 2,100.00
mower $ 2,118.00
Backhoe $ 3,022.00
Delivery $ 400.00

Total: $18,764.00
(Plus tax and crap)

 

[Diggin It]

$18,something is about what mine was, but included a 48" tiller.