Buying Advice Buying a tractor

[Flyboy712]

Hey guys,

Looking at buying a tractor for my place. I have a few acres that I need to move a bunch of dirt around and then going to make some pasture area, and garden areas I have about 1000' of gravel dirt driveway. Winter time will be moving snow.

My question is I'm looking for operational feedback on some tractors with FEL.

I have a list of possible candidates all prices after tax and financing charges come out at around 20k +/- 1k.

Branson 2400H 21k dealer 10min away.

Kubota B2601H 20k. Dealer 30min away.

Kioti CK2510H 19.5k Dealer 45min away.

TYM T264H 20k. Dealer 1hr away.

LS XJ2025H 18.5k. Dealer 1hr away same dealer as the TYM.

I think my short list is either the Kioti #1 or the TYM #2.

All the dealers have been responsive and helpful and have been around for a while with the exception of the Branson.

We have several JD, Massey, and case dealers within 30-45min also. Some are carrying the above brands.

The JD, Massey and case are about 5-10k more for a similar tractor.

Any thoughts or comments would be much appreciated. Mostly just looking for experience with the different models. I know dealers are important and that has been factored into my short list.

Thanks!

 

[IrishStout]

I would put in a vote for the Kioti. Your quote on the Kioti seems high to me. I would search out quotes from multiple dealers, even those outside your area.

 

[Flyboy712]

These are prices after tax and financing interest. The base price for it with a loader was 18k. This was the least of 3 quotes I got for this model tractor.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

You should look at the Kubota BX line for your small property. You can get a backhoe (BH) and still be under your price target. Use the O down 0 interest and there are no finance charges. I would not have wanted to pay the rental fees my BX25 has saved me in excavation chores. Until you have a BH you don't see the advantage. I have 1500 hours on mine and the BH has been on more than off.

Ron

 

[Flyboy712]

Ron,

I've contemplated that. I think the subcompact tractors are going to be a bit on the small side for a lot of what I'm wanting to do.

I don't know though? I could probably do it with one it's just gonna be a lot of work and take a while. They seem pretty small. Like a lawn mower on steroids. I know they are way more machine than just a lawn mower though.

I'll go back and take a look at a few of them again.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Ron,

I've contemplated that. I think the subcompact tractors are going to be a bit on the small side for a lot of what I'm wanting to do.

I don't know though? I could probably do it with one it's just gonna be a lot of work and take a while. They seem pretty small. Like a lawn mower on steroids. I know they are way more machine than just a lawn mower though.

I'll go back and take a look at a few of them again.

Thanks for the reply.

The BX and B horse powers are close to the same. You have to pay extra to get a BH on a B. Stay away from the DPW engines at 30HP+

Ron

 

[dodge man]

I think the size tractors you are looking at is a good size. I bought a JOhn Deere 2025r, 60” mid mount mower, FEL, pallet forks, fluid in the rear tires out the door for 21k. 0% interest. Bought it about a year ago. Take the mower out of the price of mine and it’s competitive with the prices you listed. There were a lot of incentives at the time that may or may not still be around.

Of the ones you listed I would take the Kubota. That is based on reputation and dealer support in my area.

 

[Diggin It]

TYM T264H 20k. Dealer 1hr away.

LS XJ2025H 18.5k. Dealer 1hr away same dealer as the TYM.

I think my short list is either the Kioti #1 or the TYM #2.

I'd take the LS over either. Oh wait ... I did.

I looked at the 2025 for about a minute, then they told me the BH subframe had to be removed to mount the MMM, but it did not on the 125, so ... But if you're not looking at the BH or MMM it doesn't matter.

With your task list though, I have to wonder if you shouldn't go up one size. Dragging a 1,000 feet of gravel is gonna take some guts.

 

[chim]

Make sure you get enough tractor. There will always be something that you'd like more weight, a bigger loader or more horses to do. It will happen a lot less frequently with bigger machines. 1,000 feet is a pretty good sized driveway to maintain and plow snow, and making a pasture may require some weight and HP. The amount of snow you get makes a big difference. We can have almost none, like this year, or quite a bit with an occasional blizzard. A loader is a poor snow removal tool. This is my experience with three loader-equipped tractors. A rear scraper blade is way better if the snow isn't deep. The front plow has been the best for me, but if you're limited by banks or other features that prevent pushing it off the sides a blower might be the ticket.

Moving a bunch of dirt around is something I've done with two different tractors. I'd be looking at something larger than a B series. We buried our LPG tank by placing it at the bottom of a steep bank and relocating around 150 tons of sand and clean crushed stone (unused volleyball court) and topsoil from another part of the property. Roughly half was done with a Kubota B7500. Then that tractor was replaced by an L3200. The L3200 was a beast compared with the B series. I haven't had the need to move much material so far with the L4240.

 

[Dave588]

Price differences and number of dealers differ all across country. In Mass, there are not many tractor dealers. Closest was John Deere, next three were kubota. It was a trip to get comparisons for kioti, mahindra and massey.
I like yanmar built john deeres, massey and mahindra but kubota price was basically same.

 

[jeff9366]

Looking at buying a tractor. I have a few acres that I need to move a bunch of dirt around and then going to make some pasture area, and garden areas I have about 1000' of gravel dirt driveway. Winter time will be moving snow.

I'm looking for operational feedback on some tractors with FEL.

These "which brand" threads are seldom helpful. You will likely make a better decision if you define a "few acres", describe your topography, describe how much dirt and how far you need to move it and the size garden you want.

With some recommendations as to tractor weight and horsepower, you can then shop across brands.






The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers. Neophyte tractor operators are often intimidated by instability of tractors with small front wheels and large rear wheels, therefore frequently purchase tractors too light, too small for long term satisfaction. ((Tractors seem to shrink after about twenty hours of operating experience.))

The most efficient way to shop for tractors is to first identify potential tractor applications, then, through consulataton, establish bare tractor weight necessary to safely accomplish your applications. Tractor dealers, experienced tractor owners and TractorByNet.com are sources for weight recommendations.

Sufficient tractor weight is more important for most tractor applications than increased tractor horsepower. Bare tractor weight is a tractor specification easily found in sales brochures and web sites, readily comparable across tractor brands and tractor models, new and used.

Within subcompact and compact tractor categories, a significant tractor capability increase requires a bare tractor weight increase of 50%. It takes a 100% increase in bare tractor weight to elicit MY-OH-MY!

Shop your weight range within tractor brands. Budget will eliminate some choices. Collect a dealer brochure for each tractor model in your weight range. I spreadsheet tractor and implement specs, often a revealing exercise. I have a column for cost per pound. Selling a used tractor is easy. Selling multiple light implements in order to buy heavier, wider implements for a new, heavier tractor requires a lot of time. Depreciation on implements is worse than depreciation on a tractor.

A quality dealer, reasonably close, available for coaching, is important for tractor neophytes. Most new tractors are delivered with a glitch or two requiring correction. My kubota dealer is six miles away. I feel my local dealer continues to add value to my equipment after seven years. Dealer proximity is less important for those experienced with tractors and qualified to perform their own maintenance.

 

[Flyboy712]

I'm on 5 acres. I have about 200yds of soft dirt and rock to move out of a big pile and just spread it out so it isn't in a big mound. Land is mostly flat but very rocky everything from gravel size to 2' boulders. Most being between softballs and basket balls. I have a lot of trees and brush. Garden area is about 100x50 and the pasture area once the dirt gets spread out will be about 1.5 - 2 acres.

I'm not really looking for which brand is better I know they all have their pluses and minuses and all of them are decent. The Kioti is the heaviest of all of them and that is one of the main reasons it's at the top of my list. Also it winds up in the end being one of the least expensive both per pound and actual cost wise.

Dealer is 45min away but nearly everything around here is at least 30min away. I'm not afraid of working on my own equipment I do it for a living. I've also operated many pieces of heavy equipment.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Did you look at the LSMT225e? Much more tractor / weight, more suitable for what you describe doing. Another plus right now is LS just announced financing at $0 down, 0% interest, 84 months. Here is a link to one at a good price https://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/farm-equipment/for-sale/122023711/2020-ls-mt225e
You do not mention your location, so hard to pinpoint prices around your area.
Another member here just purchased a new LS MT125 with loader, BH, and MMM for $17,600, shipped free from over a 1000 miles away.

 

[Flyboy712]

Thanks, I'll take a look.

I'm in Washington State.

 

[jeff9366]

I'm on 5 acres. I have about 200yds of soft dirt and rock to move out of a big pile and just spread it out so it isn't in a big mound. Land is mostly flat but very rocky everything from gravel size to 2' boulders. Most being between softballs and basket balls. I have a lot of trees and brush. Garden area is about 100x50 and the pasture area once the dirt gets spread out will be about 1.5 - 2 acres.

I'm not really looking for which brand is better I know they all have their pluses and minuses and all of them are decent. The Kioti is the heaviest of all of them and that is one of the main reasons it's at the top of my list. Also it winds up in the end being one of the least expensive both per pound and actual cost wise.

If you do not think the two (2) range HST transmission on the Kioti 2510 will be limiting, I think your choice is made. HST is preferred transmission if you will operate a PTO powered roto-tiller, which seems probable, as you can operate tractor at creep speed while tiller churns.


A FEL bucket toothbar attachment will substantially reduce strain on your FEL and reduce wear on bucket lip breaking up dirt piles and prizing out rocks. Budget for a Box Blade or Rear/Angle blade for distributing dirt. With your rocks, probably a Rear/Angle blade, which will allow you to windrow rocks in the future pasture. Weight per unit of width is your friend with ground engagement implements.

LINK: W.R. Long, Inc. | Tooth Bar & Wear Blades

VIDEO: compact tractor rear angle blade windrowing - YouTube

 

[jeff9366]

Did you look at the LS MT225e ?
Much more tractor / weight, more suitable for what you describe doing. Another plus: LS just announced financing at $0 down, 0% interest, 84 months. Here is a link to one at a good price https://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/farm-equipment/for-sale/122023711/2020-ls-mt225e

LINK: MT225E-24.6HP LS Tractor USA

Interesting transmission.

 

[fried1765]

Thanks, I'll take a look.

I'm in Washington State.

Would be helpful if you would add that general location "Washington state" to your TBN profile

 

[Flyboy712]

I plan on getting a tooth bar for sure and also a tiller and either a box blade or rear blade. I'm in Central Washington.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Here is a link to both an LS tractor and Kioti dealership in Oregon and Washington. Some of their package prices seem pretty good.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...ls%20tractor&usg=AOvVaw2496S-_3YtPFvnQrCu9UJS

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

LINK: MT225E-24.6HP LS Tractor USA

Interesting transmission.

What do you feel is so interesting about it?