Looking to buy my first tractor

[Torvy]

You will never turn a profit farming forty acres.

Can you afford the tractor expense of $30 per engine hour, assuming dealer service, as a hobby? If not, stay with five acres and enjoy yourself with 1/8th of the expense.

OP indicated another 80 acres of trees. He could make money off of the trees or even transition it to farmland.

Even with 40 acres, he could turn a profit depending upon what he grows and how welll he grows it. More importantly, not everyone who gets into farming does it for profit.

 

[rScotty]

OP indicated another 80 acres of trees. He could make money off of the trees or even transition it to farmland.

Even with 40 acres, he could turn a profit depending upon what he grows and how welll he grows it. More importantly, not everyone who gets into farming does it for profit.

That's certainly true. Not only can there be other reasons than financial for going into farming, the same can be said about tractors themselves.

Back 20+ years ago when I joined TBN, a question about what tractor to buy would become a discussion mostly about what features one tractor came with versus another.
Move up to ten years and the buying discussions centered around the jobs and implements.
Today, most of the discussion is about costs and finance.

I wonder what we will be discussing tomorrow..
rScotty

 

[Raul-02]

New Holland

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Make sure you look long and hard into New Holland and their rep for continued long-term parts support for their smaller tractors.
I can't say that "I know" because I don't know, but I've read that there are issues there.

 

[airbiscuit]

It's counterintuitive, but sometimes you can buy more (bigger tractor) for less. My neighbor has a 95hp Kubota, and I've seen them priced pretty reasonably.

 

[M59]

It's counterintuitive, but sometimes you can buy more (bigger tractor) for less. My neighbor has a 95hp Kubota, and I've seen them priced pretty reasonably.

I don't disagree that the bigger tractors are in less demand and the price curve per horsepower is no longer a logarithmic upward curve like the smaller 20-40 hp tractors, however the video is from 3 Sept 2020, almost two years old. Inflation/ prices have gotten much worse in last 2 years.

New tractors are effectively unobtainable unless one wants to pay nosebleed prices, therefore the used market has risen substantially due to buyers unwilling / incapable of buying new. A month ago I priced a new M62 to see how the price has changed since I bought my used M59, with 230 hours, in 2013 for $38K. A new M62 ( M59 replacement ) is $95K and 1 year before delivery per local Kubota dealer in Knoxville TN. I understand the TLB is not what the OP wants but tractors, new and used, along with implements have become extremely pricey when compared to 2 and 3 years ago. This existing price scheme/market is not the long run norm and I don't expect it to continue. Likely correction to long run norm pricing within next 2 years.

 

[airbiscuit]

I don't disagree. I'm just saying don't rule out a bigger tractor. It might be the better buy.

 

[M59]

Airbiscuit,

Absolutely agree with look at the bigger tractors for all the following: education about machines in general, price vs age, hours on clock, manufacturer, location being sold, general condition, etc, etc, etc.

Schooling ones self is the best way to recognize a bad deal and a good deal.

I bought my M59 out of PA and had it delivered to home in NC. Landed cost in NC was part of the negotiation.

 

[airbiscuit]

 

[Yander]

OP indicated another 80 acres of trees. He could make money off of the trees or even transition it to farmland.

Even with 40 acres, he could turn a profit depending upon what he grows and how welll he grows it. More importantly, not everyone who gets into farming does it for profit.

Have to agree here. I could turn a profit off of my 5 acres depending on what I grow. Think outside the box a little. You could do hay on 40 acres. Now living off of 40 acres that is a different discussion and it would take a different kind of farming all together, Veggies, Trees etc. However, even that could be done and is done.

Something else not mentioned if farming, the tractor is only part of the equation. The implements to farm are not cheap at all. Still, can be done.

 

[3gunr]

The op said he had 40 acres tillable 35 of which were leased out , He never mentioned anything about turning a profit or farming it to make a living , Some of you guys either dont read what the Op says Or just want to repeat the same stuff over and over no matter the question. I do agree the Op should look for as big a tractor as he can afford, A 60 hp tractor would be plenty to handle most of the chores he listed.