Buying Advice Questions about potential purchase, not sure where to start

[fattylumpkins]

But if shopping used tractors, I would advise you to favor machines with JDQA or SSQA. Many older tractors have what's called a "pinned on" bucket, meaning it's not easily removable. This will prevent you from ever changing implements on the loader, and also hurt your resale value down the road.

Thank you - another thing I didn't know and now I do! Maneuverability is crucial. I like to LARP as a strong lady, but sometimes I have to accept that I have limits. Accessible changes I can make on my own will be very important to me. Based on what has been shared, keeping the front loader on will likely be the primary configuration yet can't be fixed since I have other uses for the tractor, too.

 

[2manyrocks]

Besides JD and Kubota, Yanmar also makes high quality small, tractors if there is a dealer in your area.

If you could get by without dealer support, a Power Trac PT 425 would be in your price range. These are direct sold by the manufacturer in Virginia, and it would be up to you to perform all service on your own. T8 Class.

One of our members, MossRoad, has posted a few videos to YT about his PT425. Moss Road

 

[WinterDeere]

Besides JD and Kubota, Yanmar also makes high quality small, tractors if there is a dealer in your area.

Good call, and it might be worth checking with your local Deere dealer, as I'd bet they still service Yanmars. They would probably even stock most engine components and filters, even if they don't stock all of the Yanmar chassis components for newer models.

Deere has had a 50-year relationship with Yanmar, and in fact my old Deere 855 or 750 (can't remember which) was made by Yanmar, it was essentially a Yanmar tractor painted in Deere colors. Even my new 3033R has a Yanmar diesel engine, as I believe all Deere CUT's still do.

 

[rumwrks]

Thank you for sending this. I didn't realize this was a viable option, people at my church told me to stick to the dealers that were in my area.

This isn't bad advice though. It's kind of a trade off. There are other brands that are cheaper and sometimes you can get a better deal going further away. BUT if you have a problem a local dealer who is good can also be super useful to have. The "is good" part is of course critical as a crappy unhelpful local dealer is just that. If there are other folks you know in the area who've had good experiences that does count for something.

My other tractor is a larger Tym/Branson model which was 1.5hrs drive but was also 25-30% cheaper than a comparable kubota/deere so I decided the tradeoff was worth it. I'm also moderately comfortable working on my own machines.. which is a consideration in that regard.

Side note on the firewood hauling, you can get some fairly cheap 3 point forklift forks for the back of the tractor (especially shopping used, I see them on craigslist and marketplace for $200+- occasionally) which work really well for lifting pallets of wood especially if you can get some IBC tote cages (basically the IBC totes minus the plastic tank) cheap (there's a place in central OR that sells themfor like $25/ea) they work really nicely for stacking small stuff in and hauling it. One commenter (sorry it's a couple pages back) noted that the FEL forks take up a lot of the weight capacity of these small loaders.. and it's definitely true... If you do get those it's worth shopping for the lightest ones you can get for a small tractor. They are still pretty handy for hauling stuff around IMHO (I use pallets to move stuff out of the back of my truck, for moving plants around the place, and some similar activities which aren't super heavy.. I bought a set that's a bit to heavy for the B because I also wanted to use them on the bigger tractor.. tradeoffs..)

 

[big bubba]

`1st, welcome to this forum. 2nd, you are wise to post her as referenced already by the replies. good luck w/your purchase. don't forget your unseen future projects in deciding the size tractor. all too often (incl myself) we wished we had gone larger.
best of luck

 

[ning]

The "choose a dealer near you" thing is a consideration for repairs.

Moving tractors isn't necessarily the easiest thing for a lot of people, as it requires a trailer and a tow vehicle; obviously the bigger the tractor, the heavier-duty the trailer, and potentially a much heavier-duty tow vehicle.

Choosing a brand with a nearby dealer means that it may be economical to have the dealer pick up & deliver the tractor to you for repairs instead of you investing in a trailer & potentially a truck.

In my case, I ended up with a dealer that's 110 miles one-way. They delivered the new tractor free (this depends entirely on the dealer), and I have a 1-ton pickup and figured I'd eventually buy a flatbed trailer. I still haven't bought the trailer, though I've rented one locally ($100 per day) for an entirely different reason, and my tractor hasn't needed to go back to the dealer once in over 7 years now. Considering that a decent used flatbed for me to haul my tractor (~5000# without the backhoe and loader) would cost $4k+ if craigslist is anything to go by, that's 40 rentals to pay for a trailer... and given that I haven't needed my tractor serviced by the dealer, I suspect I won't be buying a trailer for a while.

YMMV, but it's quite possible that a quality tractor won't need dealer servicing at all, assuming you don't mind performing filter & fluid changes (there's a lot of hydraulic fluid - which is very much like motor oil, except it doesn't turn black; and then there's also motor oil, much less of it, and it will turn black being in a diesel motor). Considering the costs and bother of transport, and amount of time a dealer may take to get around to doing a fluid change for you, I'd advise getting used to the idea of dealing with the oils myself; it doesn't happen that often and it's not difficult, though it can be messy.

Also, you need to grease the tractor pretty often. More often than I do, in fact; I need to do it more often...

btw Many auto parts stores accept used motor oil (which includes the hydraulic fluid) for recycling.

Someone above mentioned TYM; TYM bought my tractor's maker (Branson) in the last few years. I strongly encourage you to consider a not-too-nearby dealer of a different brand as well; I'm still super glad I got the tractor I did and honestly don't see the near-religious zeal some have for Kubotas. They're pretty much all the same at this point.

 

[2manyrocks]

Internal seal on the bull pinion shaft began leaking into the brakes on my Mahindra around 700 hours. Only two dealers near me. One was further away over the mountain. The other that sold it to me was always too busy to come to the phone to discuss the repair and didn't return my calls even after I spoke with the owner of the dealership. Independent tractor mechanics are rare in my area. So I traded the Mahindra at a loss for a Kubota.

The Power Trac PT 425 uses a 25hp gas Kohler v twin engine which is pretty reliable and can be owner maintained. The rest of the machine is essentially three hydraulic pumps, gear motors, hydraulic cylinders and hoses. It can be maintained by someone with mechanic skills, but it's not like buying a Kubota BX from a good local dealer and having them available to do the maintenance if that's what you prefer.

If you buy something that only the dealer can service, please make sure the dealer service department is good before you buy.

Also recommend that you use the search tool on this site to search for specific tractor models you are considering. You can often find a lot of relevant information that will help you make your decision.

 

[airbiscuit]

Have some fun. Start going to local dealers, look around, and try some out.

 

[California]

Sorry for clogging the boards, everyone.

You're not clogging anything. Keep the questions coming!

We love to debate the various 'best choices', and especially love spending others' money vicariously.

Also - many of us arrived here same as you - 'I want to buy my first tractor, what should I buy?" For me it was inheriting the orchard in Y2K that grandpa and then Dad had used as a summer home - no tractor - with the real apple production contracted to a neighbor. (which I have continued). I found a 20 year old used tractor that was cheap because it needed numerous minor repairs to remedy severe neglect. I asked all the beginner questions here, and learned this Yanmar was premium quality, reputed to be indestructible with normal maintenance. I decided my auto maintenance experience was sufficient to take the gamble, and bought it and spent a month doing the repairs that members here suggested. Turns out it was a good choice. 20 year later it runs fine.

I don't mind sharing what I've learned since.

 

[California]

Wood moving - I just mean split logs, fallen branches - usually like to break them down before moving them

Like this?

Front load is chained so it won't fall out.

Rear is a platform the size of a single bed (the source for its steel perimeter) mounted on a pallet, carried on 3-point pallet forks.

And note the rear wheel weights, they are sufficient for most loads in the front bucket.