5520 value and possible downsize replacement

martins14700 · Jan 1, 2010

I am new to this forum tho, like so many others, I have viewed the postings for years. Retirement has freed up some time for me, so I thought I would leap in and get involved. I own a 5520 with FEL and backhoe with under 1400 hours and I am considering downsizing to something a little easier to manage implement changes and with easier maneuverabilty. I am getting older, and each year it seems harder and harder to deal with these issues.

I have two questions: 1) what value does my tractor hold today. I paid $55k for it with 800 hours on it. That included a new backhoe that I added, and new FEL, along with a curtis snow blade, bale spear, post hole digger, and cab.
2) What model would be a logical replacement for it. I own a 165 acre farm of mostly pasture, and I need something primarily to do some small scale farming and landscape maintenance. In this economy, would I be better off trading it in for a no interest finance deal? A couple of years back, I had a dealer offer me 40K in trade, but I decided against it at that time.

jenkinsph · Jan 1, 2010

A 4x20 series may work for you but I think what you have now is more appropriate. Have to ask you if you have tried out the cat 2 IMatch setup? With top and tilt and IMatch I can disconnect one implement and pick up another without leaving the seat in less than 4 minutes. This is well worth investigating since in most cases you would have to swap out implements along with the tractor and this could make trading up and down very expensive. If you are not skilled in welding I think it would be very beneficial to hire a good welder for a day or two to make any modification needed to set up for IMatch.

The key to IMatch and easy implement swapping is to take the time to make all of the implements fit correctly. From then on it is a piece of cake, when mowing in the summer I can hitch up to 8 implements move them out of the way, then mow where they were and put them back in about 45 minutes. Hope that helps with the implement change issue.

What might be bettter would be to add a small tractor with ehydro to handle the light duty tasks that require more manuverabilty. Other than that I would keep what you have as it is better suited to your plot size. I have a 4520 cab and really like it but I am not dumb enough to think it will replace a 5520.