Am I crazy

[Brokermike]

Please don't consider this a Massey Specific Question I'd like input from all fronts

I have a new Massey Ferguson GC2310 that I bought in January. I'm considering getting a bigger tractor and need some guidance. It now has 29 hours on it and I'm getting some serious buyers remorse. I recently finished construction on my house but have tons of landscaping to do. I do not need a riding lawn mower, I already have one, I need a tractor to maintain my driveway and 10 acres, including firewood, tree removal, stone wall installation, and brush clearing.

I've found that the backhoe doesn't seem big enough to dig out stumps any bigger than 5-6" and that the tractor seems to move around a ton when I'm using the backhoe. I don't have a ton of experience but I'm getting kind of frustrated. Is this my lack of experience that will get worked out over time?

I've also found the front end to be really light with the backhoe on, making turning very difficult some times.

I've also found that I'm constantly maxing out the front end loader. I've tried stacking pine logs, cleaning out pig pigs and it just groans and won't lift unless I back out and take a much smaller bite. Is there something wrong or am I just asking too much?

In addition I dislike the lack of ground clearance, I can't seem to skid logs out of the woods without getting hung up in ruts, and the approach and departure angles are awful with the backhoe on.

I talked to my local dealer this morning, he wants $19,500 for a new 1529, and doesn't have access to a 1528. He will only give me $14,000 trade in on my GC2310. Please keep in mind that when I bought mine in January I also brought in my brother who bought one also, we paid $16,400 a piece. I also have a Bro-Tek Thumb and 5ft rear blade that goes with it.

I'm willing to give up a backhoe for a heavier more powerful tractor. Can anyone make some reccomendations here? Am I just jumping the gun or do my needs justify a larger tractor?

 

[canoetrpr]

I don't think that what you are being offerred is a bad deal for the trade. You might find you can do a bit better privately but I'd be tempted to jump on it and get the deal done.

I have a bit a buyers remorse not getting a Grand L but OTOH I haven't run into something that I have thrown at my lower hydraulic capacity L3400 that it could not do - FEL or 3PT wise. If I was to run into stuff that I wanted to be able to do on a regular basis, I don't think I would feel bad about trading in and moving up.

Let your needs dictate which tractor you should have.

That said, make sure you are not doing something silly like trying to lift the whole pile with your loader - if you are working on a pile of something, dont get your loader into the bottom of the pile. Your loader should be able to lift the capacity of what can fit in the bucket (dirt, gravel etc.). If you dig your loader into the bottom of the pile then you are trying to lift your whole pile.

 

[Ductape]

I gee that the trade-in deal they are offering you really isn't bad. Anyone coming in for a new tractor is going to after the 0% financing deals that your used tractor won't qualify for..... making it a much more difficult sell for your dealer.

As far as expecting too much...... well, you might be. I do think with more time you'll learn to be more efficient with your gc. That being said, sub-compacts do have their limitations, and perhaps your tasks just plain require a larger tractor.

 

[Gittyup]

When you use your loader, are you doing so at PTO speed? Performance is best at highest rpms. Same is true for backhoe. Also make sure your tractor is good and warm. Hydraulics are sluggish when cold. Add a tooth bar to your loader; this will help alot.

To improve your backhoe performance you want your tractor to be as heavy and "stable" as possible. Within the alowable manufacturer limits do:
add fluid in tires
add wheel/suitcase weights
use the correct pads on your outriggers ("claws" for dirt or pads for pavement)
fill your loader with weight, like a load of dirt
or sink the tooth bar into the ground

If you still think that it won't perform to expectations, then step up a size. Little point in keeping something that won't do the job. The only thing lost is money. You can always make more money.

 

[teg]

I thought smaller machine can get same the job done as larger tractors but it takes a little longer, and smaller bites. If you are in a rush, upgrade (but the price is also upgraded).

 

[ChuckinNH]

Well, you are getting some good advice here. There are tricks that help get more out of a small tractor, and patience is the best one of these. I had a BX22 and know exactly where you are coming from though. In the woods, you need a bigger tractor unless you are willing to make a road ahead of you to some extent. The problem is that your tractor really isn't big enough for a winch either, and so you are really quite limited. Like me, I'm sure you had no idea of what the numbers in your specs really meant until you had some experience, and like me you found limitations right away. You are certainly not alone, and the only way you can get that experience is to try what you think might work. After my experience, I came to believe that once you had the ground clearance out of the way, you really need to look at least at doubling the capacities of the tractor before you will see a meaningful difference, and adding considerable weight too perhaps. I would look at a tractor with twice the capabilities of the one you have. If that just doesn't make sense for your situation (it should) then think carefully about whether the main issue is clearance. I doubt that going to a tractor with a couple hundred more pounds of capablility will really change things all that much.

If the tractors with twice the capacity seem much bigger than you want, step back, and review how you look at the one you have. Sometimes when we look at a situation from a different perspective, it becomes much more viable.

Don't hesitate to move up if you like what you see at doubling capacities. You had no way of knowing what to expect, so don't beat yourself up about it........ move on, and have fun!

 

[TimC]

Personally, NONE of the jobs you listed really are jobs that I'd want a Sub-Compact Tractor for. I'd trade up before the dealer takes his offer off of the table.

There are only 3 reasons I know of to own a sub compact

1: Your jobs are too tight for a larger tractor

2: Your wallet is too tight for a larger tractor

3: You need one machine to do it all, including precise finish mowing

You don't seem to fit in any of these categories, so I'd go ahead and trade up.

I bought and owned a NH TC18 for two years before my jobs outgrew it. BUT, now that I have a larger more powerful tractor (with a loader this time) I wish I had done it sooner.

I think that first time tractor buyers either get lucky and get the right tractor the first time, or they have to buy one and try it themselves to determine it wasn't the right tractor...

Good Luck!

 

[greggh]

I talked to my local dealer this morning, he wants $19,500 for a new 1529, and doesn't have access to a 1528. He will only give me $14,000 trade in on my GC2310. Please keep in mind that when I bought mine in January I also brought in my brother who bought one also, we paid $16,400 a piece. I also have a Bro-Tek Thumb and 5ft rear blade that goes with it.

Welcome to the world of tractors. There has been a lot of good advice from the folks here. The dealer seems as if he is giving you a good deal because he wants to keep you as a customer. But before you decide on the 1529 ask the dealer if he has one you can test for a weekend. Drive it try to do the chores that made you dissatisfied with you current tractor. You don't want to make the same mistake twice. Make sure that the new purchase will meet all of your needs and fits the bill.
I am pretty sure that the dealer will work with you on your concerns. It does him no good to have a dissatisfied customer.

 

[AndyMA]

I thought smaller machine can get same the job done as larger tractors but it takes a little longer, and smaller bites. If you are in a rush, upgrade (but the price is also upgraded).

Only sometimes can a small tractor dothe work of a larger machine. Owning several sized machines, there are thing I can do with a New Holland TN75D 75 hp, almost 10,000 lb that my Ford 2120 43 hp could never do.

The trade in price is excellent. I seriously doubt you could privately selll it for that.

Andy

 

[Z-Michigan]

I think the trade-in offer is pretty good, considering. You might get a bit more in a private sale if you don't mind the hassle.

Just be sure your replacement tractor is really big enough for all your tasks.