Another confused first timer

[Hoodoo]

Well here's the story....I have a 5 acre place in N Central Az. All flat, about 2 acres is horse pasture. Well not grass pasture, but dirt and rock. The other 3 acres are 'grassy' but not nice grass. Plus there are spots with rocks that need to be cleared and always DG to spread. I currently have a riding mower, but the mower deck just crapped out, and I use it more for dragging and cleaning the pastures anyway. My neighbors are great and stop by to help out with stuff, but I really need my own tractor, most people around here use them almost every day for something.

So after much searching, I basically know nothing much more than when I started looking. What I do know is that tractors are expensive!

Here are my parameters: Decent HP (24?) - 4x4 - rear box scraper - front bucket - canopy - mower deck. Other than that I'm flexible. Budget is under $20k. I'd like to go new to get a warranty, plus most manufacturers are offering $0 down and 0% financing which makes it doable....

Brand choice is another matter. John Deere is way too pricey, Kubota is a possible, Yanmar also.
What should I know or do to get this going? I'd like to have one by next spring.

All advice appreciated!

 

[shooterdon]

You will get more tractor for the dollar with brands like LS, TYM etc etc

Visit dealers and test ride to see what you like. Shop the dealer as much as the machine. Look at their service facilities.

If you want a tractor in the spring, you may need to order months ahead. The dealers will let you know current lead times...expect those lead times to get worse.

 

[nikerret]

Where are you?

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Where are you?

He said he was in N central Arizona......

 

[nikerret]

He said he was in N central Arizona......

Yes. Yes he did. My bad.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

There are many brands out there to research..... I know what you mean about confusing choices. When I was shopping, JD and Kubota were 'no go' due to them being $5-6K more than other tractors like LS, TYM, Branson, etc.

A 24/25 hp subcompact would definitely do what you need. Also, just a few dollars more can get you into a small compact which is more capable in lift capacity and weight (which is your friend).

Your area is probably very similar to mine as far as grass and dirt. I originally had an LS SCUT, used it for 2 years/ 220 hours, without any problems and I worked it really, really hard. I sold it for $500 less than what I paid for it. My second tractor is also an LS, same HP, but probably twice the size and weight.

For the mower, skip a mid mount or belly mower.... they are about 2-3 times more expensive than a 3 point mower. You can get either a finish mower or rough cut mower for the 3 point. I use a 6' finish mower on our 5 acres to cut the "field grass", small yuccas, and even cactus.

Good luck with your search... there are not too many tractors sitting on the dealers lots these days.

 

[m1garand762]

You get what you pay for. Stick to a brand with some history and a serious presence in your area stay away from economy brands and keep it Deere Massey new Holland or kubota if you want to be able to get parts and have some resale on your machine. These guys that go no name China and Korea brands and going to all be complaining in 10 years when they can’t get parts for the cheap tractor

 

[oosik]

I agree. Look at brands with some history. A good tractor and normal maintenance will last a life time. Look for a dealership with a good service department. Spend some time talking to the service dept manager. Generally speaking - salesmen will be talking pie-in-the-sky - service dept manager deals with the unit where the rubber meets the dirt.

 

[sea2summit]

What types of things do you need the tractor to do? Just mowing?

 

[jeff9366]

I have a 5 acres in N Central Az. All flat, about 2 acres is horse pasture. Well not grass pasture, but dirt and rock. The other 3 acres are 'grassy' but not nice grass.

Plus there are spots with rocks that need to be cleared and always DG (?) to spread.

Here are my parameters: Decent HP (24?) - 4x4 - rear box scraper - front bucket - canopy - mower deck. Other than that I'm flexible. Budget is under $20k. I'd like to go new to get a warranty, plus most manufacturers are offering $0 down and 0% financing which makes it doable....

Your parameters include tractors with a bare tractor weight varying from 1,700 pounds to 2,800 pounds. Tractor capability is more closely correlated to tractor weight than any other specification. Tractors weighing 1,700 to 2,000 pounds typically come with a mid-PTO to operate mid-mount-mowers. Heavier tractors forego the mid-PTO but are wider and have larger wheels, making them more stable platforms for heavier work over uneven ground.

Bare tractor weight is a fundamental tractor specification easily found in sales brochures and web sites, readily comparable across tractor brands and tractor models, new and used. 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 which cuts through specification clutter.


MORE: Tractor Sizing - Almost Daily Thread: SUBCOMPACT or COMPACT TRACTOR?

BUY ENOUGH TRACTOR​

 

[jeff9366]

For the mower, skip a mid mount or belly mower.... they are about 2-3 times more expensive than a 3 point mower. You can get either a finish mower or rough cut mower for the 3 point. I use a 6' finish mower on our 5 acres to cut the "field grass", small yuccas, and even cactus.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Hoodoo,

"N Central AZ"? Are you in Verde valley, or Prescott/Prescott Valley? You live there year 'round, or is this just a getaway property and your house is down in valley (Phoenix)? You going to leave the tractor on site, or?

I would look at what dealers are available in your area first.

I'm native born and raised in AZ, moved up here 10 years ago.

Anyway,

I can easily see you destroying a belly mower pretty fast with your mowing area. I think you're better served with a heavy duty 3pt brush hog rotary mower. Size will be dependent on size and hp of tractor. Guys, he's not kidding when he says "rocks". That part of AZ grows rocks faster than it grows weeds. You would destroy any kind of "finish" mower. You don't say how many acres? More acres would equal more area to mow, which would drive up the want of a bigger mower, which would drive up the need for more hp.

I would think a 30 hp+ tractor, with FEL and SSQA, and a 6' hd brush hog would be a decent "compromise" rig. Add a box blade and/or rear blade for driveway maintenance. Rear blade for the occasional "big" snow event. SSQA forks for the FEL for lifting/carrying stuff around. Maybe a 6' tiller if you want to put in a garden.

 

[Have tractor did travel]

I'm another to say buy brand name. I'd limit my search to JD Kub, and Yanmar. Many mfg's use parts from 3rd parties. Certainly JD uses Yanmar engines. But I was shocked to read that New Holland was selling under their name, and blue paint, a tractor MADE by Turk Tractor of Ankara, Turkey. Since when does Turkey have a reputation for making anything good ?
When I've purchased all 3 of my tractors, and the excavator (all which I still have), I identified the jobs I needed to do, the equipment I needed to do them, and bought used, low hours. The B3200 only had 39 hours thereon. The L2550, 30 years old, had 1100 hours. I think financing used tractors is difficult. Don't know that, but for sure, if you've buying used, and what you've found is "a find", you've got to have your money ready.

 

[RjCorazza]

No intention of starting a brand war, but I have always had Kubota tractors and mowers. I just hate the thought of rebranded tractors, particularly the numerous orphaned machines.
I full realize that I paid more for the name, but also for parts, service, warranty, longevity, and resale value.
I don't think a $20k budget will buy a new Kubota L2501, but they are a very popular machine for what you are needing to get done.

 

[Ddh1961]

If you like a big brand name like New Holland, go look at them and get an idea of what you like. Then look at the manufacturers tag on the back go the machine and you’ll see it’s made by LS Mtron (LS Tractor), a well-made machine from S. Korea. Then go to your local LS dealer and buy the same tractor as the NH for thousands less, and it’ll probably have more features for your money. Something in the MT125 or MT225 class should fit your needs nicely, and well within the $20k range.

 

[PuffyC]

My only thought is don't over think it. You'll never find the perfect tractor looking at a spreadsheet full of specs with reach and weight and which one has floor mats, etc. Half of the ones you think are important will be forgotten a month or so after you buy it. Find a dealer close to you who's been around for a long time, can get parts in a timely manner (can't emphasize that enough) and has a good reputation for service after the sale, then buy whatever brand they sell in the size that will do the actual jobs you want to do. Don't just look at purchase price either. In my experience, trying to save a buck by going cheap is almost always more expensive in the long run.

 

[Rdrcr]

Branson? I don’t know if you have any dealers nearby but, good value for your dollar.

Mike

 

[Hoodoo]

Thanks, guys! Yes to reiterate, I am in N AZ, about 30 miles north of Prescott, have 5 acres of flat ground....there are little piles of rocks here and there that a tractor would really help get rid of Mowing is limited to May - September and is not grass, more like prairie grass, tumbleweed, weeds, Etc. I cut at about 3-4 inches off the ground right now. After my riding mower broke (for the third time) a month ago, the neighbor took pity and came over with his Deere with the brush hog on the back, and took care of almost the whole lot in a couple hours.

I also drag a harrow mat every week at least once around the pastures to clean everything up and spread out the horse poop, fill in any holes, etc...

I'm seeing the recommendations to buy name brand and agree...being a long-time builder/contractor I know the foolishness of chasing a cheap deal. Problem is, that we retired recently and have a somewhat fixed income, and I just can't justify (to myself or the missus ;-) acquiring a huge monthly payment when we just got out of debt.

I see the names being most mentioned are: Deere, Kubota, Holland, Yanmar, and a few others...not to start a brand war here (I'm guessing everyone has their faves just like Ford v Chevy v Dodge ) so Ill narrow down my searching to the more popular ones.

My intuition says to spend more and buy new to get dealer support/warranty? Don't want to buy someone else's problems and besides the used tractors aren't much cheaper anyway....

Any more advice, let me know.

 

[jeff9366]

1) I'm seeing the recommendations to buy name brand and agree...being a long-time builder/contractor I know the foolishness of chasing a cheap deal. Problem is, that we retired recently and have a somewhat fixed income, and I just can't justify (to myself or the missus ;-) acquiring a huge monthly payment when we just got out of debt.

I see the names being most mentioned are: Deere, Kubota, Holland, Yanmar, and a few others...not to start a brand war here (I'm guessing everyone has their faves just like Ford v Chevy v Dodge ) so Ill narrow down my searching to the more popular ones.

2) My intuition says to spend more and buy new to get dealer support/warranty? Don't want to buy someone else's problems and besides the used tractors aren't much cheaper anyway....

Any more advice, let me know.

(posted June 2021)​

1) Other brands? Models to look at or avoid? Buy new or used?

The design of the Three Point Hitch tractor has been marketed in the USA since 1939 -- 82 years in 2021.

The Three Point Hitch tractor design is generic.

Kubota and Deere have most of the market through 6,000 pound bare weight tractors. But this Kubota/Deere domination is regional.

The up and coming compact tractor brands are Korean: Kioti, LS and Branson. There are other Korean brands. You have to critically assess dealer stability while shopping minor brands.

Korean manufacturing labor is paid 50% of what Deere pays its union work force. Japanese manufacturing labor is paid 70% of what Deere pays its union work force. Labor costs strongly influence tractor prices. Kubota is the gold standard in the compact tractor category. Deere dominates in 'Big Ag' tractors.


We have the following brands within an hour of us.

• Kubota
• LS
• TYM
• KIOTI
• Massey Ferguson
• John Deere

I know that a lot depends on the dealer and their willingness to help, but should I stay away from any of these brands?

Start with the nearest dealer and work out.

Transporting a tractor for service is expensive and inconvenient, whether you trailer it or the dealer trailers it.


CREDIT: 'FELIXEDO'

"It has been touched on a couple of times, but not directly as a buying factor.

Every tractor brand has a machine that will do the job(s) you want. Check out your nearby dealers, and go with one you have confidence in.

A great machine with no support nearby is a hassle to repair and maintain.

And a good machine can't make a lousy dealer into a good dealer."



2) 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 eight years. Dealer proximity is less important for those experienced with tractors and qualified to perform their own maintenance.

 

[Hoodoo]

So would you not recommend me buying in Phoenix.....which is 2 hours away? They of course have many more options than our little area up here in the mountains....

But as you say, I'll start local (I think that limits me to only Kubota and Deere)