Another newbie w/questions. Which would you buy?

[oneslackr]

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

I have to agree that the B series isn't for me. If I were to buy one I'd want to go with the larger/heavier models.

The problem is that my wife doesn't want me to spend any cash towards a down payment for a tractor or tie up available credit financing the balance. So while a tractor would be helpful it doesn't look like it's in the cards. The Kubota dealer might be a bit disappointed for a second or two when I call him on Monday. But he'll get over it.

Neither is that DR Field Brush mower. It won't save me any time. My wife thought it would've helped but I don't think it's worth it. Besides if the riding mower is already getting stuck once in a while on it's own just imagine what would happen with it trying to tow almost 500 additional pounds!

I'll just keep mowing with my Craftsman. Like I said if it breaks down then I'll just buy a new one. For the price of the DR cutter I could buy 2 new riding mowers.

As for the other projects I guess they will have to wait. I checked and if I need to I can rent a Kubota TLB from my local rental shop for $165/day. In the past they charged me $80 for delivery/pickup to my house (only 10 miles each way for a Bobcat), so I figure maybe $200 to deliver out to my property. Even so it is a lot cheaper than buying something. Besides I won't be out any money if I break their tractor. I've been renting things from them for almost 6 years and their prices are good compared to the competition around here. They also don't complain if something breaks, like it has in the past.

Or I can always do things the hard way like I grew up doing since my dad usually did and still does everything the hard way. For example, when I was 16 my dad bought 144 yards of fill dirt to transform the yard and we shoveled it all by hand. Two shovels & 1 wheelbarrow & 1 month or more of shoveling every day. Turned out great but took forever. Doing things the difficult way rubbed off on me over the years because I find myself still doing things the hard way many times.

 

[VABlue]

Wait wait wait... Don't give up just yet! You have some budget left over from the failed offering of the DR - use it! Look at some heavy duty garden tractors like the JD X-Series machines. I know all of the other brands make them, also, so look around. They start around $3000 and can only be had at the dealers. They are built far better than anything you'll find in the box stores (or Sears). And you could also get a Johnny Bucket to play with.

It's still not a tractor, but will be better for a few years than beating up a box store machine. The bucket would save your back a little, too... Good luck with it!

 

[machmeter62]

Welcome! We only read this board if we feel like giving free advice, so don't feel bad about asking questions that resemble questions others have asked before...

All of those tractors are bigger than I would likely recommend for the mowing and driveway maintenance. However, they may make sense for the tree and stump work. It might be good to elaborate on how many trees, how big, and what you're going to do with them so people can advise further.

Having said that, all these should be easily capable of the mowing work and driveway maintenance. The Kubota prices look rather high to me, though I haven't priced out those exact models. I wonder if they are selling at a premium because it's the new series. The Kioti prices look significantly better and more in line. I like Kioti; while I don't own one, I do think it's a quality product and I wouldn't hesitate to get one of the ones you list. The MF is also a good tractor. Some of it just boils down to which one you like better and/or fits you better, and which dealer you like better.

One comment - have you considered a cab model? A Kubota B3030 cab should be in the same ballpark, and it might be possible to get a Kioti cab model in the mid-20's. Mowing and dirt work are both hot dirty tasks, even here in the north. I wouldn't be doing them in Texas without a cab. If you don't get a cab, I would plan on getting a sunshade that mounts on the ROPS bar.[/QUOTE

"Z": One of the original members of this board in 99', often answered the question on size; if you can turn it around on your driveway...it's not too big!?

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

oneslackr
something else to consider would be an older 2 wheel drive machine with loader. Up here in NE Ks you can find them fairly easy at auction or in the paper for $2k-5k with loader.

 

[Scott from IN.]

Just wondering if you took a good look at those Mahindras? They have a tractor to fit just about everybodys needs.
The new 5525 model with loader is priced around $16,795. Or what about the 4530 for 21,900.
I know they have a 3 year warranty and finance with agricredit-0% up to 36 months or 5.49% as long as 84 months or anywhere in between.

Just FYI.

 

[WayneB]

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

I have to agree that the B series isn't for me. If I were to buy one I'd want to go with the larger/heavier models.

I went from an L-series Kubota to a B-series. My wife wanted to make sure I would be happy with the smaller tractor before we put the money out to buy it. At that point I realized she was all for me getting something newer, mainly because she didn't want to put up with another winter of me complaining about the tractor won't start when it is 10 below zero!

The key reason for selling the L was due to age and I just knew it would be expensive to fix if something major was to fail, plus I wanted power steering, nicer seat and new pretty paint too!

We thought of all the things I was presently doing with the tractor and what future jobs I expected to do and I decided the B series would handle everything I had to do. Naturally, I would have loved the Grand L with cab (air, heat and CD player) but realized that I had to stay within a normal budget for a big-boy toy!

Now we have about 15 acres mostly woods, but we do have about 5 or 6 acres of field that need to be mowed, a few garden plots that need to be tilled, a 1000 feet of driveway that needs to be graded once or twice a year and plowed in the winter time. I used the tractor to go out to the woods and drag logs to my cutting and splitting location.

If you're talking about your major jobs being mowing, driveway repair and some in the woods work I would think a B-7800 series would do the job for you. Mowing 6 acres could be easily handled with a 4' or 5' bush hog mower and the time really wouldn't be an issue.

As for pulling stumps and what have you, I know one can do that with a tractor, but in most cases, at least here in my neck of the woods it is easier to just plan ahead and find someone when they are working in the area to come out and bump the stumps out of the ground with a dozer. Heck about two years ago I had five stumps bumped out and it took the guy about an hour to complete the entire job with no damage to any equipment. With my tractor I would have worked a day or so on each one of them!

Just consider the hours you will be using the tractor, what you really need to complete most of the task and then search a bit for the right tractor for your needs. I would think you could find a good used tractor for under 10 K with a mower and FEL and it wouldn稚 be a major hit on the family budget.

Oh and there would never be a day I would just go out and buy something without the wife approving of the purchase. That way I always have a hot meal on the table and a bed to sleep!

Just my two cents............

Wayne

 

[Grrrr]

Rather than bveing continuously angry with the little ride on mower, why don't you try to get yourself a proper garden tractor.

I don't really know about pricing in the US but I would think you could get something liek a JD 425 - 445 for about $3000 - $4000.

Or new I think decent GT's start at about $5000.

That would make your mowing much easier and better.

The JD 455 can run a 60" deck easily, is built like a tank and will go virtually anwhere you can drive it

Some of them even have a TPH on the back so you can get implements. A Johnny Bucket might be usefull for the alpacas too.

Don't give up hope yet

 

[Time to Play]

I'm sure you guys are sick of reading/answering the same kind of questions over and over again so I apologize in advance.

I have a 6 acre property in central TX that we bought in January. I have a couple of acres of open space/pasture but most of the property has Oak and Cedar covering it. I have about 600+ feet of driveway to fix up, stumps to pull out, trees that need to be cleared out, and lots of mowing to do (especially with the 35+ inches of rain we've received in the past 2 months). I have weeds over 6 feet tall out there. The area where the property is located is also fairly rocky. We're trying to open up a business out there so I'm sure I'll have many other projects that I can't even think of now.

Trying to keep up with the mowing with my 5 year old 21HP riding mower isn't cutting it (no pun intended). The rider used to do duty on my 3/4acre lot at my house. Now that job is left for my 26HP garden tractor (it's newer/nicer than the older riding mower so I left it at home).

Needless to say a tractor would be helpful. I have looked at Branson, Mahindra, Kubota, Massey, Kioti. I've compared the specs of the tractors/attachments etc... I've narrowed down my choices to the following:

Kubota GL3240/GL3940
Massey 1533
Kioti DK35/DK40

I'm leaning towards the Kubota. Definitely nice. The prices I'm being quoted for the Kubotas are:
L3240HST w/R-4 tires, LA514 loader, Rhino SE5 shredder - $20,339.60
(base tractor price $16,266)

L3940HST w/R-4 tires, LA724, Rhino 172 shredder - $24,038.96
(base tractor price $18,883)

Though these prices don't include anything extra than what I listed. Kubota already cleared me for their 0%/36mth, so all I would have to do is sign.

For less than either Kubota I could get the Kioti DK35 in a package deal (though not with HST):

DK35SE w/FEL (quick attach, 66" bucket), 5 ft. box blade, 5 ft. Brush
Hog shredder - $18.5K or $19,995 (which includes a trailer in addition to
the above).

DK40SE same as above except 72" bucket, 6 ft. box blade & shredder
$20,995 or $22,995 w/trailer

This particular Kioti dealer also ups the warranty from 4 to 5 years.

As for the Massey: 1533 standard synchro, FEL - $17,200
1533 HST w/FEL - $18,850

The prices above are what I would actually pay. I have an ag exemption on 5.5 acres out of the 6 acres so I don't have to pay any sales tax.

Like I said I'm leaning towards Kubota but the Kioti deal looks pretty good. Which would you choose?

BTW, the wife says NO TRACTOR! I'm trying to not let that stop me.

I bought a Kioti DK45 last year to work on my 171 acre tree farm. This tractor is great. I use it to brush hog, stump and work on my 3/4 mile gravel road. It's great in the woods. I put a Woods BH90 backhoe on it with a hydraulic thumb and that is great as well. I.ve got over 200 hours on it and find that the maintenance on the DK45 is easy. Before I bought the Kioti I checked around and found Kioti to be the best price. The dealer I bought from did negotiate at that time. I've got a 6 ft. bucket on it and that is great as well.