Another newbie w/questions. Which would you buy?

[oneslackr]

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.

 

[Z-Michigan]

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.

 

[Oleozz]

Seven years ago if anyone would have told me I would own anything other than a JD I would have called them crazy. But here I am owning a Kioti and liking it. I never heard of Kioti until three years ago but after doing some checking and pricing and comparing with other brands I decided on a 45. I have about 270 hrs on the tractor and so far like it. Fortunately my wife was very supportive of me getting a new tractor and even insisted that I get the cab model.

 

[Cacinok]

oneslacker, whichever you buy, make sure the bucket is long enough for you to sleep in b/c buying w/o telling your wife or against her objections, will probably mean you'll be sleeping on the tractor for a while. lol

 

[MarkV]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on the new property.

I think it would be good to know how much more land you intend to finish on the six acres. To maintain a driveway and mow a couple of acres those are pretty good size tractors you are looking at. If the end goal is to have finish grass they will not make the best finish mowers due to maneuverability and weight. As far as the tree removal and stump removal even the size tractors you are looking at will be challenged without a backhoe.

Have you considered bringing a dozer or excavator to take care of the rough grading and tree work then getting a smaller tractor for the mowing and drive?

MarkV

 

[EFC]

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

Ask her to help you for a while and hand her a shovel and wheelbarrow. It will only take a few hours to work its majic

Buck

 

[oneslackr]

oneslacker, whichever you buy, make sure the bucket is long enough for you to sleep in b/c buying w/o telling your wife or against her objections, will probably mean you'll be sleeping on the tractor for a while. lol

Another reason to buy a cab model!! Thanks for all of the replies.

A cab model would also be nice down here due to the heat (though this summer hasn't been very hot, we've only been in the 80s & 90s all summer). Don't forget the bugs. We have every kind of flying or crawling insect imaginable, including chiggers that like to bite you to pieces (anyone from the TX hill country will confirm this). If that wasn't enough we have all kinds of lizards, scorpions all over the place (I hate when they get inside), rattlesnakes, copperheads, and coral snakes. The only thing missing is a T-Rex!

A co-worker of a friend of mine was resently mowing under a tree & a snake that was up in the tree landed on him. Luckily, he reacted quickly enough & was able to grab the snake and get it off of him & then kill it (TX probably isn't sounding so nice to some of you from the north).

As for the trees I plan on keeping the oaks. Most of them are old, large, mature oaks. The cedar trees are what I want to clear out. The majority of the cedars are not very big (20 - 25ft. range). The ones that have been cleared out already I've been burning. No burn ban down here this year for sure.

Maintaining/improving the driveway will be important since this will be a commercial property with people constantly coming & going. I also need to modify the layout of the driveway.

As I mentioned the ground is very rocky. In fact many of the oaks have roots running across the top of the ground or very shallow due to the rocks. It makes for tough mowing. Even in places were it isn't overly rocky you can't dig any deeper than 18" and then you hit solid rock. The property also has an elevation change running from high (west side) to low (east side). It's hard to judge by eye exactly how much it drops but there is at least a 10 ft. elevation change or more.

We have a wet spring that runs through the property from west to east. I would like to put in a decent sized pond that is fed by the spring. In addition, we need additional structures for our business and I need to prepare areas for the foundations. We are also raising Alpacas on the property so the tractor would be seeing manure/compost pile duties.

These are some of the other jobs that come to mind in addition to stump removal (I can thank the old owners for most of the stumps). If I were to buy a tractor I was also hoping to use it to do side jobs (mowing, clearing etc..) to make it earn its keep & to help justify the expense.

Now the way the wife sees things is this: Tractor = expensive. If I really need one then go rent one for a few days for the jobs at hand. As for the mowing she says go buy the biggest DR Tow-behind Field Brush Mower (17HP & on sale now for $2,609.10): DR® Power Equipment - Tow Behind - Fast

The way I see it is that the DR only has a 44" cut path and my riding mower has a 42" cut path. I don't think the difference is worth $2,600+. If I break my mower I can replace it for a lot less than that. Though I suppose I could use the 42" deck on the rider and off-set the DR to one side & use it at the same time to increase the cut path. Though I'm not sure how well my riding mower would tow the DR (it weighs 465 lbs). There are places where I need to mow now but I can't get to because the riding mower loses traction or gets stuck.

I tried to hire several companies to come out to take care of the mowing. Once I described the terrain they weren't interested. They told me they don't want to take the risk of damaging their equipment.

So I don't know what I should do or buy. All I know is that it stinks just trying to mow it all with a 42" riding mower in 95 degree heat w/70%+ humidity & bugs in your face. By the time I get through mowing everything it's time to start all over again (especially with all of the rain we've had). Then if I'm not mowing out there I'm mowing for a couple of hours at home on my other riding mower. It makes it difficult to get anything done other than mowing!

 

[VABlue]

"TX probably isn't sounding so nice to some of you from the north"

All of that toxic stuff is why I'll never live further south than where I'm at now (No VA)!!!

I'll say that even pulling the DR behind the rider will take you more time than a tractor /w bush hog because you can't go as fast and still get a decent cut. I also agree with the previous poster that you should give a shovel and wheelbarrow to the wife and tell her you need help. It won't take long to get the tractor approval, then you won't have to sleep in it!

 

[Crash101]

As I read your description of the property I keep thinking "mowing". Once you've cleared the brush, trees and stumps, you've got mostly mowing chores left. Mowing chores and once in a while some driveway maintenance. This might call for a lighter and (hey wife read this) cheaper tractor.
I don't recommend the Kubota base "L" series because I have one. I have one because I believe it's one of the best combinations of price, reputation, features, capability and resale that was available to me. It works great with a Rhino 5 foot cutter (don't have a finish mower yet, but will get a 72 inch), 5foot box blade and 6 foot rear blade. The Kubota B3030 could very well be your perfect tractor, but it's a bit pricier, and may be a bit light for those stumps if you decide to do some back hoe work later on.

 

[canoetrpr]

I think that the CK25,30,35 might also be worth a look.

Unless finish mowing is one of your primary applications then I'm not a huge fan of the B series. Their strength is tht they are capable tractors which are not very heavy.

With pasture you want to really use a rotary cutter rather than a finish mower so I'd continue to steer you towards the heavier tractors as weight is not generally an issue with cutting pastures...

All these machines are perfectly capable for your needs: Kioti CK20,25,30, Kubota L2800, GL.

Personally, I would go down the path of a smaller machine (say CK25 or L2800) and get a hoe with it. I don't have a hoe but I think it would substantially increase the utility of your tractor over getting say a DK40 or a GL3940 with no hoe. You would probably spend the same money on a CK25 w. hoe vs. DK40 without and with the amount of land you've got you don't need a DK40 (unless you can afford a DK40 w. a hoe!)

 

[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.