Price Check B2320 Price Check and Advice

[jeff9366]

The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers. Heavier tractor chassis weight is more important for most tractor operations than increased tractor horsepower. Bare tractor weight is a tractor specification easily found in sales brochures and web sites, readily comparable across tractor brands and tractor models, new and used. The most efficient way to shop for tractors is to list tractor applications first, then determine bare tractor weight needed to safely accomplish your tasks.

Within subcompact and compact tractor categories, bare tractor weight must increase 50% before you notice a significant tractor capability increase. It takes a 100% increase in bare tractor weight to elicit MY-OH-MY!

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. I have a column for cost per pound.

Most tractors under 3,000 pounds bare weight operate in residential or hobby farm applications on one to ten flat acres. Subcompact and compact tractors under 3,000 pounds will enter a residential garage with typical 84" door height.

Selling a used tractor is easy. Selling multiple light implements in order to buy heavier, wider implements for a heavier tractor requires a lot of time. Depreciation on implements is generally greater than depreciation on a tractor.

Tractors over 3,000 pounds bare weight are generally offered in a utilitarian configuration and a deluxe configuration. Deluxe kit enhances productivity and operating comfort ~~~ but you must pay. Most tractors over 3,000 pounds bare weight are too tall to fit through an 84" height garage door, even with ROPS folded.

Heavier tractors are built on larger frames with larger wheels/tires. A heavier tractor with large diameter tires has more tractive power pulling ground contact implements, pushing a loader bucket into dirt and pushing snow. Large wheels and tires increase ground clearance, enabling a heavier tractor to bridge holes, ruts and downed tree limbs with less bucking and disturbance operating over rough pasture and woodland.



Safe hillside operation demands more tractor weight than level land operation. Heavier tractors have adjustable rear wheel spreads; wide rear wheel spreads hugely improve tractor stability. Four wheel drive is essential on hillsides. Four wheel drive supplies increased traction. When descending slopes 4-WD augments rear brakes as tractor weight shifts forward, decreasing rear tire grip.

Tractors optimized for hill work have liquid installed in the rear tires rather than air. "Loaded" tires are filled 50% to 75% with liquid, which lowers the tractor's center-of-gravity, increasing rollover resistance. "Loading" two compact tractor rear tires will increase tractor weight 300 pounds to 800 pounds over weight of identical two tires inflated with air.



A quality dealer, reasonably close, available for coaching, is important for tractor neophytes. Almost every new tractor is 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. Dealer proximity is less important to those experienced with tractors and qualified to perform their own maintenance.

 

[jeff9366]

Dave's Tractor in Red Bluff is a member here and highly regarded.

A very well regarded Branson dealer. Approximately 170 miles from Sonoma.

Survived the fires.

Dave's Tractor, Inc - Home

 

[majorwager]

Messick's would REFUSE to perform warranty work on a tractor they did not sell !!! According to jeff, this could be true?
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"Also, how does warranty work if a tractor is purchased from a distant dealer? Dealers are telling me your stuck going back to selling dealer, is this really true?

It is a battle for dealers to obtain reimbursement from tractor manufactures for warranty repairs. How much dealers are reimbursed varies, but often less than 100%. Sometimes much less.
"Operator error" is not covered by tractor warranties and therein lie disputes; buyer-dealer/dealer-manufacturer.


So SOME dealers will not service tractors under warranty unless purchase was made from the servicing dealer. Others consider how straight forward warranty repair seems to be, then decide. I am sympathetic with the dealers on this issue."
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THE ABOVE IS QUOTED CONTEXT FROM POST # 10.
Truth be known, the warranty is NOT issued by the dealer. KUBOTA MUST HONOR THE COMMITTMENT, w/o regard for the location. Jeff has NOT furnished ANY supporting data to substantiate his statement. He had a conversation w/ one , yes just one dealer, who when pressed by KUBOTA CORPORATE, would fold like a deck chair on the TITANIC!!!


NO DEALER will jeopardize their franchise by refusing to honor their legal obligation to Kubota. I challenge jeff to obtain a written statement from Kubota | FL SUWANNEE RIVER KUBOTA, LLC ,

stating that they refuse to honor a warranty for a tractor not SOLD by that dealership !!. Actually, a written statement from any Kubota dealer, stating that the allegation made by jeff is true and accurate. IT is serious and consequential to offer rumors and innuendo that might effect the reputation of a major manufacturer.

 

[jeff9366]

I do not know how vigorous your Vinifera will grow. Sonoma is so variable.

However, with five foot spacing it is unlikely you will be able to drive a tractor down vineyard rows after vines leaf out.

I have been retired from the wine industry for thirteen years. I cannot remember how wide we spaced vineyard rows in Mendocino County when I worked there, 1981-1991, but we were always able to pass (expensive) Deere Orchard & Vineyard tractors down the rows pulling gondolas for hand harvest.

 

[jeff9366]

Is The Rex restaurant still operating in Sonoma?

I made lunch or supper at Rex part of my schedule driving to/from Mendocino from SFO airport.

Fond memories of veal and Petrale Sole at REX in particular.

 

[DavesTractor]

A very well regarded Branson dealer. Approximately 170 miles from Sonoma.

Survived the fires.

Dave's Tractor, Inc - Home

Jeff9366, thank you for the kind words. As I read through this thread, it looks like a lot of good advice.

I note good questions about taxes and appropriate answers that CA tax can't be avoided. It must be paid or evaded, can't be avoided on a new tractor purchase. Farm tax applies to many folks, and that makes the tax pretty gentle.

On warranty, dealers are pretty good about it. They can try to push you to your selling dealer but push comes to shove corporate for any brand is going to get a dealer to help you. We do service work and warranty work for tractors bought elsewhere, so long as they were bought legally, meaning taxes were paid as required. Warranty work brings no profit. It's a necessary evil. It is a service to the customer and we hope to break even. It pays the technicians wages, so not a loss but no margin of profit.

We recommend that folks buy local from a dealer they like. Having said that, we sell hundreds of tractors a year and we are in a tiny community in northern California. To do so means we have some tractors that are not local. But if there is a good dealer in a potential customer's area, we recommend them to stay local.

Kubota builds fine tractors. They got to #1 in the USA by building good stuff at decent prices. There is no denying that. But we sell against them every day. It is because of Mahindra and Branson and Kioti and LS that Kubota has had to stay competitive with their pricing. So if nothing else, you Kubota fans need to thank us. HAHA. In many positions in the model lineup, you can get more tractor for your money with these brands, opposed to Kubota or JD.

One of my friends, Casey, owns Truck Tops - Campway's in Santa Rosa. He sells Branson and Mahindra also. I'd recommend elia57 go see him and do a little comparison. It may be that the Kubota is the right tractor for you in the long run, but it doesn't hurt to check these units out.

On the HST vs gear deal. I'm a gear shift guy, most everything I buy by way of car or truck has a manual just because I like to row the gears. But on a tractor I'll take an HST or a power-shuttle every time over a clutch. You are right in what you said, that if you never had one you will be happy with the gear. You will, just don't borrow an HST. For loader work and many other things for which a small tractor is designed it is hard to beat an HST. There are still tasks for which a gear model is better, but it is mostly real deal farming stuff, like plowing a field.

Best of luck. Seems you are getting a lot of good advice.

 

[majorwager]

Dave's Tractor,

Just for the record, it was 3L Farms in post # 5 that FIRST offered kind words regarding your firm. Others parroted that endorsement.

Also, thanks for reinforcing the truth about tractor warranties. Misinformation can be harmful and your post appears sincere, suggest interested folks read you informative message above..

The thoughts concerning Kubota ring true, it is a fine product yet there is often reluctance to offer competitive pricing in the marketplace.

Certainly other brands have closed the gap on quality, and a wise Kubota should sit up and take notice. Good luck in your pursuits, you seem to possess the type of attitude folks seek out when selecting a knowledgeable dealer.

 

[DavesTractor]

Majorwager, thanks for the clarification. A lot of nice folks here on TBN. I've not been as active on here lately and have missed a few things, maybe quite a few things. I get a little more keyboard time in the winter.