Buying Advice Buying a new tractor - any advice

[jeff9366]

I have narrowed my choices to the following:

John Deere 3025e
Kubota L2501
LS MT225HE

All three of these models are approximately the same bare tractor weight. All three will be equally capable in the real world.

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


Have you owned a tractor before?

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

 

[kthompson]

Not sure you called it biased for I have own three different brand of tractors, pleased with each. My most recent purchase was my third Kubota, a L6060. I have two that are right at 20 years old. Not perfect but very good machines. Still before buying my current one at least looked at every brand within 50 miles. LS, Kioti, Mahrinda, Yanmar along with JD and Kubota. The LS dealership was new with them but old dealership. Mahrinda can not keep a dealership here. Now down to used car dealership with no real shop. The LS just did not impress me. One that does not affect the machine other than I just don't like the blue of the LS nor NH. My nephew has a NH built by LS I think that has the issues of cracked fenders and weak steps. Strong tractor. Yanmar really impressed me but again new dealer with no real tractor experience and next dealership over 100 miles away. That and they stopped with their own dealers few years back.
You are looking for a machine to USE, right? It will get broken, need maintenance, filters if nothing else. Trees are the hardest material on tractors of anything I know. Even large limbs and stumps no tractor is built to stand up to them. Look at the tractors people really use in the woods. You just can not help it. So you will need support. Kutoba and JD yes have the largest network of dealers. Do they cost more, not sure but can say their price is higher. Price is only one aspect of cost.

I may well have bought a Yanmar had there been better dealer support. To me a dealership should have common parts in stock, they should have a mechanic or more, they should know their products, tractors should be their main business. I find it interesting with so many old establish tractor dealership who's brand has been pulled due to mergers or not being large enough to suit JD or Kubota these other brands are not able to find more dealerships. Nothing like a machine needing a $50 part no one has or no idea when they will. FYI, the Kubota I got three months ago have had to replace a turn signal and the grill wire in front of the hood. Tree limbs, using grapple to pile trash. Dealers did not have the grill wire in stock but within a week parts were in my hands.

BUILD YOU AT LEAST A GUARD FOR THE FRONT OF ANY TRACTOR USED WITH LOGGING DEBRIS. Also open bottoms.

 

[TomRC]

Spent the last year researching tractors and with the exception of one green tractor I am about 90% sure it will be a Kubota. I am considering the new John Deere 3025D due to its simplicity and improved build quality over the 3025E and I'm OK with a gear drive, but I'm still hesitant for the reason to follow. The main reason I'm leaning toward Kubota is I would much rather buy a tractor that the vast majority of the tractor is actually built and manufactured by the company whose label is actually on the tractor and not pieced together from a lot of different suppliers parts. I went in to my research totally unbiased and while it is not hard to find people that have problems with their Kubotas it is MUCH harder to find people that are flaming mad with problem after problem. Not so hard to find with all the other brands and I think this stems not so much from Kubota being a superior product but I think there is a higher level of quality control with a Kubota and as mentioned before there may be exceptions but if you break a parts diagram down, for the most part the components
are actually made by Kubota. Other brands are basically assembling tractors from parts sourced from various manufacturers. It appears its rarely the main components of a tractor that leads to a one being a 3000lb paper weight but small components not assembled correctly or faulty from the get go. I think you greatly minimize the chance of these minor issues leading to massive headaches by buying a Kubota.

Make sure to shop around though as there is LOTS of variance in pricing from one Kubota dealer to the next and with some shopping you might be able to greatly reduce the price difference of a Kubota and some of the other brands........atleast this is what I am finding and plan on buying in the next month or so.

 

[finn1]

My interpretation is that you are looking for a machine for what is essentially a land clearing and improvement operation. If that’s correct, I question whether a compact tractor is the right tool.

A machine designed from the start for digging, stump removal, and general dirt work is much more suitable than a miniaturized farm tractor. Seriously look at a mini excavator and CTL or even a mid sized skid steer for what you want to do. Your budget may not be big enough, but you can always sell the industrial machinery and buy a light tractor when your needs diminish to maintenance tasks.

 

[HarryVanderpool]

My advice for you is to look at a few more HP.
25 is pretty weak.
Even while mowing you will find the tractor bogging down more than you will like.
Pushing snow? Forget it.
Take a look at 40 hp tractors.
40 is only 15 more but will seem like 1000 more when you are really working it.
Also, make sure the loader is of the Skid Steer, Quick Disconnect style.
One of the MOST useful tools for your tractor will be pallet forks.

 

[HEC]

I have two Kubota's and like them very much , the 5700 is 15 years old with zero problems . I have had zero problems with the 2650 but it has only 300 hrs. on it .I take very good care of both . I use the 2650 for snow removal as it has a cab and it does a great job with a snow blower and we get lots of snow in northern Maine . If I had it to do over again I would get a rear snow blower ( much cheaper ) and the use of a front end loader also . Yes it can be a pain in the neck backing up with a blower but with mirrors etc. it is manageable as the front end loader would really come in handy at times . As far as chains go I have never used them in the 30 years of clearing snow here with 4wd . I started with a 2wd and chains were a must . My grounds are fairly flat . I have to get out the 5700 a couple times each winter to use the front end loader at the end of my driveway as plow trucks turn around in my driveway and leave a mess at times . If I had the the front end loader available on the 2650 I wouldn't have to get out the open cab 5700 . The old saying is you get what you pay for and I will stick with Kubota . Best of luck with whatever you choose .

 

[Spydermike72]

Thank you all for the great info!! Lots of great suggestions and knowledge in this post alone!! I appreciate you all taking the time to help me form a game plan!!

 

[threeaces]

I am a rookie at all this but would agree with the more hp suggestion. I went through months of research and ended up buying the Massey 1740M (40hp) just today. I only have 7 acres, but virtually everyone told me to buy as big as I could afford. I have never heard anyone complain about a truck being to powerful, a boat being to powerful, etc.....so I guess it is true for tractors too. I take delivery in a couple weeks so we will see if I made the right move.

 

[rScotty]

I am a rookie at all this but would agree with the more hp suggestion. I went through months of research and ended up buying the Massey 1740M (40hp) just today. I only have 7 acres, but virtually everyone told me to buy as big as I could afford. I have never heard anyone complain about a truck being to powerful, a boat being to powerful, etc.....so I guess it is true for tractors too. I take delivery in a couple weeks so we will see if I made the right move.

Good for you! Nice tractors. I love that super smooth Shibaru engine. Which tranny?

The thing I learned after half a dozen tractors is that as you move up in HP you'll rarely use, you also get things that are useful every day. More weight, more optional features, more traction, more comfort, and way more stability - just to name a few advantages.

That's not to say that the smaller machine won't do the work; they will. It's just that a lot of other good things go along with an increase with HP.

After you get up to the 40/50hp class, the next major jump in features tends to occur when the 3pt hitch goes from Cat I to Cat II.
rScotty

 

[threeaces]

Good for you! Nice tractors. I love that super smooth Shibaru engine. Which tranny?

The thing I learned after half a dozen tractors is that as you move up in HP you'll rarely use, you also get things that are useful every day. More weight, more optional features, more traction, more comfort, and way more stability - just to name a few advantages.

That's not to say that the smaller machine won't do the work; they will. It's just that a lot of other good things go along with an increase with HP.

After you get up to the 40/50hp class, the next major jump in features tends to occur when the 3pt hitch goes from Cat I to Cat II.
rScotty

I got the Power Shuttle, just not a hydro guy. Also wanted the M model as the nicer creature comforts and options are nice as you get older. This is my first tractor, probably my last.....I wanted to do it right.