Confused - Need Help

dbyrne36 · May 22, 2009

Hello All,

First, I have been browsing the site for a few months and it has been very helpful. However, the deeper I get into looking for a new tractor the more I feel I don't know, so I could use your help.

So here is my situation. I am moving to 10 acres in the next month, and I will probably pick up another adjacent 5 acres next year. The land is primarily wooded, except for the area right around the house and the garden, which is about a 1/4 acre. The property is rocky, but not too bad, and gently slopes down to the lake. Here is what I am looking to do with my new tractor:
- Work the garden
- Move earth (I have A LOT of landscaping to do)
- Move trees (drag logs and move rounds using the bucket)
- Bush hog (but little if any mowing)
- Eventually, with implements, split and chip wood
- And of course anything else I can justify using it for

Based on the above, I was thinking that I need a 4x4 tractor with a front loader with at least 20hp. So, in looking at tractors, I narrowed it down to:
- Kubota L2800
- Kubota B3200
- NH TC30

As I was looking at the tractors, though, the prices seemed to get up there pretty fast. Based on that, I am second guessing the direction I was going. So here are my questions I could use your help with:
- Based on what I outlined what size tractor do you think I need?
- What makes/models would you recommend?
- Any other suggestions/input?

I worked my through college on a farm, so I know my way around a tractor, but it has been 20 years since then. So I would appreciate any input. Thanks!

LAWALLSTRACTOR · May 22, 2009

Check out a Mahindra 2816 tractor, or if you are really looking for economy check out the Mahindra 2525 tractor.

flusher · May 22, 2009

dbyrne36 said:
Hello All,

First, I have been browsing the site for a few months and it has been very helpful. However, the deeper I get into looking for a new tractor the more I feel I don't know, so I could use your help.

So here is my situation. I am moving to 10 acres in the next month, and I will probably pick up another adjacent 5 acres next year. The land is primarily wooded, except for the area right around the house and the garden, which is about a 1/4 acre. The property is rocky, but not too bad, and gently slopes down to the lake. Here is what I am looking to do with my new tractor:
- Work the garden
- Move earth (I have A LOT of landscaping to do)
- Move trees (drag logs and move rounds using the bucket)
- Bush hog (but little if any mowing)
- Eventually, with implements, split and chip wood
- And of course anything else I can justify using it for

Based on the above, I was thinking that I need a 4x4 tractor with a front loader with at least 20hp. So, in looking at tractors, I narrowed it down to:
- Kubota L2800
- Kubota B3200
- NH TC30

As I was looking at the tractors, though, the prices seemed to get up there pretty fast. Based on that, I am second guessing the direction I was going. So here are my questions I could use your help with:
- Based on what I outlined what size tractor do you think I need?
- What makes/models would you recommend?
- Any other suggestions/input?

I worked my through college on a farm, so I know my way around a tractor, but it has been 20 years since then. So I would appreciate any input. Thanks!

I have 10 acres of flat pasture land. My first tractor was a new 2005 Kubota B7510HST (21 hp engine, 17 hp pto, 4WD, power steering) with the LA302 FEL (4-ft wide bucket, about 800 lb lift capability). It was fine for landscaping around my new place (plowing with a middle buster, 4-ft wide rototiller, 4-ft box blade, etc), installing paver block walkways and a 20x20ft paver block patio, moving material (soil, mulch, sand, gravel, etc), clearing the junk out of my weed patch.

Last year I decided to put a hay crop (oats) on 6 of my 10 acres and traded that B7510 for a new 2008 Mahindra 5525 (54 hp engine, 45 hp pto, 2WD, power steering). I mention this only to remind you that plans change and sometimes require a new tractor purchase relatively quickly. So it helps to think hard and plan ahead before dumping a wad of cash in a tractor purchase.

If I were in your situation, I'd look for a 30-35 hp (pto) tractor with HST, 4WD, power steering and a FEL with a 5-ft wide bucket. All the tractor manufacturers have something to offer with these specs.

If new tractors cause sticker shock, then check out 2-5 year old used tractors (dealers, eBay, craigslist). Most tractors depreciate 15-20% in the first year. By the 5th year, the depreciation is 30-40%. You can find 5-year-old CUTs with 500-800 hours pretty easily and, assuming proper maintenance, a tractor like this is just getting broken in.

Harvey7 · May 22, 2009

Dbyrne36

If you have a the Kioti dealer near by check out their line up, 20 HP and up, you may find quite a difference in price. Most owners are real pleased with these machines.

Harvey

Erik_in_Hoyt · May 23, 2009

I know a few people who rave about their Kubota 3010's - and you can sometimes find them used at a reasonable price.
comparable to what you listed but generally lower priced:
Kioti CK 25, 30, or 35
Mahindra 2816 or 3216
TYM 233 or 273
if you want to step up a frame size, there are a LOT of options under $20k, and often an extra $1000 will get you a larger frame machine (bigger frame, more weight = more traction, stability when FEL bucket is full, etc...)

ps: part of the country you live in can make ofr a big difference in prices - so would be handy to have a clue as to state or region where you will be using the tractor.

dbyrne36 · May 23, 2009

Thanks all so far for the help. To answer the last question, I am in the greater Tulsa, OK area. The biggest dealers within a reasonable distance carry Kabota, New Holland, Massey, John Deere, and Mihandra. There is no one nearby that I can find that carries Kiota or Bob Cat tractors.

Erik_in_Hoyt · May 23, 2009

Wichita or OKC would probably be your closest Kioti dealers.
Check White Star there in Tulsa for Bobcat Tractors.

smfcpacfp · May 23, 2009

I do everything you do on a pacel of land the same size as you are planning to acquire, except work a graden and bush hog. I also do a lot of snowblowing. I have a Kubota B3030HSDC (30 hp) which is good for what I do. You probably wouldn't have to have the cab.

I couldn't imagine using my tractor for the garden that I have which is quite small (i.e., tractor too big). On the other hand I couldn't imagine doing a lot of wood work (chipping, and hauling dead trees, splitting wood) with a smaller tractor. I would say the same would be true with landscaping, of which I have done a lot more than I anticipated. In some respects I wish I had a larger tractor, not a smaller one.

Soundguy · May 26, 2009

If you like the tc 30.. look at the smaller NH models as well.. while 10-15ac is alot of land.. if yours is all wooded.. then smaller is deffinately a plus.. something like a 1630 ( if looking used ).. or the tc 21 or 24.. etc.

soundguy

dbyrne36 said:
Hello All,

First, I have been browsing the site for a few months and it has been very helpful. However, the deeper I get into looking for a new tractor the more I feel I don't know, so I could use your help.

So here is my situation. I am moving to 10 acres in the next month, and I will probably pick up another adjacent 5 acres next year. The land is primarily wooded, except for the area right around the house and the garden, which is about a 1/4 acre. The property is rocky, but not too bad, and gently slopes down to the lake. Here is what I am looking to do with my new tractor:
- Work the garden
- Move earth (I have A LOT of landscaping to do)
- Move trees (drag logs and move rounds using the bucket)
- Bush hog (but little if any mowing)
- Eventually, with implements, split and chip wood
- And of course anything else I can justify using it for

Based on the above, I was thinking that I need a 4x4 tractor with a front loader with at least 20hp. So, in looking at tractors, I narrowed it down to:
- Kubota L2800
- Kubota B3200
- NH TC30

As I was looking at the tractors, though, the prices seemed to get up there pretty fast. Based on that, I am second guessing the direction I was going. So here are my questions I could use your help with:
- Based on what I outlined what size tractor do you think I need?
- What makes/models would you recommend?
- Any other suggestions/input?

I worked my through college on a farm, so I know my way around a tractor, but it has been 20 years since then. So I would appreciate any input. Thanks!