Buying Advice CUT buying advice

[newbury]

<snip>
First, usage:
I have 12 acres of neglected land in Central FL. It's divided into three sections (not including the average-ish front and backyard). Two are overgrown pastures with scattered trees, and the third is relatively natural Florida woods. The natural area floods regularly thanks to a nearby creek, and much of it stays soft year round. There are a couple dozen down trees and logs, with plenty more that likely should come down and dozens that need trimmed. Long term plans are to have the pastures maintained for livestock and eventually a horse or two. The pastures are low, and soft during rainy season. Some grading and filling will need to be done before we get any large animals. I'll keep the third section pretty natural, but I want to clean it up and bush hog maybe bi-monthly. The other frequent tractor job will be maintaining a long gravel driveway that is built up on clay and currently full of potholes.<snip>
Opinions?

We all have opinions. My first is that you've laid out your needs, experience and budget very well.

I would choose weight and loader breakout over horsepower any day.

Consider your first tractor a "learner". You can sell a <600 hour Kubota or Deere for $10 per hour in depreciation cost. After 300 to 600 hours you will have a real world idea of your needs. Maybe, just MAYBE, your first tractor will fill all your needs.
<snip>
Kubota is selling a lot of the L2501 model. It would make a good 'first' tractor. An L2501 will certainly "I want to clean it up and bush hog bi-monthly. The other tractor job will be maintaining a long gravel driveway built up on clay and currently full of potholes", but a little slowly. Barely enough power/weight to satisfactorily operate a post hole auger in soft ground for fencing.<snip>

I agree with most of your post jeff except the

Barely enough power/weight to satisfactorily operate a post hole auger in soft ground for fencing.

My B7610 runs my PHD fine, even in moderate to heavy clay.

OP - I'd strongly advise you to go for a little more HP, at least 30 engine, 25 PTO. If you have any wrenching skills to do occasional maintenance like replacing hydraulic hoses, filter changes etc. a used tractor might be a good choice. Especially at this time of year.
Also view this as possibly your FIRST tractor, they go better in pairs

 

[AustinOX]

Thanks for all of the replies. I think I need to prioritize the HST and not look at it as a wash. Our property is no where near square, with some tight spots along the property lines and driveway fencing. I intend to put in a small berm sooner than later. I also didn't realize that I'd lose the live PTO with the DT transmission. It would put me right at $20k according to the add-on price I was told compared to the package I was quoted. I suppose I could have remotes added later if I had a consistent need. It's kind of hard to swallow spending $1,700 more than the Deere and getting only 19.5 PTO hp, though. Is the build quality and lack of emissions complexity worth it? My neighbor with the 3032E is great, and would help me out if my tractor couldn't power an auger or other implement, but I'm buying my own tractor for a reason and I don't want to be calling him every other week.

I generally agree that the JD went cheap on the 3***E series, even to an untrained eye- but with so many hinting that the first tractor is rarely the last, maybe the less expensive JD makes more sense to buy. It would be out of character for me to trade in/up though unless there was some deal breaker issue that came up. I'm pretty confident in my plans for the land, and don't expect to make major changes.

I'm in the Lakeland/ Winter Haven area, so Chiefland and Ocala dealers are a little far for me. I've actually gotten the best up front offers from JD and Kubota dealers within 5 miles- to the tune of $1,500 on the JD and $2,500 on the Kubota.

 

[jeff9366]

With a light tractor like an L2501, with corresponding light implements, you can work fine without hydraulic Top & Tilt.

Top & Tilt is really appreciated when you need to adjust heavy implements regularly on a heavy tractor working hard dirt.

I'm in the Lakeland/ Winter Haven area, so Chiefland and Ocala dealers are a little far for me.

Refine your location in your T-B-N PROFILE so it will be of use on all your posts.

Here are a few tractors and TLBs currently on eBay, near zip code 33801:

Industrial Tractor | eBay

Backhoe Loader | eBay

 

[DK35vince]

I generally agree that the JD went cheap on the 3***E series, even to an untrained eye- but with so many hinting that the first tractor is rarely the last, maybe the less expensive JD makes more sense to buy. It would be out of character for me to trade in/up though unless there was some deal breaker issue that came up. I'm pretty confident in my plans for the land, and don't expect to make major changes.

Get the size/model and features you want now and the chances that you feel you need to trade up later will be greatly reduced or not needed at all.

 

[motownbrowne]

Thanks for all of the replies. I think I need to prioritize the HST and not look at it as a wash. Our property is no where near square, with some tight spots along the property lines and driveway fencing. I intend to put in a small berm sooner than later. I also didn't realize that I'd lose the live PTO with the DT transmission. It would put me right at $20k according to the add-on price I was told compared to the package I was quoted. I suppose I could have remotes added later if I had a consistent need. It's kind of hard to swallow spending $1,700 more than the Deere and getting only 19.5 PTO hp, though. Is the build quality and lack of emissions complexity worth it? My neighbor with the 3032E is great, and would help me out if my tractor couldn't power an auger or other implement, but I'm buying my own tractor for a reason and I don't want to be calling him every other week.

I generally agree that the JD went cheap on the 3***E series, even to an untrained eye- but with so many hinting that the first tractor is rarely the last, maybe the less expensive JD makes more sense to buy. It would be out of character for me to trade in/up though unless there was some deal breaker issue that came up. I'm pretty confident in my plans for the land, and don't expect to make major changes.

I'm in the Lakeland/ Winter Haven area, so Chiefland and Ocala dealers are a little far for me. I've actually gotten the best up front offers from JD and Kubota dealers within 5 miles- to the tune of $1,500 on the JD and $2,500 on the Kubota.

Yes, 19.5 PTO HP isa little anemic, but... it's the same tractor as the L3301 and 3901 in every way except engine power. With a hydrostatic transmission, you will be able to power ANY implement that the 3301 or 3901 can use(which would also include anything the 3032 or 3038 JDs could use). Yes you'll have to go slower, but with the HST, you can do that. You can run a 6' bush hog on there just fine. Yes, you'll have to reduce your ground speed, versus a tractor with more HP, to keep the RPM at rated speed, but it'll handle the implement just as well as the 3901 and for a lot less money. The question is just how much of a hurry you are in.

 

[Tompet]

If I was buying one of those machines, I'd pick the 2501 Kubota with the HST. Personal preference, I suppose, but I've been very pleased with my orange machine. It might have less ponies than the JD, but unless you are in a big hurry, it'll get the job done just the same. Extra weight and lift capacity is a big plus to me.

For what the op has written and budget this would be a good simple choice. From what your concerns are as written...it would be my choice...ha for whatever that is worth! Sounds like you have shopped around at competing dealers. Maybe you'll do a little better when you negotiate your final choice. Either one will do the work. Enjoy the new tractor.

I don't think you will need to trade in any time soon, but if Comments here have made that a concern, do a little more due diligence to ease those concerns. If you really feel the need for some better features or more hp...it is cheaper to spend it now.

 

[gladehound]

So many people come on TBN and say they are buying their first tractor and that they want it to be the only one they ever buy. Chances are, it wont be. That's because too many things change in life. I doubt any of us know what our needs will be 10, 20, 30 years down the road.

That being said, why not find a good value used machine (something you can turn around for either no loss or a profit if you want to). If you buy with that mind set, you don't have to worry about buying the perfect machine and you'll be dollars ahead.

If you are between the JD and Kubota specified in your post, I'd agree with the others, get the Kubota. I think that whichever you get, you will want to get something bigger sometime down the road. The Kubota with HST will sell the easiest. Kubota is sustaining their good quality. JD is cheapening their products. 10 years from now, Kubota will have the much better reputation i.e. better resale. But 20K is a ton of money for ~20 PTO hp. Sure would get a lot more for your money with a slightly used larger interim Tier 4 model - especially from one of the Korean manufacturers (LS or Kioti).

 

[jeff9366]

So many people come on TBN and say they are buying their first tractor and that they want it to be the only one they ever buy. Chances are, it wont be.

Most new tractor owners find far more uses for their tractors than they imagined when shopping. Then, they begin to browse the ATTACHMENTS forum and discover their tractor has expanded capabilities via Three Point Hitch mounted implements. The budget goes to blazes. Desire for a heavier tractor seeps into the consciousness, the golf clubs are sold, the wife gets a part time job ****EVERYTHING CHANGES******

 

[Kubota 2350]

Get the size/model and features you want now and the chances that you feel you need to trade up later will be greatly reduced or not needed at all.

I agree, buy once, cry once.

 

[AustinOX]

Working on a deal on an L3240 gst with 70 hrs. No FEL or attachments. Dealer will add a new LA724 loader and 6' med duty bush hog for $19,700. I think it's the best package yet.