Buying Advice Evaluating options for a compact

[TomIre]

No doubt everyone has a "favorite". After looking at a handful of tractors, I ended up creating a spreadsheet where I could list all the specs that were important to me.
I have 20 over hilly acres in TN. Ultimately, I believe a heavier tractor will give you more traction and for hills and snow traction is what you want.
I ended up with a Branson 3725H. There are always compromises and there isn't the side and deep dealer network for Bransons as exist for other brands but they were, to me, superior in enough other aspects that it made my decision easy. You might want to add them to your list.

 

[NYCheese]

Our land is a little over an hour south of the OP, and we have a similar ~35 acres on a hillside, of which I need to maintain about 5-7 acres. I shopped many of the same models the OP was looking at, initially looking at the Mahindra Max26XL, then the 1500s, and was on my way to check out the Kubota L3350 (and to talk to the dealer about the known regen issues) when I accidentally went into a Kioti dealer. I would suggest the OP at least give them a look. There was a dealer in Afton that gave me a very reasonable quote via email, though I ended up with a CK3510se from a closer dealer that's being delivered next week (the Akron dealer may also be the local Yanmar dealer). If you consider the CKs, skip the 2510 (smaller frame) and go to the CK2610 as a minimum (same engine as the 2510 and still rated at 24.5hp, so no regen, but many claim punches above it's weight class and is on the larger CK frame that's around 2800#). With the loader and filled rear tires, it should be >4000#. I had concerns about the DPF as well, but in the end, I wanted a little more HP to run a wood chipper and other as-yet-unknown implements down the road, so I bit the bullet on the DPF. As an FYI - You can get the 35 and 40hp CK models in an 'SE' model, which has a independent PTO and most options from the base CK models as standard.

Depending on how thick the brush is that you want to cut, you may also want to consider a flail mower like the WoodMax FM-62. As long as you don't need to cut anything more than an inch or so thick, it should do the trick while being more maneuverable in the wooded areas, and can also double as a finish mower, especially if you get an extra set of blades (the Y for grass and the heavier duck-foot blades for thicker brush). So, you only buy 1 mower instead of a brush hog and a finish mower, and don't need the mid-pto for a belly mower, saving another $1k or so. I plan on getting one eventually, but for now I plan on maintaining a few short wooded trails and a little brush with the FEL that will I probably put a Piranha tooth bar on and a root rake grapple from EA (I have a nice Simplicity mower for the lawn areas).

BTW, @OP - do me a favor. Stop into Oneonta and have a slice of cold cheese pizza for me. Thanks!

-Lee

Yep, The Kioti dealer in Afton is on my list, not gonna get there tomorrow though. I'm going north to Tully for the Yanmar dealer. I'll have to see if there's another Yanmar dealer around, I wasn't aware of another. It does sound like your land is similar, and I was considering the ck2610, but I think after hearing others' opinions on here, I might want to look at bigger machines. I'm not super concerned about the DPF stuff, other than I knew it added costs once you crossed that HP line. What I really don't want to end up with is a machine that can barely get up the hill with a backhoe on it, or bogs down going up hill with a rotary cutter.

 

[Citydude]

Weight and width matters on slopes and timber. Horsepower, not so much. I have an L 2501 I use on steep slopes and heavily timbered areas. The lifting capacity with a grapple is ample for moving 12 foot logs in those conditions. Slopes and timber requires slow, tedious motions. Speed is not your friend.

If your planning on snowblowing, the 3301 or 3901 would be more applicable. The 2501 frame size is great however it is horsepower shy for some PTO implements.

The grand L's are very nice machines however if your concerned about dings and scratches, why buy the luxury model? See if you can upgrade the seat on a standard L. My 2 cents worth.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

In case no one answered this from one of your early posts; the addition of a loader a boxblade will GREATLY improve ride quality. No comparison there.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

I'm going to suggest something you may not want to hear at first....

I think the L2501 is the absolutely perfect tractor to start with. It will do most of what you want to do, and when you want to sell it in two or three years you will be able to do so for two or $3,000 less than what you bought it for. I would just about guarantee you that it will hold its value better than any other tractor being sold on the market right now. And no matter what you buy, if you really need a tractor, you will be selling it in 2 to 3 years. (This is the part I know you really don't want to hear).

We see it all the time here on TBN and I was in the same place at one point. The bottom line is that you just don't know enough about tractors and what you need the tractor to do at this point in time to make the right decision. Furthermore, no one here on the internet can know it for you. After a few years of fumbling around and learning by doing and learning on the internet you will know enough to make the right decision to buy the right tractor for the long-term.

Think about this abstractly. You need this to be a do-all utility tractor on a new piece on land with unknown challenges and you don't really know what a CUT is capable of... How can you expect to get it right the first time with any likelyhood?

I bought my B3300su new on 0%, put 500hrs on it over 3years, and sold it in 2days for $3k less than I paid new. Then I bought my MX4800 and customize the heck out of it. I do about what you think your tasks will be. :2cents:

Edit:
I had experience with ag tractors and I still got it wrong with my first CUT.

 

[ericm979]

I recommend new motorcyclists start with a small bike all the time. But unlike tractors, all your motorcycling accessories will work on any size bike.

It's true that an L2501HST would have excellent resale. So would any Kubota HST for that matter. The problem with buying a smaller tractor first and a larger tractor later is that the larger tractor will need all new implements. You can sell the old implements too, and they hold their value as well, but you still have to sell them for enough of a discount to get someone to buy that used implement instead of a new one. That'll increase the cost to upgrade to a larger tractor.

 

[4570Man]

Do you have to have a new tractor? I had less money in my L3240 by a good margin than you’re looking to spend. That tractor is probably 50 percent stronger than the L2501, being a GrandL it was definitely nicer and still had no emissions crap.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

I recommend new motorcyclists start with a small bike all the time. But unlike tractors, all your motorcycling accessories will work on any size bike.

It's true that an L2501HST would have excellent resale. So would any Kubota HST for that matter. The problem with buying a smaller tractor first and a larger tractor later is that the larger tractor will need all new implements. You can sell the old implements too, and they hold their value as well, but you still have to sell them for enough of a discount to get someone to buy that used implement instead of a new one. That'll increase the cost to upgrade to a larger tractor.

Not nessicarily in this case. Grapple would likely transfer as would the brush hog, finishmower, landscape rake etc. Dirkworking impliments like boxblade etc probably would not.
Not to mention that I generally buy, and recommend buying, used impliments so depreciation is essentially zero.
Just my 2cents.

 

[LouNY]

You've gotten all kinds of recommendations here already so here are 2 that I haven't seen which I consider very important;
#1 make sure that you have room (clearance) for tire chains
#2 an independent PTO is also very important
Good luck

 

[NYCheese]

Went to the Mahindra dealer today, but didn't make it to Yanmar. Looked briefly at the max26xl, but I think that's pretty much ruled out at this point. Spent most of my time there on a 1526hst. It feels like the right frame size machine to me, but it is under the recommended weight from you guys. I'm worried about 26hp not being enough, based on some of the posts here, but the only other machine he had to look at was a 1538 with a cab. I've decided I definitely do not want a cab. It's nice, but I'd just break stuff in the trees getting firewood. I brought home the pamphlet, I'd probably lean towards the 1533, or the 1538. The 33 might be in the same ballpark price range as the B2650, and it's quite a bit more tractor.

Things I didn't like - The seat, definitely not as nice as the kubota, and no armrests i a big con.
The hst peddle is similar to kubota (treadle type), but I have big feet, and it felt more awkward.
The brakes are on the same side as the hst pedal? Seems strange to me, not sure how you'd brake turn if needed.
Fel was a bit jerkier operation than the kubota, and the joystick felt like it should've been 2 inches closer.

Things I did like - bigger machine
Felt well made, visibly probably 95% as nice as the b2650
I think it was quieter than the kubotas, although vibration was more noticeable at idle.


Dealer said he'd email me a full quote tomorrow, but for the 1533hst with Fel, backhoe, 6' rotary cutter, box blade (don't remember if it was 5' or 6'), and filled rear tires, msrp was close to 40k, but that they could probably get it down in the low 30's with incentives (but pre-tax).

Gonna keep looking, but this is definitely a lot more tractor for not much more money than the kubota. And to answer the question from last night...yes, I'd prefer to buy new. I'm too old and worn out to buy something used that needs something fixed every other weekend, and even if it's a gently used machine, I'll be happier with some kind of warranty, knowing that I'll have at least a few years with less to worry about. I'm hoping this will be the 1 and only tractor I will ever buy, and I think overall I'd just prefer a new one.