Buying Advice First Tractor Sizing/Pricing Advice

   / First Tractor Sizing/Pricing Advice #1  

Garrett9018

New member
Joined
Sep 19, 2019
Messages
2
Tractor
none currently
Hi all, new to the forum here.

We are going to be purchasing our first tractor here soon and are seeking advice on size and pricing

Initially we will be doing some light land clearing. About 4 of the 10 acres we are closing on next month is pretty overgrown. The brush is 6-7ft high in some spots. As for mowing, we plan to get it knocked down initially and then maintain with a zero turn.

Additionally there are 30-40 medium to large trees on the property we plan to cut down over time and pile up on the property to chop up for fire wood.

We also have two horses, possibly 2 more in the future, that we will be tending to. (Moving round bales around)

There is a 1/4 mile long gravel driveway and roughly 2000sqft gravel parking pad that needs to be maintained as well.

My wife and I are going back and forth between one of the MX52/5800痴 or a M5660.

We were quoted 28k for a mx5200 and 34k for a m5660. Both prices include the loader, 4wd, R4 tires, but no implements.

The mx5200 would likely suit our needs, however, I wouldn稚 mind having the larger tractor in case we expand one day and buy more property that may be more labor intensive.

As for the prices, how negotiable are they? Is it like buying a vehicle? We both have a good bit of experience using a tractor but neither of us have purchased one.

Thank you,
Garrett from Louisiana.
 
   / First Tractor Sizing/Pricing Advice #2  
Either one.
MORE: Kubota MX Series VS. Kubota M Series - YouTube
Kubota M566 Walk Around/ Driving Demo - YouTube
Kubota MX series walk around and features by Messicks. | MX48 MX52 MX58 - YouTube


As much of what you have described is "up front" work, which when completed will be out of the way, an MX will be ample for your repetitive applications on ten (10) acres. An MX with ROPS folded will fit under an 84" garage header with room to spare. I believe a M5660 will be too tall, even with ROPS folded, to fit under an 84" garage header.

Consider ballast for the rear wheels/tires. Could be liquid in the tires, could be iron wheel weights.
Comparing Types of Liquid Tire Ballast | OrangeTractorTalks


About 4 of the 10 acres we are closing on next month is pretty overgrown. The brush is 6-7ft high in some spots.

As for the prices, how negotiable are they?

Consider a Ratchet Rake bucket attachment for that brush.
MORE: RATCHET RAKE CLEARING BRUSH - Yahoo Search Results

Compact tractor prices have escalated in the last year with steel tariffs. Very generally, in the South, 8% off Kubota MSRP would be good. If Kubota incentives to the dealer line up with the stars, perhaps a bit more.
KUBOTA USA: https://apps.kubotausa.com/configurator/BuildMyKubota.aspx?pgId=1&bmId=1030&sId=126
 
Last edited:
   / First Tractor Sizing/Pricing Advice #3  
go for the bigger tractor. you will always be wishing you did
 
   / First Tractor Sizing/Pricing Advice #4  
Pricing is to hard on the internet, best way to figure out a good price is yourself, not trying to a jerk about it, but thats reality. You can say is this is a good price, some guys will say yes some will say no. Truth is search around to dealers your willing to drive to or pay for something to be delivered that will tell you a good price or not.
 
   / First Tractor Sizing/Pricing Advice #5  
Ether the MX or the 5660 would serve you well. Have you looked at cabbed machines? If you're not planning to store inside a cab is nice to keep the weather off the operator's station. You're probably going to want to smooth out the ground after you clear it and re-seed with a good lawn grass that grows well in your area. Trying to keep former brush cut down with a zero turn is a good way to need a chiropractor.

Quoted prices from dealers are usually pretty firm in my area. They don't haggle like a traditional car dealership. Which is fine, I hate haggling.

I think the MX will still have room for you to grow into a larger property, but with that little between them the M5660 seems the better buy to me, if you can afford it without having to skimp on the implements you would have gotten if you'd gotten the MX. Tractors are mobile power plants, they do no good if you don't have the right tools to hook to them.
 
   / First Tractor Sizing/Pricing Advice
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Thank y誕ll for the advice. As for getting a tractor with a cab, it will be stored in a barn out of the weather.
 
   / First Tractor Sizing/Pricing Advice #7  
I recommend you go with ag tires over r4. If the budget allows, get the 5660. However, the mx will get the job done.
 
   / First Tractor Sizing/Pricing Advice #8  
I recommend you go with ag tires over r4. If the budget allows, get the 5660. However, the mx will get the job done.

Depends My R4s are pretty good. If you plan on going on the lawn Ags are a bad choice, but strictly field and woods you would be correct.
 
   / First Tractor Sizing/Pricing Advice #9  
Initially we will be doing some light land clearing. About 4 of the 10 acres we are closing on next month is pretty overgrown. The brush is 6-7ft high in some spots. Additionally there are 30-40 medium to large trees on the property we plan to cut down over time and pile up on the property to chop up for fire wood.

I see a pretty good sized burn pile in your future. I prefer tough R4/industrial tires working over hot ashes as I "push up" the burn pile for a clean burn.
 
   / First Tractor Sizing/Pricing Advice #10  
I am not familiar with the M5660 so can't comment about it. We have a MX5800 and really like it. R4 tires with ballast in them, HST tranny, loader, 4n1 bucket. We have 60 acres on which we do various things. We had a M5700 Kubota 4WD with R1 tires. Liked it fine but wanted an HST tractor so we sold the M5700 and bought a L3800 HST, R4 tires with ballast, FEL, 4n1 bucket. We choose that size because two family members were interested in operating the tractor but were intimidated by larger tractors. It turned out that neither of these family members ever operated the L3800 so we ended up selling it and buying the MX5800. So, we have gone through the size issues somewhat. We have not encountered any situation for which we wished we had a larger tractor than the MX. If you are leaning toward the MX, I suggest that you price the MX5800. We priced all variations of the MX series and L4700 and decided that the MX5800 was the best buy.
 

Tractor & Equipment Auctions

2025 Swict 84in Bucket Skid Steer Attachment (A50322)
2025 Swict 84in...
2014 MACK CXU (PINNACLE) (A50854)
2014 MACK CXU...
2013 VERMEER RTX1250 RIDE ON TRACTOR (A51242)
2013 VERMEER...
2025 Kivel 48in Forks and Frame Skid Steer Attachment (A50322)
2025 Kivel 48in...
Chevrolet Silverado Pickup Truck Bed (A49461)
Chevrolet...
2018 Chevrolet Tahoe SUV (A50324)
2018 Chevrolet...
 
Top